i curved our hockey teams sticks in the '70s... maybe set up a way to steam those end pieces, and then a clamp set up where they can cool...
That would be the correct way to create them. The ends pieces I purchased were not but were cut down to fit the contour. It caused them to look too thin.
With most of the interesting stuff pretty much done I have not posted anything. I have been working on the motor. Fixing broken exhaust bolts and putting a few heli coils in place. I decided I don't want to drop over $400 for a shorty generator and went with a one wire alternator. I know not very period correct for a 50's hot rod. But I did use the saddle clamp with a longer strap. 1.375 x 13.0 18ga. I cut the mounting ears making it look a little more round. The front pulley works with my early 30's fan. A little faux paint and there you have it.
A nice day here in WI in Nov. Time to doing some painting. I blasted my 40 backing plates and drums of rust. Actually only one front drum had some pitting but the blast cabinet took care of that. Black...is there any color? With all the parts ready for reassembly we should have a car with working brakes soon. The goal here is to have the car running by August next year.
I called around the local area for brake shoe riveting. Boy things sure change don't they. The old Wis brake and clutch company has closed up years ago and there is one company left that charges $120/hr. Not that was my plan but it had a nostalgic feel about riveting linings on like the old days. Sure you can buy new shoes for $120 but part of my build is experiencing the old ways of 80 years ago. Isnt this why we do this. A time with my dad sitting out front of the garage and me as a youngster watching him do hand work in admiration. My shoulder will not take bucking 80 rivets. A air chisel will come into play somewhere. Some of my shoes are glued replacements and come off with a chisel and hammer. A little roll loc clean up and I pondered again when things were simpler. The good old USA picture needs no comment.....
I am so glad I had a dad growing up. Yeah he was very stern, ex military. But a teacher at heart. Not sure what was in my coffee this morning! I digress.....
I was able to figure out the rivet process. DONT RIVET THEM TO MUCH! YOU WILL CRACK THE LINING! I turned the air pressure down some and didnt stay on the rivet too long. You just need to get a nice mushroom.
@53studecoupe I just went through the whole thread. What a great time I had escaping from the day to day grind. Thank you for that, you are doing a fantastic job.
Yeah sometimes we need to kick back and enjoy what we have. I am recently on disability and it puts a different view on things. Family, friends, free time, car parts and not necessarily in that order...... Sometimes you need to seat behind the wheel and imagine this thing is going to run someday. If I look real hard I thought the tach just moved. Hey guys thanks for putting up with ranting. LOL.
Another milestone was reached yesterday. The motor went to the machine shop to get everything machined. I found a shop in Janesville WI called Pakes. Ask for Jim. They has an extensive background in flatheads. The total machine shop bill was quoted at $1275. That's if everything listed was needed. .010/.010 crank/check balance. Recondition rods both ends Block: hot tank and blast magaflux for cracks. Deck/bore (3.312)/hone/ line bore check New cam bearings Valve job. Heads sight resurface. I think that was a pretty fair price. What do you guys think?
Did mention it will be 8 weeks! With that I can now finish up a lot of little things I didn't have time for. Like getting more clearance. I had two choices 1. Reheat the drop steering arms and bend them down. 2. Offset the ends of the steering linkage to tie rods. I went with the offset on the steering linkage. It's a very thick wall DOM tube. It will not weaken the tube with some smooth bends. I have 2" to the bottom of the frame with 3" of shock movement. Needed at least 3.25" and 1/2" clearance to the wish bones lock to lock.
That's for doing a V8 engine....? Please post their information, or at least send mea private message and let me know wh I and where they are located, as I need one done also. Thanks
Thanks guys for the kind words. Added this little jem (signal stat 700) to the steering column. It has the perfect finish to match the rest of the car. The front driving lights serve as turn signals with the use of LED switch back units. More on that when I start the wiring.
Bad news today. I got a call from the machine shop and my block has a crack in cylinder #1. The block was questionable with a very deep gouge running down the cylinder. I was hoping worse case it needed a sleeve. The machine shop didn't feel comfortable with sleeving a cracked cylinder. So I called a friend who had a free 8BA motor but it is frozen tight on 4 cylinders. I spent most of the afternoon busting pistons up. Stock bore so it should clean up .125" over. Tomorrow I will tackle the valves. Hopefully this block with pass magnaflux.
My friend ran to pickup a new door for his shop so I nosed around a little. Two more flatheads but they are 59A early ones. Not for sale either.
I read here that might be the case. I have another opportunity next week to check out another "good block".
Roadster is looking great buddy and amazing how you just bought bits and put together a bitchen hotrod. Sorry to hear about the flathead block issues. I look at the dozen flatheads I have and wonder what’s with all the cracked blocks. Is it freezing or cause by overheating stress. I will say that I try to buy motors that run but are they really good crack free motors or over priced boat anchors
Thanks John. Thanks to you I got started with the cowl. I called Rich Bickel Sr. Of the Nascar fame and he said he had a good block for me. I pick it up Weds.
While sourcing the block set for after Thanksgiving, I started putting the brakes on. The front is pretty straight forward. The back brought up an issue I remember reading here about the wheel cylinder brake line running into the rear model A spring perch. Yep you will never get a line in there if you are using a stock lenght spring. Also you will not get the backing plates nuts in between the spring perch if you don't take that in consideration before welding them in. I know. Next is to redrill the backing plate holes clocked 1" to rotate the wheel cylinder to the rear to clear the spring perch. All good.
Before I forget. Any one know where these rear end blue washers go? Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving. Ken
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