RG&JS Trivia questions

[newshirt]

How many oil pan changes did the Model A undergo? Can you describe them without looking for the answer?

Even if you only know a portion of the changes post them up.

That question is the first of many trivia questions I will post on this running thread daily. Post your answers and discussions here and be sure to check back often. Have fun, smarty-pants!

BTW, here is a link to a fun quiz site I created. It has dozens of such questions. Send the link to your buds.

http://sthosted.com/judging/index.html

Answer: There were five oil pan styles: Plain sides at beginning of production, ribs added for a snap-in tray, reinforcement strips added, clean-out plate deleted, and drain boss changed from round to hexagonal. (See 1-5, para 3)

Scroll to the bottom for the next question

[Rowdy]

More familure to the first 3 changes. Gets alittle fuzzy for me after that. I beleive there were 6 changes total, but can not name them all. Rod

[DaWizard]

Ya know Rod, I was sitting here thinking the same 6 changes but like you I can't name them.

[Rowdy]

First change was from cad plating to painted. Second change was the addition of pan rail re-inforcement. Third change was rib added for dipper tray instead of screwed to the pan. Fourth change was the elimination of the clean out plate. Guesse that is a head start for someone. Rod

[DaWizard]

I know one of the changes was to add the splash shield for the oil pump.

Or was that an Oil Pump change? Or was that a Dipper Tray change?

[Mitch]

Rod you mentioned that they went from Cad plating to paint

I wonder why they did not just paint them from the get go?

[Mitch]

The bolt on clean out plate was eliminated in the early part of 29

[Mitch]

haha i just saw Rod's comment

[Rowdy]

And I already had to edit that comment. At any rate four changes off of the top of my head is not too bad. Rod

[Mitch]

Another upgrade was the reinforcement strips added to the oil pan mounting flange. June 1928

I cheated and looked: there is nothing wrong in doing that is there?:
Thats how you learn right;)when u hit a roadblock.

[Mitch]

Nice job newshirt ! looking forward to tomorrows new question

[Rowdy]

Looks like I had 2 and 3 out of order. Still have not looked at the JS. Rod

[Mitch]

Rod i just noticed you had already mentioned the reinforcement.. sorry bout that

another thing was the drain plug boss ( i guess they mean the bung) was changed from round to hexagonal

[Rowdy]

No problem, I edited my other post after some thought. Definately forgot about the drain change. Since most of my parts collecting until recently has been early parts I rarely payed attention to anything without a clean out plate. Rod

[newshirt]

Question #2: What engine stamp numeral style change occurred in February 1931?


BTW, these questions are going into my next RG&JS quiz. See link at post #1.

Answer: The numerals 1, 6, and 9 all changed style (see Page 1-2, para 1)



See next question at bottom of thread...

[Dennis]

The numbers 1, 6, and 9

[Mitch]

I wonder what the reasoning was for changing them up?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Vermin is a June '29 Std Coupe, I "think" it has the proper pan, it has NO clean out plate.
IF you had a choice, would you use the one WITH it, or WITHOUT it?
"Maybe" cad plating was used in the beginning, for FEAR of PAINT peeling???
I'm quite sure Ford had discovered rusting problems INSIDE the pan, from ALL their years building/repairing Model Ts.
Always AMAZES me, Model T engines were similar to Model As, yet, SO different in many ways! They even SOUND different!
Chief gained a lot of skills on the "T"s, but HATED them, He LOVED the "A"s----
Bill Highpoints (lol)

[DaWizard]

I would have one WITH the larger clean out hole as mine is a transitional '28 Tudor

[DaWizard]

I think the number change was because the horse thieves were buying the number stamps and changing the brands on the motor, and since it took a full body off to refute the title claim, Henry figured he could thwart some of that by changing the stamp style.

And, since we are on the topic, just to answer the next logical question, there were 5 engine number pad designs.

[Mitch]

Can you explain the 5 different pad designs
i did not know there was a change

[DaWizard]

The 5 different pads were;

First, the pad was part of the water inlet boss and machined flat at the same time as the boss. Beginning castings until 10/12/27

Second, it was moved up to just under the head and was 2in wide. 11/17/27 until about 12/3/27

Third, the same boss at the top edge of the block was widened to 2½in. 12/3/27 until about 12/19/27

Forth, the same boss at the top edge of the block was widened to 2¾in. 12/27/27 until about 1/30/29

Fifth, the same boss at the top edge of the block was widened to 3¼in and continued at this size to end of production. 2/1/29 until end of production.

Disclaimer: ALL dates are approximations due to the fire that removed the hard copies of dates of changes. Use this information as guidelines NOT as cold hard written in stone facts.

[newshirt]

Question #3: True or false: The four-tab oil filler cap was used throughout production.

Answer: True, the 3-tab design was an alternative used interchangeably with the earlier one. (Page 1-6, para 3)

[DaWizard]

I would like to say False, because I have seen 2 and 3 tab caps.

[Rowdy]

I would say true, but my photographic memory is abit blurry. Without looking, will go with true. Rod

[Mitch]

Looking at my small collection of oil caps i have 3 and 4 tab designs, so ill go with False

[Dennis]

False. Ended in early 29?

[newshirt]

Question #4: What is the definition and description of "Japan Black Enamel" used on Model A carburetors?

Answer: A hard, low luster, dark coating of asphalt with a drier (See 1-11, para 1)

[Mitch]

It's a low luster black protective coating made up of asphalt and a drier. It was applied by dipping and then baking it

[Tom Wesenberg]

The antique shop 10 miles away had a can of Japan Black. I should go back and see if they still have it.

[Mitch]

The original formula must be made with road tar lol

i would be interested in seeing that can

[newshirt]

Question #5: What major change was made to the throttle control assembly in June 1928?

Answer: The support arm shape changed shape from square to a sweeping arc (Page 1-17, illustration)

[DaWizard]

It was finally hooked up to the carburetor?

The change was the return spring. It was beefed up and relocated on the cross assembly.

[Tom Wesenberg]

On the oil pan changes, does one of the changes include the oil pump spring being removed from the pan and installed on the oil pump?
I have an early 1929 pan without the large oil pump removal hole, but with the spring mounted inside around the drain plug.
My later 1929 pans have the spring mounted on the oil pump.

[Dennis]

Tom, my early 29 pan has the spring in the pan like yours. Question about your pump, the bottom cover on your pump has the usual 4 bolts, does it have bolts holding the screen cover to the pump body? Maybe somebody would like to start a thread on pans and pumps... Unfortunately I didn't take enough pictures of my pump before I put it back in.

[newshirt]

Question #6: Approx. what percentage of 1930 Model A's were built with glass sediment bowls?


Answer: 100%, glass sediment bowls were used from August 1929 thru 1930 (See Page 1-8, para 2)


I guess this one was too easy. But they can't all be tooth extractions, or nobody would try. I promise some hard ones, and some more easy ones.

[Mitch]

I got this one
All of the 30's had it

[Mike V. Florida]

Question #4: What is the definition and description of "Japan Black Enamel" used on Model A carburetors?

Answer: A hard, low luster, dark coating of asphalt with a drier (See 1-11, para 1)

[Jim Mason]

Asphaltum, not asphalt. Both are bituminous but are physically different properties. Think pine pitch and amber. Another similar error is in the description of the floorboard coating as containing resin. Should be rosin