E 28 Frame/Left hand E-Brake Pics & Questions

[al's28/33]

I was interested in an earlier post about the left side E-brake bracket that was special to the Early cars. Replacing my battery this weekend I decided to take some pictures of the bracket on my frame where the original left side E-brake set-up was located. You can see even the hole in the body frame and splash apron was disturbed by previous owners.

My car was hacked together by previous owners so I have no way of really knowing how early it is other than by this evidence. Someday I hope to repaint her to original colors, but for now it's only a guess. The motor is dated to June 1929.



This last image is from underneath the car looking up as if your laying on a creeper, which I was!

[Steve Plucker]

Al,

Is there a stud, or a hole for a stud (pin), between the bracket and the center cross member...both sides?

Pluck

[Joe K]

The only way to truly determine your frame year is to lift the body and check the number (which appears somewhere near the driver's left foot but on the top of the frame rail obscured by the body.)

My March 1929 truck does not show early frame/running gear features, but it did have *many* early aspects including a powerhouse generator, and single brightness headlights, and a drum tail-light - all of which were on their way out of car production, and being used up by Ford for the trucks in cost saving economy.

While Ford was wont to "recycle" obsoleted parts into the truck line, the frame was one area where obsolescence recycling probably was NOT done. The frame change done in preparation of the new body style starting in October 1929 (involving "shims" required under the 1929 radiators to accommodate lower front cross member landing pads) belies the difficulty. Actually, to support the consumer Ford did attempt to make changes "back fittable" to previous production - hence the carrying of these shims in the parts books to the end of Model A production (and beyond into Model 18/Model B books as well.)

So as you say, you have a survivor made of "parts."

It might be possible to score parts to bring this car "back" closer to an AR type status. Might be a fun challenge. But it wouldn't necessarily add to your enjoyment unless you derive satisfaction from meeting the challenge. 95 percent of the people who see this car won't know the difference.

And there is a certain cachet in having a "car of parts." Sort of shows the ingenuity of both Ford AND those who came beyond.

You could make up a sort of Tom Joad story to go with the car - how they had scoured the junkyards looking for parts to build a car to go to their "promised land."

And put a "Hoover" bumpersticker on the back.



Subtle irony there

Joe K

[John LaVoy]

If you look at the front cross member you should see if it has been replaced or cut off. The early cars with left hand brake had the engine bolt right to the front cross member rather than use a motor mount. The side of the cross member rose up and had holes to match the one on the timing gear cover. There was a service bulletin showing how to cut those off and use a motor mount and many were cut off. If you can see how it looks, clean factory cut or saw marks might give you a clue.

[dlshady]

A couple of thoughts here. First off, the solid front crossmember was used long after the left hand emergency brake lever was discontinued, so that's not going to tell you a whole lot. If it had a LH emergency brake then it would positively have had the solid crossmember, but having had a solid front crossmember doesn't guarantee a LH brake.

Second, that bracket on the frame doesn't look right. It looks almost home made, or at least repaired. Originals don't have that triangular outline around the mounting bolts on the inside of the frame. In fact, the original part mounts from the outside of the frame rail and protrudes through to the inside. I don't see the ratchet teeth on the outside either... Something is certainly strange with that one, but I'm not sure what.

As for dating your frame, Steve Plucker did a great research project on that a few years ago and there's a lot to be learned from it. There were quite a number of changes in the center crossmember that can help you narrow down the window too. Take a minute and go to Steve's website and check out the article.


Deron

[al's28/33]

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I appreciate all the input so far. My front motor mount shows evidence of being butcher cut off for the later yolk style. Again, a previous owners attempt at "upgrades".

Since I have the early left hand brake and hole in the left side body sill, that's my only "real evidence" to having a "28 A". Any and all other parts to the car can really be later additions to make it "appear" to be an Early '28.....meaning the red steering wheel, powerhouse genny, single fluted head lamps, rear drum tail light......all those can be found and mounted on any "A". My point is that the details of the frame (besides knowing the frame #) is what we are looking at.

I'll need to inspect again for the stud or hole as Steve pointed out above......can anyone post a pic of what I'm looking for ????

again thanks Barners for all your input and opinions.....really appreciated!!!

[dlshady]

I'm not sure what Steve was asking about. From the looks of things, somebody had an early 28 body and tried to modify the frame to match. That stuff bolted to the frame isn't original though, and I don't see any evidence that the frame was ever drilled for a LH brake.

[Gary Karr]

Steve, that is a really cool example you posted. I can't say that I ever saw (or heard of) a left-hand push button break handle!

[plind]

Originally Posted by al's28/33

I was interested in an earlier post about the left side E-brake bracket that was special to the Early cars. Replacing my battery this weekend I decided to take some pictures of the bracket on my frame where the original left side E-brake set-up was located. You can see even the hole in the body frame and splash apron was disturbed by previous owners.

My car was hacked together by previous owners so I have no way of really knowing how early it is other than by this evidence. Someday I hope to repaint her to original colors, but for now it's only a guess. The motor is dated to June 1929.



This last image is from underneath the car looking up as if your laying on a creeper, which I was!

This is NOT orig. Ford product.. It´s look like a kind of " home made ".. I do not have this Picture of the orig here on this PC, but some may have it.. Or else i will post it later on this month..

[dlshady]

Al,

I finally got around to taking some photos for you. The first photo shows the holes in the left frame rail that mount the left hand emergency brake assembly and their relation to the body mount and brake return spring brackets:




This is the same location on a later 28 frame:




In regards to dating your frame, there were a bunch of running production changes to the frame assembly, a number of which were to the center crossmember, and that might help you narrow down the window in which your frame might have been produced. In the photo below, the top one is roughly A35000, the middle one is around A95000 and the bottom one is about A156000.




Here are two more, after the change to the center mounted emergency brake handle. No legible numbers on either frame so I'm not sure which is earlier. If memory serves me correctly, Ford eliminated the square punched holes (which served as positive stops for the brake arms) for a period of time and then put them back, so that would likely make the bottom frame earlier than the top one.




Pluck's research article on the frame assembly should give you everything you need to know, and I hope these photos help as well. Good luck!

[al's28/33]

Yes these help! thanks for posting the pics......my car was really butchered up by previous owners. If the bracket I have was not factory then what the heck were they doing trying reproduce the left side brake set-up ?!?!?!!?!?

[d.j. moordigian]

Deron's center cross members tell the story too Al's problem.

AL'28/33.....what does the front of your center cross member look like,
just to the right of the U/J (passenger side)? This could solve the mystery!

Deron....can I come to the "swap meet" in your back yard?

[dlshady]

North Alabama is a little bit of a ride from Fresno, but come on over!

I'll try and snap a few photos of the front side of these crossmembers today. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that Al's car is like a lot of them that were "restored" many years ago where folks just played mix-and-match using whatever parts they had on hand, and with no regard to what's correct. Wait, they still do that today...

[Rowdy]

I have a center cross member that should work for the left hand e-brake handle if you decide to use one. Pictured below is the handle assembly that was on my May of 28 rdstr pu. Sold it off piece by piece several years ago, but kept some pic's to help people out. Rod

[d.j. moordigian]

1. It sure looks like the apron/hood handle bracket on Al's car looks "stamped",
instead of forged.....could be me?

2. The body rivets in the first photo look original......so we need to look at the
firewall. Could be as late as September or October?

3. Deron,..didn't realize the LH e-brake return spring hole changed shape,...now
I need to go back and read Pluck's stuff...again. Do you know which is earlier?

4. Steve's e-brake handle is cool....!

[Fred]

Here are two pictures of the original piece he needs for the early left hand brake assy..