Begging to be a hot rod.

[DannL]

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

[Jack Shaft]

[DBSHELTON]

Really?

[Jack Shaft]

you don't have to leave the reservation..

[California Travieso]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

If you want a daily driver, buy a Toyota.

David Serrano

[Kurt in NJ]

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The usual cause of "died without a sputter 500 feet down the road" is forgetting to turn on the gas.

Proper restoration to original specifications eliminates the need for modifications in most instances, a lot of reproduction parts don't meet original specifications, its not about how much you spend, it's more about the details of restoration

[Purdy Swoft]

Model A's were far from being perfect . There are several improvements that don't show that can be made .

[katy]

We used Model A's as daily drivers back in the '50s. The only time I had a problem was when the rubbing block on the points wore down and the car was only running on one cylinder.
This problem was not the car's fault, it was caused by lack of maintenance.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

Am curious, hope you do not mind me asking - how many miles a year do you put on your daily driver? What have been the causes of your issues?

I have truck resuscitated after a 50 year storage nap. To make a daily driver needed a lot done to be reliable.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

I have both hot rodded model A's and a "stock" model A. I'm still working out the bugs in the stock car and have only put 1000 miles on it but find it WAY more fun to drive than my hot rodded ones. We live 30 miles from the nearest town so every time I take it out it's 60 miles minimum. FWIW, a SBC will not "fit" without modifications. It's too long. You will have to either move the rad forward or recess the firewall. If you move the rad, you can't un a light bar or a hood, if you recess the firewall (4") you lose valuable leg room. Can you share some of the issues you've been dealing with??. Might give some of the experienced guys an idea of what's going on.

[Purdy Swoft]

From my experience , a higher compression head will make a world of difference in hill climbing and overall performance .

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

From my experience , a higher compression head will make a world of difference in hill climbing and overall performance .

Also look into shape of the rest of the motor, and fit a better flowing carb, so I've read/been told.

[Purdy Swoft]

I run dual model B carburetors on my roadster and my speedster with old aftermarket cast iron intake manifolds . More carburetors or a larger carburetor will help . I prefer to use updraft setup . Updraft won't give as much flow as dual down draft but has the cool look and doesn't flood as easily as downdraft setups can . I can drive them on the street the same as the original setup .

[Jack Shaft]

Two updrafts better than one updraft
One downdraft better than two updraft

Ever wonder why a stock a makes a sucking sound when revved up?..not enough fuel,like sucking a milkshake with a cocktail straw

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I run dual model B carburetors on my roadster and my speedster with old aftermarket cast iron intake manifolds . More carburetors or a larger carburetor will help . I prefer to use updraft setup . Updraft won't give as much flow as dual down draft but has the cool look and doesn't flood as easily as downdraft setups can . I can drive them on the street the same as the original setup .

Sorry Purdy, was not questioning your info, from your previous posts I know you know your stuff. Was just trying to add to the conversation for possible others that improvement in one area can cause problems in other areas, and to mention that additional performance gains can be made with carburation.

[Purdy Swoft]

Free flowing exhaust and warmer ignition helps . The spark comes from the coil . Hotter coils are available that look no different from any other replacement coil . I run the Pertronix flame thrower coil . More gap at the rotor tip will give hotter spark . I run a gap of thirty five thousands at the rotor tip . I get instant starts and power that can actually be felt .

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Free flowing exhaust and warmer ignition helps . The spark comes from the coil . Hotter coils are available that look no different from any other replacement coil . I run the Pertronix flame thrower coil . More gap at the rotor tip will give hotter spark . I run a gap of thirty five thousands at the rotor tip . I get instant starts and power that can actually be felt .

Purdy- I think I have had an "Aha" moment . Will be going off topic so am starting a different thread on the Pertronix coil.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

Sorry Purdy, was not questioning your info, from your previous posts I know you know your stuff. Was just trying to add to the conversation for possible others that improvement in one area can cause problems in other areas, and to mention that additional performance gains can be made with carburation.

No problem, your input is true and welcome . It can be really easy to go too far with modifications . Too much carburetion can be a common problem with dual downdraft carburetors . Some modifications need other modifications to be of benefit . No modifications are necessary for the original, model A , its a matter of personal choice . I'm just sharing a few of the modifications that has worked for me over the past sixty years .

