K member for AV8...

MN said:
I did the same thing, kinda!
I made patterns from an original K-Member& used the measurements from Tardel/Bishop book.
I also made the pedal bracket to match the original. Also made the M/C bracket from the book.
I like the way you made the M/C mount on yours, good job!
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Your K member looks great too! I made a master cylinder bracket for my brothers '32 right out of the Bishop Tardell book, but I'm not happy that the pedal leverage ratio is only 4:1 where all the books say it should be 6:1. Also, it uses a "single" master cylinder. On the A, I'll have a full 6:1 AND a dual master cylinder.
 
I don't know about Pete, but MNStumpjumper will build the k-member, pedal mount, and master cylinder mount made to order. I bought all 3 from him and cannot say enough about the quality and fit of his work.
 
PeteVS said:
Your K member looks great too! I made a master cylinder bracket for my brothers '32 right out of the Bishop Tardell book, but I'm not happy that the pedal leverage ratio is only 4:1 where all the books say it should be 6:1. Also, it uses a "single" master cylinder. On the A, I'll have a full 6:1 AND a dual master cylinder.
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I hear you on the dual M/C,Thats why I commented on your nice mod.
I know that Tardel/ Bishop's goal was using "Traditional Ford Parts". It's important to some, to do it that way. Yours will be much safer!
 
Excellent work. I entered into the world of CAD drawings through my grandson. I was designing a new intake manifold and had asked him for some drawings to help me. As he looked over myy project he told me he could run a flow program. What a tool, who knows what the future will bring to our beloved Flathead. The intake is almost done now, looking forward to seeing it run.
 
MN Stumpjumper said:
Hey Pete, you showed your 33 bone was too short. What did you use for a starting point? What body are you using?
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In the course of all my measuring, I noted that the 'A' wheel base is 3" shorter than the '32. I also noted that the 'A' torque tube is 3" shorter than the '32. I took this to mean that the distance from the front crossmember to the K member should be the same if the 'A' rear end was going to be used. (I have both an 'A' rear and a '40 rear. I have to figure out which will be cheapest to get ready the soonest, but when the '40 is used it will have the same axle centerline to bell joint as the 'A'.) Based on the front crossmember to K member distance being the same, I figure that the '32 wishbone would be the correct way to go. I don't have one of them and I'm not going to pay what appears to the going rate, so I'm cobbling up a hybrid of 'A' yoke and '48 legs, sized the same as a '32. I'm gonna get myself a Brookville '29 body hopefully soon, but I do have a really shot to hell cowl (shown in my avatar picture- bigger image in an album on my profile page) that has just enough to show where the firewall is gonna be. Plans are to use the successor to the flathead (265 version) and the firewall is going to need some relieving.
 
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Ol' Ron said:
Excellent work. I entered into the world of CAD drawings through my grandson. I was designing a new intake manifold and had asked him for some drawings to help me. As he looked over myy project he told me he could run a flow program. What a tool, who knows what the future will bring to our beloved Flathead. The intake is almost done now, looking forward to seeing it run.
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Ron:

Wow, engine builder, well respected author, and now speed equipment manufacturor. You are the man.

If you are going to make a few of those intakes, please put me on the short list in line to purchase one. It would be an honor.

Tim
 
It's taken 6 mos. to make this "Chunk" of aluminum so far and I'm just now assembling it. It's made for Max flow, and I doubt it will run very well on the street. It's fun to be working on this with my grandson.
 
Hey Pete,

It would be interesting to know if a Model A wishbone would work with one of those brackets they sell to convert a Model A to a V8 transmission? My main concern would be if it would clear the V8 engine?

Will Kimble
 
Will Kimble said:
Hey Pete,
It would be interesting to know if a Model A wishbone would work with one of those brackets they sell to convert a Model A to a V8 transmission? My main concern would be if it would clear the V8 engine?
Will Kimble
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Will: I didn't realize someone's making that bracket. Do you have the supplier name? Thanks. I'm just duplicating the entire '32 front end set up. Only problem is that I have to make up a new '32 wishbone. I'm using an 'A' yoke in the back and '48 legs up front.
 
