Please help school me on my model A

[manitouguy]

Hi all - I’ve just recently acquired my first Model A and started a couple of threads over on the H.A.M.B. - I am very excited but very new to vintage fords so please forgive my ignorance as I eagerly learn

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...build.1160818/

Someone suggested I might also post here so here goes

I am currently disassembling to understand exactly what I have - what needs fixing / correcting and how I will proceed with my build.

The seller listed the various years for many of the items - hope it is ok if I ask here for others to tell me what they see?

I was told this was a rebuilt ‘34 engine - I’ve tried to do some research on the inter web -

Engine casting reads 40-6049 A (1933-1934 passenger w/ alum heads?)

Transmission casting reads 18-2083676 (1933?)

What other items are correct or suspicious?

Cheers Ron

[Charlie Stephens]

The number for give for the engine casting is actually the number for the cylinder head which was used 1933-36. There is no number on the basic engine block and it will be necessary to identify it by characteristics. Looking at your engine I see 21 head studs. That means it is between 1932 and 1936. If the water petcock at the front of the engine points straight down it is 1932, if not it is later. Look for a vent from the crankcase area out through the front corner of the oil pan. If there is no vent the block is 1933-34. If there is a vent it is 1935 or later. The serial number on the transmission says it is from 1935 (see http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...ialnumbers.htm). The basic transmissions interchange 1932 to 1939 passenger cars. The rear mounts very over the years and the 1932 had bosses to mount the emergency brake lever. The 1939 had the best gears.

I would also suggest you add your general location to your profile, it will pay off in the future.

Good luck and welcome to fordbarn.

Charlie Stephens

[manitouguy]

Thanks very much Charlie – I will update my profile – I am in Vancouver British Columbia Canada and as I understand it the engine came out of Portland Oregon

[Chuck Dempsey]

Welcome aboard, and keep us posted on your progress!

[Railcarmover]

Early flathead V8's are suspect,Ford had a 96% V8 engine casting rejection rate in '32,they really didn't get the engine castings sorted out till '36

[Y-Blockhead]

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Since you have a V-8 you might want to post in the Early V8 (1932-53) Section of Ford Barn for more info also. Most members here deal more with the 4 holer.

[manitouguy]

Thanks Chuck and Railcar -

My eyes are bad - the photo I posted above of head stamp may actually be a ‘b’ ...

And in another photo of other head ... number looks different too!?! Maybe a 40-6050

Will have to take a closer look later today

Railcar - I would have certainly preferred a later flathead but supposedly this one ‘runs beautifully’ and was offered with the car - I guess we will find out - but I will likely give it a try for now

[manitouguy]

Oh ok - thanks y-block - will do there as well

[Charlie Stephens]

The 6049 was the right head and 6050 was the left head. The "40 ' was the year it was first used. That is not to say 1940, "40" was used for parts first used in 1933. The B was a revision to the design.

Charlie Stephens

[manitouguy]

Thanks Charlie – I think I have determined that my engine is a 1934 truck engine with the cast-iron heads, mated to a 35 transmission

Tonight I continued with more disassembly of the body - in the following pictures you can see a wire I pulled out from the frame above the windshield - and the wire continued down inside the door pillar - would that have been for the windshield wiper at some point perhaps?

Also – I took off the inner windshield pillar vertical cover on driver side - The lower screw there has a small clip or bracket on it – any idea what that might’ve been used for ?

Cheers Ron

[rotorwrench]

Most model A closed cars had an electric wiper as original but it may have been replaced long ago.

The early V8 wouldn't be my choice for a "hot rod" engine. I would find a restorer that needed one or wanted to trade for one myself. The early 32 through a portion of 35 blocks were still poured babbitt main bearings so they aren't the easiest engines to overhaul if there is a problem there. The later LB blocks are better but they still have those coolant pumps in the heads. Circulating hot coolant through a pump wasn't one of Ford's better ideas. If you set up your engine mounts for those early types, you may have to adapt if you ever want to use a later engine in there. I'd trade that puppy for a good 24 stud engine if it were me. I'd also use a later 78 series trans case. That rear end looks more like a Dana 44. Open drive is going to require a lot of work on a model A unless it has already been set up for it.

[manitouguy]

Thanks very much Rotor - good advice to consider - and what do you mean by your last sentence re ‘open drive’?

Cheers Ron

[rotorwrench]

The Ford passenger and light commercial vehicles were all closed torque tube drive with a single transverse spring on the rear axle housing. Any of the rear axles from the model A up through 1941 will fit the width requirements and the post model B stuff is stronger than the earlier ones. This was the basis for the traditional AV8 converted hot rods. When you use an open drive with removable drive shaft, the whole suspension has to be changed to work with it. Take the torque tube out and some form of triangulate radius rods with a third torque arm has to be put in there to hold things square unless dual leaf springs are used but that would be difficult on a model A frame. It's all been done before but it's more work than shortening a torque tube and drive shaft.

I assume you looked at Mike Bishop and Vern Tardell's book on the AV8 but maybe not? This stuff is kind of a HAMB thing but folks ask on the early V8 side about stuff like this to some degree.