Great to see a young guy like you driving and loving that beautiful old car . you will get the hang of double declutching on the downshift eventually . It becomes second nature in the end . I would love an A but here in the UK they are super rare and very expensive . Enjoy owning that beauty . I know you will take good care of her. She deserves it . Best wishes from Thomas .
I’m really enjoying watching your videos. I love your 1.5” PVC hose flushing setup. We are working on my dad’s car that’s been sitting for 40 years and going to install the same radiator this weekend. I’m going to use your flushing technique before we do- I think dad will be impressed! Thanks again!
Watched all your videos, the MODEL A's are alot of fun to drive and very easy to maintain I've owned 3 MODEL A's in the past 50 years, I was probably around your around age when I got my first MODEL A, it was a 1930 Town Sedan, similar to the one you have, I have a 1931 Deluxe TUDOR now, owned for 18 years now, you did a excellent job on your radiator, glad to see your interest in the MODEL A, if you haven't already, join a MODEL A club they will be helpful in future projects on your MODEL A and parts also, good luck with your MODEL A looking forward to next video, SUBSCRIBED.
Double clutch to downshit and quickly tap the gas while clutching to keep the rpms from falling to low,takes a few times but you'll get it. Love the patina look!
The car isn't designed for a quick shift. No need to double clutch - move the shift lever slowly from gear to neutral to gear, giving the tranny gears time to slow and easily mesh. The same is true for downshifting - while you are moving!
Ford Owners manual said shift at low speeds 7 and 15 mph. Use engine torque to accelerate. My dad was a machinist and called the aforementioned slow shifting shifting at match speed. You get a feel for it. Downshifting rarely needed for stopping. Let engine compression in third gear get you to 15 mph and properly set up brakes will work fine. Always look ahead for traffic issues. If driving high speeds water pump impeller may need reducing to avoid blowing out coolant on non pressurized system. Bolt on mods like high compression head and B cam will allow you to pull that hill.
There's a neat product called a Gano filter which goes between the radiator and the top engine outlet. It has metal screens which will stop any particle size that would be a problem for your new radiator. I use one on my '28 and am very happy with it. Caught a lot more than I realized was still in there. I don't need to empty and clean it much anymore, but sure it at first. Pretty good investment considering the radiator expense. Enjoy all your videos. Good luck and have fun.
Great video. Thanks for bringing us along on your journey. It took me many years of driving Model As before I got the hang of downshifting. There is a RU-vid video by Jack Bahm where he explains how to do it. It really helped me get the technique down.
The transmission is like a semi truck so when you down shift just slow down then to neutral, speed rpm up accordingly and slowly put into 2nd , you'll catch on.
Interesting video. I've been noodling on the idea of buying a Model A. I live in the California desert. While I don't need (or want) to drive on our scorcher days, but to know that a mechanically sound car will be fine on our normally warm days is comforting. Thanks so much. you might invest in a radiator guard to protect that pretty new Brassworks improvement.
Hood alignment on any dog house hood is a pain. Takes a lot of futzing. There are a few "sealed" pumps out there. Get the one with the sealed bearing in the front and back. No greasing it. A good addition is a temp gauge. You just need the hose neck with the port. If you want to add a thermostat, they make a housing with a temp port that fits right on the head. Works good. None of this stuff is super expensive. For shifting, just practice, you'll get it. Clacking gears and grinding are two different things. Have fun
Something I would love is a modernized model A ... with a modern v-6 , 5 speed manual transmission and modern rear end, suspension and breaks as well as climate control. But not to use as a hot rod but just for driving comfort, reliability and performance. With a very cushy ride and a quiet muffler.
