Projects Project Mattitude: the Beginning

I forgot to mention, I cut the tube steel down so that it slid in between the frame rails so the engine doesn't sit at a wild rake like before. As it turns out, the motor is sitting dead level now. This is exactly what I was shooting for in regards to the engine sitting higher off the ground but the top of the carb scoops sitting at hood-line height. It peeks out from over the hood-sides just right.

Oh.. The white marks on the crossmember was just a joke to a friend. Don't worry, I won't be cutting them the wrong way.

 

Woah... I'm late to the party. What's up @mattitudeuncensored?


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Good to see you on here, Derek!

 

Looks really great Matt its come a long way since last Christmas when I was in town. Keep up the good work its going to be a killer car!

 

Hey man, nice build! Just read it front to back... I'm impressed! Keep it up....

 

Bitchin! subscribed!

 

Thanks guys.. I suppose I should let y'all know what's been happening since school ended for me a little over a week ago.

I've only touched the A just a little since then, mainly the engine swap. I've been preoccupied with something else that got here at the beginning of this week which is a '50's Remington index card cabinet.




If you've spent some time staring at my workspace, you'll more than likely notice my impressive collection of "PhotoShopped-in" Folgers coffee cans (cough, Tim, cough). All of those cans were what held all of the small stuff like bolts, nuts, washers, screws, et cetera, et cetera.. Since I saw another HAMBer's post on how he organized his small bits collection, I've kept an eye out for one of these index card cabinets and found one in Dallas. My brother picked it up for me last Sunday and made it home on Monday. He isn't on here, but thanks, Andrew! I also got a head cold a couple days ago so I've been bringing coffee cans of stuff up and sorting through them inside the house.




Things are still kind of a mess but it's amazing how much room got opened up since I started stuffing whatever I could into the cabinet. Each aisle is about 4.5" wide so old oil bottles fit in there neatly and they're about 4.75" deep. Chop the top off of them and they make excellent storage "bowls."

I'll be starting the process of flattening the front crossmember, resetting the angle, and mounting the 'bones to the sides. I'll get into more details about the 'bone mounts in the next update. Here's a recent shot of the roadster pre-op..



And one of the most traditional (and cookie-cutter.. ) engine/transmission combinations ever. Just wait until it's all cleaned up and purdy.



On a side-note, my mom found some old sketches my dad made. I guess we all now know whose side of the family my artistic talent comes from. Hit me close to home too since about a week and half ago was the third anniversary of my dad's death. I miss that guy more and more every day. Sure wish he was still around so I wouldn't have to teach myself so much crap and could see what I've managed to achieve so far.



But anyways.. I know it's 1:20 in the morning so I'll bump this back up so everyone can see it later today. I've got a couple surprises in store that I'll share later.

 

Thanks! I lucked out on this one.. It's a bit rough around the edges but what 60-year old cabinet isn't?

 

Looks good.

But, if you haven't already, please go back and box the frame rails where the original frame meets the Z'ed rails in the rear. way too much stress on the lower welds to go without reinforcement.

 

I've spent almost a month now cleaning/organizing my shop so I can build my roadster. You inspired me to finally get started. Thanks (I think) The cut off oil cans is a great Idea. A big problem here is Pack Rats. Anything left in open containers gets moved. If it's in a cabinet it gets to be part of a nest. They can chew their way into anything not made of metal and somehow get into most thing made of metal. They can wipe out a cars wires or upholstery in a single night. I'm having to resort all my hardware and small parts. I need a barrel of Decon. Love your dad's sketches. You'll always miss him. Mine died in '66. He was 53. I use things he taught me every day. I taught some of it to my sons. I wish I had payed more attention.

 

Wow that cabinet is awesome! Im going down to the old library right now... It will save me a lot of hassle when I move in 2 years! Thanks for posting it.

P.S. Looks like your dad likes your engine choice by the rear distributor and headers. Bet he's smilin'.

 

I will. After I've made engine mounts and finished mounting the wishbones, I'll be boxing the frame back there and adding fishplates and finish welding the entire frame.

 

lookin good!!!

 

Hey Matt,

I am really enjoying following your build from down here in Austin. I may have missed it, but what are your plans for the doors? Are you going to replace with roadster doors or are you going to keep the coupester doors.

