RookieRod Model A progress

[BigIrish]

Well JEGS was nice enough to send me the other flange today, so got the other 1/2 done. Of course when I went to put in the new bolts, 15 were the right size, but #16 was some other smaller size. I can't win!!

Also got my fan belt on. The motor orig had power steering, so I had to modify the steering pump bracket with an idler pulley that came off of the A/C compressor bracket. A couple of trips to autoparts store and I have a belt that fits.

 

[racer135]

How much longer till you kick it in the guts and do some circlework with it?

 

[BigIrish]

Haha! It'll be a little while. Still need to do the brakes, build a floor, wiring, steering, etc. I hope to at least drop in the new distributor and fire it up in the next week or so though.

 

[racer135]

Can't wait to hear that engine thru those pipes. Post a vid if you can. Good luck man.

 

[BigIrish]

she's a runner!

Well she's officially a runner!! Got the new distributor in, after numerous rookie errors that Tripper helped me sort out. Wired up a crude ignition panel enough to run it off the battery. Looks classy doesn't it??

New HEI distributor seems MUCH better than original Duraspark crap system - motor lights right up, sounds great. Video to come, little later today hopefully...

 

[racer135]

whats with the extra solenoid??

 

[BigIrish]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhgirvRSL10

Here's a crappy little vid.

 

[piewagn]

Sounds great BI!! Man, you weren't ****tin' when you said you were tall!! You gonna fit in that thing??

 

[racer135]

Haha see it twistin in its mounts. sounds very nice, can't wait for a drivin' video!!!

 

[Tripper]

Haha see it twistin in its mounts. sounds very nice, can't wait for a drivin' video!!!

The BigIrish didn't have his rear suspension set up yet & the motor was torquin' the whole car. He couldn't wait to hear those zoomers roar & they sound really great!

BoB

 

[rockb1]

Even on my crappy little compute speakers your car sounds great. I love the mower tank. You should mount that up front, lol. It sure does sound healthy!

 

[BigIrish]

PW - Haha, well now you know why I don't plan on chopping it! I do plan on annoying the crap out of my neighbors with it though.

R135 - that solenoid is a Ford thing. No solenoid on the starter itself, they have that starter relay instead.

 

[BigIrish]

Yeah I like the mower tank myself! I'm not convinced it will pass inspection like that though...even in Tejas.

 

[rockb1]

Yeah I like the mower tank myself! I'm not convinced it will pass inspection like that though...even in Tejas.

Stupid state inspections. Im so happy that we dont have those. Well sometimes

 

[BigIrish]

Some progress on the floor. I used 1x3 square tubing for the sides of the floor to raise it over the frame. Using 1x2 tubing (1/4" wall) for the floor cross pieces. Pie-cutting that trans hoop was alot of "fun". I'm going to use steel for the trans tunnel but the floor itself will be wood.

 

[BigIrish]

Took a break from the floor and made an air cleaner out of the orig air cleaner housing and a Ford-style "V8" hubcab. Basically cut the center section out of the old air cleaner housing. Welded the wingnut to the top of the lid. Then cut most of the lip off of the hubcap, leaving 3 little tabs which I poked through the lid, then welded up from the bottom. Looks pretty cool I suppose and price was right!

 

[racer135]

Looks very cool!

So you do that massacred part up (from old air cleaner) with the wingnut, then pop the hubcap on over the top of it?

Or do you thread the hubcap and massacred air cleaner top on as a unit?

 

[BigIrish]

The hubcap is now welded to the top of the air cleaner, as is the wingnut, so you just spin the whole lid onto the carb as a unit.

 

[BigIrish]

I got brakes!

Finally got my brakes all hooked up. What a PIA!! I broke 2 cheapo flaring tool sets and one tubing bender within the first couple hours.

I ended up giving up making my own lines and buying a whole car's worth of pre-flared lines from NAPA for like $40. That's TOTALLY the way to go. I ended up only making a few flares myself, which was still a major hassle for me.

Also wasted some money on one of those Mighty Vac vacuum bleeders from the autoparts store. I'm sure this works fine on cars with the m.c. up on the firewall, but mine is under the floor, so this didn't work at all. Had to bleed them the old fashioned way (have the wife pump the pedal while I work the bleeders). Anyway I have a firm pedal and no leaks (knock on wood)!!

 

[racer135]

Also wasted some money on one of those Mighty Vac vacuum bleeders from the autoparts store. I'm sure this works fine on cars with the m.c. up on the firewall, but mine is under the floor, so this didn't work at all

Do they just plug onto the bleeders and suck the fluid from the MC's reservoir thru the lines?