[Earle]

Just a thought: Whenever you consider a change to an existing design, ask yourself - why was it designed this way in the first place? Henry wouldn't have incorporated the torque tube just because he enjoyed adding extra weight, expense and manufacturing complexity to the car - for no practical reason.

Isn't the "torque tube" or drive shaft housing on the Model A there to react and transfer thrust loads from the rear end into the rear of the transmission and engine and ultimately to the engine mounts and frame? It's not there just as a dust cover for the U-joints.

If the torque tube is removed the rear axle housing is then free-floating (except for the radius rods) and the rear wheel drive torques and thrust loads and axle housing twisting will have to be dumped into the drive shaft and universal joints. They are not designed for those loads. The rear transverse springs won't effectively react forward thrust loads.

Also, the rear radius rods are bolted to the forward end of the torque tube. Where will you attach them if the torque tube is removed?

Maybe the more-seasoned experts here can chime in and enlighten us on why one would want to remove the torque tube in the first place and where I may be missing something in my comments above.

Earle