1930s Era Champ Car - new project

Got a part # for those fittings?

 

No, I'm sorry I don't. All I can say is Louis at Accurate Transmission in Bellville MI [(734) 699-9042.] said Ford used these fittings for a close quaretrs installation - he thought it was on an earlier Mustang - where they were needed to safely route the lines. They have a locking nut, backed by an O-ring so you can screw the fitting into the case and clock it at any needed angle and then tighten the lock nut against the case and seal it with the O-ring.

EDIT: Found this online -

https://www.cjponyparts.com/cooler-...XG0KTEO0_MTOasFteCqhBy6Oe5lSQwp4aAusPEALw_wcB

WOW - $63 a pair!
Note that it also has a seal in the internal flare nut attachment.

 

Yesterday some of my hoodlum hot rodder buds came over. It is such fun to see the driveway lined with hot rods and collector cars when they arrive. One of them brought a frame rotisserie for me to use when I do the finish welding on the frame. WE also installed the Powerglide back in the roadster pickup drag truck and I tested it out in the neighborhood. Then we winterized a couple of my hot rods, after driving them through the neighborhood to warm them up. Finally we re-installed the newly rebuilt C4 trans in the champ car so I can make the transmission cooler lines. After the trans cooler lines are made I can remove the trans and disassemble the car to fit up the frame to the rotisserie for welding.
Whew, long day.
Productive day.

 

Sounds like we all need a few more friends like that, FTF! Helping to get things done, and having fun while doing it.

 

Monday evenings is for the Loose Screws, a loosely organized bunch of hoodlums that meet at one of our homes and help the member with their car project.
No officers
No dues
No meetings
No matching shirts
No rules
Just fun with cars and friends. Sometimes we meet at a local cruise night or swap meet too. Fun

 

In preparation for running cooler lines I re-attached the gas pedal assembly to the transmission. Then I made a strut to stabilize the pedal to the trans case. Since that strut takes up some of the real estate near the trans case it was necessary to install it to see how much room is left for the cooler lines. I decided to run the lines rearward, well clear of the gas pedal linkage, then forward to the rad.

 

I finished the transmission cooler lines. The list of things to make / do is dwindling down. Much of what is left - wiring, windshield, upholstery, headlight stanchions - can be done after the chassis is finish welded. To that end I will begin to disassemble the car to weld up the frame.
The completion of cooler lines was a challenge. In past projects my routing of hard lines was never esthetically pleasing. I just wasn't good at routing lines to make them pretty and integral to the flow of the chassis lines. I have a friend who is a whiz at this. He makes all his brake, fuel, and cooler lines look like they belong on a nuclear submarine. This time I tried to make them look good. To that end I learned some helpful tips:

- Mark the inside of bends with a wax pencil with a line on the inside of the desired radius. Then align that line in the tubing bender.
- Mark the desired beginning of each bend. Try to leave enough straight transition room between tightly spaced bends so the tubing bender can "bite" into a straight portion of the tube.
- Bend slowly into place. If a 45 degree bend is desired start with a 40 and fine tune it after a trial fit. It is much easier to add a little more bend than to try to unbend a section. Of course this means crawling under the chassis several times to get it right.
- The completed line should be able to be threaded into the tapped fitting by hand using no tools and applying no body english to get it started, without bind. If there is bind your bends are incorrect.
- SLIDE THE THREADED FLARE NUT TO THE END BEFORE BENDING THE TUBE, or you'll be making another piece after the flare nut ends up captured in the middle of the line somewhere. Thankfully, this time I did remember to move the flare nuts out of the way of the bend.
Enjoy





I often make line spacer clamps to keep the lines neat and parallel. I start by making them out of wood, with the intention of going back later and remaking them out of metal.
Alas... I rarely do

 

Just paint the wood with silver Rustoleum paint. At 5 feet it'll look just like aluminum.

 

good idea

 

Every once in awhile he'll surprise you...

 

Fun with a chop saw -
Since the ones that came with it didn't fit my frame I needed to make support fixtures for the frame rotisserie. Digging through my scrap iron pile I found the needed materials and welded them up. I used a piece of broomstick (orange) as a fixture to hold the end tabs in place for welding. I made the broomstick a couple of millimeters wider than the frame rails so that after welding and shrinkage they just slipped over the ends of the frame.