[slammin]

DannL Take a look at some Model As that have been hot rodded. There is a lot more to it than just dropping in a V-8. Updated brakes, steering, rear end trans, etc, Sell your current Model A and buy a hot rod. Most are for sale for less than half what they cost to build.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by slammin

DannL Take a look at some Model As that have been hot rodded. There is a lot more to it than just dropping in a V-8. Updated brakes, steering, rear end trans, etc, Sell your current Model A and buy a hot rod. Most are for sale for less than half what they cost to build.

Ditto!!

[DannL]

Ooops, I inadvertently added the price of five new tires, five inner tubes, and two new front brake drums to the "thousands of dollars" figure. ;-)

The car has a refurbed Zenith 2, new distributor body, rotor, base plate (and new wiring), new modern points, new coil and cable, new wiring throughout (entire car, braided copper . . . no aluminum), 3 fuses installed (at critical points), timed with a timing light (Verified many times), new plugs, new plug wires, new fuel shut-off. But, as mentioned, these parts they make today are really low quality. Car runs great . . . until she dies on the road.

First time it was loose wiring. Then the coil. Then HV cable to the coil . . . and yesterday I have no clue why it died on the road. Checked fuses, lifted the distributor cap to have a look-see, put it back on and the car started right up. Drove another 10 miles, not a single hick-up. Ten minutes prior, I was talking to coworkers and said . . . "now that I have gone through everything that could go bad over the last year, I shouldn't see any problems for a while". We laughed today when I told them what happened.

Naturally I will go through the works with a fine tooth comb for the 100th time. But, what I'm really interested in is getting a feel for the sentiment about hot-rodding her. Nothing drastic you see. Just a little spit and polish . . .

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

What is your rationale as to why the car wants to be aHot rod or is that your wishes?

[DannL]

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

What is your rationale as to why the car wants to be aHot rod or is that your wishes?

Definitely considering it, but always like to hear opinions. Makes for interesting conversation. I could keep her as is, of course.

[2935ford]

I have and have had many A's both Rod and Stock.
I have and have had problems with both.

It's just the nature of the beast.

With both, re pop parts are far from good.

As mentioned, there is a ton more work to do with dropping in a SBC and it is very expensive.

As mentioned, unless you are attached to that A, sell it and buy a Hot Rod that you like done!

Best of luck.

[DannL]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

The usual cause of "died without a sputter 500 feet down the road" is forgetting to turn on the gas.

Proper restoration to original specifications eliminates the need for modifications in most instances, a lot of reproduction parts don't meet original specifications, its not about how much you spend, it's more about the details of restoration

That's the first thing I always check. When the valve is off, she would have never gotten me as far as yesterday. But, the gas was fine. I suspect another "electrical" hick-up. Since fixing electrical hick-ups is my job, I think I could have weeded this problem out of the system by now. Could be the new coil or condenser going out. The HV cable? May have to replace each component one at a time. Or everything at once . . . again.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

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Do not think it has been mentioned in this string. The points block is grounded through the distributor body via the lower plate screws. The distributor body is grounded via sitting on head, the ignition armored cable and cable clamp to the head/stud. and the distributor holding screw holding the distributor stationary.

So clean/remove paint from the distributor body where the lower plate mounts. Remove paint/clean the bottom of the distributor that sits on the head and remove paint/clean on the head where the distributor sits. Make sure the distributor body threads the ignition cable screw into are clean and paint free. Insure the ignition cable clamp is paint free/clean where it sits on the head and clean/paint free on the clamp where it clamps the ignition cable.

I had issues with a new rebuilt distributor that the bottom , ignition cable threads, and plate mounting holes/mounting bosses had not been masked and therefore painted. It would run somewhat OK at med/higher revs, but missed at lower revs. My theory is the grounds were punching through the paint when the generator raised the battery voltage, but weakened at lower revs.

[CA Victoria]

It takes dedication to learn the mechanics of any car, the Model A is no different. Older restorations necessitate through investigation to weed out inferior parts sold years ago, worn parts, and make proper adjustments at periodic intervals. ie preventative maintenance.
Les Andrews books on maintenance are a big help and leaning on the expertise of Club Membership is invaluable.
The Model A is a reliable car when you can root out problems before the happen.

