Dear Welder Series… front wishbone Q’s

Dear Welder Series…
I’m building a 1930 Model A on boxed ’30 frame. I want to use your flat crossmember in order to use a 1936 wishbone with the spring forward of the axle.

I want to know if I can place your flat crossmember in front of the stock cross member in order that I may keep the original design, i.e. radiator and fenders etc…??

Has anyone done this before??

I want the car as low as possible and the use of the intact ’36 wishbone. I intend on using cross rack steering and need the clearance as well.

Thanks,
Mike

Dear Mike…
Thanks for looking at Welder Series’ parts.

Our flat front crossmember is designed for a 1-3/4″ wide spring, like the 1928-34 Ford. The ’36 Ford used a 2″ wide front spring, so it will not fit in our crossmember. The ’36 spring is longer than the Model ‘A’ spring, so it can’t be adapted to the ’36 stock wishbone, either.

The ’36 axle will be a little wide to let you get the front end low. (The tires will be out at the edge of the fenders.) You might want to mock up your parts to see how it looks before buying any parts. The standard way to get a Model ‘A’ low is to use a 46″ dropped axle with a reversed eye spring with a low arch.

I hope this helps.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…
Thanks Paul…….I already have the 31″ 1 3/4 reverse eye spring with a 6″ arc, now I need the 46″ axle.  I wanted to use the 1936 wishbone unsplit but I guess I will have to split it after all.

Thanks again,
Mike

Dear Mike…
Mike, you might be able to use the wishbone unsplit and just cut off the spring perch extensions. The spring would mount above the axle.

Paul

Dear Welder Series…
YES, that’s what I intend on doing I just have to find the widest perch possible on the “I” beam.  The wishbone is 39.5″ apart and the “I” beam I have is 36″ and I have a feeling that the 46″ axle will also have around 36″ between bosses.  Maybe I can bend the wishbone to match the bosses when I get the 46″ axle.
Worse scenario is splitting the wishbone…………..

Since I have you online, do you guys sell “X” crossmember for the model A frame?  I need something for my 4L60 transmission to bolt onto.  I’m running a 283 cu. in. motor as well and will also need the motor mounts to weld to the frame and attach to the motor, side mounts.

I have a 1930 model A frame that is completely stepped up and boxed.  I have a center cross member but I would like to reinforce the frame a little more and have the setup to bolt on the brake pedal, etc..

Thanks again,
Mike

Dear Mike…
Mike, most 46″ axle perch centers are about 34-1/2″. You should be able to bring the wishbone in to match the 46″ axle perches. Make sure the ball stays in the center.

We don’t have a Model ‘A’ x-member. Check Dagel’s https://dagels.com/super-x-crossmember-kit/. Welder Series does have Chev motor mounts.

VR6 Coil Brackets

Upgrading VR6 ignition systems for over 13 years!

Sometime in 2005, my 1999.5 VR6 Jetta began sputtering and coughing, especially on damp days. I did a bit of research and found a few guys were using MSD ignition on their VR6s, so naturally, with my hot rod chassis parts background, I began investigating a solution to keep my car running smoothly without paying a fortune for an OEM coil pack. I designed a bracket to mount the coils nice and snug together in the same location as the original coil pack and installed it on my Jetta. For three years it was my daily driver until I sold it to buy a used W8 Passat wagon due to family growth. The ignition system was trouble free. Fast forward to 2012, when I purchased the 1992 Golf with one of the first VR6 swaps in Ontario, from what I gather. This is the car in the video. My MSD ignition package had been installed a couple years prior. It was my daily driver through 40 degrees below zero cold, blizzards, sleet, rain, and heat. I’ve never replaced a coil. [update: the Golf was sold in 2018]

It’s a widely recognized fact that the OEM VW coilpack on the 12v VR6 commonly cracks and causes misfires. If your VR6 is hesitating, sputtering, or generally not running as smooth as it used to, there’s a good chance the problem will be traced back to that coilpack. A less expensive and higher performing upgrade is to use three two-tower GM coilpacks from MSD, part #8224 in place of the VW coilpack. There are some helpful links around the Internet that make this upgrade a lot easier to understand.

To start, check out a thread on vwvortex.com called “VR6 Coilpack Atlernative” (yes, I know it’s spelled wrong…):
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3057180-VR6-coilpack-atlernative. There’s a whole lot of really helpful information here – it’s one of the go-to sources of information on this topic.

Another helpful thread that explains some troubleshooting methods is at gti-vr6.com:
http://gti-vr6.net/library/engine/fixing_cracked_coiled_pack.html. The “solution” on this page, though, is to fill the crack in the coilpack with epoxy. As a temporary band-aid, this will work just fine. For a long-term solution, however, replacing the coilpack is necessary. It will continue to crack.

To make installing MSD ignition on your VR6 as easy as installing an 8380 air freshener, I've put together a complete kit with all the necessary hardware and a tidy wiring kit so you can install it in your driveway.

MSD includes little red rubber grommets with the coils. I have never installed them. They will make it difficult for your wires to insert positively into the coils. The coils bolt directly to the bracket. I have also never sealed the wires into the coils with any sort of silicone or adhesive. The male terminals will connect positively to the coils. I have never installed a resistor in the wiring either.

Sold on www.vr6coilbracket.com for over 10 years, now brought under the Welder Series product line.

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Our Model ‘A’ manual brake pedal is at:

 

I hope we can help with your project.

Paul Horton

 

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