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

Yep mine too.

 

Thanks guys, Kinda what I was thinking too. I'll save the awesome patina chrome ones for my next build.

 

If anyone reading this has a good clear picture of how stock wide bed pickup taillights are mounted, could you please post it?

thanks

 

I would imagine the same as 32-34 ford pickup... Little cast arm hangs them off the side of the bed

 

I'm almost tempted to just recreate what this thing has on the passenger side....probably been that way for while...

 

killer pickup!

 

I've been reading over at fordbarn about turn signals and such. I am now thoroughly confused.

I want to add a passenger side light, and have turn signals in the stock lights and have a red brake lights. Is that to much to ask? I have guide 682c's for the front to use the top light as turn signals. I am kinda thinking about 32 taillights.

 

Red brake lights are easy with a lens swap. They make all red lenses. I have never converted them to blinkers but it does not seem that difficult. Englands54 bought my old roadster that had a stock harness and the same headlights you want to run and he had them working so you might want to pm him and ask.

 

Check out the '34 taillight. Early bucket with a single lens, looks simple, uncluttered. My $0.02...

 

I was thinking that with some work, I could make tail and brake on the bottom and use the amber as turn. But I would need dual filament sockets and bulbs along with some wiring changes.....which leads me to thinking about rewiring the truck, a fuse box, adding twelve volts etc...

 

I also have the desoto lights from the coupe but no buckets....

 

I love the way this truck is shaping up!

 

If anyone wants to sell me a hand pressurizing fuel tank pump that would be great....I promise to actually use it.....tired of getting sniped for crazy money on ebay....

 

anyone know what it takes to put a columbia rear end in a A?

 

What are you specifically looking for?

OotlewahSpeedShop actually has a Columbia underneath his A roadster, but his roadster has a lot of custom work (channeled length of frame, body welded to frame, etc) but it's worth a try and sending him a PM.

 

it's a 46 columbia rear. I basically don't want to mod the truck to much to fit it. But am willing to mod the shit out of the axle to fit the truck. I'm going to run a 39 toploader behind a warmed up banger. was just thinking it would be nice to get the revs down with overdrive too.

I'll pm him. thanks.

 

Ah. Gotcha. Not my area of expertise.

I'd mock it up and see if anything needs changing, but that's just my newbie self.

 

I know it's way to wide to fit with the fenders and would need to be modified to spring over to not need to mod the truck. Just hoping someones done it and has some pointers. I'm thinking I can change out the short side for a ford bell, and would just need to modify the weird side. I just don't want to ruin a expensive rear axle if there is something I am not seeing.

 

You can't swap an A bell onto that rear...with that Columbia leg you can have the bells narrowed and run a shorter axle (can't run A's), or live with it. What's the difference in length between the two?

I'd run it, put spring hangers on top of it and shorten the driveline/torque tube. Use the 42-46 wishbones, they will work great. That's the exact rear end end method I put under my ol A roadster

 

How much wider is the late rear?
I put a 47 im my dads 40 and it works fine …. widened rims to the inside id think would take care of it … and make the big tires look better at the same time

Cool p/u BTW

 

I would think the 'Easy' way out would be to run some '40-48 steelies and have the centers moved outboard. Or just have new wider hoops welded to the centers with appropriate offset which'll kill two birds with one stone. Wider tires and the columbia with little to no modification to that rear end.

Or you could just send that rear down to Tacoma, I can find a use for it...

 

Matt, there's a guy on Ford Barn named ColumbiA (hmmmm) who claims to have done a couple of those. You might want to search his posts there or PM him to gather some additional insight.

 

it's 61 inches stock A is 57.... Seems a little wide. I'll just have to try it out and mock it up.

On another note a blew a head gasket.

 

That may just be the truck saying.. "Hot rod me."

 

That B motor may be sooner than later

 

Oh it definitely wants to be hot rodded.... If I had a motor here ready to go, it would already be in... but I think for now, I will stick a head gasket in it and continue driving until I get my engine.

 

Just double checking in case I missed something. Do I need any other parts for replacing the head gasket besides a head gasket, water neck gasket, and water pump gasket?

What about pulling the distributor? just put it back the way I found it, or?

 

That should be it. You don't even have to take the pump off if you don't need to.Take note of the where the rotor is pointing then pull the distributor. Its held in with a set screw/jam nut on the side of the head. You can only put the distributor in one way, but I always take note just in case. Worse comes to worse, use the pin on the timing cover to find #1 TDC and set the rotor pointing to the lower right terminal on your cap (passenger side looking strait down at distributor). Should be able to pop the head and do the job in just a few hours, pretty basic/simple.


Be easy on the ol girl! She's over 80 years old

 

It was just 1 top speed run. I swear!!

....I'll have to show some pictures of the fan that is about to explode from the same run..

thanks for the walk thru. I just ordered the gaskets.

 

You might want to consider replacing the head studs while you're at it.