Starter button

turn the copper contact strip upside down

wished i had read this yesterday . thanks much for the help . have a solenoid ...... steve
 
Back in the early 40's, my father & grandfather modified their Model A in a similar fashion. A starter solenoid-type system was considered a beneficial upgrade back then. It was for those times when more than two feet were required to manipulate all those pedals (such as starting on a hill, etc). Today, my Dad is interested in making a similar modification to his "new" Model A. This thread is helpful. It would be nice to see some pics of what some of you are doing to achieve the change, but keeping appearances stock...such as where you are mounting the solenoid, starter motor switch modification, starter button location, cable routing etc.
 
steve norcal said:
turn the copper contact strip upside down

wished i had read this yesterday . thanks much for the help . have a solenoid ...... steve
Click to expand...

You still need the solenoid after you turn the strip upside down. By turning the strip upside down the stater switch now has full time contact and that is the stud to use for the cable going to the solenoid, while the battery cable goes to the other side of the solenoid.
 
The kit Muttley wants a picture of...I still do not know how to post a picture. Will try to remember to bring the thing here so I can describe it well....I don't think there was much about it you couldn't make easily. Catalog not here yet, probably will turn up today.
Ford V-8 1937-48 type solenoid use: You would simply place the 'noid in the cable to starter by bolting the current cable to the solenoid then running a new cable from other side of solenoid to whatever starter adaptation you choose. Then all you need is a single wire run from small terminal on the solenoid to a pushbutton inside car that will ground the small wire when pushed...Ford used a switch whose body was frounded to dash, you can also use a typical 2 pole switch and run a ground wire from a terminal to a convenient screw. This would be best setup for button hung on a braket. In the old days, people drilled a hole in upper dash rail and used a directly grounded '48 Ford button. You will still find a LOT of fleamarket dash rails with a little hole over at the left...
The better grades of these solenoids had a pushbutton on the bottom allowing the starter to be actuated from under hood, thus keeping an advantage you already have with stock switch.
 
Steve Plucker said:
Guess I have had to much sun lately...just what is wrong with the original way of starting the Model A?

Pros...Cons...????

Pluck
Click to expand...


As i am reading this i am wondering the same...
Ppro..cons.. what cons., that is the way you start a car.. why would anyone want to change it..what am I missing here??:confused:
 
My 1933 Chev had the starter activated by pressing on the gas pedal. The mechanical linkage to the starter from the gas pedal had mechaical "switches" to disconnect it when the engine was running. One switch used engine vacuum and the other used a sensing of vacuum and engine speed so that pressing the gas pedal only worked when the engine was stopped.

It was real handly when I stalled out on a hill and had to restart the engine and use the clutch/brake/gas to smoothly move forward rather than backward !

Marc
 
ok , my starter is at a rebuilders after the frustration of trying to short cut . my thing is that i have an after market hot rod wiring harness . my foot wants to rub on the harness & it bugs me , so the change . the old way works just fine , personal preference here . thank you all for your help & opinions ................. steve
 
Re: Starter Button

Steve Plucker said:
Guess I have had to much sun lately...just what is wrong with the original way of starting the Model A?

Pros...Cons...????
Click to expand...

It might be fine for most people but Dads 72 years old and has a bad back. It's tough for him to get his foot up in there to step on the starter plunger. It also has stuck quite a few times in the last two weeks so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.

Bruce Lancaster said:
The kit Muttley wants a picture of...I still do not know how to post a picture.
Click to expand...

Come on Bruce............19,000+ posts between here and the HAMB and you dont know how to post a picture. :confused: ;) :D

msmaron said:
As I am reading this I am wondering the same...
pro..cons..what cons, that is the way you start a car. Why would anyone want to change it..what am I missing here??
Click to expand...

I'm not one of those 100 pt. restorer types and neither is Dad. I'm going to hide the solenoid under the car so no one will know its there anyway.
 
____
------CABLE-----(0)Sol--another cable----0___) Starter
[ ooooo ] L_____16 ga wire____o pushbutton
[ battery ]

There! Not just a picture, a detailed CAD picture!
 
Onliest mechanical benefit, possibly why this complication was added by Detroit in the '30's, is very fast engagement of the high amperage circuit for less burning of contacts.
There are quite possibly convenience benefits for people who have lost one of their three feet and so have troubles as noted above...the A has a pretty complicated array of foot and hand controls by modern standards, and reallocating chores between hands and feet may make some people happier.
And...this is an entertaining project that anyone with pliers and a scredriver can do in an afternoon with no damage to original parts...
 
Tell um, Mutley. It is certainly not a crime to modify a model A in this manner!!! This mod has been performed since the thirties. I have bought several model A's that were modified in this msanner and had been sitting up since before I was born. It is certainly not an unheard of modification. I don't run any of my model A's that way but I can certainly see why it would be of benefit to some for various reasons. There are plenty of model A's and it is nobodies business whatever mods that a person chooses to make to their model A, Whether it is needed or just for the HELL of it because they can.
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
____
------CABLE-----(0)Sol--another cable----0___) Starter
[ ooooo ] L_____16 ga wire____o pushbutton
[ battery ]

There! Not just a picture, a detailed CAD picture!
Click to expand...

HAHA, besides being the all-knowing guru of early Ford stuff you are quite the keyboard artist. :D

audience.gif
 
Purdy Swoft said:
Tell um, Mutley. It is certainly not a crime to modify a model A in this manner!!! This mod has been performed since the thirties. I have bought several model A's that were modified in this msanner and had been sitting up since before I was born. It is certainly not an unheard of modification. I don't run any of my model A's that way but I can certainly see why it would be of benefit to some for various reasons. There are plenty of model A's and it is nobodies business whatever mods that a person chooses to make to their model A, Whether it is needed or just for the HELL of it because they can.
Click to expand...

Thank you!

My situation is similar to Muttley's. No disrespect to the heritage of the marque, but this type of mod is useful AND reversible.
 
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