Hot Rods My 1ST Straight Axle/Gasser/Altered WB....I Don't Care What You Call It, I call it "STUBBY"

Hello Everyone,

Like the title says...My 1st car of this type & I have promised myself that I will NOT do anything to it that will keep it laid up for more than a day or two so I can use it next season! Seems every car I get, I have to tear it apart & make it perfect. With my complete lack of time being on the road, they never get done! I would like to add a cage & a set of wheelie bars, a working radio with speakers & a clean up & tuning will be about it till next winter.

This one is a ball to drive! With a stroked dual quad small block, a 4 speed Muncie, a 9 in. rear with a 3:90 gear & that short wheel base...It makes me smile when I stand on it

It was told to me that this car was originally built in the early 60's as an altered W.B. race car. If anyone is familiar with it & has some history of it that they could share, I would really appreciate it. I got next to nothing as far as its past from the seller.

I have only had it for 2 days & have been reading threads about "death wobble". Mine gets it in one specific instance. That is a minor dip in my road cause by the sinking of the road over a sewer culvert. Both front wheels hit it at the same time causing the wobble at 25-30 MPH Now like I said, I just got it & will be checking everything over carefully, but without starting arguments....suggestions are always welcome!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Looks like a fun car! Congrats!

 

Very cool car! Will it be at Lloydfest next year?

 

Thank You Andy,

That is the plan! I have to check the spline count in the 9in. if it is the same as my OT Nova, I may switch the hogshead for that 1/8 mile track, the Nova has a 5:13 with a spool.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

No arguments?
Well.............. fine.

Looks like big fun.
And hey... it's got windows!

 

That looks fun/scary depending on where you’re sitting. I reckon you need some weight to keep the front end on the ground, how much does a blower weigh

Someone has done a tidy job with the door window line.

Bolts, toe, kingpin inclination and shocks would be my first points of call.

 

In regards to the wobble, my friend's '49 Chevy with straight axle had it (not too bad) and they put a shim under the perch that solved it. Maybe someone on here can enlighten. I might see him this week and will ask exactly what they did.

 

If it was an angle shim I would suggest that it changed the castor. More positive castor makes one more stable in a straight line. IE less wobble. It has a tendency to make one steer slower, heavier feel for the loose nut behind the steering wheel.

@Bill's Auto Works, I got an idea that you have done this but for the sake of those who do not know I hope you adjusted the ackermann after shortening the frame. That's a pretty drastic altered wheel base and its gonna have some serious boat steer if you don't.
Like the little heap by the way. usually you see that done with a wagon and it is hard to pull one like yours off.

 

Thank You @Sting Ray & @porknbeaner ,

I will definitely give it a good once over, but as I said I just got it home Sunday night & took it over yesterday for its out of state inspection, title & collector plate, so no time yet.

I did NOT build it, I bought it just like you see it. I was told it was built originally in the early 60's. I did however get to inspect it on a lift before I bought it. I am sure the shortening of the frame was done way back then & probably had a straight axle in it, but sometime in the last few decades it was redone with a new stub in the front as the welds in front are much better than the rear. While they did not "Z" cut the frame, they at least added extra strength for the actual shortening, so I see no safety issues there.

I will check the caster & all components (even though I believe the front has very few miles on it). Tightening the Ackermann would give me a better feeling in the steering wheel & will look into that as well. Today I am disappointed that it is pouring down rain so I cannot go out & do some more holeshots!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

The only cool shorty I’ve ever seen.

I’d drive it

 

Bill, a steering stabilizing bar would be a plus, it helped on my jacked up Falcon. HRP

 

^^^^ Yes, that was added to the '49 also.

P & B, it was an angle shim, how much I don't know.

 

There were some guys in Indiana who used to build shortys like that. They used to come up to Blue Top Drive In in Highland Indiana in the late 80s and early 90s.

 

I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the Ackerman BS that is only going to have an effect on how the rear wheels follow the front wheels around turns. I doubt you will be ruinning it in road races where that is critical.
Check the suspension pieces including king pins, bushings and tie rod and drag link ends and the caster and toe in. I'm not a big fan of steering stabalizers but they do help with this type of wobble after the bump thing on solid axle 4x4 rigs.

It looks like a fun rig for 1/8 mile drags and maybe 1/4 mile as the wheelbase is probably pretty close to Squirrel's Nova.

 

Very cool hotrod Bill, Enjoy. I also added a Pete&Jakes steering stabilizer to the drag coupe. I had a similar problem now and then on the street. It now is gone. Of course I got a chrome one.

 

Thanks Guys!

I do plan on installing a steering stabilizer, but I would prefer to do it after I have checked everything completely & set the caster properly, so the stabilizer doesn't mask any issue I may have & yes @mad mikey .....I will have to have a chrome one also!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

I knew you were a tri fiver! Love the wheelie machine! Cool little ride, Bill.

 

HRP, that’s a steering stabilizer from a Harley with a factory Harley sidecar. I’ve got the same one on my Electra Glide sidecar outfit.

 

There was the full length movie
Two Lane Blacktop...

and then the shorter version.

Hahahahahahahahaha!
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!
Snort
Wheeeeeeeeeze
Cough
Gag
Hack
Fall down

 

There's a little more to it than that. If the Ackerman is not correct, both front tires will scrub around corners, as they won't be turning around the same pivot point.

It's worth looking at, and pretty easy to do...just imagine a line through the kingpin and tie rod end on each side, when the wheels are straight ahead, does the imaginary line pass through the center of the rear axle? or is it out a ways from center? If it's out, then the cure is to bend or otherwise modify the steering arm to get it in line, then shorten the tie rod to match

 

I've never been a fan of the shortened 4 door conversions, but thats pretty darn cute Nice score Bill!

 

Business Coupe

 

You got me with the "Shorter Version" @Rickybop LMAO!!

@chevy57dude ...Yes I am ever since Dad sold his 57 210 with the vette dual quad 283, 3 on the tree & Pontiac rear with a big gear the day I was born!

Thanks Guys!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

You call it Stubby you say? You really shouldn’t sell your car short. Hehe.

 

Bill, will the trunk have room for your luggage and the s’mores fixings? If not, better get smaller luggage!!!

 

Andy....It has way more trunk room than my O.T. XLR-V! I can only fit 2 bag chairs, a bottle of final inspection, a bottle of armor-all & a couple of rags in the trunk of that! Laura's hair & makeup bag might have to be downsized just a bit for the trunk of Stubby though

S'mores Fixin's will be a Lloydfest staple from now on I guess

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Nice ride, Bill. When these were just "old" cars, many 4 doors were put under the knife to create fun, Little rides. Just like any other project, some were quick and dirty, while others were really well done. Looks like you got one of the later ones!! Enjoy, Carp.

 

Pretty cool! When I was a pretty young, 10-12 years old, we’d drive by a station in Riverbank on the way to Modesto. There would always be a red ‘57 Chevy that was just like yours. I had no idea Chevy made such a short car. My dad explained it to me and said “Bobby Thomas knows him”.
Bobby was a crazy “let’s do it now” kinda guy. The next time I was around when he came by I asked him about the ‘57. He said “get in the truck”.
He took me to the owners place, I got to sit inside of it, all tuck and roll upholstery, chromed shifter handle, etc.
Can’t recall much more, was 50 years ago, but I think when I got to sit behind the wheel I immediately went into puberty.
Have some fun Bill!

 

It's not stubby, it's horizontally challenged.