The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Follow up to the "counter weight" thread.

rotorwrench · 09-15-2020, 12:13 PM

If they were planning for obsolescence, they didn't do a very good job of it. There are still a lot of roadworthy model As out there.

The model A engine as developed for automobile production was finally capable of twice the horse power of the model T but engineers weren't into building race cars. They were building a dependable car for the masses. The cubic inch displacement and the Zenith design carburetor got them that after mods to the cooling system around the valves during the block casting development phase. Henry got exactly what he wanted except for having to pay licence fees for the Zenith carburetor but Henry eventually got the price of the carbs way down.

Mr. Hicks normally worked at the Ford airport in the aircraft division which was more isolated from the rest of the Rouge but Edsel would consult him for personal projects from time to time. He also worked with Colonel Hall on the Liberty aircraft engine in his early years at Ford. Harold had a tendency to think out loud and sometimes say things that he probably shouldn't have. This didn't him make him popular with guys like Henry Ford and Charles Sorensen. He knew what he was doing alright and did it well but he had a knack for rubbing some folks the wrong way. He knew that the old design intake manifold & vaporizer weren't going to give it any more power than the model T and he was right but he would say stuff around Henry like "you won't want to use the Zenith carburetor" because he knew how Henry was. This kind of stuff just made Henry mad at him but Henry did appreciate that he updated the design enough to get the horse power that Henry wanted.

Counterweights were generally used on engines that required higher rpm to operate so they weren't all that concerned about using them on the model A but they did use them in the model B years due to the rpm capability of the model B.

09-15-2020, 12:13 PM	#7
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,420	Re: Follow up to the "counter weight" thread. If they were planning for obsolescence, they didn't do a very good job of it. There are still a lot of roadworthy model As out there. The model A engine as developed for automobile production was finally capable of twice the horse power of the model T but engineers weren't into building race cars. They were building a dependable car for the masses. The cubic inch displacement and the Zenith design carburetor got them that after mods to the cooling system around the valves during the block casting development phase. Henry got exactly what he wanted except for having to pay licence fees for the Zenith carburetor but Henry eventually got the price of the carbs way down. Mr. Hicks normally worked at the Ford airport in the aircraft division which was more isolated from the rest of the Rouge but Edsel would consult him for personal projects from time to time. He also worked with Colonel Hall on the Liberty aircraft engine in his early years at Ford. Harold had a tendency to think out loud and sometimes say things that he probably shouldn't have. This didn't him make him popular with guys like Henry Ford and Charles Sorensen. He knew what he was doing alright and did it well but he had a knack for rubbing some folks the wrong way. He knew that the old design intake manifold & vaporizer weren't going to give it any more power than the model T and he was right but he would say stuff around Henry like "you won't want to use the Zenith carburetor" because he knew how Henry was. This kind of stuff just made Henry mad at him but Henry did appreciate that he updated the design enough to get the horse power that Henry wanted. Counterweights were generally used on engines that required higher rpm to operate so they weren't all that concerned about using them on the model A but they did use them in the model B years due to the rpm capability of the model B.