The Ford Barn

oldforder · 07-15-2018, 06:24 PM

To start from the beginning, which will probably make this story to long, my neighbor lady told me her son in law had acquired a model A and was wondering if since I had one, if I would like to get it running for him. I told her I was no expert on them, but had learned a lot reading Ford Barn, so I would try. Well when he pulled it over to my place, I learned that it had been sitting for several years. 5 0r 6 he thought, but who knows. No battery in it, and no gas in it. He got a new 6 volt battery, and I installed it with the ground to positive. I was hoping it Haden't been converted to 12 volt. Put a few gallons of gas in it, and went to turn the gas on. NO Go. had to take out the shut off and free it up. Took off the carb, and cleaned it all up, and made sure all the jets and passages were open. Had no spark when cranking, so filed the points. Got good spark now, so tried to start it, and it started as if it had been running just a couple hours ago. A little adjusting on the carb, and it runs and sounds like a new one. It is a 30, but the dash, if that is the proper name for the chrome part with the speedometer etc. is in, is the same as my 29. I was pretty sure the dash in a 30 is the same as a 31. Or am I wrong?? Anyway, I thought I would check the engine number to see if maybe it was an early 30. The engine number is Star A 8*******. In my book I don't find any numbers like that. it is a reman block or what?

Keith True · 07-15-2018, 06:41 PM

Somewhere around June of 30 the oval speedo and dash changed over to the round style.The star A beginning the number sounds right.

Dick Steinkamp · 07-15-2018, 09:43 PM

There is no A engine with a serial number that starts with 8 million (8,xxx,xxx). They made a shade less than 5,000,000 of these cars.

Are you sure the 8 isn't actually a 3? That could put it in the early 1930 range.

oldforder · 07-15-2018, 10:27 PM

Some of the numbers are really hard to read, but the first 3 are very plain, and it is most certainly an 8. Followed by 2 other plain numbers, which I don't now recall. Also, they are on a smooth part of the block in the proper location, but not on the normal pad type area. The whole area is smooth.

Mike V. Florida · 07-15-2018, 10:40 PM

Here is a date calculator,

http://www.modelahouse.com/cgi-bin/enumbers/numdate

oldforder · 07-15-2018, 10:48 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

So on the calculator it shows that there were numbers that start with an 8. I no longer have the car available to me to check if I can get the rest of the numbers, and it is not important, I was just curious. Now the guy wants me to try o get his 26 T started. I told him that I know even less about a T than the A. But that maybe when the weather gets cooler, I might be talked into taking a look. Any hints??

Dick Steinkamp · 07-15-2018, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldforder

So on the calculator it shows that there were numbers that start with an 8.

There would be A engine numbers that start with 8 but not 8 digit numbers as you indicate in your first post.

oldforder · 07-16-2018, 09:31 AM

Sorry, that was my goof. I just hit to many *s

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-16-2018, 09:43 AM

Originally, the number pad had a CAST IRON texture. If it's SMOOTH, it's been RE-STAMPED! Even Chief, had a stamp set, with a "STAR"
In its' LIFETIME, thet car might have worn out 6 or 8 ENGINES!
Bill W.

Charlie Stephens · 07-16-2018, 11:08 AM

When all else fails, post a picture.

Charlie Stephens

07-15-2018, 06:24 PM	#1
oldforder Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Columbus Nebraska Posts: 171	30 coupe engine number To start from the beginning, which will probably make this story to long, my neighbor lady told me her son in law had acquired a model A and was wondering if since I had one, if I would like to get it running for him. I told her I was no expert on them, but had learned a lot reading Ford Barn, so I would try. Well when he pulled it over to my place, I learned that it had been sitting for several years. 5 0r 6 he thought, but who knows. No battery in it, and no gas in it. He got a new 6 volt battery, and I installed it with the ground to positive. I was hoping it Haden't been converted to 12 volt. Put a few gallons of gas in it, and went to turn the gas on. NO Go. had to take out the shut off and free it up. Took off the carb, and cleaned it all up, and made sure all the jets and passages were open. Had no spark when cranking, so filed the points. Got good spark now, so tried to start it, and it started as if it had been running just a couple hours ago. A little adjusting on the carb, and it runs and sounds like a new one. It is a 30, but the dash, if that is the proper name for the chrome part with the speedometer etc. is in, is the same as my 29. I was pretty sure the dash in a 30 is the same as a 31. Or am I wrong?? Anyway, I thought I would check the engine number to see if maybe it was an early 30. The engine number is Star A 8*******. In my book I don't find any numbers like that. it is a reman block or what?

07-15-2018, 06:41 PM	#2
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,984	Re: 30 coupe engine number Somewhere around June of 30 the oval speedo and dash changed over to the round style.The star A beginning the number sounds right.

07-15-2018, 09:43 PM	#3
Dick Steinkamp Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 1,163	Re: 30 coupe engine number There is no A engine with a serial number that starts with 8 million (8,xxx,xxx). They made a shade less than 5,000,000 of these cars. Are you sure the 8 isn't actually a 3? That could put it in the early 1930 range. __________________ All steel from pedal to wheel

07-15-2018, 10:27 PM	#4
oldforder Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Columbus Nebraska Posts: 171	Re: 30 coupe engine number Some of the numbers are really hard to read, but the first 3 are very plain, and it is most certainly an 8. Followed by 2 other plain numbers, which I don't now recall. Also, they are on a smooth part of the block in the proper location, but not on the normal pad type area. The whole area is smooth.

07-15-2018, 10:40 PM	#5
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: 30 coupe engine number Here is a date calculator, http://www.modelahouse.com/cgi-bin/enumbers/numdate __________________ 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

07-15-2018, 10:48 PM	#6
oldforder Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Columbus Nebraska Posts: 171	Re: 30 coupe engine number Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) So on the calculator it shows that there were numbers that start with an 8. I no longer have the car available to me to check if I can get the rest of the numbers, and it is not important, I was just curious. Now the guy wants me to try o get his 26 T started. I told him that I know even less about a T than the A. But that maybe when the weather gets cooler, I might be talked into taking a look. Any hints??

07-16-2018, 09:31 AM	#8
oldforder Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Columbus Nebraska Posts: 171	Re: 30 coupe engine number Sorry, that was my goof. I just hit to many *s

07-16-2018, 09:43 AM	#9
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: 30 coupe engine number Originally, the number pad had a CAST IRON texture. If it's SMOOTH, it's been RE-STAMPED! Even Chief, had a stamp set, with a "STAR" In its' LIFETIME, thet car might have worn out 6 or 8 ENGINES! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

07-16-2018, 11:08 AM	#10
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,030	Re: 30 coupe engine number When all else fails, post a picture. Charlie Stephens