The Ford Barn

hardtimes · 08-31-2010, 05:27 PM

In old ford pics and lately, I've seen where model a owners leave hand crank in the hole while driving. What's with that? What keeps the crank from problem,i.e.- lost , paint/metal damage??

Mike V. Florida · 08-31-2010, 05:46 PM

Unless they modified the crank it will fall out. Sure it's not T's you're looking at?

Purdy Swoft · 08-31-2010, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardtimes

In old ford pics and lately, I've seen where model a owners leave hand crank in the hole while driving. What's with that? What keeps the crank from problem,i.e.- lost , paint/metal damage??

It is a bad bad practice. I have forgot and left the crank in place and lost at least two cranks over the years, never found them either.

1931 flamingo · 08-31-2010, 06:27 PM

Had a young couple at a show saturday nite come over and ask if I had a spare crank because they had left theirs in and driven away. I guess it happpens
Paul in CT

2manycars · 08-31-2010, 07:10 PM

It depends on the crank. Some had the pin in line with the crank, and some at 90 degrees.

James Rogers · 08-31-2010, 08:12 PM

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I have seen Brent Terry run on a race track with his in and it never fell out. Like 2manycars said, some have the pin at a right angle to the slot in the crank bearing and won't fall out. Now, Model T's are pinned in and are not removable.

PC/SR · 08-31-2010, 08:38 PM

Drove over to a friends house awhile back with the crank in and he thought it looked cool. I was shocked and releived nothing bad happened. When a kid in my pal Jerry's A driving rutted logging roads, the crank came out and somehow lifted up the front end and bent around the axle. Wired it up the best we could (always carry bailing wire) and cut it off with a hacksaw at home.

hardtimes · 08-31-2010, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Rogers

I have seen Brent Terry run on a race track with his in and it never fell out. Like 2manycars said, some have the pin at a right angle to the slot in the crank bearing and won't fall out. Now, Model T's are pinned in and are not removable.

So, some people do leave the crank in the bearing...on purpose? Other than a LOW battery and mabe a bad starter(emergency) what would be other reasons,if any, for cranking by hand?

Ron in Quincy · 08-31-2010, 11:02 PM

If you want to see strange looks and reactions just put on a Jimkana and have one of the events require the driver to start his A using the hand crank.

Probable many have never started their A by hand cranking.

Probable a lot of A drivers don't even carry a hand crank.

Ron

BCCHOPIT · 08-31-2010, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron in Quincy

Probable many have never started their A by hand cranking.

Probable a lot of A drivers don't even carry a hand crank.

Ron

You know me well Ron

PC/SR · 09-01-2010, 12:45 AM

Hardtimes: One reason for cranking by hand is for timing, another to set valve clearances.

Mike V. Florida · 09-01-2010, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Rogers

I have seen Brent Terry run on a race track with his in and it never fell out. Like 2manycars said, some have the pin at a right angle to the slot in the crank bearing and won't fall out. Now, Model T's are pinned in and are not removable.

Well I'll be, I would have thought (and had it happen to me) that the stock Model A crank would fall out.

James Rogers · 09-01-2010, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardtimes

So, some people do leave the crank in the bearing...on purpose? Other than a LOW battery and mabe a bad starter(emergency) what would be other reasons,if any, for cranking by hand?

The car he did this with was a speedster for race and had no starter other than the crank. It used a small motorcycle battery for power and didn't run a charging system. Just basics and a battery charger overnight.

Tom Foster · 09-01-2010, 02:54 PM

I had been working on my coupe a few months back and apparently left the crank in when I went for a test drive. Next morning I was supposed to take it to a funeral, and, traveling the same route, had to swerve to avoid an obstruction in the road. "Hey, that looked like a Model A crank!" Pulled over, went back. "Hey, that looks like my Model A crank!" Guess what, it was. Life's embarrassing moments...
Fearless

TinCup · 09-01-2010, 03:20 PM

Most people don't realize the hole in the choke rod linkage on the carb is for a wire to run to the front of the car for starting.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 09-01-2010, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Rogers

The car he did this with was a speedster for race and had no starter other than the crank. It used a small motorcycle battery for power and didn't run a charging system. Just basics and a battery charger overnight.

Note crank angle in the bottom picture due to centrifugal force...

08-31-2010, 05:27 PM	#1
hardtimes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South California Posts: 6,188	Crank Q.. In old ford pics and lately, I've seen where model a owners leave hand crank in the hole while driving. What's with that? What keeps the crank from problem,i.e.- lost , paint/metal damage??

08-31-2010, 05:46 PM	#2
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Crank Q.. Unless they modified the crank it will fall out. Sure it's not T's you're looking at? __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

08-31-2010, 06:27 PM	#4
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: Crank Q.. Had a young couple at a show saturday nite come over and ask if I had a spare crank because they had left theirs in and driven away. I guess it happpens Paul in CT

08-31-2010, 07:10 PM	#5
2manycars Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 2,732	Re: Crank Q.. It depends on the crank. Some had the pin in line with the crank, and some at 90 degrees.

08-31-2010, 08:12 PM	#6
James Rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Asheville,NC Posts: 3,104	Re: Crank Q.. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have seen Brent Terry run on a race track with his in and it never fell out. Like 2manycars said, some have the pin at a right angle to the slot in the crank bearing and won't fall out. Now, Model T's are pinned in and are not removable.

08-31-2010, 08:38 PM	#7
PC/SR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 1,279	Re: Crank Q.. Drove over to a friends house awhile back with the crank in and he thought it looked cool. I was shocked and releived nothing bad happened. When a kid in my pal Jerry's A driving rutted logging roads, the crank came out and somehow lifted up the front end and bent around the axle. Wired it up the best we could (always carry bailing wire) and cut it off with a hacksaw at home.

08-31-2010, 11:02 PM	#9
Ron in Quincy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Quincy, CA. Posts: 1,708	Re: Crank Q.. If you want to see strange looks and reactions just put on a Jimkana and have one of the events require the driver to start his A using the hand crank. Probable many have never started their A by hand cranking. Probable a lot of A drivers don't even carry a hand crank. Ron

09-01-2010, 12:45 AM	#11
PC/SR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 1,279	Re: Crank Q.. Hardtimes: One reason for cranking by hand is for timing, another to set valve clearances.

09-01-2010, 02:54 PM	#14
Tom Foster Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 160	Re: Crank Q.. I had been working on my coupe a few months back and apparently left the crank in when I went for a test drive. Next morning I was supposed to take it to a funeral, and, traveling the same route, had to swerve to avoid an obstruction in the road. "Hey, that looked like a Model A crank!" Pulled over, went back. "Hey, that looks like my Model A crank!" Guess what, it was. Life's embarrassing moments... Fearless

09-01-2010, 03:20 PM	#15
TinCup Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: OKC / Tonkawa, Ok. Posts: 1,977	Re: Crank Q.. Most people don't realize the hole in the choke rod linkage on the carb is for a wire to run to the front of the car for starting.