Sometimes ya' just gotta' laugh with the "new to me" Model A

[coupe1942]

It wasn't the missing lower bolt from the light bar that troubled me so much or the parts missing from the horn. Even the seat pan wood not being screwed in securely was not a difficult issue to correct. An adjustment here or there was to be expected. Not the end of the world that the floorboard at the tranny area was not secured at all or even that only two screws which were not even tightened down held the larger wooden floorboard piece in place. It just caught me off guard in seeing the extra, extra, extra length of positive battery cable installed when I followed the wiring back to see if I had a positive ground or not on the 12v system. I think he must have been planning on stretching that red wire up to the top bleachers of Cowboy Stadium so he could hook up his portable radio there. :-)

The whole bay needs a good and thorough cleaning and servicing, for sure. Just makes one wonder how many other routine service things the previous owner may have overlooked or neglected.

I have to install a new wiring harness to the old gal, so it looks like I'll be busy in catching up on some missing item replacement and such. I have not looked closely, but I am betting that battery holder is incorrect by the way it is angled in place and secured.

I wonder what the new owner thought about the last Model A tudor I sold several years back? It was essentially bone stock so hopefully he didn't have to muck about with changing much if he went back to stock vs making it into a street rod.

Not complaining in the least, as it just strikes me as to being ironically funny to find so many little things in need of attention. Oh, well, I need a project to keep me busy................. just not to keep me broke. :-)

[Bob C]

You have enough wire on that battery cable to make a set
of jumper cables.

Bob

[Drive Shaft Dave]

How about the half of a clevis connected to the main brake rod.

[J Franklin]

Fix that and any others FIRST! If that cable was what was being used with the six volt system, no wonder he had to use a 12 volt battery!!!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Drive Shaft Dave

How about the half of a clevis connected to the main brake rod.

Boy, wouldn't that be fun to have the other half snap off going down hill.

Maybe he figured the extra long cable would help lower the amps to make it easier on the starter. I'd be switching back to 6 volts unless you have air conditioning.

The battery mounts are correct being diagonal as they are, but I've never see cables wedged under the hold down.

[stillwater]

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Makes one wonder what else needs attention...better go over that A with a "fine tooth comb".

[coupe1942]

Optical illusion as to the brake rod clevis being in half. Camera didn't flash enough to show it is complete in the darkness, but it is. There was that metal plate laying on top of it, so it didn't show in the darkness. See photo attached.

I have no idea as to just why the improper length of battery cable was used. Struck me as ironically funny. Maybe a case of you use what is on hand at the time, but who the heck knows? I'll be fixing it and the other things I stumble across as I go. I just hope that there isn't any more that is any worse to find.

My '30 tudor was bought from a museum. Somehow I guess I figured a museum would care for its vehicles much, much better, but that proved not to be the case. On the very first ride after the seller left it with me, my daughter and I started hearing a distinct clicking sound outside. I pulled over to let her get out and see if she could distinguish what was making the odd sound. She walked beside the car as I drove really slowly ahead and she found where the noise came from very quickly Three lug bolts had snapped on that right rear hub, as they had the wrong type nuts in place. Each had snapped right in half. I posted photos at Ahooga at the time, but I no longer have copies of them to show. Lucky we had not drive fast or far when we heard the problem noise and found the source.

This is sort of like peeling back the onion to see just what was done incorrectly or not done at all. So far nothing major, but keeping my fingers crossed, for sure. :-)

[Dollar Bill]

Could be camera angle too but the battery and battery holder is one scary looking combination. One good bump in the road could shift the battery enough to short it out.

Almost looks like the extra length cable was intended as dunnage.

[coupe1942]

Actually, I believe your correct on that and it went through my mind as well when I first removed the floorboards to view this battery. I have not removed the battery hold down unit to see what it is all about just yet. Hope to do that later today though. Still crossing my fingers and hoping to not find any more surprises that may be costly or dangerous.

[Tom Wesenberg]

You need to order the speedometer clip and bolt for the upper right frame rail.
Driving with the cable laying on the muffler will cook the speedometer cable very quickly.

[mhsprecher]

Having bought four cars now in what I thought was a pretty good state of repair, I should no longer be surprised at what you might find. Nothing major, just lots of little things. My roadster had the battery in backwards, my sedan had almost no transmission oil in it and all the front end pieces needed tightening. The V8s I bought in the fall are just killing me with all the little things that are not right, especially in the wiring.

[Mitch//pa]

There should be a baterry cable bracket with a rubber grommet to route the cable by the pedals. It's held in place by a bell housing bolt.

[mshmodela]

After 84 or more years these cars a not likely to be like original --less someone kept or restore them as such.

[james hitchcock]

You know what they say "Give a guy enough rope..."

[Mitch//pa]

Also be careful the batt post does not ground on the battery tray top. That could be nasty...I changed mine over to the corner style wedges in place of the full square

[Big hammer]

My grandpa told a story about him trading in his A for another used A, when he pulled into the dealership his battery fell down! I guess he got his money's worth :-) he liked model A's because he drove mud roads to one room school house, the A's skinny tires and high ground clearance would get him to work!

[tbirdtbird]

everybody likes to think of themselves as a mechanic......

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by coupe1942

This is sort of like peeling back and onion to see just what was done incorrectly or not done at all.

Good morning all. I'm new here and I'm trying to understand some of your lingo. I'm having a hard time understanding this sentence without knowing what a "back and onion? is. What is a back and a onion referring to?

Thanks, Ruthie

[Bob C]

I think he meant peeling back an onion.

Bob

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Minerva wuz restored by an EXPURT??? I had 2 pages of stuff I had to correct, to make her road worthy. My first 85 mile trip into the mountains was FLAWLESS!
Bill Roadtester