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Old 01-22-2021, 02:57 PM   #1
MALAK
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Default Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

The car in my avatar has been in the family since I was 13 or about 44 years. The whole thing is one big farmer special. As is this car is a late 31 coupe body with a 29 AA engine and 4-speed trans and obviously a truck bed where the trunk used to be. I've spent quite a bit of time and money just to make it roadworthy and reliable. Besides the body hacks to make this conversion the drivetrain is in good condition.

Without going into a lot of detail I'm in the process of moving the entire running gear from this coupe/Pickup to another proper pickup. I'll then stretch the frame (so that the bed is out from under the body) and finish off the back of the coupe body (it's a bit drafty the way it is). Effectively making into a Model A Club Cab Pickup.

I've driven this car many thousands of miles and would occasionally hear a grumble or mild pop from under the floorboard area, always at low speed and typically decelerating.

Since this car has a 4-speed I believed (though never confirmed) it had the special bearing retainer and u-joint mentioned on Fordgarage.com, to put a 4-speed into a car/pickup. http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/aafourspeedachassis.htm.
NOPE! Just another farmer hack job. See attached pics. The standard 4-speed bearing retainer was used, being 3/8" longer, the rear axle just being pushed back to compensate. Instead of using the special u-joint, it appears they used the standard 4-speed transmission yoke and with the laborious use of a file made a standard driveshaft yoke fit the larger bearings of the 4-speed spider. Then tried to stake everything together.

Well, I guess it worked. I know the car/truck was used as a utility vehicle in the orange groves of SoCal for many years before we owned it plus the many miles I've put on it. It was just a matter of time before something broke or came apart.

As a side note, I won't be putting the 4-speed into the new Pickup. I'll be using the Tremec T170, with the Goldilocks ratio, I've built. At that time, I'll document how I achieved the Goldilocks ratio. One of the reasons I’ve waited to write this up is that I may be deviating from what is commonly done in this transmission adaptation, that is using the standard Model A u-joint. Since this adaptation requires shortening and re-splining the transmission output shaft, I may do so using a standard 1310 series yoke and sealed u-joint. I’ve already got the driveshaft part of this worked out but still need to work out the details on the transmission side.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg U-Joint 1.jpg (36.3 KB, 196 views)
File Type: jpg U-Joint 2.jpg (25.7 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg U-Joint 3.jpg (27.6 KB, 170 views)
File Type: jpg U-Joint 4.jpg (26.9 KB, 172 views)
File Type: jpg U-Joint Wear 2.jpg (59.7 KB, 163 views)
File Type: jpg NewTruck Chassis.jpg (55.6 KB, 156 views)
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Old 01-22-2021, 03:37 PM   #2
woofa.express
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

In past years I’d see many Model A utes which started life as a tourer (or Phaeton as they were marketed in America). This was when folks could afford more modern motorcars and the A’s went to farmers, tradies and young folks - their first motorcar. They removed the rear seat and tub in the case of a Tourer, and built a wooden tray to carry produce or tools. I remember in 1973 a farmer and his 2 sons arrive at their airstrip each driving these modified A’s. They had purchased 10 very cheaply at various farm clearing sales. They figured that A's would become rare and valuable in future years. Occasionally I still see one, mostly restored.
It’s a common practise in Australia, for young ones in particular, to own utes as a form of a two seater sports vehicle. For them it is viewed as a status. For a farmer or grazier, status is, and not always intended, to have a ute with a tray and one or two dogs on back. Top status is, and again not intended or sort are Blue Healer dogs.
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Old 01-22-2021, 09:18 PM   #3
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

Sounds interesting, please keep us posted. With pics of course. Ned
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Old 01-23-2021, 07:32 AM   #4
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Default Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

I’m interested as well. The previous owner of my car installed a Tremec T170, and I would like to learn more about it. Please continue posting on your progress.


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Last edited by shew01; 01-23-2021 at 07:44 AM.
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Old 01-23-2021, 07:34 AM   #5
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

You’ve spiked our interest. More photographs if possible.
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Old 01-23-2021, 01:44 PM   #6
Jim Brierley
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

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Back in the day, there was a commercially made kit to put a pickup bed into the Model A coupe body. Maybe sold by Sears or Monkey Ward???
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Old 01-23-2021, 04:06 PM   #7
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

I remember them being common in Texas when I was growing up, I think maybe used as state highway department maintenance vehicles.
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Old 01-23-2021, 06:23 PM   #8
Dennis Pereira
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

They used what I think was an axe to make my 29 standard coupe into a ute back in the day .
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Old 01-24-2021, 10:17 PM   #9
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

During

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Old 01-25-2021, 12:02 PM   #10
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Default Re: Farmer Special. So that's what that noise was.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Benson View Post
During
????
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