Projects 1950's Tube Frame Sports Car

We will see how the 39 trans holds up behind the Olds. If it's not heavy enough I now have a 6 bolt Buick, a Packard, and Cad LaSalle.

 

This is sooo cool. Great find and great job bringing it back to life.
IMHO it does deserve a body and that Wally Troy special shape seems like a natural. Remember that they were just starting to experiment with fibergl*** around that time so if you don't feel like pounding metal ......

 

That was their plan. His son sent me these pictures of the wooden model that was the intended body. Not what I imagined. I think it will stay an open car though. I thought I'd posted these before but didn't seen them when I looked back thru the thread.

 

some of my favorite body ideas

 

Great Build, History and Story. A new visionary chapter is evolving in style. Great job @jebbesen...incredible detail and craftsmanship.

 

Thanks guys for the encouragement. I wish I was making faster progress but someday it'll be together.

 

I like the Siata (first pic).....but maybe do it with cycle fenders (Ford V-8 spare tire covers) for simplicity.

 

Finished seats! I better never gain any weight. They're narrow Should hold me in tight.

 

Set the drivers seat in place yesterday to see how it fits.

 

Seats look great!

 

Great thread...very inspiring. (every post leads me to think, "What would I do with that?")

 

Had a change of plans and decided it was worth using real Lincoln brakes. All cleaned up. Still working on the car but we had a baby about 2 weeks ago so progress has been slow the last few months.

 

Great thread that I somehow missed before but just read all five pages. This is turning out pretty interesting.

 

Glad you're back!

 

Congrats!

 

Oh I'm always messing with it but between -37 degrees/crazy snowfall this winter and finishing my bathroom remodel before the baby arrived it was a busy last few months!

 

Congratulations on the new addition to your family, yes life has a habit of getting in the way from getting too much accomplished, at least it seems to do that to me!

 

Thanks guys! It'll be a few years before we see if she's interested in cars.

 

Looks great, but you still need a floor shift trans! LOL Gary

 

I haven't forgotten

 

I've been doing a little work on the F1 axles and side gears that will go in to my banjo axle when I make the safety hubs. I'll machine a bearing carrier safety hub like Hot Rod Works sells. There's is the way to go but I have a hard time bringing myself to spend money whan I have a chunk of stock sitting on the floor that wants to be turned into something useful!

I'm using NOS ****er 44 19 spline side gears from a Studebaker Commander. The teeth run all the way to the middle instead of being trimmed back like the F1 gears. I trimmed the top corners down to fit the Ford carrier

Banjo spiders- An old Don Francisco article says he trimmed the tips/crests if the spiders .04 to correct the mesh depth without facing the insides of the carrier. I did a trial cut on two extra spider gears I had to verify that it works. It does. I'll cut the four from my axle down on the mandrel I made. Left one is trimmed- right is original.

How they fit.

removed the bearings and retaining rings and cleaned up the axle flanges. Stood them in a bucket of muratic acid for 15 min or so to derust before priming and painting. I'll stick them in the lathe before I put the bearings on to check flange runout and polish the seal surfaces.

 

Looks Great!

 

I think you should consider building a body similar the 1936 Jensen-Ford. Sporty yet elegant.

 

That's a neat looking car. I've never seen it before.

 

OK......totally OT.....I have been following this thread......congrats on the new daughter......my wife is doing an African wildlife themed blanket for our first grandson due in June. Just for fun I showed her your posting......she said..."ask him where he got that beautiful blanket (or fabric to make the blanket) !!!! OK....now back to car stuff.

 

I'll have to ask my wife.

 

Just asked her. We are borrowing it from a buddy's wife. I'll try and find out.

 

So it's a pillow called a Boppy infant lounger. Sort of a baby bean bag. . The pillow has a zip on cover which is what you see in the pic. She says she bought it at Target. That's as much as I can find out for you. Lol

 

Thank you......thank you......now back to our regular programming !!

 

I love your enthusiasm to restore someone else's dream. I too have a "homebuilt" car that was another's dream car, my father's. He actually began the project with sketches and research done during the WWII time he spent as a Govt. machinist doing sonar work for the Navy. Post war hot rodding exploded in So Cal where he lived, so his pavement racing ch***is design became a test bed for a small Dodge hemi, supercharged at times, with visits to El Mirage dry lake and Bonneville. Over the 40 years of my ownership I created a new nose and hood reflecting the late '40s look of track racers and I was blessed to have been invited many times to the most iconic vintage track racing venues. Dad raced to a best top speed of 151 mph in 1958 and was able to run equal track times against other period race cars of the same era. Best of luck with your car and I am pleased you could connect with the original family.












I also enjoy making headers and I don't run mufflers either.