The Ford Barn

ursus · 10-16-2019, 11:14 PM

I'm in the process of rebuilding a front end on a car that was converted to 1940 Ford hydraulics back in the 1960's, including the use of 1940 Ford spindles. The '40 Ford spindles utilize a tie rod that connects steering arms that project from the lower boss on the spindles. On a Model-A axle, this means that the tie rod actually hangs down below the wishbone and the axle as well. This looks funny and could be a safety issue if a road hazard were to enter the picture and tear away the tie rod.

So, my plan is to re-install stock Model-A spindles and tie rod to effect a more original appearance, with the tie rod passing above the wishbone, but retain the hydraulic brakes using the typical conversion ring and spacers, etc. However, this means replacing the 1/2 inch '40 Ford backing plate bolts with 3/8 inch bolts that are standard for the Model-A. My concern regards the relative strength of the smaller bolts in view of the fasteners available from the usual vendors. Does anybody know what grade of bolts and nuts are currently supplied? The original Ford stuff is usually pretty darn stout, probably SAE grade 5-8.

10-16-2019, 11:14 PM	#1
ursus Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,375	Front Axle Fasteners I'm in the process of rebuilding a front end on a car that was converted to 1940 Ford hydraulics back in the 1960's, including the use of 1940 Ford spindles. The '40 Ford spindles utilize a tie rod that connects steering arms that project from the lower boss on the spindles. On a Model-A axle, this means that the tie rod actually hangs down below the wishbone and the axle as well. This looks funny and could be a safety issue if a road hazard were to enter the picture and tear away the tie rod. So, my plan is to re-install stock Model-A spindles and tie rod to effect a more original appearance, with the tie rod passing above the wishbone, but retain the hydraulic brakes using the typical conversion ring and spacers, etc. However, this means replacing the 1/2 inch '40 Ford backing plate bolts with 3/8 inch bolts that are standard for the Model-A. My concern regards the relative strength of the smaller bolts in view of the fasteners available from the usual vendors. Does anybody know what grade of bolts and nuts are currently supplied? The original Ford stuff is usually pretty darn stout, probably SAE grade 5-8.