The last Grasp Special '34 3 window build

Yeah Geoff I must admit it was easy to convince the girls to dip into the savings and especially once they seen it had a back seat and your right about the boot, that's a decent size. Glad to hear you like it to Davo. Today I spent most of the day doing roadworthy stuff that needed doing, but I also managed to see what it looked like with the wheel spats fitted?? Still not sure about them but maybe every now and then for a change? and I also gave the interior a good detail. Hopefully tomorrow all going well I will get the mirrors done, finish off some minor brake work and look at if I can make this 4 barrel adaptor work that I had sitting in the shed already with twin carbs. It runs like a real pig with the current setup, it's got a 4 barrel inlet manifold on it now but has a dodgey adaptor made up to run a 2 barrel Rochester that is just near impossible to tune but I knew that would be all fixable before buying it. Monday its booked in for the roadworthy and where I'm getting that done is just near Antique tyres so I will order the new tyres as well.

 

The bumpers have already changed the car for the better. Good work.

 

Thanks wardog, the adaptor manifold that I was planning on running has turned out not to be ideal, so today I just got this secondhand offy manifold from Ben at Rancho deluxe to run. All going well I should have it all back together and the roadworthy in my hand by early next week, nothing major knocked back on the roadworthy but I just need time now to get those things fixed, front and rear spring shackles, one rear axle seal and a new gear box mount should see it p*** the roadworthy.

 

GaryD why did the 2 carb adapter not work? i intend to use one soon. interested in your feedback

 

is it because your manifold is setup for the rochester 2jet and will not accept the bolt pattern of your adapter?

 

Hey Tommy yeah it was just a bolt pattern issue, I probably could have got another adaptor - spacer to rectify that issue but it would've been really ugly and it was still unproven on how good it would have worked so rather then delay getting it running properly I decided to take the easy way out and put a proven twin carb manifold on it.

 

Hey Davo. Yeah I guess my ol pickup was a bit of a landmark in the carpark. But I gave work away a few months ago.
We really haven't got a lot done to the 3W in the last 12 moths or so. But we still have it and will continue to plug away at it.
The coupe is looking good Gary. The twin carb manifold is probably the way to go. Looks like the engine bay needs a bit of sorting out as well.
I am sure you will get it looking a lot better under there.
So I have been a bit slack with posting, this last week or so.
I spent a couple of days away last weekend. This week I have been messing with a new wheel project. The final result and application will be down the track a bit. So I will just post some images of what I have done so far and will show more in thee future.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

Enjoy your posts man! in fact even enjoyed them back in the newsledder days!when you use to send photos in.
You have always been a very active and generous hot rodder/person i admired,keep it comin.Johnny

 

Homemade hubcaps,homemade English wheel,homemade alot of stuff & even you are homemade once upon a time... We really like your style & we are grateful to you sharing this with us! And yes Geoff.... sometimes need to catch breath!


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Damn, what can I say Johnny. Just me being me, I have always been that way. A nice guy (? ), I guess.
Hey JTR, yeah I like making things and challenging myself. Always good to make neat stuff out of things you just have laying around. Not that it worries me buying stuff if I need to.
But as I have said before, I am a very lateral thinking and I think I have a good 'eye'. I know I ' see things' in a way most people don't see them.
Anyhow thanks for your comments guys.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

Hey Tony, found this pic in one of Mum's old photo albums last night of Dad's old 5 window channeled coupe I told you about and one of his many Customlines he also owned. All Mum could really remember of this photo was it was taken out the front of there first houses in Camperdown before they shifted to Bradley street Warrnambool.

 

She also mentioned that Mark's Dad from the trim shop would remember this coupe as well. This is was a pic of a Merc that he used as a daily driver for a while.

 

Whitewalls for the 46? There is a bit of delay in getting them due to Antique waiting on a shipment, but for now I have some roadworthy ones here in the shed that will p*** for now. We tried one that Antique had as a display tyre beside it just to get an idea what it looked like???

 

So much for this build thread.....cool 46, great car show pics but what happened to the "Last Grasp"?

 

Thanks for the shots Gary D. The story of your dad's '34 coupe will be good to hear. The Firestones are going to look great on the coupe.
Airborne, our coupe is still happening. Yes we have been side tracked for the last 12 months or so and haven't had much to show. However this thread has become not just about the 3W, as you will have seen.
And as I continually point out it takes a bit of time to put posts and images together, more time than I think a lot of people realise. Then when there is little or no reponse, one's enthusiasm to continue posting can be tested.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

I had to trade some work my my sons mini rod to get some marbles from him for my fuel bowl on the weekend.

