1928 Sarter To Battery Cable

Mike Peters said:
Yes, Bick, the switch in the photo Marco posted does look like the later version, or are we seeing things? .
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I wish I could find my better version of this pic but maybe it's good enough to see that structurally it looks similar but is distinctly different. If it was the better version of the pic you would see the starter is nothing like we've seen in real life. This is engine #A1.

engine_A1.jpg


engine_A1-starter.jpg
 
Marco, Look where the engine stamp pad is ?? I thoght all early ones were just above water return pipe..
 
Fred said:
Marco, Look where the engine stamp pad is ?? I thoght all early ones were just above water return pipe..
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That is the conventional wisdom based on engines found. However the records show the patterns were being changed weeks before any engines were stamped. You don't just toss the "old" prior to the normal replenishing cycle. The cycle could easily transition from 10:1 (old:new), then 8:2, 7:3, etc., etc. until they are finally all the "new" design.
 
I have often wondered about the pad on A1 your thinking based on the records makes perfect sense.
Here is a top view of the same starter dated August 24 1927.
 

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Bick: The JS does not show a cable clamp like the one you posted, but then, the JS was published in the land of left hand drive cars. Is yours perhaps specific to right hand drive? To be honest, I've never seen a right hand drive Model A, so could you tell us a bit about the location of the accellerator pedal in relation to the starter push rod on a right hand drive Model A? On left hand drive cars, the starter push rod is above and to the left of the accellerator button (pedal).

The cable clamp was the same for LHD & RHD as the position did not change.
You are right about JS v/s my pics. I am not sure where the photos came from I had them in my 'very early' file and presumed they were correct without checking!
On the early RHD cars the starter button is in the same place as LHD, it changed in 1929 using a similar mechanism to your accelerator setup so that the button came through the centre of the firewall a much more convenient position. The accelerator had its own mechanism attached to the steering column, and the button was placed between the clutch and brake pedals. (Hopefully Les Pearson (RHD) will jump in here with some pictures)
 
Marco, that looks like a modified model T starter. The model T starter has that kind of end cap, but has a 4 bolt flange, not 3.
 
My car is a Oct 28 leatherback. Here is a photo f my starter. I have a starter motor with a 1/2 shaft. If you need other photos let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Supergnat
 

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Mike, Marco, Bick,

Your battery cable posts have brought much new data:

Marco: Note in the pic that the engine pan does not have ridges, indicating a ve or e28. Yet, the starter switch appears to be a later model. Also, in the close up of the starter, it looks like a big shim between the starter and the flywheel housing, also early if correct.

Bick: Now I see what a true early cable support bracket looks like. Would there possibly be another one of these floating around NZ?? If so, I'll get the next flight to Kiwi-land.

Mike: You can see what a good post creates! Now I need to find a replacement battery with a left hand negative post, a new cable and a correct cable support bracket. And I thought I was done??

Best Regards to all, and LOL

Martin Mindling in sunny, tropical Watertown, Ohio.
 

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Supergnat, thanks for the photo, and, is your battery cable routed around the left side of the clutch pedal? If so, that would require a 22 9/16" cable? Just for the record, I just got off the phone with Rhode Island Wiring (thanks for the tip, Bill) and ordered an 18" battery cable that is a second generation replica of the three battery cables offered by Ford for the Model A. They build all three. Hopefully, this will be long enough to route close to the brake pedal , and bend the tab enough to connect to the early style starter switch. JS says that the switch end tab is bent downward 90 degrees to connect to the early switch. We will see.
I just attempted to find battery cables in the Bratton book and can find none either with wiring or batteries. Bratton's handles ground straps, cable supports, etc., but not negative battery cables? Or am I going blind? Tried to call Bratton's info number, but no answer.
 
Mike,
I went out to check my cable routing and discovered that when the previous owner installed one of those power turn-off switched he removed the original battery cables. Sorry I can't be of help.
Supergnat
 
After 31 posts, is it possible the early ar's used a model T cable?? Just curious, not trying to stir the pot.
Paul in CT
 
Flamingo: I don't have a Model T parts book, but Rhode island Wiring lists a separate battery cable for late T's, which is different from the early A's.
Martin: Gary Karr says that the Ford script battery suppliers DO make a reversed terminal arrangement for your early car. Go for it!
 
What great information is contained in this thread. (and it is not a question)!

Along with this comes the part designations in the January 1, 1928 Parts Price List. The starter is designated as A-11002-B and the starter switch is designated as A-11450-B.

Now, what we may be looking at in the photo of the early engine, are photos of starter A-11002-A and starter switch A-11450-A. That was originally Marco's thought and I tend to think the same.

Any thoughts?

Pluck
 
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Steve Plucker said:
What great information is contained in this thread. (and it is not a question)!

Along with this comes the part designations in the January 1, 1928 Parts Price List. The starter is designated as A-11002-B and the starter switch is designated as A-11450-B.

Now, what we may be looking at in the photo of the early engine, are photos of starter A-11002-A and starter switch A-11450-A. That was originally Marco's thought and I tend to think the same.

Any thoughts?

Pluck
Click to expand...

What I think is also interesting,....Bick's photo(#24). It has the first style
starter and switch, which we've been looking at. But the battery box
and the hold down are different from the normal early style that we are
used too seeing.
*other thoughts...the rod too the brake pedal(adjustable), I don't remember that.
No stop light switch.....why is the Negative post were it is...or is it the Buss bar?

115185
 
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d.j. moordigian said:
What I think is also interesting,....Bick's photo(#24). It has the first style
starter and switch, which we've been looking at. But the battery box
and the hold down are different from the normal early style that we are
used too seeing.
*other thoughts...the rod too the brake pedal(adjustable), I don't remember that.
No stop light switch.....why is the Negative post were it is...or is it the Buss bar?

115185
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that this photo is cropped from a larger full view that's been posted here before, which I believe was taken in the engineering labs. If you'll look, the spark and throttle rods seem to be sticking out with no springs or levers on there, so it was probably taken of a chassis that was a work in progress. Might explain the lack of a brake light switch and other things. I'm thinking this is the same photo that showed the front brake rods being two pieces joined by a bellcrank (for lack of a better term) on a standoff just outboard of the rear motor mounts.

I also wondered about the battery cable and hold downs. Pre-production pieces that never made it into production?
 
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