Hot Rods The Hitchhikers Guide:The Hot Rod Ford Model A or AV8 Coupe. Post war 40's build.

Yup, thats what both my A's had under em.

 

This is some good ol bedtime reading here.

 

I'm thinking it still has a little left in the A spring so I am going to mess with that a little first. But I do know of a T spring in J scows back yard I may have to steal.

thanks dude. I'd love to have some cheater heads. But I may have to hold out for some grancors.

Haha, it's putting you to sleep huh

I'm really liking the color of that tudor in your Avatar. Got any bigger pictures?

 

Haha. Actually it's keeping me up, got the gears in my head grinding thinking about my own build I'm doing, but lots of vacation time right now so now worries.

The color is Hot Rod Flatz Midnight Blue. A gallon was about $180 or so with shipping. I'm on the fence on whether to keep the color or go gloss black. I saw a tudor that Chip Foose did and I liked the black/red/chrome color scheme he did.










Hopefully these come out big enough for you. Let me know.

 

thanks Remy! I think I am going to paint this car that color.

 

Also does anyone have any opinion on how far to have my axle dropped? I'm thinking 3 inches and keep it 49 inches wide. But maybe there is something I'm overlooking as far as the relationship to other parts and a less severe drop is better? Just checking really. Obviously you want a narrower axle with fenders. I personally like wider axles on fenderless cars like mine so I want to keep it as wide as possible and as low as possible.

 

It's easier to raise a car back up than lower it down, so i'd get as much drop as i could in my axle.

 

Are you talking 3" total drop, or 3" more drop? If 3" more, that would be equivalent to a 4" overall drop which is about as much as I think you'd want to go without it looking "stretchy". You'll lose a little width, but I think it stays around 48-9 inches. All these numbers are approximate, but close. Have you talked to Adam yet?

 

I am talking 3 inch more. About the limits before it looks stretchy from what I have read.

 

I pushed the car outside to look at it today.



Side view



Last picture with the undropped 36 axle to be sent out this week.

 

Nice '36 axle, I just got word there's one for sale near me. Looks like there's no issues with the spring perch's, reversed spring and wishbones. Right on keep up the good work!

 

No issues yet, I'm sending the axle out this week to be dropped and then we will see about the steering. Thanks for the compliment.

 

I didn't realize you had a '36 axle, thought you were using Model A. You might want to only add another 2 inches of drop to the '36, 3 additional on that one would get you to a 5 overall and might be more than you want. The mockup is shaping up nicely.

 

I'm digin' your build but I want this body for my own project.



Keep up the good work.

 

Im not positive, but I think mine sits a little lower in the rear then yours, lookin great though brother!

 

Thanks Bob, I'll take that into consideration.

Remy's gonna have a sweet car with that Tudor. The body looks in great shape and I love the color.

I think yours does sit lower. I haven't really played with the rear spring to much yet, so I am hoping I have some more drop there.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

 

So just measuring my 36 axle it has 1 1/2 from the factory. I want 4 inch total. So I need 2 1/2 inches.

 

subscribed great build man

 

I'm loving this build!

Just wondering, how have you come to wanting 4" of drop in the axle?? is it that you know that much works? or some other reason.

It may sound like a dumb 'Q' but, I'm just curious??

OB

 

I saw a picture of a 4 inch total drop on a 36 axle by the guy who is dropping my axle. I really liked how it looked. So that is what I am going with. Also 4 inch total drop seems to be a pretty common drop height on aftermarket axles.

 

Wasn't that 4" drop axles were no common place until after 1947-49ish? I thought they only had like 1.5" drop axles up until then (this is really just for Ford axles)? That's why you always see in the images from books like Birth Of Hot Rodding showing undropped axles with different suspension setups to achieve a desired stance. Not sure the exact dates on that but I always notice that really only 50's era rods had drop axles under them. That may be overly picky but might be a guideline to use if you're crazy like some people.

 

Oh and I know there are definitely exceptions to that rule but I was just giving it as a rule of thumb or a generalization.

