The Ford Barn

31deluxe · 03-27-2024, 04:34 PM

Picked up this 31 Roadster just before the winter and have not had much time in the New York unheated garage to play around.
Do you think I need a new wiring harness or just a little electrical tape.
Someone did a nice job of brazing the fan. Can you see it?

Seriously. Reading a lot of posts on how to upgrade headlight wiring using bullet connectors.

I will be using bullet ends on headlight bulb socket end and from new headlight wiring harness.
If the spring connectors are removed or not used on the bucket side where the conduit connects to the bucket. What puts tension on the conduit connector to hold it it place? Seems that the dimple on the conduit ferrule would not be enough to hold it in place.

mhsprecher · 03-27-2024, 04:44 PM

Roadsters are great.

Jim M · 03-27-2024, 04:59 PM

I have a 29 Roadster that is absolutely wonderful. EVERYONE wants a ride in the rumble seat. You are going to have a ball. This blog is absolutely SOOOO friendly.

stickshift · 03-27-2024, 06:45 PM

That fan can be "wall art" . Please don't try to use it, Snyders has new ones that won't come apart and damage the radiator or hood, or a person. There's visible rust under the paint.

oldspert · 03-27-2024, 07:04 PM

Unless you want to chance ruining a radiator and/or hood. You better replace that fan.
Ed

Bob C · 03-27-2024, 07:28 PM

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You can make a one blade fan out of it. The fan and wiring need to go in the trash.

Synchro909 · 03-27-2024, 08:22 PM

Ditto the above re ditch that fan. It WILL fail and the consequences could be fatal
I reserve judgement on the wiring without being able to see it in person.
BTW, Nice car!

31deluxe · 03-27-2024, 08:25 PM

The fan is already gone as is the wiring harness. Trying to get a picture of how bullet connectors are used.

CT Jack · 03-27-2024, 10:20 PM

I also vote for sending the harness and fan to the trash. Anyone who is riding around with an "original" 2 bladed fan is playing with a diaster waiting to happen.

ModelA29 · 03-27-2024, 10:25 PM

Buy a new harness and anything else you need. Chasing electrical problems on the side of the road isn't fun. Make sure you get the harness with the correct contacts for the headlights. Some companies use the wrong ones.
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/p...d=976261&cat=0

nkaminar · 03-28-2024, 06:48 AM

Congratulations on your new car. It is a beauty. And welcome to the Barn. May the Fordce be with you.

old31 · 03-28-2024, 07:45 AM

I like the Brattons harness over Snyders. Brattons has all connectors soldered.

Canton_Model_A's · 03-28-2024, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Ditto the above re ditch that fan. It WILL fail and the consequences could be fatal
I reserve judgement on the wiring without being able to see it in person.
BTW, Nice car!

At the 'Old Car Festival' at the Henry Ford Museum last year, the guy next to me had his fan let loose on his CCPU. the carnage on the hood was to say the least bad, blade went thru it and landed like 10 feet from the car. I agree, that brazed fan should be 'Wall-Art'

Dave

katy · 03-28-2024, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Congratulations on you new car. It is a beauty. And welcome to the Barn. May the Fordce be with you.

Ditto

mngrant · 03-28-2024, 06:00 PM

One additional purchase, Model A Mechanic Handbook by Les Andrews.
At 78 yrs, I don’t trust my memory. So this handbook continues to assist me with my fourth A. Which is a 1930 Roadster.

updraught · 03-28-2024, 08:05 PM

Good combo.
The fan should kill the rats next time they chew on the wiring.

gdmn852 · 03-29-2024, 11:30 AM

Hello, definitely get rid of the fan , I had one break on a 30 Roadster, ruined hood side panel and radiator. Congratulations on the roadster, odd how the lower price roadsters have more demand now than originally higher price sedans. Looks like your car is Washington And Riviera Blue?

dmar836 · 03-30-2024, 12:22 PM

It's already GONE he said!! Wow.

nkaminar · 03-31-2024, 06:45 AM

"It's already GONE he said!! Wow."

