Once Bitten, Twice Lucky: The Mounts Are In

Well, I finally got the motor mounts installed. Took long enough to get to this much-anticipated point. The work itself was quick, actually, it was just getting there. But, after repeated measuring, squaring, etc., and after many other tasks, I finally got the motor mounts installed, they're square to the K-member, and everything (using the mock-up block and transmission case) fits fine.

First, I just dug in and drilled all the holes, replacing the C-clamps with 3/8" bolts as I went around.

Unfortunately, my work was momentarily halted by a broken bit when I fumbled the drill during an awkwardly angled drilling operation. But, fortunately, I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 30 piece "grab bag" (actually a little plastic box) of drill bits in various sizes, from 1/8" up to just under 1/2". The price (around $7.50?) was right because it doesn't include an index and it's not a complete set. Many large bits are included, and then multiples of 1/4", 3/16", and 1/8". They're supposedly high speed steel (HSS). All I know is they have that distinct stink of Harbor Freight: cheap Chinese oil/packing grease.

If you're wondering, I'm trying to avoid using any new hardware on this project, as it would stand out like a sore thumb. Instead, I've been rooting through the several coffee cans of original Ford nuts and bolts I got from my uncle. Unfortunately, I hadn't really thought about what I would use for the motor mounts, and just threw in whatever I had six of, just to get them installed. Tonight I went back and replaced them with drilled bolts and castle nuts, to which I'll later be adding cotter pins, 'cause I can.

I also mocked up my F1 shock mounts, to see where the mounting holes would end up relative to the motor mounts bolts and the front crossmember.

I also cut, ground, and filed down the Model A rear spring hangers to 2" wide, which is what I'll need for the Model T spring.

Afterward, I installed the two shackle bolts I'd been saving for these, as they are 2" wide. Some later ones are wider, which would've stuck out of the spring hanger, and possibly interfered with the shackles. The real trick here is using one of the correct driver tools to install them. While you can use a socket to drive the shackle bolts in, this tool threads onto the shackle, protecting the threaded stud from mushrooming (which can happen, I've found out the hard way).