www.flatheadmeltdown.com

(Psst...check out Mark's V8 swap at the bottom of the page!)

The Sport Coupe was certainly one of Henry's more unusual body styles.  With its fixed fabric roof and external landau bars, it is a convertible that doesn't 'convert'.  It was a bit odd then and it is certainly odd now, but that doesn't stop them from making great hot rods.  This is the second Sport Coupe to grace the Flathead Meltdown website; Neil Fretwell's homage to all things Ed Winfield can be seen here... but this page is dedicated to Mark Biggin's fully-fendered example of hot rod glory. 

Mark bought his car from deepest darkest Gloucestershire back in 2007 from a chap who had been using it for VSCC trials events, though the car had entered the country from Rhode Island some 12 years earlier.  Up until very recently it had be powered along by a fairly stock banger running a police head and a pair of updraught Tillies, though Mark has recently been faced with a decision regarding the future of his car. 

Y'see...bangers originally had white-metal mains and big-end bearings which weren't great to begin with, let alone after many years service, and Mark's centre main has recently started to clang like a church bell on Christmas morning.  After considering his options, not to mention getting one or two astronomical quotes to bring his banger up to spec, he's decided to double his number of plug leads.  Yup...Mark has defected from the banger ranks and bought a 21-stud V8!  Plans are to keep the car looking exactly as you see it here though, just with that sneaky little secret under the hood.

So after competing in the Meltdown this year (read about it here... ) and getting a 26.9 second ticket, the racing bug has claimed Mark as yet another victim.  There isn't going to be a long wait before we see this Sport Coupe in its new guise either, as Mark and his partner Gill are planning to travel across Europe to the Czech Republic in the '29 in early 2010.  Stay tuned for more updates as and when...

UPDATE:  Spring 2010

Words by Mark...

When the four banger went pop it was decision time - rebuild a better four banger or move up to  eight cylinders.  I took the plunge and moved to eight.

         

Whilst I wanted the A to look no different from when Henry rolled ‘em off the line in ’29, I  did want the handling  and performance to be a world away.   I felt that I needed added ability and agility to get up hills better and if my quarter mile time decreased to the other side of twenty seconds – Bonus!  After commissioning Buckland Automotive to carry out the work, and taking advice from Drew and Adrian the vision was turned into reality…

The new spec...

English 21 stud flathead V8

‘39 Ford gearbox,  synchro,  luxury

’40 Ford hydraulic brakes

’40 Rear banjo axle

         

Everything used is either Ford or hand fabricated.  As the front A bones were to remain unsplit a cross member had to be fabricated to support them.  

         

Other features include new engine mounts, gearbox mounts and reinforcement of the middle cross member by forming it into a K member.    Modifying the existing pedals to operate the hydraulic brakes and clutch.   I’ll let the pictures do the talking.