Hot Rods # 10 Track Roadster Build- Marty Strode

That would be a fun trip Marty and all of tractorguys' suggestions are spot-on. Knoxville is also normally the same weekend as the Iowa State Fair (from memory) which is another event to take in (even it's just for regional food that we don't have in Oregon!). One of the aspects about Knoxville that really struck me is that it's an international event. My wife and I sat down to have a beer and sandwich in a shady area and struck up a conversation with several Aussies in attendance. There were a lot of people there from outside the US, many of whom were spending their summer touring the US to hit auto shows and racing events. But then again, sprint cars are huge down under as well.

- EM

 

I pulled the Speedway body out of a long storage, having bought it in 2003. After a rough cutout in the firewall area, and the body placed on the frame, it is time to layout the notches in the cowl and the bottom of the body. It will be dropped over the frame 2" at the cowl. Itchy work !

 

I showed a older friend of mine, he raced flathead powered sprint cars back in the day. He raced until the early 90s then his son took over driving. He is still involved with Knocks Ville Ia. And builds flathead and sbc for current sprint cars. He and his partner do my motor and dyno work.
Anyhow there was one giddy old man when he looked at the pictures of your cars on the track and the street with the question do you build for other people. He had visions of summer a runner for the shop. So do you build for others.

 

I would like to gear up to build more of these, but I need to focus on finishing some long time projects of my own. If your friend liked the pictures you showed him, he will also like the construction photos of the car pictured here. I finished it for Pat Ganahl last January, and here is the link to that thread. It would be nice if I knew how to add that link, to all of my posts, for those who missed it.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/spalding-bros-repro-for-too-tall-ganahl.983332/

 

Should be able to add the link using the signature feature. It is available in your personal profile

 

I'll probably get an 11 year old kid to teach me some computer skills. Thanks, I will look into it.

 

Thanks Tim, great advice, see you around.

 

And you can mentor that same 11 yr old on how to build track roadsters for future generations, it’s a win-win


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Marty
Will you send me the date and location of that seminar, I could stand some tutoring too.
Hope it's somewhere like the financial planners and timeshare people have those free dinner promotions.

 

I am often looking for a 9yo to help me out, you guys must have a bigger IT budget...

.

 

Thanks for the info Marty!

 

While rounding up all the parts to get it on wheels, I placed an order from Speedway, and painted a pair of 16X4 wheels for the front, to match the 750x16 rears that were used on the Spalding.

 

Marty, did I see your car(s) at the Madras Speedway some years ago? Used to be some like that from time to time.

Dave

 

Man this is cool!

 

Your pictures and posts are one of the very few reasons I visit the h.a.m.b ,thank you

 

Dave, you did see my car, along with Lonnie Gilbertson's there, and a selection of great open wheel vintage racers. It was Lonnie's first time out in his new car, back in 2001.

 

Thank you, the pictures could use some improvement, and hopefully I will be setting up a tripod with a better camera to make them finer, and perhaps some videos.

 

Boy does that bring back a memory Dave!
Raced my shifterkart there in the dirt in the early 80's and won...............while snowing.

 

Used to have a tripod when I was married. The ex wife took it in the divorce...Catch up with you soon.

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Pure metaphor, I'll admit it...

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Wow! That was 19 years ago? I was a charter member of the club, COMA, that started the circle track for cars. As DDDenny said, it was a gokart track before that and shifter karts and such have run there occasionally since.

Dave

DDDenny, I've run Karts around that track too but just with the promoter years ago when he was thinking about running them there.

Dave

 

I got the Dwarf Cars racing up there in 1992 !

 

Marty, I really enjoy the dwarf cars. I retired after winning the mini truck championship in 1997. #10 Datsun. Now my 31 year old son is racing mini truck, S-10 with a 22r Toy. Got 2nd for the year 2019 just 20 points behind. Same number, 10. I drove it once last year. Nearly wore me out!
Dave

 

I started the Dwarfs in Oregon in 1988 with my pal Ernie Martin, never dreaming we would build the largest Dwarf racing Assn. with over 100 running cars in 1994. When we toured the N.W. having a traveling show of over 50 cars, our biggest night had 68 of our cars in attendance. I won the first Championship in 1990.

 

Very cool Marty! You da man!

Dave

 

Good day today, swapped places with the 29 RPU, now that it is in the chassis jig, I can really make progress. It's at a good working height.

 

Well, today I tackled the dirty aspect of the job. Around 20 years ago, I bought the underpinnings out of a clean 37 Ford coupe, and put the front and rear axles behind the shop, knowing I would tear them apart to use on the Track Roadsters. I forgot how heavy the complete rear end was, the young guy helping, didn't have a problem picking up his half, but it was a certainly a strain on this old man ! Knowing the hubs would be locked onto the brakes, I used my pal Ernie's, killer hub puller. I built an adapter to fit the wide 5 stuff, years ago. It also required torching the backing plates, for removal, they were mechanical units anyway. Anyone who has fiddled with early Ford rear ends, knows just how hard it is to find housings with nice bearing races at the ends, these are perfect ! You should have been here when I torched those shackles, YOWSER !!!!

 

A 'light' duty puller!

 

Now, just slip a Quickchange between those trumpets and go racing!