On most A-400's, the top folding hinge bracket pin was installed through a hole on the outside of the body to the rear of the quarter window glass. However, there are bodies without this hole and I have also seen a set of top irons where the hinge bracket pin was installed from the inside, which would elimate the need for the hole in the body. The top folding hinge bracket on the two assemblies are not interchangeable.
Have been talking to several individuals about this feature and it apparently is not an early item, but a change made after initial production got underway. However information is sketchy and if members have the hinge bracket pin installation from the inside from a relatively complete vehicle, either before or after restoration, I would appreciate your advising your engine number if it hasn't been replaced, frame number and body number.
Tim Johnstone
Hi Tim,
I recall some earlier discussion of the variations in the hinge bracket. Seems like Tom Moniz had one without the outside hole. Could it be that the brackets were only switched left to right? This would put the pin on the inside.
When I restored mine a friend made new pins of stainless steel to avoid rusting in place.
Phil Allin
Tim
my A400 has access to the hinge pins from the inside of the car. My car body number is 4318, the Murry body number plate looks very original, the number was quite faint. This car was originally a right hand drive, I don't know whether that makes a difference. At some stage in its life it was converted to left hand drive and unfortunately the body was placed on a 1928 left hand drive chassis and motor, so I don't know what the chassis or motor numbers are. I've attached some photo's of this hinge section that I took when I was dismantling the car about a year ago.
Alan
The cars that I have all have the pin installed from the inside. The body numbers are 2881, 3608, and 3998. The engine number for 3608 is 4,508,338 and according to the guy I bought it from it is the original engine. This is a March engine and it seems to be a little early for 3608 body number.
Bill
Phil,
Talked to Tom and the example he had was a body only, so he was unable to date it. The top irons are not interchangeable, but maybe with enough member imput we can establish a general time line when the change occurred. I hope to go to the Ford Archives this Fall and research this point. Hopefully, they will still have blueprints and engineering releases which will shed some light on this point. Thanks for your response.