Model A street rod

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by Robert61

Way up north Olive Branch. We used to race with the Cliburns I know where Star is.

I wish you were closer, I would love to see that build.

You probably raced with George Paul, too?

[Robert61]

I not as familiar with that name seems like I've heard it before.

[Robert61]

Originally Posted by Pete

Just curious, when you were machining the back of the block for the seal, did you face the bell housing flange? They are not too close from the factory. I have had 2 blocks over the years that the dowel pins were off quite a bit also.

I did not face the block. I faced of the back with my line boring bar. Very unorthodox but it actually worked great. We used an adapter plate to hook the 700r4 up and everything lined up very well including the converter. If you look at the crank I had to bore the rear for a bushing to align the converter.

[tubman]

It will be interesting to find out how the one piece rear seal works (from the looks of it, it should). I have not used the one piece front seals, as I have never had a problem with the regular ones, but an improved rear seal would be of interest.

All in all, you are doing a fantastic job, although it is really more suited to the H.A.M.B. There may be some resistance to it here, which I would also understand.

[Robert61]

What I used is a true one piece seal front and back rear. I won't comment on the other seals.

[Newc]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

WOW; those poor model A guys missed out. Although the SSOS gang do some similar work on the 4's. Newc

[mfagan]

Lucky wife! Great craftsmanship!!!

[Sal]

Awesome craftsmanship, it's a shame that some guy's have a closed mind with hot rods.
I drove my full fender '30 model A coupe to a car show years back and had a guy from a Model A club tell me " We're glad you didn't park that near us" I almost told him to bugger off.

[Desoto291Hemi]

Robert,,,yes the Hamb would be more suited for these pics.
Also,,,,super easy to post pics there,,,,and they can be enlarged to show great details.
That is where all of mine are.
Beautiful work,,,you might consider this stuff to manufacture for others ?
I am very impressed,,and interested in your work .

Merry Christmas !

Tommy

[Robert61]

I posted here for one reason for Model A enthusiasts, particularly flathead Model A enthusiasts, to look at. I'm quite use to the purists vs modified world as I'm building a 61 Vette and and the pro con crowd there is even more vocal. If some like fine if some hate fine. We like it and I'm 100% certain that she will receive FAR more compliments than negative comments at car shows and it will be parked next to their 100% stock unrestored Model A sedan. I am simply showing how we did a few things.


A lot have mentioned going to H.A.M.B. All I can say there is tell them to come look here. My only experience with that site is an occasional Internet search for an answer brings it up. And to me it is very well named because a lot of the question and answers are H.A.

[Robert61]

I just noticed in closing out my first thread has 5 stars so apparently even though this is complete garbage to many some are enjoying it. I'll post on the body as we go but it is just entering the primer body work phase all major work is done, I hope. The body is all steel and original. Her only demands are full fender, hood, and side panels.

[Charlie ny]

Robert,
I will look forward to whatever you post....talent and genius are appreciated
on this site. You will get to know JWL aka John Lawson, Ol' Ron ( Ron Haloran ) Flat
Jack...Jack Meyer plus reams of us who live flatheads......stock and modified.
Charlie ny

[Robert61]

Ok Ron is the only name here I'm familiar with. I had never built a flatty before this one. I had done machine work on them years ago but the owners took them home and assembled them. But I have been building a different flatty for years. These are capable of just over 10,000 rpm.

[Robert61]

Small flatty

[rotorwrench]

You haven't really seen any hate yet. The model A guys can show you that sometimes but it depends on whether they take offence for some reason. Most of the model A guys still have 4 bangers since this a restoration type forum. I'm an AV8 guy myself but I don't mention that stuff on the A board. I enjoy the idea you have there but is a lot of work for a mod that complicated. Most traditional guys like myself still use the rope seals and manual overdrive type transmissions with some going over to the simpler C4 automatic transmissions since adapters are available and most of the mod parts are already solved for them. Your thread is not garbage.

You ought to see some of the pan rail girdles that folks have come up with in order to strengthen the block for high horse power big bore stroker V8 motors. The ones that take up the whole pan rail and include the main caps can get way out there so I can see the merits of any modification. Most of the stress is on the center main so as long as that area isn't affected then it will at least hold the strength that is has. A person does have to be careful when drilling on the main webs for the higher horse power engines. Moderate power levels should be no problem.

[Robert61]

I've seen those. Years ago I built the heads for Buddy Ingersol's Pro Stock pinto, a 2000 CC turbo 4 banger. I had to modify the center cam bearing on the head because the extreme rpm and spring force would snap it off.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Robert61

I have been building a different flatty for years. These are capable of just over 10,000 rpm.

I worked with an old air traffic controller that built similar 5 horse Briggs that would spool-up like that. He and his boy were into racing some pretty serious go-carts. Oh yeah, I like hot rods too! DD

[Robert61]

Each of those is a different size with the largest being 360 CCs. It's a pretty mean little engine. They are raced in unlimited opens. Most all are running 460 CC motor cycle engines or 2 strokes. Guys here certainly wouldn't consider me a purist but Kart racing is supposed to be flatheads. Lol I guess that's my rule. He's quit running the flatheads this year but at their biggest race at thanksgiving his dad called and wanted to know if I had another intake manifold as theirs broke. He said the little flatty was flying against the others buy they were on a slick indoor track and all of the horse power in the world won't help if it doesn't hook up. I still love kart racing but I'm way too old.

[Robert61]

Rotorwrench you are correct it was a lot of work to convert the seals but I'm retired and I wanted to do it so there it is. One guy comes over and says man you need to patent this stuff. I said first I'm too old second it's way too much work for anyone to actually want to do and thirdly even if they did finding someone capable and willing to do the required machine work is getting hard to do. Then there's the pan I probably have a week in just the oil pan. Someone used to make the front mounts for the 409 water pump conversion but there's didn't have provisions for mounting the accessories. With all the comments about how ugly it is and unnecessary with the full body on it almost no one will even know we did it in the first place. Maybe a very small few will take the time to say Hmmm that's different. But the overwhelming majority would never even see a difference in the water pump.

[19Fordy]

Robert61. You are amazing. Fabulous work. Make your photos bigger , if possible.