[Jack Shaft]

they made 5 million of them,they are still coming out of the wood work..hot rod or restore,its up to you..just finish it,dont tear it apart and let it sit for years

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

they made 5 million of them,they are still coming out of the wood work..hot rod or restore,its up to you..just finish it,dont tear it apart and let it sit for years

I agree, just don't "hotrod" a restored one and don't "restore" a hotrodded one. Either buy what you want (hot rodded or restored) or start with one that needs a lot of work and can go either way, in other words, start with one of the ones that "came out of the woodwork". My hot rodded truck started as a rusty frame and a few panels sitting in a field and my hot rodded 28 tudor started as just a body shell sitting in a field. Perfect candidates for a hotrod IMO. BW, I didn't "build" either one but I saw pictures of how they were found.

[GerryAllen]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

Dannl, go for it if you have endless amounts of money, tools, know how and are willing to continue to trouble shoot after the fact.
Instead of building a hot rod, sell your A and buy a completed Hot Rod. I think it would be way cheaper and from a time point of view you would be able to drive it immediately. Just my humble opinion.
Gerry Birch Bay WA

[vern hodgson]

Originally Posted by Licensed to kill

Ditto!!

My opinion, it takes many professionals to design a car which is comfortable and easy to drive. Seems most “hot rods” are simply concoctions welded together with modern components in a garage with no concept of drivability. I mean, what do we need engineers and designers for, just give me a torch and I can build a car. I believe that is why you see a lot of them sitting, very uncomfortable. And many more never get beyond the cutting and chopping stage. Just my thoughts and maybe don’t even know of what I speak.

[DannL]

I think this reply is a favorite . . .

Originally Posted by DBSHELTON

Really?

It kinda says everything.



I would never chop or channel. And I wouldn't want to do anything that couldn't be reversed at a later date . . . with a grinder.

[Purdy Swoft]

I mostly only do mods that don't show . The dual updraft carburetor setups are the only mods that show on most of mine . I do run mallory distributors on a couple of ours .

[Jack Shaft]

Originally Posted by vern hodgson

My opinion, it takes many professionals to design a car which is comfortable and easy to drive. Seems most “hot rods” are simply concoctions welded together with modern components in a garage with no concept of drivability. I mean, what do we need engineers and designers for, just give me a torch and I can build a car. I believe that is why you see a lot of them sitting, very uncomfortable. And many more never get beyond the cutting and chopping stage. Just my thoughts and maybe don’t even know of what I speak.

Restorers paint by numbers ,hot rodders allow the art to drive the work..both require skill,one requires vision and skill

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

Restorers paint by numbers ,hot rodders allow the art to drive the work..both require skill,one requires vision and skill

Just like very few can paint a good portrait, very few hotrodders are as artistic as they think they are and lack true vision. Just like back in the "American Idol" days, some people honestly thought they were the next Whitney Houston and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, many hotrodder think they are artists with vision and their cars look like crap. The difference is that if you are wanting to be a recording artist, what you produce has to appeal to others. If you want to be a hotrodder, your creation only has to appeal to yourself.

[Jack Shaft]

I've seen tasteless, lousy restorations and hotrods..poor workmanship and cheap parts run both ways

[john in illinois]

When I bought my 30 Tudor in2007,my wife said she would like to be able to drive places.

I restored all the mechanicals to new condition. Engine rebuild with touring engine from Antique Engine. Rebuilt trans, drive shaft ,rear end, front end and steering,
shocks and brakes. 1,000 for just the brakes.

Since then we have driven 27,000 miles and only got stuck on the road with a flat tire. No mechanical breakdowns. Longest trip 4,000 mile round trip to Montana. So Model As can be very reliable.

Took a will to make every thing right and spend the money. I love the car.
Ps I also have a hot rod in my avatar,30 Av8

John

[pbishop]

Sounds like 'you' want a hot-rod. Do what you want to do. You CAN make your car go faster and be much more reliable and STILL keep it mostly original.



I put a Weber down-draft and intake on my 31, changed to modern distributor guts, changed the brass bands to plug wires, and use modern spark plugs. After adjusting to the need for more fuel (vapor lock), the coupe will do 65 easy for long distances.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by pbishop

I put a Weber down-draft and intake on my 31, changed to modern distributor guts, changed the brass bands to plug wires, and use modern spark plugs. After adjusting to the need for more fuel (vapor lock), the coupe will do 65 easy for long distances.

Curious what is to be gained by changing out the brass bands for plug wires. I can perhaps see it if you have a radio as I suspect that the brass bands would cause interference with the radio but performance wise I don't understand. I find with my car that power is not the limiting factor in my cruising speed it's RPM. Perhaps dictated by my lack of experience with these old birds but, being that they are not balanced, anything over 50MPH makes me nervous about engine vibration and what it is doing to my babbit and crank so I usually cruise at around 45MPH. I know that these were designed to run at 65MPH and I believe were even advertised as such but still. My concerns likely come from the fact that I am so used to engines running butter smooth that the vibes created in this one makes me "stand up and take notice".

