Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

I think I'll just leave this right here... Oh, that's a radioactive cantaloupe in the back ground...

 

The Bucket of Ugly is looking good, haven't seen much of it in far too long! Details on the 'J behind it?

Devin

 

Well, I'm hoping my draging her to the Texas Nostalgia finals for a couple of years to watch us defend our title has warmed her up to the fact that these cars are in my blood. Hell, I've had a scar in my thigh for close to 40 years that I received as my mini bike motor exploded under a 50% Nitro mixture in '75!

 

Funny, about 15 yrs ago, I was deep into the local heads-up 10 wide scene, a buddy of mine ran a car that was very competitive, and I wrenched on it a lot. His wife was constantly raising hell with both of us, REALLY bad. Major scenes. All of sudden, she settled right down' everything changed overnight, she was actually encouraging us to go to the track. I asked him wth had happened to "the ol' dragon", he said " Simple, I took out a big life insurance policy, shoulda done it a long time ago."

 

The Henry J behind is the property of H.A.M.B.er and buddy MIKE that posts frequently here.

 

Have you guys seen this 60's bucket over in the classifieds ...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/60s-survivor-hot-rod.950575/

 

Damn neat! Cheap too!
It does have a few awkward spots to smooth out, but I'm sure they could be handled without changing stuff too heavily.

 

^^^^^Says the master of "let's just change a few things"........

 

All in all a Nice and full bucket.

I still have to confess, I'm not a fan of the mast style steering wheel. And the lanternes.
But not bad, at all!
Whats going on with the front suspension?

Looks like a suiside front end but the arm looks like a plate

What happend to need louvers? Avatar pic? Is there also a threat on that one?
Seems like a Nice car. Except picture was to small.

 

I am amazed 27T's green bucket has not been bought by now. Its really a cool survivor car! Really could benefit from some of Chip's seat positioning/ steering position expertice. I see its now, "best offer" too. I'd love to own it myself, but I need another car,like a hole in the head! Hopefully it stays a Hamber car.

 

[QUOHenry"4 pedals, post: 10705276, member: 94371"]The Bucket of Ugly is looking good, haven't seen much of it in far too long! Details on the 'J behind it?

Devin[/QUOTE]

The Henry J in the background is my heap. It's powered by a 454 big block w/ an old tunnel ram and a single 4bbl set back a bit, TH 400 trans, '57 Olds rear axle w/ 4:11 gears, traction masters, 15"x8" ET II five spokes with 10" Radir slicks. The front end has a tube axle moved forward a few inches with 15"x3.5" Fenton Gyros with 7.75-15 BFG bias plys.

I've had it on the road about 3 months, it's a blast to drive on the street. It still needs some sorting out and safety equipment added before I hit the drag strip with it.

 

I spotted that lil green one in the classified a few days ago. Certainly a lot to like about it, as Chip mentioned, a few things that need to be cleaned up. But all in all, a pretty neat little machine.

 

I remember seeing a thread on that car when he got it. Really neat car.

 

Maaan I'm stoked, just paid for my tickets and hotel for LARS 2015 and got tickets for http://www.hotrodhayride.com/home.html in UK in July next year as well. Now just gota save some spending money to get all the parts I want

 

Good for you , mate! I took the plunge 30 years ago when I came over with Bill Ward and crew. Changed my life forever.....If I make it down again Next Year we should all try and get together--maybe if Gary takes his car we can meet there and watch Chip lose his marbles over it again...

 

Yea all good, we already have a plan to meet up at LARS and share a cold one

 

Nah, you guys can meet us over there and take the 'Bucket for a spin!

 

I'll look forward to that

 

I'll be there if I have to drag my T on a damn chain!

 

Hey Chip, you wouldn't happen to have any duece firewall feet over at your place would you? I bought a nice original firewall, but the feet were torched off. I either need to replace, or repair them, but would need a template.

