Projects Deuce hi boy project

Well, I have been pondering putting this on the net, but I sold my Project 29 and have started building the car I have always wanted to. A Deuce hi boy roadster. First influenced by the late great Pete Dore (an NZ hot rod builder) and his yellow HI BOY and then inspired by Chapouris, Brizio, Eastwood, Coonan, Lobeck etc it is in fact the Dennis & Debbie Kyle roadster that I am following real closely.

American stamping rails, Model A F & R crossmembers, 32 K member (will turn into an X member). Partial boxing. 5" Magnum I beam, Juniors (NZ) Hairpins, Buick brakes all round, quick change rear on Model A spring and ladder bars. 283 & four speed.

Wheels! - Halibrand 15x 4 1/2" on Michelins and 16x 10 ET's on Hoosier Pro Street Radials. Then I have 35 Ford V8 wires on ribbed fronts and narrow dirt trackers, and then I have Mag five spokes that will most likely get pie crust slicks and then I have some 40 Ford walls for some black wall Firestones. I always liked the chopping and changing of wheels that Jake did on his yellow coupe and that the Kyles do with their roadster.

Shown in this post are the late Pete Dore Roadster (from NZ and looking alot different now) and the Kyle roadster

 

I havent got the body yet and was side tracked trying to purchase a chopped sedan body.
Here are the wheel options

 

I have built my chassis myself - one to say I did it and two that I couldnt find a frame on the market that had the flavour I wanted. There is a chassis shot of the Tom McMullen roadster on an Engineering & Suspension Hot Rod Manual that has given some influence as to the use of the much modified K member to fit the four speed. I want to try and make it look like the car could have been built in the early sixties. Its a '57 283 with fuellie heads etc (although its just a later SB used for mock up purposes)

 

The hairpins were made here in NZ by Juniors Kustom Rides in Wellington - great service and great product!
Next up is to install the K member into the frame for good making it look like its been rivetted in.
Then I will start on the rear supports to turn the K into an X
Then I will get the front end all final mounted

 

Looks bitchin,I always liked the idea of having a bunch of different sets of wheels and tires.Those ETs need R154 Firestones though. The Kyle roadster has always been one of my favorites.Keep us posted on progress,Louie

 

Great start on a KQQL build! Debbie and Dennis are great people.
Both roadsters used as examples are very nice and for C 'Dueced that
is the way that we are leaning with hers. Very practical choice. .

 

Really like it. keep us posted

 

Thanks, trust me if I can get the proper Firestones I will! Its kinda hard to get that kind of stuff down here.

Thanks! Dennis has been a great help and feels humbled that someone would think so highly of his car. I was like mate your car is really IT!
Would love to see C 'Dueced's car!

Will do for sure. I have been taking pics along the way!

 

Good luck on your Deuce project, its lookin' great !

 

This weekend i stayed at home to get some progress done on the project. Well didnt get much done other than mocked up the rear part of the X member.

 

Are you going to put the steering wheel on the wrong side? .......You guys must have some strict laws down there. In the U.S. we can own and drive older cars with the steering wheel on the other side.....but probably couldn't bring a new car here like that.

If I ever bought a British sports car (Lotus 7), I would prefer it to be RHD. If I ever built a clone I think it might be legal to build it RHD.

You guys need SEMA SAN.

 

Boy oh boy this is quite a topic in NZ at the moment
It will be right hand drive

 

Way to go Greg!

Looking good man.

 

The Dennis & Debbie Kyle roadster was featured in the 1st American Rodder
mag i bought and i liked it the moment i saw it.

Maybe i should build a clone , too.....

BTW the mag was translated to German back in '88.
An asshole borrowed it from me and lost it......I hate him.


NICE BUILD!

 

I cant get you a German translated version of the mag but I can provide a copy of that article?

 

Hi thanks for the offer, it's not a language problem, it's more the fact
that they only translated the 1st to 5-th issue to german and then stopped it.
So no big sales back then , so it's pretty rare!

If i don't find another one I'll get the english version.

The Kyle roadster is the only HotRod that has a SBC that i like.....
Michael

 

I decided to weld the K member in but in pieces as I had to attach it to the front boxing plates too.

What I have been doing in places that I can before it all goes together is welding hard rivets from behind to give the illusion that it is riveted together.

From here I can complete the install of the forward K Member supports and then make the rear ones to complete the X

 

Here is last nights progress. Living in a block of 22 industrial units with an apartment on top I am limited to how long I can be on the grinder or cut off wheel. Here is one side of the rear X member mocked up and with a little more work should be ready to install.

The boxing plate folds in and then the folded channel has a return on it that will look like it will be riveted in.

Before I go much further I have to rework the front of this piece, to fit the K Member.

I will also drill holes and slots and stuff in there for a factory look

 

Mocked up where the mufflers will go and ran bits of would to see where the rear ladder bar should go

Then mocked up one of the hair pins

 

Over the past week or so I have achieved a bit more

 

Actually, if you want the Kyle look, you need Firestone R139 11.00-16 or 16W's. Slightly narrower and different looking that the bigger R154 7.50-14.00-16W's, they still have a very pronounced staggered block tread - they are, in my opinion, the most beautiful rear tires ever made. If you need a set, PM me - maybe we can work something out.

Steve

 

The big steam-roller tires in the back remind me of Disco, white pants, and glitter-balls. I don't know why...

But I could sure use a car with those tires to smooth out the gravel driveway to the dumpsters at the mansion!

 

Look up Doane Spencers roadster, use as a guide.

 

Looks good for something built under the restrictions you have to work under.

 

Last night I got the frame out of the jig. Still yet to mount the motor and gearbox but I guess I was excited as to get the frame sitting on the garage floor at ride height.
I am pretty happy, it sits pretty much how I want it to, note though that the 15" rear Halibrand wheel and BFG is just on loan as I am waiting for my 16" tyres to arrive for the 16x10 ET wheels.

 

greg,
nice progress, i am really enjoying following this project.
Al.

 

Looking Great Greg . You have been busy . Keep it up mate .

Shrap

 

There ya go!

 

hhmmmm , me likey that. Me likey that a lot! looking forward to progress/updates man.