RHD engine block?

Mike Peters

Mike Peters

Well-known member
After reading about all the trials and tribulations from owners of RHD Model A's over the years in this forum, I came up with a second guessing observation that Ford could have, should have, or maybe would have done when supplying cars for RHD countries, like UK, Australia, etc,etc. I really feel for you guys with all the problems you are having today. Parts for RHD cars are unobtainium. The steering column is fighting for space with the carburetor, and on and on. What Ford did was to install a LHD engine in a RHD car.
What if Ford would have produced a right hand engine block for RHD? It would be the mirror image of the LHD block. Carb on the left, starter on the right, generator on the right, etc. etc. Every RHD engine casting could have been the opposite of LHD castings. Valves on the right, instead of on the left. Timing gear cover reversed. A RHD radiator would be easy. Valve chamber cover reversed. Arnold has already mentioned that the RHD bell housing is reversed from the LHD cars, so why didn't Ford just go all the way and produce the perfect companion car to the LHD car that would have been so much easier to maintain and operate?
I know that Ford produced fewer RHD cars, and I suppose he felt that those numbers would not justify the additional production costs to produce a RHD engine. Would that assumption be true or false? Opinions??
 
Mike Peters said:
I know that Ford produced fewer RHD cars, and I suppose he felt that those numbers would not justify the additional production costs to produce a RHD engine. Would that assumption be true or false? Opinions??
Click to expand...

I vote for "true".
 
I think you're right Mike, but a down draught carb with redesigned manifold and a a better exhaust and manifold with outlet near #1 would have gone a long way to solving the problem at a lowish cost... cable for ign A/R and throttle etc ... Of course even Ford wised up eventually with hydraulics for clutch and brakes. Only thing was the good position of the choke/GAV on RHDs but then there was no fun to be had grabbing the passenger's knee by mistake .
 
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There are advantages to a RHD car. For starters, the starter is easy to remove (see what I did there???):) and the choke rod as has been mentioned. A mirror image engine would have been nice and I believe the cost would not have been much more. I think the biggest price difference would have been in setting up the machining operations. Obviously, the exhaust would have run back on the LHS of the car and the location of the battery would have to be changed accordingly. One thing leads to another!
IMO, there is a cheap and easy change they could have made to help. The exhaust manifold could have flowed in the opposite direction and then come down near the timing covers and back under the steering box. I also have a Delage (The Rolls Royce of French cars) and that's how they did it.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned re the difficulties of a RHD Model A is the adjustment of the valves (not that they were adjustable originally anyway) To get the manifolds off, the rearmost stud has to come out with the nut and maybe the next one and that can be a real PITA. Other wise, there is no way they will clear the steering column.
 
much adu about really nothing.


the model A is still so simple and basic. compare other cars of the era. then you have real problems.
 
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