Saved Another One: 1928 AA

[Fullraceflathead]

I'm looking for a front cross member, if that one is good and your not gonna use it please let me know.

[mramc1]

Originally Posted by Fullraceflathead

I'm looking for a front cross member, if that one is good and your not gonna use it please let me know.

Cross member is pretty hosed, but I'm keeping for parts.

[KGBnut]

I've never worked on a AA. Are those front brake drums original? They look enormous compared to a regular A.

Ken

[Henry's Lady's Man]

I've never seen front drums for an AA before. Are those stock drums?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yes, the AA brake drums are enormous and can put you into the windshield if you step down hard.

Removing a AA rear drum took me hours with a Snap On puller and lots of sledge hammer hits. Restoring that truck cured my desire to ever do another one.

[mike657894]

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that shortened AA wheelbase looks pretty close to the A's 103.5"

[mike657894]

also thats quite the undertaking but by the look of the engine your wiling to go the distance.

[mramc1]

I had to make some front wheels since the original AA wheels I had were mostly all junk and when the retainer rings get too rusty the wheels are very dangerous. I cut the centers out of the two worst wheels and mated them to some newer 16" Ford Budd wheel hoops.



On the rear I got really lucky and was able to buy a cool set of '30 AA wheels with monster 9.50-20 tires. They will look really cool with the tow rig I'm going to build.





The next problem is that there is something broken in either the worm gear rear or the torque tube. The rear end will only roll a few inches before it locks up. With the rear tires off the ground the tires will turn freely in opposite directions of each other so I know the differential is okay. I also pulled the shifter out of the tranny and the PTO cover off to inspect the gears. Everything looks good in the trans so I'm pulling the rear end out next.

[mramc1]

Got the rearend pulled out to see what was going on. The torque tube and tranny were fine so had to split the rear and see what was up.





Balanced the rear, pulled a hub, and then split the case.



Here is the problem. The rear bearing wouldn't turn.



Oh that's why!



Since this truck isn't going on the road I just derusted the existing bearing and race, greased everything good, and reassembled.

Here's what 87 years of use does to a bronze ring gear.



Back together.



With a fresh coat of paint.



And back into service.

[mramc1]

For those that didn't read the start of my build thread let me clarify that I am just restoring this truck to be a big yard toy and it will not be road worthy. That's why I'm not repairing the body and cleaning it up for personal enjoyment.

That being said, it's kind of fun, like a full size model. Assembling parts, painting with a brush, etc. Anyway, I painted the truck last weekend. I applied a quart of Ford Engine green which is close to the original Rock Moss Green. First I edged the windows.





Here it is out in the sun the next day.





The color is a little dark, I might mix some hunter green and midnight blue together to get closer to the rock moss color. Either way it looks a lot better than rust.



Later in the weekend I got most of the chassis painted black.





Next up, finishing the wheels and adding the fenders.

[mramc1]

Installed the fenders and headlight bar.



Then the headlights.



Painted fenders and made a front bumper similar to the small '30-'31 style bumper.





Finished up with the wheels and grille shell.



And finally I was able to drive the truck under its own power and take some outside shots.

[Goldhardt]

Thanks for the update and pictures. Looks like that would be the perfect play toy out on the back forty!

[Pilotdave]

Thanks for saving that AA. Your skills are impressive and so is the result.

[brum1]

Wow!-nice job

[bambooboy]

enjoyed the show,thanks

[Mikeinnj]

That spray paint "engine rebuild" reminds me of putting a new suit on a dead man.

[burner31]

Just to add some perspective...
Very good job, well done

[jeep44]

Aren't you going to put the hood on it?

[mramc1]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

That spray paint "engine rebuild" reminds me of putting a new suit on a dead man.

I'm just building a running piece of yard art. Cleaning the old oil out of the pan, all new gaskets, a rebuilt water pump, carb rebuild, and rebuilt electrical system made it a good enough runner for what I want to do with it.

[mramc1]

Originally Posted by jeep44

Aren't you going to put the hood on it?

Yes. I haven't painted the hood yet.