I think Dennis Cling is the supplier, that is where mine came from anyway:

https://www.clingsaftermarket.com/index.asp

The length would work, just don't know if the A wishbone will clear the V8 oilpan, starter and etcetera.

Also, you probably know this but NealinCa posted a great thread about making a '32 wishbone on the HAMB. Check it out if you haven't already.

Will
 
I don't think that mounting the suspension pivot to the engine in the A was one of the car's better design features, and doing it with the piece of bent plate and 2 or 3 bolts is not an improvement on that feature. Even if you go to solid motor mounts...
 
There is a really good thread on the HAMB by AV8 (Mike Bishop) about altering a 33 or 34 wish bone to the correct length utilizing the model A wish bone ball end. Mike did this because they printed in the Bishop/Tardel book that the 34 was the one to use when in fact the 32 was the one. The Model A ball yoke end has that little drop to it that also gives you a little more needed caster angle that makes this mod a bit better than the 32 OEM unit.

This link is old and the pictures are gone so I'll see if I can find a better one.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58724&highlight=34+wishbone

PS: I guess they are there on page 2. This one was a Redux thank god

Your K-member would be way better for holding the wishbone than the bracket would be for sure. Any of the wish bone front forks you choose will work for this mod.

Kerby
 
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No doubt the K-member is better, that is why my AV8 is on a 32 frame and uses a stock 32 wishbone & K-member. But I never had a problem with the V8 ****** conversion in my banger - which used the bracket to locate the wishbone - and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. The same setup works great in my Dad's '30 coupe, too.

Will
 
I mentioned that I'm making up a wishbone using an 'A' yoke and '48 legs. The main reason for doing it this way (besides not having a spare '32 wishbone and I don't think that Bruce is that generous) is that I'm using a dropped axle and the 2" "kick up" in the '48 legs mean that there's 2" less steering arm drop required. I'm not that crazy about running the tie rod OVER the wishbone legs.
 
Will Kimble said:
No doubt the K-member is better, that is why my AV8 is on a 32 frame and uses a stock 32 wishbone & K-member. But I never had a problem with the V8 ****** conversion in my banger - which used the bracket to locate the wishbone - and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. The same setup works great in my Dad's '30 coupe, too.

Will
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Will,
I'm with you on the banger/V8trany conversion. Mine is five years old now and not a single problem..as you say! My question is as someone here asked...can this setup clear a V8 oilpan or no? If no, how to remedy that? :confused: Rick
 
According to several early 1950's A-V8 instructions, hotrodders sometimes built a "belly band" crossmember on Model A frames approximating the shape of the underside of the Model A bellhousing in order to mount the Model A radius rod ball under the V8.
The illustrations of this are poor sketches, and I have never seen such a rig...a strap dropping down from the area of Model A rear mount holes and passing closely under bell would likely be a starting point.
There is probably room under there to do this properly...Model A used same ring gear as flathead, so flywheel diameter is the same, and the thin lower bell on a flathead should allow a little room to build such.
 
Another thought - with the V8 ****** hooked to the Model A length rearend, you could use a pedal bracket from the V8 ****** conversion and use Model A pedals. If you have priced 32 pedal assemblies lately ($$$) you will know why this could be good. Model A pedals are dirt cheap.

Use the clutch shaft from the V8 ****** conversion and your clutch pedal will hook right up with stock bits. You would have to weld a tab on the bottom of the brake pedal to push or make a bellcrank. Either way has been well sorted out and there are some good dimensions in the green Les Andrews book.

One last advantage is that the pedals will be in their stock location relative to the body, so you can use stock floorboards.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about workarounds for pricey 32 bits, but I have also spent a lot of time chasing pricey 32 bits, LOL!!!

Will
 
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