Some things l noticed. When starting the engine, retard your timing. The lever on the left of the steering column is your timing. It should be all the way toward the windsheild. After running, pull it back down a bit more than half way, maybe 3/4, let your engine tell you where its best. Next, if the water pump is leaking, take a flat screw driver and use the body of the pump and pry up on the brass nut rotating it. If on the passenger side it will tighten this nut against the packing inside and hopefully stop the water leak. Third, l personally dont like the carburetor. Its not origanal and since it is higher than your exhaust manifold will tend to boil your gasoline. Myself, l would try to go back to the origanal Zenith carb. It rides lower than the exgaust helping to keep it cool. Some people think a downdraft carb works better but the model A was designed for an updraft. Forth, the radiator was built using the origanal specs. I ran into the same problem once myself. The body blocks were thinner than origanal on my car and were pine. (Yellow pine). Probably replaced at one time. The origanals were oak l believe. I have some patterns here if your inclined to make your own or you can get new ones from a Model A supplier. Most are easy to replace, but the ones on each side of the engine/transmission can be difficult because of congested area. The body bolts, if needed, are 7/16 inch bolts. Almost unheard of now a days, most people just upsize to 1/2inch but will require enlarging the hole. Advice if you will, try not to run ethanol gasoline in your car. It is cheaper. Your car may run fine on it, but leave it sit for a couple of weeks and your gasoline will evaporate leaving the ethanol behind and it turns into a gooey mess because its a form of sugar! This usually doesnt work well with a carburetor. Plus it may ruin your paint around the filler cap if you drip or spill and lastly it attacks the sealent on the cork float for your gas gauge. Thats it, happy motoring. Maybe also find a club in your area.
Thanks for the tips! I do want to go back to an original carb at some point. The distributor is an upgraded Mallory unit with automatic advance so the advance lever does not work anymore.
@@MotherlodeMotors Never had the privilege of working or driving with a Mallory distributor, didnt know how that operated. Besides a club, you might want to invest in a book by Les Andrew's. He has 3 out there. The red one is the one to which l refer. It has so much instruction on repairing and maintaining your Model A. Last l heard it was around 40 bucks but it has so much technical information broke down and written for us average guys. I think its invaluable! Happy Motoring!
In my 22 years as a professional auto mechanic, there were few times where I did NOT use a slim film of RTV (blue, mostly) around the inside of radiator hoses. That was especially true of pitted inlets and outlets, whether they were cast iron, steel, or aluminum. Like everything else you use RTV on, you let it set up, and then do your thing as per usual. I've never seen it fail even once, but I suppose there's a first time for everything. Again, just a very thin coat. Do not goop it in there.
Awesome, she's a bit rusty,a bit crusty, and beautiful. My 28 Tudor was overheating, so I changed out the radiator, max temp now is 164° 7400 miles in 2 seasons in N.H. Nice to see the alternator, definitely get the drainable metal host,and maybe the leakless water pump. It's a model A they just keep running. Keep us up to date on your progress. Thx for the video.
You can get a lot of help from Paul Shinn on his RU-vid channel he only talks about model A’s. He shows you how to correctly fix any problem you may have.
The ability to lug comes from a long stroke and a 65 lb flywheel!! Unless it's been turned down. Some people do that. These cars are 90 years old and they have been through a lot!
That is difficult on a stock A, but not impossible. This car with the converted carb and aftermarket throttle linkage is very touchy and even more difficult. I haven't been able to do it.
Not having synchros in the transmission. This car was made before synchros were a thing. If you are good at rev matching it's possible but with my modified carb and throttle mechanism it's too touchy to be able to rev match.
Yea, I have a ‘29 that is hot rodded a bit, and I’m downshifting it with double clutching, so clutch, shift into neutral, let the clutch go, rev it up, clutch, second. It took me a while to learn this, but I feel like it’s simply a matter of exercise. Had a downdraft carb on it for a bit, didn’t seem to make any difference, but maybe because I didn’t bother to swap the throttle linage, but had a slider made so that the linkage action wasn’t reversed (as in the downdraft wants the throttle pulled, and the updraft pushed as you might know). It took me forever to understand that these have enough torque that you don’t shift all the way down into the first. Unless you are at full stop, because the car would literally hop. Other than that this video is like a dejavu. Similar experience with cooling, same misalignement of the hood, same crap in the water passages, same idea of flushing, same “trouble” putting shit together, on driving footage it sounds exactly like mine, though the happy place at cruising is around 50? Somewhere there.