[tinkirk]

Originally Posted by DannL

After thousands of dollars and several hundred hours over the last year my car is begging to be a hot rod. Drover to work yesterday with no problems. And as I was leaving work to come home 500 foot down the road she died without a sputter. This has happened a number of times over the last year and it's always been something different. I just think it's funny how much she's begging to be a hot rod. I'm scoping out of 283 right now and I think it will fit perfectly. :-)

just because you turn it into a hot rod don't mean it's not going to stop running on you
just need to fix the problem each time and drive it

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by Licensed to kill

I usually cruise at around 45MPH. I know that these were designed to run at 65MPH and I believe were even advertised as such

While my car will do 65mph, my car and I are more comfortable at 45mph.
You can just feel her smooth out and settle in at 45mph.

[DannL]

I suspect the HV cable between the coil and distibutor cap may have problems. The cable is quite new, but the crimps at the ends look poorly done. Someone at the cable bench must have been in a hurry. Also found a loose nut on the generator relay. Looser than expected. Ordered another cable. Will go through the timing this weekend, and have a look under the distributor plate. Took her out last evening. Ran fine.

[Licensed to kill]

I've had a few electrical issues with my car as well and find it somewhat comical to have recurring electrical problems in a car that has a total of like 4 wires LOL. (yes I know it actually has more than 4 wires, I'm being facetious)

[DannL]

$300 down the drain. Well not really. The tow truck driver can use it to fix the transmission leak on his tow truck.


Just when you thought you had fixed everything that could possibly go wrong. We'll label this "Trouble No. 356". There's a short somewhere, and I suspect it's in starter. I could be wrong. But that would be a first, so highly unlikely.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Why don’t you have AAA? Every car will break down at some point.

[DannL]

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Will AAA make the car more reliable? ;-)

[Jack Shaft]

A modern electrical system does..dont think your problem is the cars fault,it only reflects the maintenance performed on it.

[Purdy Swoft]

There are many ways to make one of the simplest automobiles complicated .

[Johnny Nitro]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

There are many ways to make one of the simplest automobiles complicated .

Amen!

I am absolutely guilty of this. With all the time, and money I’ve spent “improving” my A, I wish sometimes I had just left it the way ‘ol Henry made it.

At the same time the compulsion to fiddle, and mod is irrepressible.

[Jack Shaft]

Complication is in the eye of the beholder.Yes the car stock is beautiful in form and function.

[antiquepa]

Seems funny, the cars have ran a long time and still are, the way Henry built it. New is not always improved. The old model T & A were built to last..OUESTIONS !! Just my 2cents worth, was"nt trying to offend anyone...........Love my Model "A"

[Don S]

500 feet sounds about right for a gas cap not breathing , if you hear air going past the cap when loosened, a new one is needed.

[DannL]

Well I can say for certain is that the starter no workee. It must have drained the battery while I was at work. The starter is the only component in the car I haven't been able to examine thoroughly, having no reason to take it apart. But now I get to.

[DannL]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

A modern electrical system does..dont think your problem is the cars fault,it only reflects the maintenance performed on it.

This last spring I wired the entire car with new wiring and in that process I thought about adding a big fuse block for all the different circuits in the car. But ultimately I removed the block because there was too many points a possible failure. I finally installed 3 inline fuses at key points in the circuit. Works like a champ and haven't blown a fuse yet. Even with the starter problem. The starter remains unfused which sounds a little bit scary to me.

[Jack Shaft]

I ran modern fuse protected relay controlled circuits,this accomplishes two things,one is each circuit is fuse protected, the other is my control switches only see about 150 milliamps.The relays switch the load.It looks busy,but in reality its a bunch of separate circuits.Its common method used modern equipment and cars.My switches and horn button are rated for 15a,but only see milliamps,my relays are rated for 30a but only see about 12a max..my blade fuses are rated close to max load each circuit to protect the circuit.I use a thomas and betts crimper and a separate klein stripper,the T&B crimper has great clamping force.I dont daisy chain circuits through one crimp,I stack terminals..

My wiring wont burn,my fuses will blow.my external harness is 3/14ga SJO rubber coated cable,akin power tool cable protected by coated cloth loom for an early look.



all external crimps are shrink tubed,and harness 'pass throughs' are grommeted..