Great job and keep it up!

 

Narrowing the coupe doors, capping it, sectioning in between the body lines, still brainstorming on how I'll finish the front corners.. Probably stick to the KISS principle on that one. The back is already figured out though, the body line will go around the back of the cockpit opening.

Thanks for the kind words!

 

Any Christmas Break progress?

 

I was sitting here at work, thinking "I wonder how Mattitude is coming along?" Lo and behold, I see your thread on the first page!!! Guess I'm not the only one wondering how its going.

 

So.... Where's our promised updated?

 

Very nice can't Waite till my engine looks good enough to be in this post

 

Ah, now, now, Tim.. School doesn't start until next Monday. Trust me, I've made some headway but I'm going to wait until the weekend to put everything in a single post.

Patience, my friend..

 

Is Friday the weekend?

 

It is when you're a student!

 

Friday is the beginning of the weekend..

 

I've had that setup for decades in my 33 - 57 Vette 383 with 39 trans... Always fires up after sitting around... Runs strong... Doing 312 with 39 trans in my T since this setup is about as maintaince free as you can get... Closed drive in both... The build is looking good

 

Thanks! That was a tongue-in-cheek remark at the SBC haters.

I suppose I should go ahead and do a update on what's happened during this break since y'all are about a step away from pitchforks and torches. I flattened the crossmember and took 2 leaves out the front spring to see where it sat and I think it looks spot on to what I have in mind. I still need to change out the rear A spring for the T which should raise the back a little. I also finished the pie cut behind the front crossmember and got the crossmember back to 7 degrees.

I'm still kind of intimidated by doing the wishbone ends although I have everything. I'm also still trying to decide how long I want the wishbones to be. There is enough material in the bone to mount them just underneath the A-post but I've been looking at cars that also have them mounted just under the front of the cowl although they are on deuce frames which are slightly longer.

I've kind of put the bones off and have been working on other stuff such as shortening the torque tube (you can see it still sticking past the transmission in the below pictures), notching the center crossmember so the TT can mount up to the transmission, some body stuff like finishing up the driver's side door. I don't have any pictures of the aforementioned so believe it or not, I've been making steady progress.

It's also funny how when I swear work will get done in my free time, things happen. My daily driver CVPI now has an oil leak which isn't a big deal, just replacing a pair of hoses but my (plastic) intake manifold is leaking water and will need to get replaced. That took quite a bit of money from the roadster project. My mother also got remarried and moved out, which in result had my sister and her boyfriend move in. Then house issues reared its ugly head and I've been fixing them as well. It's just one thing after another. I also got a head cold twice this break. Haha. Just my luck. I hate how this sounds like I'm making excuses.

Sometimes I swear my life is a sitcom show..

But I'm actually pleased at how much work I've gotten done despise those circumstances. Taking it one piece at a time. Here are some pictures from last time I rolled it outside to see where it sat a couple days ago. The body is all taken apart and neatly stashed away. Right now, it's just the rolling frame with the engine/trans sitting there while I finish shortening the torque tube and the center crossmember notch. Then if I feel confident enough, I'll get the 'bones done after.

 

If it helps, there's a crown vic out at H&H on the loop that still has the intake on it. I had to replace the one on my wife's lincoln a few months ago but I bought an import replacemnt on e-bay....

Anyway....the car is looking great!!

 

It's already set to be worked on at a friend's shop beginning next week..

New cars + me = no bueno.

Thanks for the kind words.

 

That 29 is transforming into a real hot rod. keep it up. keep it real.

I remember the days of my roadster build from a pile of parts..good times.

-Andy

 

Wow I did t think your Christmas break would be that long, sorry for rushing you haha.

The stance looks spot on right there! Though with a little fuel and interior it'll probable drop down, on that note wouldn't a t spring drop you from your current a spring height? By stretching the T sprin to your A spring mount locations it'll flatten out a good bit and be lower then a stock A. Or at least thats how I always recall it?

Either way love how it sits right now, good job what's keeping you from cutting your bones? Just picking were to land them? it's a pretty straigh forward operation so l assume your just trying to choose a spot to mount them to. I think with your wheel base I'd put them roughly under the A pillar.

You can always cut the ball off and see where they land and go from there. I think it'd be one of those things that when it's "right" youll just know.