29 pickup front crossmember

[joesplas]

Restoring a 29 pickup and replaced the front cross member. The front engine mount hole was beat up pretty bad so we welded it closed and re drilled it. It was worn bad enough that we really couldn't take any measurements to determine where its exact location needed to be. So with out best guess we drilled the hole. I just reinstalled the engine and I believe we got it to far forward towards the radiator because the front stud doesn't want to go in the hole unless I persuade it to go. So my question is does anyone have the measurements of its needed location so we can redo it. Also what diamenter are we susposed to drill it to? Thanks for your help

[Joe K]

Ugh. Not good. You may have an accumulation of errors since I expect you welded shut the rivet holes in the rails and re-drilled those too?

I don't have a crossmember handy to measure - and measurement of the hole to what would be the question?

Perhaps better would be to show you pictures of existing unmodified cross members so that you can get a better "feel" for where the hole might supposed to be?

All of these and more are available on the 'net. I'll give you one's I thought showed the hole best but you can search yourself using google: type "Model A Ford Front Crossmember", get the result, and then click the google search "Images" where a whole page of pictures will result.

Here's my best shots.





Note how relatively close the hole is to the rear vertical of the cross-member.

You may want to check your front engine mounting yoke. The shelf part adjacent to the bolt that passes through the frame has a "flat" on it's backside which causes it to clear that rear vertical of the cross-member. This indicates how close it should be. You want to place your bracket on the engine in this orientation (some pressed steel brackets can be flipped around front to back and result in a misalignment.) See Vince Falter's pix of the different yokes and the flat one side shelf at http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/afrontmounts.htm

As to the hole diameter in the crossmember, the vendors sell a A6034 brass bushing for the front motor yoke that has a stepped "locator." This step keeps the washer in place under the action of the spring and nut. You want your hole sized so the locater step fits into the hole in the crossmember.



Hope this helps,
Joe K

[joesplas]

We did not weld the rivit holes and redrill . I was afraid of doing exactly what you figured we did so I am confident the crossmember is in the correct spot. I did look at some pictures of a front crossmember last night and the ones you posted were some that I looked at. Don't remember where I saw them though but they are out there. That also is exactly what I was thinking of doing just looking at some pictures and drilling accordingly. I was under the impression it was not good to use that bushing you show due to you want the engine to move some. Maybe I am wrong with that thought. SO I will order the bushing and weld up and redrill closer to the edge. Thank you for the response it gives me more confidence to move ahead with my original thought. Joe

[Joe K]

I always favored the brass bush simply because it offers a replaceable "wear component" instead of wear coming on the frame itself.

You'll note on a couple of the front cross member pictures some of the engine support holes have worn egg shaped?

And until I looked at Vince's excellent pix, I had always wondered why the "flat" was made on the engine support bracket.

Glad it helped. There may also be some opportunity to move the engine around in the rear mounts as well - tweaking the fit so to speak.

Um, if you can, check out the George DeAngelis book "The Model A Ford - as Henry Built It." I think there may be a drawing inside which shows a cross section through the front crossmember showing the engine bracket and mounting.

Maybe you can "scale" the drawing? Normally verboten but any port in a storm?

Good luck!

Joe K

[Bob C]

According to Bratton's the brass bushing was used from Nov 28
thru Jan 29. The MAFFI site shows it as obsolete 1-22-29.

Bob

[Fred K-OR]

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This is the old lazy guy commenting but wouldn't it be a lot easer and maybe end up with a better option, to look for a replacement cross member. I see a number of these on Ebay and I am guess Bert's in Denver would have one for you. I replaced the cross member in my coupe that I got from another local fellow Model A guy.