The Ford Barn

Flathead Fever · 12-04-2022, 07:51 PM

My friend just built a '30 AV8 with a 59A. He had a book that said to use a '32 wishbone. The '32 ended up being too long. That was a misprint in the book. A '33-'34 wishbone is shorter than a '32. It you use the stock '33-'34 wishbone with your Model A front spring to locate tour K-member, a 59A engine will end up with enough clearance for a generator mounted fan and still have a little clearance at the firewall. It's like that '33'-34 wishbone was made for building an AV8. It could not have worked out any better.

You do not want an 8BA for a couple of reasons. They are longer because of the extended water pumps for the late model distributor. But also, because in 1949 Ford eliminated the toque tube and went to a modern driveshaft with parallel rear leaf springs, they eliminated the castings in the later blocks for what most people call the chatter rods. Those are engine stabilizer rods that prevent the torque tube from pushing the engine forwards under acceleration. If you use a torque tube rear end your better off with the earlier blocks so you will have stabilizer rods from the block to the K-member.

12-04-2022, 07:51 PM	#27
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,492	Re: av8 enigine placement My friend just built a '30 AV8 with a 59A. He had a book that said to use a '32 wishbone. The '32 ended up being too long. That was a misprint in the book. A '33-'34 wishbone is shorter than a '32. It you use the stock '33-'34 wishbone with your Model A front spring to locate tour K-member, a 59A engine will end up with enough clearance for a generator mounted fan and still have a little clearance at the firewall. It's like that '33'-34 wishbone was made for building an AV8. It could not have worked out any better. You do not want an 8BA for a couple of reasons. They are longer because of the extended water pumps for the late model distributor. But also, because in 1949 Ford eliminated the toque tube and went to a modern driveshaft with parallel rear leaf springs, they eliminated the castings in the later blocks for what most people call the chatter rods. Those are engine stabilizer rods that prevent the torque tube from pushing the engine forwards under acceleration. If you use a torque tube rear end your better off with the earlier blocks so you will have stabilizer rods from the block to the K-member.