Hot Rods Mild to Wild! Engines Set Back

Lots of time has gone by. Any pictures of that Stude with the front tires a foot (or two.............or three) in the air?

Frank

 

Patty at lions in Woody's new rear engine car.....that ended up in pieces when it got light at the top end! not really "engine setback" as it pertains to this thread but godamn Pat Foster was the shit!






T.H.

 

That shot was taken at Fremont Drag Strip in Northern California. It's long gone now. He snapped it between 1961 and 1964. It's the only pic of THAT car, although there were a couple hundred others. I put some of them in a limited edition little book. Issue 5.

carsnotculture.com

 

Nope, this is engine set WAAAAAY-Back 21'' out, firewall to rearend centerline.

 

This is the one ! anyone have more pics of this one?
great thread............

 

Everytime i look at the littlemans coupe i fall in love again hahahahah

 

This thread needs a bump!

 

here's one I've been working on. Probably 6" setback.

 

I'll add these to the thread just so we don't forget. Awesome.

 

How about Larry Shinoda's '32?

 

Doug,
is that the car that was at the AACA museum for a while?

 

Yup, it's in the 3 Dog Garage collection.

 

Looking for the where abouts of this car. Last seen in Granite City Ill. back in 1995. The car was repainted red and someone put the motor back in stock location. It's been said the car was later sold at a gov auction.

 

My dad's old C/A Ford.

 

Cool cgaswillys!!!!

 

still looking for this car.

 

More please!!!

And a question. If you were to recess let's say a Hemi into a 5w could you just move the firewall back instead of cutting anything? I wouldn't mind setting my 331 back into my cowl but I would rather not if I have to cut up the firewall. If that's the case I would just run a Stainless or Aluminum firewall.

 

Found this tonight at Bear Mountain Cruise ........................

 

Anyone know what the rules were for gas class early-mid 60s? I believe they stated a certain number of inches from the front axle centerline to the spark plug hole. Also, crankshaft centerline height was a factor as well. I am wondering, because I am planning a Corvair with a front engine. I guess that would be set forward? Since there never was an engine in front in the first place, the "setback" would be based on front axle centerline. The little strip near where I live will let you run most anything safe; but I still want it to be era-correct to the rules from "back in the day."

 

How about reversing the firewall so it recesses in?

 

Wasn't it 10% of the wheel base? SO if you have a '54 Chevy with a 115" wheelbase you were allowed 15 inches from front of spark plug. I could be making this all up. I'm digging you idea!!

 

I was thinking a tad more then a couple inches. I was thinking more along the lines of 12-15" like the length of the cowl. I am not sure though. I think it would work on a Model a since you can remove the top part of the cowl to work on the engine but on a '32 everything is fixed in place so I would have to cut and reengineer the whole front part of the body....which is not way of the mark since the body needs some reworking anyhow. I am not sure which direction it'll take. I have been throwing around the idea of doing a Drag coupe from 1958 and perhaps making it a single seater so the recess of the engine would fit it perfectly. Or I could go safe and just run it normal.

 

That's what I'd do, cut up something less valuable, and more roomy inside! Those things are tiny on their best day; shove the engine in there another foot or more, shit, you'll have to cut out the back window and notch the decklid for a seat!

 

That's what I was thinking.

A car that never had a front engine, like a Corvair, with the engine re-located up front, would that be altered class?

 

Probably a good idea. I have a flat firewall that I traded some heads for so I think I should have enough room right out the gate. You know what's weird? I thought for a couple moments this week I should trade all the shit I have for my '32 for a '27 Coupe that I wouldn't feel so bad cutting up and setting the engine back just like I wanted to. THe '27 coupe done as a drag car is definitely my second favorite car next to a '32 but I just can't justify in my head getting rid of the ol' homely girl.

 

I love this picture, except for the arm and pink shoe in it! Kindda takes the fun out of blowing it up and framing it. haha
Damn Dave, you build awesome hot rods but your camera skills need some work

 

You must really be a masochist, Ts are even smaller that '32s!

 

Never thought about that. I think I might stick with the safe plan since a 6' 210 pound man child has no business being shoe horned into and out of a hot rod coupe.