Projects The Hitchhikers Guide Episode VI: Return of the Hitchhiker.... Hot Rod Model A banger

Unfortunately no,he coupe is going bye bye. It's headed to Germany soon. Oddly enough I found out there is a 30 coupe in a garage right around the corner, been there for years....you never know....

 

If you don't have a spreader...drop the rear end/spring down, and C clamp the spring. Remove the center bolt, then remove the c-clamp slowly letting the pressure off the pack. Once apart, you can probably get the main leaf off by hand. Be careful though, those springs are wound tight!!

 

Do like Chris says. If you don't have a c-clamp big enough to relieve the pressure of the spring, put some all thread in the bolt hole with a washer and nut on both ends and slowly turn the nut until the spring is apart.

 

My vote is paint the fronts white I like the contrast

 

All killer no filler!! Man what a score. Congrats ~sololobo~

 

Thanks guys, I do know how to do the c clamp trick. But was wondering If I can drop the rear down enough to do it in truck or if I need to pull the whole rear.

 

you can drop the rear down enough
but be careful
fear and respect the buggy spring....i almost lost a few fingers
and i had a spreader
tk

 

Pull the u-bolts and the rear should come down enough to get at the spring but you will have to have some long jack stands as the frame is going to be pretty high. It helps to take off the wheels. Buy some ALL THREAD, basically very long threaded rod. C clamp the spring so you can remove the center bolt like Chris said, and put in the ALL THREAD in it's place. A nut and a washer on both sides and loosen the top nut slowly. Keep the C clamps on as insurance and loosen them as needed. You can take apart the spring this way and remove the main leaf by hand. Hope this helps and I vote for gloss black wheels, paint those rears! Love it by the way!

 

HAMB Approved!!!!! Do it!

 

Keep the commercial stuff or change it out for chrome? What do you guys think?

 

Keep the commercial stuff, for some reason I like it on trucks but that's just like my opinion man.

 

I agree.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Chrome rings on the comercial buckets? If,they allready are im sorry I cant see any pics on my pho nh e

 

I agree as well. Keep the commercial stuff!

 

I like it too, my Dad keeps throwing it out there that it needs chrome. The commercial stuff is part of the truck. I think he thinks it looks a little boring. I think it looks sinister.

I do kinda want to paint the grill shell gloss black. I also am a little unsure of what to do about paint. It's primered now, and It's garaged. But I do live a few miles from salt water. I bought it not thinking I would love the patina so much. Not that I am a huge patina fan, but some cars are just, right. I want and need something that I am not afraid to use and drive. Which this is perfect for, super nice, but not "restored". Also this thing has some beautiful welds on the old fender cracks. I will have to take pictures. I want to preserve the "look" while protecting it for years to come. I think I am going to brush paint it black to preserve it. I can't see myself doing away with the fender welds and the little bumps it has places...and I think a super glossy paint job wouldn't look great on it without doing away with the character of the truck.

I got a super clean 39 trans for it and I am looking for a B engine. I'll probably buy the kit to install the trans so I am ready when I find/build a engine.

 

I would keep the commercial stuff on it, although it was common to swap it out years ago. It has always been more difficult to find, especially the cowl band. Mine was missing, so i did use the passenger car stuff.

 

Stopped and My girlfriend took this while driving from a baby shower to a 2 year olds birthday today....

I need to get that rear end dropped.

 

baby shower?
nice picture, lowering the rear will not only look better but will put your caster back where it belongs.

 

matt, you might think about using 7.50x16's on the rear...they're a little shorter than the ones you're using...my .02 cents...

 

Yeah, one of my best friends first kid. The caster was definitely a concern when I did this, but surprisingly it doesn't drive bad. Once I have everything where I want it I am sure some adjustments will need to be made.

Already one step ahead of you there Larry. I've got some 7.50x16's firestone piecrust already. Those and the fronts on the truck now are what I was going to run originally on the coupe. i'm gonna get some fronts to match the piecrust rears and mount those on solid steelies. Basically just waiting to pick those up at the Portland swap so I don't have to pay shipping. I'll run those when I swap to juice brakes. Surprisingly the 17's are only about a 1/2-3/4 of an inch taller than the 16's.

Also I think I might be getting a T spring to try in the rear....I also have this old heated and bent lowering spring Chris gave me, and I think I am going to try it too.

 

That is looking good even if the rear is a tad high. I think you got yourself a really nice pickup there. Are you going to run the wires for awhile or run the steelies? I like the look of the wires.

 

Thanks Dude! I'm really loving it. It's such a great truck. I'm going to run the wires for awhile. Maybe all summer. But when I switch to juice brakes I'll switch to the solids and eventually get some adapters so I can run both.

 

the t spring will sit that rear wheel perfect in the fender
looks good
tk

 

Cool. solids are great but man do 35 wires do justice to a model A or what, should have had a 16 inch rim from the factory in my opinion. Love what you are doing. By the way, how do the mechanicals feel? Do they work good? I have been running mine for over 4 years now and the car stops great, I can even lock them up If I need to. I am just one of those guys who still believes in Henry's "safety of steel from toe to wheel" brakes.

 

They stop okay for a old truck...probably better than my 72 4x4....but that's not saying much. I haven't really done any panic stops with it so I don't know if I can lock them up. I'll play with them this summer, but I'm pretty sure It's getting Bendix style brakes. I have no doubt it can stop better, and with Seattle drivers I want all I can get.

I ordered everything to rebuild the steering box. I plan to open that up soon.

 

Yeah I hear ya on the bendix brakes. I like the mechanicals on 4 bangers but anything more powerful and I would swap to juice brakes.

 

A friend of mine had a slick black lacquer '33 Tudor. I put a 4" chrome Dago axle in it, with a flattened front spring and reversed eyes...He needed to drive it to school, and didn't have all the rest of the juice brake parts...
So, he drove with 2 mechanicals, to stop that all steel '33 with 255 Merc mill, and 8.20X15 rear boots!
I really sweated about that perfect chrome grille...but he never pranged it!
Finally got the juice brakes on there... (San Jose, 1959)

 

Old chrome guides with peeling chrome or black buckets with chrome trim rings?

 

black buckets with chrome trim gets my vote

 

Black buckets with black trim rings get my vote after all, it is a commercial vehicle.