Beautiful work! Would you mind describing the steps involved in fabricating the top of the boat tail? I see you made it in several segments but fairing them all together so smoothly seems a job beyond my imagination. I am in awe. Best -- Gary Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.
Sir Wilfred Grenfell
Hi Gary I made a wooden buck up to roughly the shape I wanted. Since I don't have an English Wheel I decided to rolls sections (about 12" each) and weld them together using Oxy Acetelyne welding gear and hammered (quite a lot) the shape as best as I could. It is by no means perfect, but with a fair amount of lead on the seams where the welds are and some body filler it turned out ok. It would heve been better with a wheeling machine, but the point was to build the whole car as cheap as possible with more or less basic tools (plus I don't know how to use one) Archie
Dude this thing rocks! Very weld done! Were just discussing on putting something together like this, and racing them! -Shiny
Now that would be so cool. The total cost of mine is about £4000 GBP or so and a lot of that was in the paint etc. If you sourced some cheap 2nd hand parts you could build it for a lot less, go thrash em and have lots of old time, cheap fun. AP
Neat-o! I dig it for sure! I've been having thoughts of doing something like this! Looks like fun! Good luck with the 34, also! Looks like with what you learned on this build you should be just about ready to go! Good work!
I will search my pc and try to find some pics later. They are made in four sections, welded together into halves and beat on a wooden buck. The two halves were then welded together and the fins made from four pieces of metal and welded together. The lip at the front that holds the lens was the front of an old 7" chrome headlight that I cut and welded into the housing. AP
Thanks The white steering wheel is from a 1991 Nissan Figaro. I meant to fit it too my Coupe years ago, but never quite got round to it. AP
Archie, the speedster is the coolest, I would drive the livin shit out of that,,, BUT. Tell me more about the 36 flatback, were those suicide doors factory on your side of the pond or did you convert them yourself? I'm kinda partial to 36's, and that one looks sweet!!! Mike.
The 36 belongs to a chick who lves nearby but doesn't have a garage so the car lves with my toys. The doors were converted to suicide by a hotrodder from the UK way back in the late 90's and I took off the electric solenoids and fitted 32 ford handles. When she bought the car it was "Hi-Tec" but I have fixed that particular problem and put it back to the way it should be. The hinges are similar to the ones shown here. AP
the speedster looks great in its famous glasgow rangers/scottish flag colours archie. for once im glad i live this side of the big pond cos i got to see the speedster being built and im sure if i talk nice i can maybe talk you into takin me out for a spin in it to see big daves 33 willys.
Don't know how I missed this. Archie, that is a beautiful piece of kit. If you want to test it, all our roads are dirt tracks!!LUV!! Charlie!!
Very cool build. You make building that body look easy. I am really liking the grille shell/ shelf you got there on the wall. -Jim
Hi Charlie I have been meaning to get to the Isle for about 13 years now with the coupe - I NEED to get ther with the speedster. Hope all is well up there. Archie
WOW!!!!...how many hours to build?...um...WOW <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
Archie I don't know how I missed the original posts but that is one nice car you have built. I'll have to subscribe to this one to refer to later on my build.
Sorry for not replying sooner - been busy working on it. The tanks is from a 1960's Morris Minor - I think its about 10 gallon capacity. More pics will be posted soon. AP
Is the Speedometer out of a Reliant Regal? It looks quite similar, it takes its place nicely, Super Build, Congrats.
Thanks very much - should be on the road in a few weeks. Speedo is from a 1950's Ford Consul. Dash insert was made in MDF and cast by me a few years ago.
Thanks very much. I don't do much posting on forums and the reason for doing this one was to show what could be done with a little bit of knowledge and a lot of effort. It might help or inspire others to get out to the garage and get building. AP
The Jalopy Journal
