Sometimes it's the simple things.

[Mart]

I needed a throttle rod for the 41 pickup. I have one left over from one of those handy 3 piece model A sets. It's much too long. I go online and find that the one I need is 10.75" long. I cut it down and weld it together. Kind of get it a bit wrong. Slightly overlong about 10.8".

Anyway, I find I can only get half throttle the carb when the pedal hits the floor so somethings wrong.

I decided to rework it. I cut it and overlapped the pieces and held it together with cable ties. This allowed me to establish a length. I found a piece of brass rod I had been using as a drift, and turned it down on the Willson slantbed. Drilled and tapped the end 10-32 unf. Cut it off, turned the other end and tapped that end too. Cut down the rods and died them to match. Anyway, long story long. Here's the finished job.





I was able to adjust the length so it hits full throttle at the carb, just before the pedal hits the floor. There's enough give in the rod so nothing becomes overstressed if I slam the pedal hard down to the floor. The tap and die were from a relatively cheap set I bought probably 40 odd years ago. It would seem cheap tools from that era are better than the cheap stuff now. I think they were Japanese rather than the Chinese norm now. It's also nice to be able to use the lathe to make something for one of my vehicles.

Anyway I was pleased with the way it turned out. The finished length is a fraction over 10.25". That may help someone doing the same job, but your results may vary, due to engine placement etc. the measurement quoted is as fitted with the ends sitting on the ball fittings on the carb and pedal lever.

Mart.

[Royal Ryser]

Nice work and a good idea.
Thanks

[19Fordy]

Great idea.
Clean and simple.
Modified OEM for 390 Holley linkage.

[cas3]

good job as usual mart, tell me, what was the reason for the slanted bed on your lathe? i dont think i have ever seen one

[J Franklin]

A secondary throttle speed adjustment for fine tune!

[19Fordy]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

cas3: Not trying to hijack your question but, here's lots of reasons for the slant bed over a flat bed.
https://www.google.com/search?q=adva...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Mart]

At the risk of hi-jacking my own thread:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/willson/

For me, it is the ability to swing bigger diameters than a similar sized machine. I can mount and turn an early Ford 12" drum in this machine, I couldn't do that with my previous Hendey or Colchester.

Machining is my secondary interest, it's nice to be able to combine the machining and my car projects sometimes.

Mart.

[fortyfords]

Mart, I found that most interesting on the slant bed, I like machining too. Your idea was good, no offense but I would have cut the ends off and threaded them right and left hand threads; then take a rod and drill the ends and thread the rod to accept the rod ends. I always look for a cleaner look but your idea is fine. Thanks for the slant bed info. Sonny

[cas3]

looking at the links from 19fordy, i was under the impression the bed slanted toward the operator, now marts link shows the bed slanted away, so besides turning a larger part, you can run it while wearing a fine english wool suit and the chips go the other way!

[Mart]

^^Lol.

Sonny. Yes, yours is a good proposal. I just wanted to rejoin the ends as the previous welded joint was brittle and the length was too long. (I had shortened it before). I would have done left and right threads if I had the taps and dies, but as the rods are able to turn while still connected, it wasn't really necessary.

Thanks for the interest.

Mart.

[19Fordy]

Mart:
I am jealous and want a lathe like yours.
It's so nice to be able to make your own parts.
Today, so many school kids will never experience the thrill of operating
machine tools here in the USA.