[Purdy Swoft]

[QUOTE=Jack Shaft;1931958]Complication is in the eye of the beholder.Yes the car stock is beautiful in form and function.[/QUOTE


]If electrical accessories are used they will require wiring . Beautiful wiring job !!!

[DannL]

The starter wouldn't start when it was in the car. Took it out and fired up on the ground and it works fine. Dismantled the contact and this is what I got. A lot of missing copper.


PS. Then it died again. No workee.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by DannL

The starter wouldn't start when it was in the car. Took it out and fired up on the ground and it works fine. Dismantled the contact and this is what I got. A lot of missing copper.


PS. Then it died again. No workee.

I guess I am missing something but I fail to see how a burned contact would cause an engine to shut-off after driving 500 feet.

The burned contacts could be from several things. It can be from a driver who did/does not depress the start fully causing the contacts to arc. It could be from poor connections that allowed the bus bar to get extremely hot. It could also be from incorrect cable size and/or excessive crank times that caused excessive heat to be generated. And/or, it could be from a faulty starter that is drawing excess current. Generally speaking, once arcing has occurred where the copper contacts have burned, the contact connection continually gets worse with each subsequent start until you reach this condition like in the pictures. In other words, this just didn't happen, as it has been continually gotten worse.

One other thing that I am curious about since the starter failed. A stock Model-A has a provision for starting crank to be inserted at the front of the engine through a hole in the radiator shell. Is there a reason why you did not use that, -or maybe just push start the engine by rolling the vehicle and 'popping' the clutch? While the tow truck driver would not have received money to fix his transmission, you likely could have saved $300 though.

[DannL]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

I guess I am missing something but I fail to see how a burned contact would cause an engine to shut-off after driving 500 feet.

The burned contacts could be from several things. It can be from a driver who did/does not depress the start fully causing the contacts to arc. It could be from poor connections that allowed the bus bar to get extremely hot. It could also be from incorrect cable size and/or excessive crank times that caused excessive heat to be generated. And/or, it could be from a faulty starter that is drawing excess current. Generally speaking, once arcing has occurred where the copper contacts have burned, the contact connection continually gets worse with each subsequent start until you reach this condition like in the pictures. In other words, this just didn't happen, as it has been continually gotten worse.

One other thing that I am curious about since the starter failed. A stock Model-A has a provision for starting crank to be inserted at the front of the engine through a hole in the radiator shell. Is there a reason why you did not use that, -or maybe just push start the engine by rolling the vehicle and 'popping' the clutch? While the tow truck driver would not have received money to fix his transmission, you likely could have saved $300 though.

The actual cause of the original post was never resolved. Replaced the new distributor cable with another. Drove it maybe three times and then the starter craps out. The crank hole is not aligned with the engine. Bought it that way. Need to lift the engine and see why. Anyhoo . . . when I got the car it was all original for the most part. Unlike most of these cars that have been gone through a hundred times over the last 50 years, this is never had that. This one here is definitely a money pit and it would probably have to be dismantled completely and everything replaced with new or refurbished parts. I've spent the last year and some months putting Band-Aids on everything by replacing each part at a time as they go bad or as they are found bad. Interestingly the car left me stranded with the starter problem less than 500 feet away from the last time it died. About 7 miles from home. Working on a federal installation doesn't allow me the luxury of working on the car in the parking lot. If I can just get it out the gate and into a ditch I could work on it till my hearts content.

[LeroyM]

Put a 283 in it with a T5 transmission and a Ford 9" rear and of course hydraulic brakes and drive the car like you want to drive it. I started with a stock car and this is were I ended up, just wish I did it in the start instead of trying this and trying that with model A & B motors, 39 transmissions.

[DannL]

Originally Posted by LeroyM

Put a 283 in it with a T5 transmission and a Ford 9" rear and of course hydraulic brakes and drive the car like you want to drive it. I started with a stock car and this is were I ended up, just wish I did it in the start instead of trying this and trying that with model A & B motors, 39 transmissions.

Sounds like a idea. Thowing good money after bad can become an addiction. I sense that 99.9 percent of the forum members agree. ;-) Did you have to cut out firewall to make her fit?

[LeroyM]

Just had to cut the firewall in the center the width of the distributor. I then made a small box and welded it back in. Looks like it was made that way if done correctly. It allows just enough room to get the distributor cap off.

