I had some stuff to do to my sedan before the Pileup this weekend. Of course I got distracted and started wondering what the roadster would look like with a chopped windshield I had up in the attic. That turned into peeling the fenders off and mocking up the Guide Headlamps I got at a swapmeet last weekend. Can anyone identify them? They are slightly bigger than the 682's and don't have a badge, only GUIDE and a 4 leaf clover stamped on the bottom. I'm not using this chassis and plan on flipping it to somebody restoring an A. I just got the last of the major pieces I needed for the new A chassis I'm doing for it. So it will sit a little lower with a 3" dropped axle and reversed eye spring up front. Reversed eye spring on top of a 39 Ford axle with a frame height step in the rear. Its got a 32 K member and unsplit model A/33-34 hybrid wishbone up front. Plans are for somewhere around 7.00 16's in the rear and 5.50 16's up front on Ford disc wheels. Yes I'm leaving the aprons on the side kind of like Loudpedal's, and Harold Hartwick's 31 roadster before him. I've got a pretty cool idea for the exhaust I'll elaborate on later. Also, the headlights will sit lower and closer to the grille, probably incorporated into the shock mounts but these cheesy stands were all I had laying aroud. Enjoy.
I'd say 'hell-yes',..go with the 'chopped windshield',...in my opinion, lower headlight mounts closer to the 'radiator grill shell' and 'lower to the frame rails' give it a "sleeves-rolled-up" Hot-Rod attitude...( lighting on the highways at night is also much-better')...
Now that's what it's all about. To hell with the mockup, put a battery and some gas in it and drive it to lunch Wednesday. I can already envision the extra room I'l have with that flathead gone. Bet you thought your 401K was on the recovery cycle..........WRONG!!! Frank
Have to somewhat disagree here. I think the headlights on the cast mounts give it a period correct look for the late 40's-early 50's. No one was lowering the headlights back than, at least not to the extent they do today and those cast mounts are what was available to the rodders of that time through the "aftermarket". A lot of guys removed the fenders, cut the portion of the fender braces off above the headlight bar mount and used the bar and lights just like they were mounted when the fenders were present. Frank
I've got tomorrow off to pick up that flattie I need a 3 speed if you're tripping over one of those as well. I moved some stuff around to get this shot. The body doesn't line up well right now, but you get the idea.
Scott, It looks great Scott. Why don't we just head over to Frank's after lunch Wednesday and load that flathead up. That A bone will make the perfect resting place for it.
Lookin real good man. I like the windshield and the headlight mounts! I'm about to tear into my 31 roadster as soon as I pick up the rest of the parts I need at Hershey this week.
I haven't gotten that far yet. The idea is an imediate post war car so I'm thinking about a 47-48 cut off date for parts. Either 39 Fords or somehow use a pair of stock Model A lights hung off the crossmember or something.
Dont forget i got a trans you can use as a mock-up. Carl brought back one he was using. i know that one we looked at that day looked pretty ruff but that one carl returned is clean. Unless your looking for a bolt in and go. The A-bone looks good. 8-Ball
Does your car have a stock seat base? If so, could you tell me how tall it is at the front? A picture would be great. Your roadster is only the second one I've seen with the sheetmetal top tack strip rather than wood. looking good!