 

Gary, I really like the shots of your dad's 34 and other cars . We have to sit down and talk about the hot rod life of your dad had . Gary the coupe will look good with w/walls and remember it must sit low , that alone will make it look killa. Good to talk this morning Geoff , how these old cars get around to different people all around the country , how they always link with someone you know along the hot rod world. Airborne as Geoff said this has become a family page about two simple back yard hot rodders, it has it s ups and downs, this car was started as a spare time build as we both have our own projects to deal with and we live about 5 hours apart ,this makes it very hard to wrench on it . All I can say is when we get going again on the Grasp it will be a good time in both of our lives.

 

It quiet again so I'll share a few photos of last weekend. A close group had a little fun on a farm.

 

Now that looks like a real load fun wardog....

 

The other week I was talking to Garry, he said the Queen's birthday long weekend was coming up and said that he would like to get the Austin painted that weekend. I was talking to Tony later and told him this. Tony has been keen to come up and give Garry a hand to paint. But unfortunately, a few of the Adelaide guys were going to be visiting with Rita and Tony that weekend. Garry was really keen to paint on that particular weekend, so looks like Tony wouldn't be there.
Well today Gonzo, Garry and myself got the job done and the Austin is now in color, Wild Violet.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

More images!

Geoff aka

 

If the weather is OK tomorrow, we will roll it out and get some images.
Just so Tony doesn't feel totally left out, here is a very ordinary photochop featuring him and the Austin.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

The Austin is looking good guys wish I was there , Gary should be happy that it is in paint .I am looking forward to see it soon . And Geoff you got me again as In thought it was Gary wearing a flathead T shirt . I will talk to you soon about me coming over and Gary D have you got the new ride on the road yet ? and wardog good to see you guys having fun with your rides .

 

Hey Tony.
We had a good day. Gary came in here around 9.15 a.m. Said today is the day, it's to nice not to go for it. Gonzo had the potbelly heater going. Gary had set up the temporary plastic booth. We got a couple of gas BBQ's going. After a few hours we had the garage warm enough, probably a little to warm to begin with. So we turned off the gas BBQ's.
After having lunch the painting happened for the next couple of hours. Gary wielded the spray gun and mixed the color. When it was time to do the clear coats I mixed these. Gonzo sat in a chair and watched on. It is the first time she has seen a car sprayed. After seeing it actually happen and having things explained, she understood why one needs to be so fussy with body work and final preparations before the paint can be laid on.
All in all things went really well. I left around 4.30pm. The potbelly was stoked up and the big BBQ was fired up again, to allow the newly painted Austin to cure in a warm environment for a few more hours.
I will go out to Garry's this afternoon and if the weather is good we will roll the Austin out and get some shots. Today isn't as nice as yesterday, so Garry definitely made the right call.
And yes we were all wearing respirators

Geoff aka whodaky

MMMMMMM Gary in a flathead T- shirt!!!! nahhhhhhhhhhh

 

Looks like a whole lotta fun, Troy was telling me about the property a while back when he found it & the plans, glad to see it's all come together!

 

So I went out to Garry's this afternoon. We screwed on some shiny bits and rolled the Austin out into the sun for some picture taking.
It looked good. Just want to let it sit a couple of weeks and we will then wet rub it. Maybe that's when Tony needs to be there?

Geoff aka whodaky

 

That's ****in' tough as nails.

 

Well you guys nailed it. It looks really good , and I am looking forward to see it in real .

 

Killer job on the Austin Geoff, I look forward to hearing about its first run.

Yeah Tony still progressing with the 46, the guy doing the roadworthy has let me down a bit, he has been good enough to let me use his hoist for some of the jobs I needed to do and then he was happy to ***ist me as well, but our agreement was it could only be done when he wasn't busy on everyday work, well as it goes he has been really busy and my 46 is suffering, anyway hopefully this week it will be all sorted? I have also had some issues with wheels, Antique were waiting on a shipment of tyres and steel rims, the container arrived and this shipment was short supplied on tyres and the steel rims that I needed? Now I cannot get them until late July at the earliest so I have opted to buy some wide whitewall bias cokers for now and have had them fitted to the 5 slot wheels that come on the 46 for now, I will eventually use these tyres only on the cusso and I will then use the Firestone and steel wheels on the 46 when they arrive, it's a bit of a set back but it gets the 46 through its roadworthy and this wheel combination has grown on me to the point I'm happy to use them for now.

 

Hope your luck improves, Gary.