Thanks,

 

Hey Walker,

I saw your dad at Good Guy's this weekend. I don't have anything deuce around my joint at the time, but you might ask ElPolacko. I know he has one or two around his joint. Oh, Don Marks would be another. Otherwise Frank over at Premier Frame and body. If ya need intros to any of them let me know and I'll do the talkin'.

 

Hey Chip I have a lot of Foam over here, different thickness, and density, and a Mexican blanket to make yer interior more comfy and pretty.. just offering...
yer welcome to come shop......

 

Me too, Daddio! My T choose the week before to start acting up, so I didn't go. I was going to tow it up on the trailer, but decided to just be a spectator at the last min. and hated it! The whole time I was there I just kept thinking Damn, I wish I had brought the car..........next year!

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Hmm....I do not have permission to edit or view this page. I meant to say IT didn't go, I still did! ;-)

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Hey guys I can't promise I'll be at LARS this year. How do you/I top the 50th? Haven't completely ruled it out but am planning another big trip (Normandy France) about that time. Anyway I'm sure you'll have a great time and I hope you post a lot of photos of your cars and other HAMB friendly buckets there.

 

I don't know, Gary. Vince and I both felt like the Car Count was down this year from last year. Maybe an optical illusion due to the virtually empty Specialty Parking sections on the way out to the Swap Meet?

 

It's really hard to tell because they opened up so much more space on the fairgrounds for parking of everything. And then opened some buildings for venders. I thought the swap might have been kinda light but then I didn't spend much time out there. Had so much fun talking to friends, new and old I didn't even walk the whole thing. Past years I might have walked it twice. Still a great show and something that should be on every roadster persons bucket list.

 

Thats disappointing Rebel I was looking forward to a meet

 

That's true, Gary. We still just about killed ourselves trying to see the whole thing in one day! There were a couple of rows we never got to in the swap meet and the non roadster parking areas! Some of my Texas buddies were there but I never did run into them. Saw their cars, but not them.

 

Hey gang,

I just found myself with an hour to kill in an otherwise complicated day, and I have been depriving you guys of tech stuff for a looooong time.

I got quite a few compliments and questions on my elephant radiator mascot last weekend, and several people wanted to know where to by a base like that. The answer was the same, "I made it". that seemed to be followed by a frown, and something like "I don't have a machine shop". Ya don't need one! hen I did this deal last spring, I filmed the whole deal and intended to post it here for you. In my Picasa program, the file is called "Elephants and machine work for the soul"...

If you have a good, tough drill press in your shop, you have more "machining" capabilities than you may realize. Different sizes of holes saws, files, nuts and bolts, and different grits of sandpaper can be used to replicate what you can do a bit easier on a lathe.

I started this deal with a scrap of 6061 aluminum big enough to cut two 2 1/2" hole saw cuts from. And when I say "scrap", I mean it! this thing was so rough that I have passed on using it for many other projects, but it was always just a little too good to bin. Using my dividers from the press, I found center and marked two 2 1/2" circles, then drilled a shallow witness mark in the center of each.

Now, the "trick" part of this deal is that it had to have a step in each piece to locate in the radiator neck of my grill shell. This is so damned simple it's ridiculous... Two different sized hole saws! 2 1/2" for the outer cut, 2 1/4" for the step to fit the radiator neck hole snuggly and center. Punch the witness hole all the way through and run the 2 1/4" hole saw half way through... Simple!

Next deal was to switch off to the 2 1/2" hole saw to cut the actual piece free of the scrap. Notice I drilled a couple of holes around the outside perimeter of the 2 1/2" hole saw's cut line... These are IMPERATIVE when cutting aluminum. They give all of the chips made while cutting a place to go so they don't clog the teeth and over heat the works. If you guys take nothing else away from this little deal, remember that please! When al is said and done, it looks a little like this...

...And there you have a stepped disc with a 1/4 mounting hole... Kinda!