How to start with chassis only

56servi

Senior Member
I am ready to take my car over to the painter. I have everything removed from the car now except for the body. I would like to be able to start it so I can drive in onto the trailer. I do have the jumper kit for the distributor.

My plan is to hook up my little aux fuel tank for gas supply. Put battery back in & connect the jumper to the dist. Plug the port for the vacuum wipers.
How would I shut it off. Just remove the jumper? It only needs to run long enough to load on the trailer.
The radiator is still attached.

Gene
 
Yes, just removing the jumper from the coil will kill the engine.
If I understand your plan the running chassis is just to move the body on and off the trailer, and into the paint shop, where it will be lifted off, then the chassis driven back out. Is this the plan?
 
Yes that is the plan
The rolling chassis is coming back home with me & the body stays with the painter. The painter is only about 5 miles from me so it works out good.
 
While the body is getting painted I'd tape the frame welt in place and wait a few days before you mark and punch the holes. The first one I did was on a 1930 AA and I taped the welt down and marked and punched the holes right away. A few days later the welt had pulled together a little, so I had to pull on it to get the holes lined up again as I bolted the cab in place.
 
body & fenders are still bolted in place. We will unbolt at the painters.
After painting the painter is putting the body back on the frame. He has restored many vintage cars & is familiar with the Model A"s.
I am bringing the chassis back home to get it out of his way & check for any fire damage to frame & running gear. (Car was in a garage fire)
 
A simple boat wench would work quite well. A whole lot easier than trying to rig up gas tank, etc.
 
You don't need to start the car. Just take out the plugs and use the starter to move the chassis.

I wouldn't do this. Sounds like a broken bendix or shaft waiting to happen. Especially when pulling the car up on the trailer.
 
Got the car running yesterday. No problems getting it running.
Clamped coil to water pump inlet.
Connected hot wire from fuse to coil, and wire from "Key Jumper" to other side of coil.
Clamped my aux gas tank to frame rail & strap to radiator support
Plugged wiper vac hole with pipe plug
Pulled out choke & open GAV.
Cranked for about 2 sec & then closed choke & she started right up.

Ready to drive on trailer.
 

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It doesn't show in the pictures, but you must be running a jumper wire from the alternator output to the starter terminal........right?

Never mind, now I see the wire hidden behind the rod.
 
Make sure when you "pull" the body, that any shims are marked for location for re-assembly. However I might think that if using new frame welt that it might throw off fitment?? JMO
Paul in CT
 
Jim Parker: It's a slant. Me, I'd get a couple of friends and just push it on/off. JMO
Paul in CT

This sounds like a plan to me also. Find a place where your ramp on the trailer is as low as you can get it. Two of us loaded my coupe this way by using this guy's driveway.
 
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