 

That's another project in the future. I got a lot of welding to do on the Whatever project frame one of these days. I'm thinking about making another engine stand like my 50 odd year old one and making a spreader bar to tie them together. But I'm persuadable, so I'll wait until you show your completed setup.

Hey, it's one of the best compliments, copying your stuff...

 

I installed the fixtures in the rotisserie, butted them together, and got a measurement of how far apart the spreader ties needed to be for proper spacing. After determining the end stands needed to be spaced an additional 70" apart I made two spreaders out of 2 x 4s which will get screwed to the casters to maintain spacing to hold my frame.

 

Its 20 F degrees out.
Its snowing.
20 MPH winds.
I think I am going to put off blowing this thing apart for final welding until warm weather returns. I can finish up a few minor details in the meantime in a warm place, like completing this rotisserie fixture. But my progress will be slow for a while. Stay tuned...

 

What? You'd think that you live in the U.P. or something...

 

First snow of the new year today. By the way the news reported on it, you'd think Snowmageddon was upon us! 4 or so inches! Yes, and I did have to run the snowblower 3 times, but only because of the town plowing the snow into the end of my driveway. I don't shovel, that's what I have a snowblower for. But it means that the garage door was opened 3 times. And I'm not going to heat the great outdoors! So I didn't do anything today in the garage either...

We're both slackers lately...

 

Its likely I won't be posting here for a bit. I've been kidnapped to another planet and my family is trying to decide if they should pay the ransom, which is three forged steel cranks for a 300 Ford, a factory crossflow head, and a set of four Dayton wire wheels. The good news is it is very warm up here with lots of fun stuff to do. I am sure my family will capitulate sooner or later. Until then, I'll stay by my jug of Margueritas and wait to be returned to Planet HAMB.

 

Communing with the late Jimmy Buffett! I should be so lucky!

Wasting away again...

Oh well, enjoy the alien hospitality. Just don't Ben Dover...

 

While you're there, suppose you could channel Racer-X. He's got the right idea, fully loaded shop or not. All the parts that need attention, get brought inside, & in front of the fireplace, get cleaned, rubbed-on, fondled, fettled, & generally polished. Sorta meditative, I guess. & soon enough, the parts are ready for the upcoming year. .
Marcus...

 

That would be a great idea nrgwizard. Two problems though - 1st I can't transport any parts up here. 2nd - my only "shop" facility here is a 4 x 8 shed from Home Depot and there is no fireplace type area where I would not incur the mighty wrath of the lovely Mrs. Frenchtown if hot rod parts were to cross the threshold.

But I fully endorse the concept of using the cold winter's "downtime" to clean and prep parts for when they are needed to go back on the hot rod. I'll just have to be patient.

 

Yeah, no! Don't do it! You'll never hear the end of it! I had a small block Chevy coffee table once, long story, it was banished to the cellar...

 

I just read Ryan's thread on Dan Webb and his car creations.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/dan-webb-pisses-me-off.1309591/#post-15123137
That's it. I'm throwing my junk away and finding a hobby I'm good at.

 

You and @Dave G in Gansevoort can take up butterfly collecting together! You're in different geographical areas, so greater biological diversity... Or was it stamp collecting?

 

I agree, I'm going to do something else! Already have a good start on the stamp collection, so maybe bottle caps. Or beer bottles. I used to be able to empty them with the best of them...

Oh well...

 

I'm thinking baking bread.
or lint macramae.

 

Yeah that Dan Webb car is more than humbling.
My 40 is kicking my butt everyday. I can’t keep this up. Too strenuous and I’m too old.
Should have just sold it off with the bad engine!
Thinking about the model railroad thing again.

 

I have a small HO layout in one corner of my basement I haven't touched in years. It's waiting for me to be too old and decrepit to monkey with cars for me to take it up. Still love trains.
Someday.

 

Now that's an idea. Not into trains, but ho slotcars. Still have a n Aurora AFX in the original box from 1972. Hmm...

 

My dad's thinking of getting rid of his HO stuff... @THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER and @hotrodA if you're interested in a bunch of Rutland RR / CVT / B&M / rolling stock, buildings, etc., just holler.
And @Dave G in Gansevoort, don't tell my darling wife but slot cars have a certain appeal... One more thing to make room for!
Sorry for derailing (ha!) your thread, FTF.

 

I have a slot car track on plywood I inherited from my sons in my attic I would be happy to give you