[Jack Shaft]

Not trying to insult you,but if you can't make a stock model a reliable ask yourself if you have the chops to build a hotrod.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by DannL

Sounds like a idea. Thowing good money after bad can become an addiction. I sense that 99.9 percent of the forum members agree. ;-) Did you have to cut out firewall to make her fit?

Hey Dannl,
Been there done that, i. e.- chev in A.
SUGGESTIONS:
-
If you are a hot rod guy at heart...go for it.
However , IMO, an A is the car world champion....of simplicity ! If you cant figure out A problems, you will not enjoy the more complicated V8 in A rodding problems. However, if done CORRECTLY, that rodded A will, IMO, fit your need !
-
It will be less aggravating to buy a done A Rod. Less $ also, in lot of times. Go shopping. I believe you will find that this is truth.
-
Now if you’re set on your rodding path and no longer need your A, sell it or keep it...whatever.
-
FWIW, I am in market for an A with problems...cheaper, eh !!
I am going to see an A club member in few weeks. His A is a troubled car, in his statements.
-
So you have options. Options are good !

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

Not trying to insult you,but if you can't make a stock model a reliable ask yourself if you have the chops to build a hotrod.

A little harsh I’d say. Sometimes opinions are best left unsaid. Statement accomplished nothing.

[DannL]

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Originally Posted by DannL

Well I can say for certain is that the starter no workee. It must have drained the battery while I was at work. The starter is the only component in the car I haven't been able to examine thoroughly, having no reason to take it apart. But now I get to.

Well, the culprit was not the starter after all. Although this last adventure accentuated the starter as getting ready to fail, it's now in the middle of being rebuilt. The problem was the new cut-out relay (original style) that was installed two weeks ago. I should have expected this. It did exactly what it was designed "not" to do. The contacts stayed stuck together after the car was shut off, and drained the battery to nothing. Even jumping the battery with another wasn't enough to turn the starter over.

[Jack Shaft]

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

A little harsh I’d say. Sometimes opinions are best left unsaid. Statement accomplished nothing.

Huh,hardtimes said the same thing yet you didn't chastise him,not that your chastising matters....skill or money is required in this game,have a lot of either and your golden,have a little of one and alot of the other and your good too..just dont do it if you can cover what you are short in..

[Apperloo]

Here's an updated A-PU to Diesel

[Jack Shaft]

Originally Posted by Apperloo

Here's an updated A-PU to Diesel

Screamin Jimmy..now yer talkin,spool that baby up and hang on..

[Superhart]

I wuz just thinkin', if you are really set on converting the roadster to a hot rod, why use a Chevy drive train? A nice 302 or 347 stroker backed by a C4 would work very nicely. There are many parts available for this swap. I know most rodders used Chevy items but I am a firm believer in keeping things with the same manufacturer. Yeah, I know that my 1930 coupe is Chevy powered with a Turbo 350 but I bought the car that way. Had I done the swap it would have been a 347 stroker and C4 or C6 automatic. AND the distributor is in the front so the firewall won't need to be relieved. You can hide the entire swap by using the full hood and side panels.

[Jack Shaft]

T he same old V8 box.brother,be unique , stuff a 300 6cyl worked with Clifford goodies...just stretch the rails and youre golden...big six is a torque monster,put a T5 and a 9 inch behind it.f100 steering box works with the inline...

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by Apperloo

Here's an updated A-PU to Diesel

Love it. I put a diesel in my '31 deluxe delivery.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

T he same old V8 box.brother,be unique , stuff a 300 6cyl worked with Clifford goodies...just stretch the rails and youre golden...big six is a torque monster,put a T5 and a 9 inch behind it.f100 steering box works with the inline...

A 300 I6???, can't think of a worse choice. Too long, no power, hard on fuel and the "torque monster" thing is a myth.

[big job]

I am very surprised no comments here on facebook "tebos barn adventure". A friend of
mine, his journey NH to rt 66 to Monica ca and back in a 1929. No issues no problems no flat tires absolutely no modern junk modifications, just a tent strapped to the roof because
motels and rooms were hit and miss cause of this germ thing. Some of his vidios shows
rocking right along on the highways. Ryan did it, wish I could So there ya go. Rt 66 rules
And then how many times my uncle stationed in Calf. with a travel trailer came back to
Mass with a 47 Ford V8 proof enough OK

[katy]

A 300 I6, no power, hard on fuel

My experience, just the opposite, lots of power w/out high revs and reasonable on fuel.