Ford Model A conversion

[geresh]

Hello good people...

Finishing up a continental powered Air Camper and looking towards my next project. I have an older experimental airplane (not a Piet) that needs a Ford model A hanging on the front. Does anyone have a lead on a good used engine, or even a source of info other than the BHP conversion plans? I am willing to learn and located in Arkansas.

Thanks.

[Bill palmer]

I have a Model A engine that I was told just came from the Babbitt shop with new bearings etc. I’m building a Peit and hope to use a model B engine as it has a better oiling system . Call me interested!
352 221 3301

[geresh]

Update, I found a model A engine, but still know very little about it. Supposedly, a "Brodhead guru" did the conversion 20+ years ago, and it has been stored in Arizona for most of that time before it found its way to Iowa and now Arkansas. It appears to have very little if any run time, the previous owner did run it about 30 minutes last month. I will try to add some pictures. Does anyone recognize any particular components that may shed light on who actually did the conversion work? It seems pretty unique to me to have 2 slick magnetos, the second being installed backwards on the left side. I have so many questions, but will start off with a couple:

1. When using a dual ignition setup, what head should be used? I believe some people are using the Lion Speed head or the Secrets of Speed head, but as far as I can tell, both of these are made of unobtanium. Is it acceptable to drill/tap a second spark plug hole in the head? Or is there someway to have dual ignition all the way up to the spark plug, with only a single plug?

2. What oil should be used? Is everyone using the normal Aeroshell/Phillips or something else? I imagine it might depend on whether it has insert or babbitt bearings. I intend to take the oil pan off and take a good look around before bolting to the airplane.

[Richard Roller]

That engine was done by Ken Perkins, at least it has a lot of components that he made. It looks like a Forrest Lovley radiator. I have Ken's Pietenpol, N34KP.

Ken built several engines with dual ignition. I'm not sure if any of them have flown. He talked about doing it on his bird, but never did. Several dual ignition Piets fly to Brodhead. Dan Helspur has one of them. He might be able to tell you what he uses. I believe Dan used one of Ken's side drives for the second magneto. They are essentially govenor drives from the industrial engine version of the Model A. He had gear clearance problems with the magneto drive and ended up stripping the teeth off the cam gear. He still uses a dual plug head, but now uses a mag pluged into the distributor drive hole. A Vertex mag, I believe.

Ken used a mix of 10 and 30 weight non detergent oil. I never could get a good reason for that from him. I use Valvoline VR1 20w50 detergent oil.

Would your engine have come from Dennis Hall? Did you get the Corben come with the engine?

Richard Roller

[geresh]

Richard,

Thanks for the info. The Corben did not come with the engine, it was originally built in the early 1970's and flown with a Chevy Vega engine. The engine was acquired by a man named Hendrix in Iowa from a Piet builder's estate. The plan is to do a recover and use the Ford A. I am currently finishing up a 14 year build on an Air Camper, and am working hard to get everything painted before it starts freezing here. The Corben/Ford project will be mostly sitting until the Piet gets flown.

Is the mag mounted in the distributor hole a more reliable setup? I have seen Piet's at Brodhead with a mag there, but not on the side that I recall.

[Richard Roller]

The only side drive mag that I know has flown is the one I mentioned that belongs to Dan Helspur. I have seen numerous top drives through the distributor hole.