 

I've actually given a lot of thought to that. The fact of the matter at this point is a lot of the parts I am using would have been fairly new at the time. Most likely not available to the average hot rodder. while this car will look like it "could have been" in reality it is a "never was". So I think a few exceptions are okay. Besides, I'm 5' 9" on a good day, and with the way it was set up before I removed the axle I couldn't get in the car easily.

 

Just found this thread - really enjoyed following it right from the start.

You might want to set it up running a little higher than you want to end up with. Things will settle after some initial driving, and it will get a bit lower. Once everything is settled, then look at making fine adjustments to get the height you want.

Just my opinion, but those rear wheels are very big. nothing wrong with that, but I'd say they are better matched to the undropped 36 axle, (which is already dropped relative to an A axle), and the car might look a bit too cartooney with the extra rake brought on by a dropped axle. Or the dropped axle might look better with 16's on the back.
hard to say from so far away, but just saying what was going through my mind.

Did you drill the holes for the engine mounts? There's a typo in the BT book, they say drill the holes to 1-1/2", it should have read 1-1/4".

Loving the build, it's coming on great.

Mart.

 

LOL...............................all ya need is a little boost from a friend Matt.

JJ, in addition to Matt's comments about limited availability, I think it's useful to keep in mind that post WWII returning GIs had learned to do, and learned about, all manner of mechanical skills and availability. If you look at the "'40s .........." thread, some of the period pics that Jimmy B puts up show some axles that are clearly dropped like Matt is targeting. They may not have been real common then, but appropriate.

 

I hear ya. You have to sort of balance what you want and what you can afford and what you can fit into and then start building it from there with an era in mind. There's a real struggle building it nut and bolt era specific but I am sure there is also a real sense of satisfaction. Seems like the later you got into the late 40's early 50's the more liberties you can take. There's a lot of difference between a car built in 1944 and a car built in 1949 it seems.

I'm having some deep thoughts myself with gathering parts for my '33. On one hand I know I'd like it to be an early to mid 40's hot rod since my parts gathered give off that vibe, however I am completely aware that examples of coupes during that time were more often considered "your dad's car" and not a true archetypical hot rod . I also struggle with getting really picky about some parts and having a rebuilt t5 and flathead adapter just sitting there waiting to be used. In the end, I know what I want out of the car and I'm sure I'll figure out what I'm willing to sacrifice in terms of it being exactly how they use to build them...if that's anything at all. It's all a balance I guess.


Keep up the progress and get a damn drop axle under that thing. they looks so good with the nose tipped down.

 

When you are talking dropped axles, when a guy says 4 inch dropped axle, that is not the ammount it has been streched, it is the total ammount of drop. A 1936 axle has a 1.5" drop over a model A, so it is dropped another 2.5", making a "4 inch" dropped axle.

 

Yeah I really would like to find out more history on the pioneers of drop axles. I knew there were probably a few running around a lot earlier then I imagined since I heard that Model T guys were dropping them in the 20's or something. However to keep a cohesive plan, I would think that if a guy was dropping an axle he would change out wire wheels (at least a pair of them) for some steel wheels since he was upgrading and obviously had the means. I have the same reservations about quickchanges since those seemed to be a very high dollar item and would probably have only been on full out race cars back in the late 40's.


I obviously over think things way way too much which is why I can't get anything done but I love the research part more then anything....besides the driving.

 

Thanks Mart,

I haven't drilled the holes yet, but I do know of the typo. That was a good reminder that I need to drill them as far as the rear tire is concerned, I do know that they are a little big. But They were free, Also they are 7.50 x 17 off of a 1934 v 16 Cadillac. They are 32 inches tall, about 1 inch taller than a 7.50x16 firestone. It will probably end up with 16 inch solids on it when I buy new tires. I do know what you are saying about settling too, I also need to get the rest of the car together.

 

Hey Man, First Happy New Year ! Hope you and your family have a great new year.

Coupe is coming along great. My '31 "A" is at a friends house. Part of a trade deal. Hopefully he will be making progress for me.
Good luck in making yours a period Hot Rod !

Dave