I'm not looking to rip off any great ideas you might have, but as an extension of my SO-CAL shop I am working on some ideas for products that are missing or needed in the hot rod world. Some of the ideas include the parts that are not available to make a "traditional" car from scratch from 100% new parts (as simple as a license plate light). Also I have ideas to make pieces that have a more vintage look where now only flame-cut parts are available. These parts WORK great in most cases, just look "too new" for a retro car (almost billet). I'm not just talking about hot rods, but even when you open the hood of a '50s or '60s style machine I like every thing under the hood to look "period" and that's the kind of products I want to make. I also have some ideas for parts to disguise some of the blatantly modern pieces currently used in most builds. One of these pieces will cure that Borgeson joint and double-D shaft that JUMPS OUT AT YOU under the hood of an otherwise traditional early hot rod. My dad just got a really nice early style hot rod- and that steering shaft next to a nicely dressed flathead really bothers me. Let me know what you think- Thanks Jim
All the early Ansen stuff, motor mounts, pedals, Cal Custom stuff, early wire, chrome generators, regulators, I know some of that is store bought stuff but it is usually in high demand.
You should have been invited to stop by with Troy today for lunch- let me know if you are in the neighborhood or just want to send me the stuff- Thanks Jim
I'd kill for a tilt steering column that was no larger than the collar on a '40 Ford column. Make it as small as a '39 collar & you're a true hero. JH
Good ideas: New (repo) Ford wide-5 wheels New stock (repo) 32 front axles & unsplit bones New (repo) 40 ford steering boxes New or rebuilt banjo rear axles (closed drive) with upgraded INTERNALS New (repo) 6v cloth covered wire harnesses for flatheads w/generators New Model A frames for flatheads (AV8s) that don't LOOK like brand new 2x3 frames...I'm thinking faithfull reproductions of a Model A frame with flathead V8 mounts. Bad Ideas: Things that cover up or "hide" modern components strike me as being worse than having those components there in the first place (on a truly "traditional" car). To build a faithfull "traditional" or "period correct" car, means just that...no "modern" stuff...hidden or otherwise, right??? Concentrate on reproducing 'new' stuff that passes for suitable 'service replacement' parts for the old stuff that is often worn out, beat-up, hard to find or overpriced. It WOULD be cool to be able to build an accurately styled trad car from 100% new parts if some of those parts were available!
I hear you Hack- but when you see what I'm talking about it's not really the same as Olds valve covers on a Chevy- and believe me, if I had the money to produce a BRAND NEW side load steering box (F-100 with upgraded internals) that would be at the top of my list! But unless someone has an extra quarter million you get that one started it won't be happening soon. Most of the items on you list are also thankfully being produced currently by other people.
I agree...completely. thats why I built a "traditionally-styled" hot rod... I think people get WAY too hung up on this...I personally would rather brazenly flaunt my MSD, then hide my "modern" dist., in shame, under a phony Magneto cover...but thats just me, and I'm not inflexably bound by tradition...
Cast aluminum radiator drops for lower flathead hoses, I've seen some custom ones, but I don't know of anybody producing them. Lots of people lower the radiator/grille height and have to deal with this problem.
well, now thats just blatant, outright, falsifying... I don't know...I think, part of me at least, that it IS nice to see truly "correct" cars, but, I also think that being driven mad by something like the DD steering shaft, is actually splitting an even finer hair than the obvious "faux-olds" valve covers...It IS after all, 2007...
Don't know if you are joking- but many are doing it and coming up short in a few areas- and that's what I would like to address. I tried it myself and ended up with a few parts I still don't like and would like a more "traditional" (i.e. NOT Street Rod) alternative.
That one's easy, just make one that looks like a cross drilled Snap-on or Craftsman 3/4" drive wobbly.
Yeah, but Lokar linkage and other "modern" pieces will NEVER look right to me on or next to a vintage mill no matter what year it is. No one says you have to buy it, but if the alternative exists I'd at least like to put it out there. There were people that said a reproduction '32 Roadster body would NEVER sell- have you seen the backlog??
Kill two birds with one stone...if you make the right steering gear, then guys won't need the borgeson ujoint. Seriously though, I thought much of the fun of building a trad car is finding the old parts. I guess I'm just not with it.
I love the hunt too- but outside of the HAMB lots of guys just want to buy it all new and are stuck with some parts that are the ONLY option. And I'm not saying you have to have a 100% new car to use these parts- but at least have all the areas covered rather than just a select few.
oh, yeah...you know it! hey, I'm not against even 'glass bodies...I like different things for different reasons, ya' know? I don't like the overly-slick look of Lokar stuff, either, but, it comes down to exactly that: the look. Modern, does not bother me, in and of itself...what bothers me is: Bulky, Overly-slick, un-appealing forms, whether modern or not. Thats why I don't like a Mustang Two suspension on a fenderless car...not 'cuz the car is now not absolutely "period correct", but because its not attractive. My opinions, tend to vary daily, also... the important thing, to me, is to not mix styles...no flathead powered modifieds with difital dashes, ya' know? I think it drains the enjoyment, when it is SUCH an obsession with historical accuracy...starts to sound like restoration...not hot-rodding...
I'm totally with you! I just don't like being taken out of the illusion of a car being from 1955 over a $50- part. I'm only obsessed with keeping the UGLY parts off and trying to solve the situations where the ONLY option is something modern and unattractive. Beauty is in the parts- old or new.
Does anybody make any spark plug wire looms or line clamps that look like they belong on an old car? How about a steering column that has a built-in turn signal switch, but looks like it came from 1957 or so? (Not the ididit/Flaming River/junkyard GM stuff.) A cable-operated throttle pedal that looks like something from a 50's car... the 30's guys have several choices of "spoons", but these don't look any better in a sled than the billet stuff IMO.
if its billet ,blast it and spray it gray. looks cast. "mustangs"(86-93)have traditional looking joints. and ive used the 65-70 gearboxes so many different ways. so if your doing a resto job then those parts would be great but if your (hot rodin) then you make what you dont have and MAKE it look right
I just saw some cast radiator drops on someones web site a couple weeks ago. Give me a minute I can't remember who's site it was.
leaf springs that taper like old stock springs header tubes with less sharp radius bends easy recolor kit for modern graded fasteners
I'm having a hard time finding a reasonable priced '49 Chev license plate frame. These could be cast aluminum and chromed. I thought I saw an ad for them once. Maybe Briz?
I think what you're wanting to do is a really good concept. And I have given a lot of thought to this sort of thing over the past few years myself - even came up with a few items I'd like to produce eventually. But it's sometimes maddening how finicky a hot rodder can be. (and I'm among the worst) Seems no matter what you would do and how universal you want to make it you're producing for a niche market within the hot rodding niche. And if it's a traditional part you're three levels deep minimum. I've had good luck with what I do (the wheelcovers) and I think it came from just doing what I wanted for myself. Then the rest just happened. Seems like you have the same sort of mindset so as long as you don't end up producing something like, "retro styled finned aluminum Borgeson u-joint covers" or something I'll bet it works out. Good luck. The Ansen suggestion seems cool. And the radiator drops are smart. (I've actualy seen those before but the manufacturer was pretty obscure... if I knew SoCal carried them I would call them first.)
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