Projects A/SR Model A Survivor Drag Coupster

OOO! What's the 34-ish 5-w in background in the shop picture?

 

Today's other big push was to get the dash pulled, and behind it all cleaned out.

After seeing all the former seat padding packed in the old gas tank, I was expecting some interesting finds, and I was not disappointed. Behold, the Coupster's previous owner...


The previous resident was less than kind to the wiring and wood dash panel, both of which must have been tasty.

So, I tagged and bagged everything back there, just to be safe...



...and extracted the set of 1949 Buick gauges:



While I remake the tonneau cover, I'll be making a new dash panel before putting everything back where it came from, but with fresh wiring.

 

Thun Field Rod & Custom currently has two '34 5-Window Coupes under the knife.

 

...hope you don't have any of those 8 legged creepies they talk about in other threads.

 

You know....I've been wondering about the dash in my roadster. And to me it looks like I probably had a plywood dash in my car as well.

Great job cleaning that thing up. I know you're trying to keep it semi "as found" and I think you're right on the money on this. That green one is great inspiration.

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That wiring looks fine , I'd run it... but I'm hoodlum and don't know better...
Man hope you had a military surplus gas mask on when cleaning out that junker..
LOL @RainierHooker

 

for more structural rigidity you could install the package tray that coupes had... modified to fit your roll bar of course a steel dash would stiffen things up a bit too

 

Where the package shelf goes, there is a piece of 1x1" angle tied in in its place. The roll bar is then tacked to that in addition to the subrail. @Nailhead A-V8

The gas tank sits behind the seat, just below the angle iron, so there's not much room back there.

The back side of the body isn't very flexible in that area as a result, but it is right at the door latch area as there is no longer a B pillar. The tonneau should provide just enough of a diagonal brace back to the package shelf area to keep it from flexing too much.

 

No spiders or really anything alive. Just a lot of seeds, pinecones, fuzz, and rat turds.

I'm getting really good at carving plywood.

It is a real struggle for me to not "fix" too much. You know I have a way of overdoing things to the point of never getting them done...

You should have been here to experience the smell.

The wires were mostly good, but the insulation wasn't so fortunate.

 

Lol!

 

Tore down the original induction...



...and put it back together again...



The Evans three pot manifold, Offenhauser risers, Stromberg 48s, and the fuel pump spent a day in the ultrasonic cleaner. Got most of the big stuff clean without making everything look brand new, just what I am going for.

And while I'm waiting for some carb and fuel pump rebuild kits, I hung everything on the motor for a little mockup:



I'm just a cam, and the aforementioned rebuild kits away from breaking in what should be one pissed off little flat motor.

 

And, speaking of cams, rather than use the blower/alky bump stick that was in this shortblock, I've decided to run a Potvin Climax. Provided that I can get someone to grind one for me.

Marshall ended up with several Potvin Eliminator cams from the same source as this car, so I can assume that the previous owner liked Potvin's offerings. And I can say that I do too. The .425 lift of the Eliminator might be a little too much for the valve pockets on this motor, so it's slightly littler brother should do the trick.

 

keep the updates coming... I sure you have this little beast running in no time...

 

Looks great, and not over restored. Love the flaty

 

I ordered my Potvin Climax cam today. 284-duration and .400" lift should make for a fun ride.

While I wait for that and the few other engine parts needed, I decided to start tackling the more mundane mechanicals, starting with the brakes and hydraulic clutch. Behold, the 1950s "quality" firewall mounting...



If it doesn't fit, just drill another hole. At least they put a doubling plate on the backside.

 

looks like they did a fine job...

 

cool as it gets, thanx for sharing this dandy. Best wishes on the project.

 

Upholstery showed up today...



These covers may not be a perfect match to the torn up remnants that were in the car, but they'll just have to do. They are a full set for a four door sedan, so there should be enough material to do the seat and the door panels too.

 

oh no ! now you did it... over restored interior coming up (lol )

 

I'd ask HAMB member Dale @Bored&Stroked. He's quite the cam geek and loves unique Flatty combinations. Also I might add that he may have answers for Potvin questions.


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I put up another thread specifically to try and figure out that cam. @Bored&Stroked chimed in there, but we can bring that conversation back to this thread...

I am having Schneider Racing Cams grind me up a Potvin Climax on a new billet, as Delta didn't have what I needed. I'm just playing the waiting game on that one.

 

Instead of actually getting something productive done, I decided to take advantage of a rare sunny morning and roll the Coupster out of the garage for some mockup fun.

No fenders...


With fenders...


And with every piece of tin that the car came with (except the aprons)...

 

Now comes the big question: fenders, no fenders, bobbed, other?

I think for now, I'm going to proceed as if I'm putting the original fenders back on it. I haven't figured out running boards or aprons yet, as the braces were torched off, presumably a LONG time ago. Maybe it ran with or without for SR, or R classes respectively.

Failing the full fendered outcome, I have put together this set of previously bobbed rears and cycle fenders for the front...


Seems to me that this would be the next logical progression of the car, had it continued racing. It will also give me the option of making the car 'mine' without actually changing anything original to the car. And I love the bobbed look.

So, maybe instead of choosing one path, I give myself three options...

 

What a great thread! Just the right level of rehab, here. It's a beautiful thing.
(The bobbed option will sure fit this well).

 

Thank you Evan for letting me come take a peek at the Coupster today... I vote full fender, but you have some other great choices... Yes it was crudely built, but was well thought out . it's race car plain and simple and wasn't built to be a beauty queen ... Can't wait to see this on the road again... doing what it was built for. Drag Racing !

 

One more vote for full fendered

 

Mamma needed me to run interference with the kids today, so no garage time. Instead, I set up shop in the dining room to get the upholstery work started.

Here's one of my helpers:


And the eventual result:


I only got the seat back done, as you can't expect much more while also wrangling a two and a half year old and a seven month old. That, and I still need a good seat bottom spring. Small victories, right?

 

The seat looks good, almost to good.
I like the bobbed and cycle, but with three options, you could just use one, untill you feel like a change, and swap.

 

Backrest done ! Check!

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If it were mine, and I had the bobbed rear fenders, no question, I would set it up like this.