Newbie to the Model A

Chevmn56

Chevmn56

Senior Member
Well we bought a 1931 Model A Tudor Deluxe (i think) at Barrett Jackson's Vegas. the car is in transport as we speak. The car drove and sounded awesome going across the block. but when we where going over it at the staging area they stated the car had a weak battery i also noticed that they had bypassed the fuel shut off in the the cab and had a ball valve down by the carb. When the ball valve was on and engine not running the carb dripped gas........so my questions for now are

1. Should the carb drip?????? are they easy to rebuild, they sure don't look like there is much???? is there some one out there that rebuilds these back to like new condition?

2. And what battery is the best to use, one that you can go down to the parts store and get??????

3. Are there any must have books, manuals etc out there that i need for maintenace, wiring diagrams, VR setup etc etc
 
Chevmn56 said:
Well we bought a 1931 Model A Tudor Deluxe (i think) at Barrett Jackson's Vegas. the car is in transport as we speak. The car drove and sounded awesome going across the block. but when we where going over it at the staging area they stated the car had a weak battery i also noticed that they had bypassed the fuel shut off in the the cab and had a ball valve down by the carb. When the ball valve was on and engine not running the carb dripped gas........so my questions for now are

1. Should the carb drip?????? are they easy to rebuild, they sure don't look like there is much???? is there some one out there that rebuilds these back to like new condition?

2. And what battery is the best to use, one that you can go down to the parts store and get??????

3. Are there any must have books, manuals etc out there that i need for maintenace, wiring diagrams, VR setup etc etc
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Barn.:D

1. No the carb should NOT drip. They are easy to rebuild and parts readily available from the vendors (Bratton's, Snyder's, Bert's, etc.) Try Renner's Corner for rebuilds. (PM me if you need URL's - easy to find tho).
3. All the vendor's listed above have books available. Lots of people like Les Andrew's book, I don't care for it personally. Lot of good info in it tho.
2. Battery I can't help with, my model A is 12v. Maybe yours is just low because the car has been sitting?

As for the gas line, sounds like the shut off valve was leaking so the bypassed it. They took the easy way out by installing the ball valve. The original S/O valve is rebuildable and/or replaceable.

Add your location so people close by may be able to help or offer suggestions for clubs, where to find parts locally, etc.

And the Barn is always here to answer questions.
 
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Join your local Model A club. They can give you immediate, hands-on experienced advice about all your questions.
 
Welcome to the Model A Hobby! And to the Ford Barn! You've come to the right place.

Chevmn56 said:
<snip>

so my questions for now are

1. Should the carb drip?????? are they easy to rebuild, they sure don't look like there is much???? is there some one out there that rebuilds these back to like new condition?

2. And what battery is the best to use, one that you can go down to the parts store and get??????

3. Are there any must have books, manuals etc out there that i need for maintenace, wiring diagrams, VR setup etc etc
Click to expand...

1. The carbs are easy to rebuild. They should not drip gas when the engine is not running, but I turn the fuel off anyway when parked in the garage. Yes, there are several guys out there that rebuild them. I recommend you have the jets "flow tested" because the reproduction jets being sold are really bad about flowing too much fuel. I can help connect you with someone good. See email address below in my signature.

2. The car is 6 volts. The starter turns kind of slowly, compared to modern cars. So people that regularly deal with cars from the '60s and '70s think the battery is weak. It may just need to be placed on a charger overnight. And the cables cleaned, etc. You can have the battery load tested to check it.

If you really need a new battery, get a 6 volt Optima battery. It will also require a special adapter to hold it in the stock battery box. The Optimas take the vibration of a Model A quite well.

3. There are several books that I recommend to start with, and then you build your collection over time. Too many at one time is over load on your brain.

If the car does not come with one, get a reproduction copy of Ford's original "Instruction Book" for your year car. This is like the Owner's Manual for the car. Read it and follow their directions. They knew what they were talking about.

Get a copy of the book called "The Model A Mechanics Handbook - Vol. 1" by Les Andrews (the "red book"). This has all of the basic adjustment, remove, repair, replace procedures for the mechanical parts of the car.

Get a copy of the book "Model A Troubleshooting and Diagnostics" also by Les Andrews (the "blue book"). This is a good book to carry with you in the car, along with basic hand tools. You can read through it and begin to understand that the car is very simple to fix, if you are systematic in your diagnostics.

I can also give you a short list of spare parts I recommend you carry with you (under back seat, with tools and book). Email me.

If you've never been a member of The Model A Ford Club of America before, you are eligible for a free membership. Contact Jay McCord at FreeMembership@mafca.com and he will take care of you.

I am MAFCA's Technical Director and I help new Model A owners out every day! Feel free to contact me, by email or Ford Barn Private Message.
 
Hi Chev man,
You might not be aware and have not been mentioned above. The Model A was originally wired 6V positive earth.
No big deal either way, 6 or 12V, negative or positive earth but it could be confusing if you did not expect it.
Enjoy your new car.
 
I suggest a new float valve and a repair kit for the shut off valve.
snydersantiqueauto.com/zenith-float-needle-seat
and
snydersantiqueauto.com/gas-valve-repair-kit
The repair kit works wonders. Alternatively, you could buy a new valve.
 
Welcome to the club Chev,


As for the carb there are several that will fit the Model A:

-Original is a Zenith that has a round fuel bowl with the fuel line coming in from the side made of cast iron. Parts available

-Tillotson is pot metal-silverish and I think the line comes in from the front of the carb. These can warp but that is fixable. Parts available

-Marvel looks similar to a Tillotson and can have the line come in from the front or side. Parts available from Renners corner.

-Model B came out 32-34 and has a squarish fuel bowl with the line coming from the front. Parts are available and this one will not stall you out like the zenith can in a sudden stop.

-There is also a tillotson that looks like a zenith but is made of pot metal and no parts are available for that one.

Enjoy the car and take lots of pictures when you get her.

Mike
 
Yea paint interior and engine internals are the most expensive things on these cars in that order. What has been said is great advice. Grab some catalogs from the suppliers listed and see what you need.
 
Good afternoon....Take Jim's advice and join the national and then the local club closest to you. Almost every club has a good mechanic; and if you contact that person and ask he/she to evaluate your 'A', then you can see what you need to accomplish to get her running reliably so you can enjoy her...Ernie
 
Hello all got the A running this car is awesome, makes a bunch of different noises than the 41 Packard and 56 Belair do......i have joined the Salty A's here in SLC and hope to gleen alot of info off them as well as well as learn tons. I have ordered the manuals i think i need....... all in all the car is awesome a lot of little things to work out but ill get there im sure, i will post a bunch of pics here shortly.
 
Good Morning...I see that you are now going to be moving between a 41 Packard and the Model A. I have a 49 Packard Deluxe and a 31 Model A Tudor (55B). There is really a vast difference, however they are both six volt and many things are quite similar. I would imagine that the Packard will teach you a good bit about the Model A if you have been working on the Packard. Ernie
 
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