Stoked on the new mill, ‘52 Cad 331! It's complete from carb to oil pan, fan to tail shaft. I got it for a song, and it was supposedly pulled from a running car.
Thanks fellas! Dad and I did a short road trip to the midwest. Aside from a quick stop at the Speedway Motors parts counter in Lincoln Nebraska for small parts, this has nothing to do with my build. I still wanted to share the journey with you all. Turbo Offy Indy car that Knievel sponsored. Me and Dads favorite dirt track- the Belleville High Banks, KS. It’s a 1/2 mile of left turn, an almost non existent straightaway and steep banking commands respect and finesse from all who race here. First raced in 1910- dig the stone grandstand. I thought I was for sure going to be killed- hacked up by a cleaver staying here, but the signage was worth it, and it was alright. Carhenge, Alliance, NE. The 331 was still in the Cadillac- sigh. Very cool nonetheless!
Today I scooped up the main components for my poor man’s ch***is table. Because the table must have a certain degree of precision, I opted for new components. I didn’t want to take a chance on some beat pallet rack that saw hard warehouse use. I’ll be cutting the uprights down from 7’. I’m still undecided on a work height, but the work surface will measure 10x4’. The plan is to add 4” channel for the work top and machinery feet to level it against my very unlevel garage floor. For those who have built a home brew ch***is table/jig, what height do you prefer? What would you do differently?
The machinist played carpenter today and threw together this body dolly. It mimics a Model A ch***is. It spans the A pillar mounts to the rearmost body mounts. I would ***ume it fits all A’s 28-31, shoot me a message if you want the scribbled plans, happy to share.
Nice to see you and your Dad doing this. This is a time you'll look back on with a smile. Here's a little inspiration and it's been on the salt.
Update: Sorry for the stagnation, the ball and chain and I are headed to Memphis, TN for the weekend. We're coming home via Olive Branch, MS where I will be scooping up some ASC deuce frame rails, and then the real progress begins! Thank you sir. That looks killer! Big fan of the channel job and scallops.
I like my workbench taller than standard so I dont have to bend over. I'm up here and I want my work up here too
Did a weekend in Memphis, TN with Mrs. Wolfe. On the way home I picked up ‘32 rails direct from ASC in Olive Branch, MS. I told her to plug her ears as the clerk charged my card.
Stalled again on any sorts of building, that doesn’t stop me from collecting however. Here’s some recent scores. No more hurting myself dragging it around on a tire. 16x5 & 16x4 Fall ‘23 Hershey Haul! I’ve fallen head first down a Cad/LaSalle transmission rabbit hole now…
Dad and I made the relatively short hike to Rocco & Cheaters Speed Shop in B’ham and had a blast. A full day of pickin’. Rocco & Cheaters was once one of the largest speed shops in the southeast, operational from ‘46-07. 3 different flavors of NOS C-T Engineering Cad engine mounts. X2 NOS repair parts for my Mallory Magspark Cad NOS valve cover Spacers and X2 NOS 365/390 Header flanges. Most of the packing paper was Los Angeles Times, circa 1958. Lastly, another gem for my collection, NOS Ansen floor shifter for Cad/LaS.
Thank you sir! I’m anxious to get the frame started, in talks to have it squared up at a shop, then finished out in my garage. I forgot to show this off too. It’s a PCV Adapter I manually turned to go in place of the road draft tube, similar to the one that Corey Taulbert use to manufacture. It’s made from 6061 aluminum, the gold finish is Alodine. I’m unsure if I want it to be a drop in adapter or have it welded to my Gear Drive finned cast valley pan. Either way I still have to bore & c’bore the valley pan to accept it.
I caught wind that Schneider had 12 Cad Cam cores. Jerry got me setup with a solid setup that jives with the Studebaker rockers. So now my focus is sort of shifting to the mill.
It’s been a long time since I have heard of Schneider cams. That was an awesome picture of you and your dad in the old speed shop with that big pile of new wheels. I bet you had a blast going through the parts there.
It was a lot of fun! I'm going back soon for a Cad 365 that was in pieces and maybe a few other bits.
Some updates, Snagged this NOS Hurst Mystery Floor Shift Kit for side shift Cad / LaS with Ford rear torque tube mount. Picked up another Cad / LaS trans, bringing the count to 6. This one came from Billy Hess’ estate. Hess was a NASCAR driver ‘82-83, then a NASCAR ch***is builder. He spent his final years enjoying his beautifully restored LaSalle, this was his spare. Thanks Billy. Lastly, I finally got around to the machine work needed to make the PCV adapter I turned earlier jive with my Gear Drive valley cover. I’m really happy with how this came out.
Our first pilgrimage to Bonneville Speedweek, via Los Angeles. On the stoop at Isky Racing Cams with none other than Ed Iskenderian. What a guy, and a moment I’ll never forget! His original shop in Culver City. A quick tour of Offenhauser. And lastly, the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Some picks from the past few months. Hershey Haul ‘24. It was a pleasure to coordinate some meet ups on the way from Atlanta and back from Hershey with @ClutchDumpinDan & @nickthebandit, thanks guys! Early Frankland Fabricated QC I found a town over. Really stoked on this one. The ‘35/36 bells and rear bones in the photo above will be mated to this center eventually. Ford closed drive rear mount modified for LaSalle by K&M Aerospace. 12v Bermuda Bell and LaSalle clutch discs from Rocco and Cheaters in Birmingham, AL. Another 145T Cad/Olds flywheel and NOS 145T ring gear. Starter Rebuilt and Converted to 12v by Abernathy Starter and Alternator in Calhoun, GA. Newly mfg’d ‘37 LaSalle front bearing retainer AKA candlestick. Last but certainly not least, a DRE manifold complete with Carter WCD’s and linkages.
Sorry for the slow progress beyond gathering parts. My biggest constraint at this point is the shop space itself, which will soon be rewired with its own sub panel and 220v and more than the one 110v outlet. So in the meantime, I stay busy with little lunch break projects at work like these hubs. 5/8 bi-metal hole saw does a fantastic job cutting the swaged studs. Pro tip: take take it 3/32 deep. Studs removed. I made the little press arbor (center) to support the back side of hub while pressing out the studs. Bored the holes Ø .600 for a .022 interference fit with the new Dorman wheel studs. (P/N 610-034) Milling the anti rotation flat on the stud to jive with the flat on the hub. Done for now, going to pair these newly finished hubs with the slip on Boiling Bros Lincoln drums once I have the coin.
The Jalopy Journal
