Model A V8 clearance

[pooch]

I have read I need a crab dizzy and truck water pumps for minimum distance to radiator to not have to chop firewall in a 28 model A .

How do I identify truck pumps ?

And what years/models can I get them from ?

My engine is 39 to 42 .

[rotorwrench]

The 81A & 99A engine blocks used the divers bell type distributor till 1942 but can easilly be converted to a crab type. The water pumps used from 1937 through 1948 are all the same with some exceptions as to the type of pulley sheave. The reference to truck pumps is generally for the 8BA family of engines from 1948 through 1953 that had different pumps depending on whether it was a Ford car, a Mercury car, or a truck. THe truck pumps are the most similar to the 37 thru 48 pumps in mouunting of the engine to the frame

If you have an early engine, you just need the early type pumps and a crab type distributor used from 1942 thru 1948 for it to work as the Bishop/Tardel book plan for building an AV8. The 46 thru 48 distributor can be easily converted to a 1942 crab type utilizing a new 42 cap and a spring clip kit for that type of cap. The distributor bodies are basically the same for those years.

I sure wouldn't chop the firewall. There is little enough room in a model A as it is. I would get the Bishop/Tardel book if I were you. It answers a lot of questions for folks that want to put a V8 in there.

[Brendan]

I am pretty sure that you need to trim the firewall if you use the A rear, I stuffed a 21 stud my 29 Roadster I needed to go back about in inch to couple to the drive shaft. I had to work in the banger, so when I had it out I put the 21 stud in to see how it would fit.

[rotorwrench]

The four cylinder is longer than the V8 but the car was designed around that. I personally wouldn't use a model A rear set up. I have a 41 rear axle to go into my AV8 but the driveshaft and torque tube have to be shortened to work.

There are many variables. Some folks on the HAMB use an modified F1 middle cross member instead of the 32 K-member. The 32 K-member is good if you want to use the pedals and the 32 wish bone plus it strengthens the model A frame in the right places. The only draw back is the difficulty factor for removing the transmission. I's the same for a 32 deuce though.

[tiquer]

Why not use the Model A set up?? They used them in the early sprint cars and ran twice the HP of a flathead V-8

[Bruce Lancaster]

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Truck pumps ('37-47 type) have close together dual sheaves and are LONGER than passenger '37-48, which are what you want. You got garbled info referring to '49-up engine adapting. be thankful you have the early, as 8BA types are significantly longer unles cam and all front stuff is swapped for early.
Somewhere on the HAMB I posted dimensions, but your basic needs are passenger pumps, crab, and fan mount generator. Easiest to find crank pulley is simply any '40-48 with front sheave trimmed away.

[rotorwrench]

Originally Posted by tiquer

Why not use the Model A set up?? They used them in the early sprint cars and ran twice the HP of a flathead V-8

I usually like to beef stuff up better and the model A radius rods, solid driveshaft, and over the axle spring set up aren't for me. The model A rear axles aren't as strong as the 35 & later banjos but they do OK. That's why I used the term "personally". If someone wants to use the model A stuff then be my guest but it locks you in to the length situation which is also a good bit of work to correct.