The Ford Barn

Ken B · 05-19-2014, 06:39 PM

I am making some progress on my C-Cab Model A project and have come up with a problem I am hoping someone can solve. I am fitting the fenders, cowl, and hood and noticed the cowl is hitting the gas pedal bracket. I can't move the cowl forward enough to get a good hood alignment because it is hitting the bracket. My other two Model As have less than a 1/4" clearance from the bracket to the back of the engine block. This one has about an inch between the bracket and the engine block. I have tried a couple of other brackets and have the same problem. Are there different models of these brackets that I should look for?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

700rpm · 05-19-2014, 08:31 PM

Looks like your bracket is on backwards.

700rpm · 05-19-2014, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 700rpm

Looks like your bracket is on backwards.

Though I'm not quite sure how that could be. Maybe you've got a RHD bracket? Or it's upside down? I can't decipher it from that photo.

700rpm · 05-19-2014, 08:35 PM

Fuggeddabowdit. The more I look at it, neither of my previous suggestions is right.

Ken B · 05-19-2014, 09:08 PM

"I think your bracket is bent, all the ones I have seen are about 1/4" from the block. Take a rubber dead blow hammer and give it a couple of good smacks. If the rod is binding it is usually bent also, find the high side and hit it."

Isn't there a chance of breaking the bracket? I've been told that these are cast and very brittle.

abachman3 · 05-20-2014, 01:10 PM

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You can put a box wrench over the stub end and using the wrench as a lever apply a small amount of pressure and bend it which ever way it needs to go.

rocket1 · 05-20-2014, 04:24 PM

Acorn caps on head nuts,nice touch,in the 50's we put them on almost everything.

Ken B · 05-20-2014, 04:36 PM

I can try to bend the bracket but what is puzzling is that I have three brackets and they all have about an inch clearance to the engine block.

Kevin Johns · 05-20-2014, 07:17 PM

I think everything is ok. Your spring is pushing it up. Once you put the floorboards in it should hold it down. Hopefully someone else can take a second look for ya.

Ken B · 05-20-2014, 07:27 PM

Kevin,
My concern is with the bracket and not the rod that goes through it. With the linkage off of it the rod will spring around. The problem is the clearance between the bracket and the back of the block. I was able to bend the bracket uprights and get them closer to the back of the block. They should be about a 1/4" away from the block to allow for proper hood alignment without the cowl hitting the bracket. I just thought it was strange that the three brackets I put on had the same gap, around an inch, from the back of the block. This much separation didn't allow me to adjust the cowl position for a good hood fit without hitting the gas pedal bracket.

Kevin Johns · 05-20-2014, 07:29 PM

Gotcha now. I guess I didn't understand the question.

Brentwood Bob · 05-20-2014, 08:00 PM

I have to wonder about the firewall. Since this showed up trying to fit the body on the frame? The BFH Method works, but I like to work with the assembly off the car. These get distorted with pulling/reinstalling the motor. Others from wrecking the car and salvaging the motor.
Look at some others in the car. Take your brackets with you to see if they are bent up. The bracket looks out too far toward the rear of the chassis to me.
Bob

Tom Wesenberg · 05-20-2014, 08:13 PM

Once they get bent, they can easily be bent back to the correct angle, but may have a slight twist and bind on the shaft. This can keep the engine idle from dropping down to a low speed. I know because this happened to my car. When you have the linkage off the car, it's easy to feel if the shaft has any bind to it.

Idaho Brett · 05-20-2014, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken B

I just thought it was strange that the three brackets I put on had the same gap, around an inch, from the back of the block.

If you put 3 different brackets on and all had the same result, I would suspect an installation problem or a "type" of bracket problem and wouldn't start bending anything yet.

My first guess would be that you have it on "upside down". But I can't determine that from your picture. A picture from the backside of the block might help. Yours might use a different bracket too. Did the C-Cab have a different bracket?

