project that i am starting want to make this reliable for trips

[40 Deluxe]

A's are definitely the happiest on back road, two lane byways, but even these roads are now infested with idiots jabbering on their cell phones, texting, playing with their GPS, changing CD's, etc. etc. Attention spans of younger drivers are virtually non-existent.

[Milton]

Originally Posted by rcranger

really frustrates me that when you ask for help from experianced guys on ideas that i have compiled from reading hours and hours of storys that they answer with sarcasim, yes i cross between original and traditional, and even the dreaded rat , never liked that term but i am for recyling and reusing didnt realize that this would offend some on here,seeing that some have done the upgrades i have mentioned,

Reviewing the posts on your topic it looks about even. As for sarcastic answers, hey you asked, and as mentioned before, this is a restoration site and "some" of the puristas will respond to what they consider blasphemy with sarcasm. Some will try to convince you that it was done right the first time. Others feel it is their mission to save every A. That just means that you sort through the posts and take what you consider to be useful and run with it.

If the motor is good (minimal vibration, semi tight, etc) it will hold up surprisingly well. A Snyder head will pep it up, and they are easy to come by whereas, the Brumfield heads seem to be getting scarce. The lighter the flywheel the better the life expectancy of the rear main and crankshaft. Any semi modern carb/manifold seems to improve things but the header idea is questionable. I would upgrade the ignition before I would use a header. The overdrive is out of my realm of experience but I would think that it could negate the other mods you are considering. About the only change I would do to the suspension is to make sure the shocks are working and maybe some 600-16s for stability at the higher speeds. A dropped axle could cause some problems for the mechanical brake system.

There, this ought to be a good foundation for some heated discussion.

[1931 flamingo]

Why not a new streetrod A chassis,V6 or small block ford or chev, automatic w/od, 16" wires and re-mount the original body??
Best of all worlds.

Paul in CT

[flatheadernie]

this last was the best read/ advice, way to go youngun!!

[Popeye31]

I think there is great advice her .I like originals, traditional and Hot rods they are all cool to me Regardless what way you go just make sure it is well built and safe. Don’t half @$$ anything. It will just create more problems. Good luck and look forward to seeing your car/truck by the way what kind of A is it anyway.

[steve s]

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Originally Posted by rcranger

...wasnt sure on others experiences with the mechanicakl brakes , and about the babbit bearings , dont want to be 500 miles away and had problems like that , the ideas for the engine mods were for the fact that in upstate ny there are a lot of hills , obvious this motor could be benefit from being able to breath a little better

I've got all the mods on my car and love them, but not all are necessary for reliability or trips. The most intrepid guys in our club, who have dipped their wheels in all the oceans touching the continental U.S., including Alaska and Labrador, have done so with mechanical brakes and poured bearings.

As someone who did time in upstate NY, I understand your concern about the hills. If you stick with mechanicals, you definitely should get the new cast iron drums. Also, would highly recommend a high compression head. I've got an F150 OD trans in mine but if I lived in the hills and if I didn't mind dealing with the extra lever, I think the Mitchell gear splitter makes the most sense--otherwise, you're going to spend a lot of time wishing you had a gear between 2nd and high.

I know everyone says that two lane roads are best for Model A's, but in my opinion, they are the most dangerous because when cars do stack up behind you, they too often take crazy chances getting around. Better to have clear slow and passing lanes. At least with HC and more gears, you can minimize the stacking up a bit.

Steve

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Your main concern was hill climbing. Trust me, a bone stock A model, in good condition, wih 3.78 rear end, will climb hills like a MOUNTAIN GOAT. They are a tough, reliable, simple car!