Fan tastic.

Wick · 03-31-2024, 03:11 PM

Replace the wiring harness, it's easy. Make sure the battery cable is for 6 volt not 12v and your ground is clean. The wiring behind the dash is very important, I usually find a mess of bare wires that will cause problems.
Headlights when not working right, 99% of the time is a bad ground at the housing.

03-27-2024, 04:44 PM	#2
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,963	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Roadsters are great. __________________ 1910 Model T Touring 1924 Model T Coupe 1928 Model A Roadster 1930 Model A Town Sedan 1939 Deluxe Fordor 1945 pickup 1951 Custom convertible

03-27-2024, 04:59 PM	#3
Jim M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sebastian, FL Posts: 483	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time I have a 29 Roadster that is absolutely wonderful. EVERYONE wants a ride in the rumble seat. You are going to have a ball. This blog is absolutely SOOOO friendly.

03-27-2024, 06:45 PM	#4
stickshift Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2023 Location: Grass Valley, Ca Posts: 281	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time That fan can be "wall art" . Please don't try to use it, Snyders has new ones that won't come apart and damage the radiator or hood, or a person. There's visible rust under the paint. __________________ Stickshift 1915 Model T touring 1931 Ford Model AA Flatbed

03-27-2024, 07:04 PM	#5
oldspert Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 392	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Unless you want to chance ruining a radiator and/or hood. You better replace that fan. Ed

03-27-2024, 08:22 PM	#7
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,043	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Ditto the above re ditch that fan. It WILL fail and the consequences could be fatal I reserve judgement on the wiring without being able to see it in person. BTW, Nice car! __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.

03-27-2024, 08:25 PM	#8
31deluxe Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Hudson Valley NY Posts: 25	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time The fan is already gone as is the wiring harness. Trying to get a picture of how bullet connectors are used.

03-27-2024, 10:20 PM	#9
CT Jack Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hebron, CT Posts: 537	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time I also vote for sending the harness and fan to the trash. Anyone who is riding around with an "original" 2 bladed fan is playing with a diaster waiting to happen.

03-28-2024, 06:48 AM	#11
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,856	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Congratulations on your new car. It is a beauty. And welcome to the Barn. May the Fordce be with you. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 03-29-2024 at 06:16 AM.

03-28-2024, 07:45 AM	#12
old31 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 2,459	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time I like the Brattons harness over Snyders. Brattons has all connectors soldered.

03-28-2024, 06:00 PM	#15
mngrant Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 42	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time One additional purchase, Model A Mechanic Handbook by Les Andrews. At 78 yrs, I don’t trust my memory. So this handbook continues to assist me with my fourth A. Which is a 1930 Roadster.

03-28-2024, 08:05 PM	#16
updraught Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 2,143	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Good combo. The fan should kill the rats next time they chew on the wiring.

03-29-2024, 11:30 AM	#17
gdmn852 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Erie Pa Posts: 961	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Hello, definitely get rid of the fan , I had one break on a 30 Roadster, ruined hood side panel and radiator. Congratulations on the roadster, odd how the lower price roadsters have more demand now than originally higher price sedans. Looks like your car is Washington And Riviera Blue?

03-30-2024, 12:22 PM	#18
dmar836 Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Kansas City Posts: 66	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time It's already GONE he said!! Wow.

03-31-2024, 06:45 AM	#19
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,856	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time "It's already GONE he said!! Wow." Fan tastic. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

03-31-2024, 03:11 PM	#20
Wick Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gwynn's Island Va Posts: 1,604	Re: Just bought a 31 roadster- Questions 1 at a time Replace the wiring harness, it's easy. Make sure the battery cable is for 6 volt not 12v and your ground is clean. The wiring behind the dash is very important, I usually find a mess of bare wires that will cause problems. Headlights when not working right, 99% of the time is a bad ground at the housing.