That's a beautiful old A!. If you can find a can of Karskin by radiator specialty you can take a damp washcloth and drop a quarter sized dollup of karskin on it and work in 1. Foot sections and the circular hand rubbing will pull out all that oxidation from the original paint. You won't probably have to repaint the entire car. I'm not the boss of you I'm just saying, you could potentially have a bright shiny model A in the near future.Maguiars cleaner wax might be just as good. Maybe you like the patina look on the paint? It's your buggy you do what you want. I do see a beautiful black model A there with a little effort you could add to its resale value. I know you probly want to get the mechanicals fixed first. Thanks for sharing her! She's a grand old gal. Wish I had one. A ooo gah!😅
A few tips for you, I would get that fan replaced right away. I replaced on like that with a crack and those original fans could easily ruin your radiator. Your fan belt looks like it might need replaced too, they have new ones at auto zone and they’ll have the size you need. Then with the double clutching, it is possible and if you practice it is really easy. Several people made videos on it if you need help. Also when driving at high speeds, pull the spark lever down, it’ll give you some more power.
I wouldn't be surprised if that cloth strap material at the 3:43 mark that sits under the radiator was " asbestos". Twisting it, folding it reactivates it exposing the material. Also, from what I've heard and read from Model A owners out there the 2 and 4 bladed original pressed steel fans blades can crack then then blow apart like a grenade. Throwing a blade piece through that nice radiator. The aluminum one piece two bladed aluminum fans are again in stock. Another thing to check for as far as heat (after seeing the video your engine temp seems fine to you) is engine timing and where you run the timing lever. I think your car sounds great and looks awesome. Thanks for posting.
It wasn't asbestos. It's a piece of brakeshoe lining, but a newer fiber type. Not the original asbestos part. Also it looked pretty greased so I doubt anything went into the air. Also original 4 bladed fans aren't as prone to cracking as the original 2 bladed fans and are safer to use if not corroded or damaged. The two bladed fan design has stress points where they rip, that the 4 bladed doesn't have.
You really need to learn to double clutch. I drive my 31 Coupe everywhere without stopping, just match your engine RPM's to road speed, when down shifting, if you go down a slight hill you need a quicker pace, and going up a slight hill, a slower pace as the road speed dictates the transmission speed. I used to drive Class 8 Trucks and there you direct shift or double clutch all the time. Once the rig is moving, you feel the lever in. It is not that hard, Also a little grinding of gears is not abnormal with Model A's or old tractors. Enjoy your Model A Ford, they are fascinating and fun.
Thanks for the tips. I think I need to fix the throttle linkage or go to a stock carb. It's too touchy to be able to smoothly adjust the throttle for a rev match.
Also, please check the chassis for cracks, especially the main frame to the crossmember/ motor mount area where the exhaust pipe passes under it. The reason I say that is because that may break and the frame will sag a little causing the radiator rod stays to pop put away from the gas tank. It is very expensive to buy another radiator if that rod flies off, hits the fan and the fan goes into your radiator. @@MotherlodeMotors Good luck with her.
If you learn how to properly down shift, you do not have to stop and go Into first. Find somebody local that drives semi’s, they can show you. It will make your life much easier.
Should always check the temperature with the motor running because the motor will increase in heat after you shut it off for the first five minutes or so. Sometimes you have to choke it a little bit when it’s real hot because they gas boils out of the carburetor.
Love this...trying to figure out how I can get one and stay married...too many toys (according to her!). I've been looking at them for a few years, but haven't pulled the trigger yet...
I find it difficult to go down from third to second also,Just in verk low speed it works, Change my radiator to and noticed that also that the Hood not fit alright
Blib the gas pedal in between the double clutch at the time when you have the gear neutral. You can go back to two from three with that method if you're driving below 20-25mph
