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

As of about twenty minutes ago she is on 4 wheels. I've got a ton of pictures to sort through. I'll show you guys all how I did it in the morning. It's been a long couple days, My grandpa had a Heart attack Saturday.....He's in the hospital, but doing okay. I've been busting ass on the car, when not visiting him to help keep my mind off of things.

 

So yesterday I got a rear end under her. I'm using a 40 banjo rear. Here is how I converted it to Spring over. I got the idea from HAMB Member Chris, Who learned it from another member.... So I can't take any credit for this cool trick at all. Here it goes.

I started with a pair of Model A Bells.



Used this to make most of the cuts...



I mounted the bell in the Bandsaw and started cutting.



I ended up with this chunk.



Which eventually became these



I made a bunch of pie relief cuts....which I don't have any pictures of...
and then after a little of this....(don't worry I didn't stand over it with sparks shooting between my legs the whole time)



You have this



which now will bolt to the end of the axle housing at the backing plate bolt holes.... Which gives you spring over perches!



And the moment we've all been waiting for!

The first roll out!

 

Sweetness...

 

I just wanted to add that the Perches will be welded on when I finish weld the chassis. But until then...Bolts will do!

 

thanks guys. It's amazing how much one word can say.

I'm planning on getting it a little lower too. a little frame step here, some reverse eyes there....you get the idea...But for now I will be focusing on getting the body solid.

I also have some 7.50-17's to be mounted for the rear.

 

that looks brilliant man,

your frame set up is pretty much the same as mine except for the 40 ford rear looks good ive reverese'd the front spring on mine and ive got 5.50 and 6.50 16's along with the 32-36 axle just gives it a nice little nose down rake
never had a problem with the wishbones like you did either strange

keep up the good work, from a no nothing kid haha

 

Thanks man!

 

More rear tire.....

 

Outside for a better look. I'm really digging the new rear tires and wheels. what do you guys think?

 

Sorry to hear about your grandpa,hope he's o.k.
Great progress on the car though.I like that idea for rear spring perches too,nice and neat.

 

I'm digging the way it sits right here. If you wanted to go and inch or two lower up front that would be pretty cool too.

 

Thanks Mark. He's actually doing really well. He's 90 and never had any major health issues. Shit he's never even had surgery. Thinking about it he was shoveling snow, chopping wood, and pulling a 26ft fifth wheel from Seattle to Arizona up until 3 years ago...Pretty impressive if you ask me. I hope to be doing that good when I am his age.

I think you are right about the front. it doesn't have any weight up there right now and when I put 500 pounds up there it drops 2 inches....So hopefully I'm on the money.

 

Did I miss what the power plant is going to be? Big block chevy? Just kidding!


Yeah I think you'll be right at about perfect with the front end about 2" lower with the weight. What no side aprons?

 

Corvette big block baby!

 

Waiting on back ordered parts.......really slowing me down.

 

Look what I got!

 

Awesome!!! I think the '35-'36 is one of the prettiest dashes ever. I'm not going to say that's chroming quality but it'll clean up nice with some rolocs angle grinder.

 

Thanks! I really like them too. I'm glad I got it. I think I got a pretty decent deal after hearing what a few others have paid. It looks pretty bad in pictures but I think it will clean up. I"m afraid to chrome it for a few reasons.

1) being from the over cast grey NW I have sensitive eyes.

2) I don't want to get addicted.

 

Probably a good idea. As much as I like the idea of chroming a dash I have yet to see an example that looks better then plain old black. Since you are setting your car up pretty high and it had wire wheels and such, I'd probably go with painting it anyways. It'll help your poor sensitive eyes you "JANET"!

I'm putting Desoto gauges in my dash but the more I look at complete ford gauges I realize I would be way ahead if I would have left well enough alone.

 

Smartest thing you have ever said

 

I thought this was....

 

No, thats the raddest.

 

Ahhh " touche" !!

 

My post on 8/5/10 of this year......

 

God, I love that!!





BloodyKnuckles

 

I just found this build and I really like how this is coming along - it's going to have a great period look to it - congrats. I'm in agreement with others to just lower the front an inch or two for a perfect pre-50s time period stance. If you haven't seen them before, check out Don Montgomery's books for further inspiration for that era - they were mine when building my avatar.

 

This car looks A LOT like my Brothers. His has a reverse eyed spring and a 32 axle, so probably a 2.5" drop.

 

same front end treatment as my roadster, cant beat the slight nose down look

 

Wow! I love the direction you are heading. I have a roadster on the back burner waiting for a pre-war build.