Ken B · 05-20-2014, 08:41 PM

I am not sure how this bracket can be put in upside down. It can only go on with the two bolts with the gas pedal side of the rod to the drivers side. I will take some more pictures of how bending the bracket (not the rod that goes through it) ended up in a couple of days. I am still one of those working stiffs and will be out of town till Friday night. The C-cab body uses the same cowl so that isn't the issue.

Tom W.,
I was able to bend the bracket to look more like yours in the picture you posted. It seems to line up better now. The true test will be when I have more time to put the cowl and hood back on to check the clearance and alignment.

05-19-2014, 08:31 PM	#2
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,906	Re: Gas pedal bracket Looks like your bracket is on backwards. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

05-19-2014, 08:35 PM	#4
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,906	Re: Gas pedal bracket Fuggeddabowdit. The more I look at it, neither of my previous suggestions is right. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

05-19-2014, 09:08 PM	#5
Ken B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plover, WI Posts: 261	Re: Gas pedal bracket "I think your bracket is bent, all the ones I have seen are about 1/4" from the block. Take a rubber dead blow hammer and give it a couple of good smacks. If the rod is binding it is usually bent also, find the high side and hit it." Isn't there a chance of breaking the bracket? I've been told that these are cast and very brittle.

05-20-2014, 01:10 PM	#6
abachman3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Western Springs, IL Posts: 324	Re: Gas pedal bracket Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) You can put a box wrench over the stub end and using the wrench as a lever apply a small amount of pressure and bend it which ever way it needs to go.

05-20-2014, 04:24 PM	#7
rocket1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Midland Park,N.J. Posts: 1,108	Re: Gas pedal bracket Acorn caps on head nuts,nice touch,in the 50's we put them on almost everything.

05-20-2014, 04:36 PM	#8
Ken B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plover, WI Posts: 261	Re: Gas pedal bracket I can try to bend the bracket but what is puzzling is that I have three brackets and they all have about an inch clearance to the engine block.

05-20-2014, 07:17 PM	#9
Kevin Johns Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 13	Re: Gas pedal bracket I think everything is ok. Your spring is pushing it up. Once you put the floorboards in it should hold it down. Hopefully someone else can take a second look for ya.

05-20-2014, 07:27 PM	#10
Ken B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plover, WI Posts: 261	Re: Gas pedal bracket Kevin, My concern is with the bracket and not the rod that goes through it. With the linkage off of it the rod will spring around. The problem is the clearance between the bracket and the back of the block. I was able to bend the bracket uprights and get them closer to the back of the block. They should be about a 1/4" away from the block to allow for proper hood alignment without the cowl hitting the bracket. I just thought it was strange that the three brackets I put on had the same gap, around an inch, from the back of the block. This much separation didn't allow me to adjust the cowl position for a good hood fit without hitting the gas pedal bracket.

05-20-2014, 07:29 PM	#11
Kevin Johns Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 13	Re: Gas pedal bracket Gotcha now. I guess I didn't understand the question.

05-20-2014, 08:00 PM	#12
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,245	Re: Gas pedal bracket I have to wonder about the firewall. Since this showed up trying to fit the body on the frame? The BFH Method works, but I like to work with the assembly off the car. These get distorted with pulling/reinstalling the motor. Others from wrecking the car and salvaging the motor. Look at some others in the car. Take your brackets with you to see if they are bent up. The bracket looks out too far toward the rear of the chassis to me. Bob

05-20-2014, 08:41 PM	#15
Ken B Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plover, WI Posts: 261	Re: Gas pedal bracket I am not sure how this bracket can be put in upside down. It can only go on with the two bolts with the gas pedal side of the rod to the drivers side. I will take some more pictures of how bending the bracket (not the rod that goes through it) ended up in a couple of days. I am still one of those working stiffs and will be out of town till Friday night. The C-cab body uses the same cowl so that isn't the issue. Tom W., I was able to bend the bracket to look more like yours in the picture you posted. It seems to line up better now. The true test will be when I have more time to put the cowl and hood back on to check the clearance and alignment.