Hot Rods "A" REAL HOT ROD (Now Bound for Bonneville)

FYI - I am on the hunt for a few parts. A stock 30-31 Firewall and maybe a trunk lid. I ordered the
rear inner fender wells yesterday new, so we are good to go there.

 

I have one, but it's from a Briggs body.

 

I believe that’s a 28-29 Murray cowl

 

Thanks. Good try Salty. That could have earned you another few square feet of gravel right? Lol

 

Or tin for the roof.

 

I am sort of interested to know what is up with front axle in the photo with hub mounted fenders.
Very East Coast Rodder there Salty...what did that come off of...? Inquiring minds must know. LOL

 

Mopar "double-dip" axle?

 

It is a Mopar axle. Not sure what the car was I only have the axle. That is something else that needs to go.

 

Well I decided today if we are going to mock this thing up for the party there are a couple of things we need to get solid right quick. Number one are the motor mounts.

Last night before dark and before we melted into a total puddle of sweat and hot rod adrenaline we put the flat head on the engine hoist and slid it in place. I had to make a quick adjustment to the trans crossmember but got it back in place a bit further back and we had our first good look. I liked it.

With the body in place we put the radiator on and adjusted the motor forward until we could hook the hoses up. I figure since this entire package came out of a Model A on the same style chassis we had to be close.

This morning we double checked placement and measured and marked the chassis for the flat head mounts.



We took a piece of wood, cut it for a tight fit the tapped it into place centered side to side on or chassis marks.

It was 20" from center of waterpump engine mount to waterpump engine mount. So after the wood was wedged tight we measured the inside of the chassis rails down the middle of the wood: 22.25" So we came in on the wood 1.125" on both sides and marked it.



We took our mounts that had multiple applications; measured them and cut them to size. I ground a nice angle across the top to take a nice weld. We test fitted them making sure our "x" was in the center, then welded them solid.



I then did a little clean up across the top and bing...we are ready set a flatty here!

 

We also measured, cut down to fit and welded the rear cross member. More on that later.





We did a quick sand on the front half of the chassis that was not liking our hand prints at all...lol. we shot it with an apoxy primer/sealer.



We put the front end together, put the radiator and grill on and the YES we unpacked the Supercharger to have a look see!

 

Pretty damn cool!

 

Oh yes!!!!

 

Gotta love a good mock up! Yeah baby! Looks great

 

Yep now got to get this one on the road and then ready for the Coupe for real.

 

Is this thing turned on (taps mic)?

 

OKAY WE ARE BACK ON THE AIR - lol

So I have some catching up to do since the "mock up - burgers and dogs" reveal party. But here is the crazy news that has forced me back online. Dad, Zoe and myself made the trip this year to Bonneville for the first time. It has been on my bucket list to get out there for years.




We got there early Sunday Morning hoping to catch some return records runs from opening day. We basically spent the entire day at the starting line of the 5 mile track. It was totally amazing. We shared our tent with photographers from all over the world and several fans that just happened by in need of shade. What an awesome day. Everyone that hung out with us swapped stories and we made a ton of new friends all while killer cars staged right in front of us and then were off seeking some salt.


The vintage cars there were amazing! And that was just at the Nugget at night! LOL


It meant a lot to get to go there with both my dad and daughter. AND....I thought that might be enough but alas, I think we all got Salt Fever. Without a doubt, we have to go back and make a run or two. I have the perfect car for it already started here and I think it would be crazy cool to put a Frenzel Supercharger back on the salt from wince they came!

So that is the new focus and we have less than a year to, as they say: Get'er Done! So over the next week or so I am going to catch the "newly directed thread" back up and then update you all the way through to Bonneville! You are welcome to come on along for the ride.

 

Thanks. Just got a personal message from a long time follower asking how's the family. You know, I just looked and this crazy thread started in 2022. MAN! Time really flies doesn't it? Well before I start updating on the Model A, I will give you a quick family update. We certainly have a lot of fun together. In fact, Louie the photographer from NSRA calls us the family that shows together. It is pretty cool having three generations, we are extremely lucky.

Dad is still rodding around in his Coupe catching as many car shows as is humanly possible.

We are getting close on his Thames, in fact we took it to the Daryl Starbird Show in Tulsa this year.


As for my daughter Zoe, she has been busy and I have to say she is worse than Dad and I combined when it comes to finding and dragging a project car home. The Riviera is finished albeit a few years out of HAMB range but at least it is in a photo with plenty of HAMB friendliness.


She is just finishing a 66 bug where she dipped her toe for the first time into the upholstery world. She kept saying she could do it. Finally she bought an industrial sewing machine and did the front seats. You can kind of see them in the photo, diamond tucked etc. I am really proud of her, they look amazing and more importantly "SIT" very nice.


Got to love the Cragers! It took four wheel disk brake kits and drop spindles to make them fit but she wanted them etc. She did make it into the HAMB world about a year ago when she stood on this trailer at the swap meet and refused to leave without the '63 Riviera sitting on it. LOL


What was really cool was the car had a full set of 15x8 Crager GT rims with caps etc. She has not had much time to work on the car yet but has been restoring the rims. The Riviera is a factory 425 Car with AC.


And finally just last night she picked up this '67 Ranchero. Originally factory 289 with a four speed. She has gasser plans for it starting with a straight axel. We shall see...apple does not fall far from the tree.


And for me we have been running the Cobra as hard as we can when ever we can. Lots of shows and a few drag races. It is really running well. I also just snagged a project 1964 Thunderbird Convertible that has been on my bucket list for a while. But I am afraid that is way down the line at this point. LOL

Sorry for a couple of sort of unHAMB friendly photos there but it just so cool watching Zoe thrive in and around old cars. We are in the process of starting a new You Tube Channel together called the Fastest Car In The County. We just finished production on Episode one. We are trying to tell all those great stories about fast cars from the past. And now back to our Model A build...already in progress!

 

So I went back to gathering parts for the Model A. At the swap meet last year I snagged this killer chrome ZF steering box.


It was sitting on a table with an F100 box which is what I was looking for. I asked about it and the guy said it came off of 32 Highboy Roadster that they put fenders on and then rack and pinion. He said he thought it was German but it took the same pitman arm as the Ford one so I snagged it for $50. When I started researching the unit, it take long to find I got quite the bargain (and chromed to boot!). LOL

 

A few months later, we put the Model A into the Hot Rod Holiday Show here in Springfield. Originally we were not going to put anything in as we have done the show for 8 years. I hate to have the same cars there every year over and over, it can stagnate a show. So we decided not take any cars.

The promoter called me about two weeks out and asked if we were coming and I told him what and why we decided not to come. To be honest, he was grateful to have someone understand and not feel bad about not being invited etc. I said no problem. However, if I had been thinking ahead more, it would have been cool to bring the Model A and Dads Thames projects and set up a display that looked like a garage scene where the cars were being worked on etc. He said that would have been cool.

The next morning he calls back and says okay I have a 40' space available for the garage scene and you have two weeks before the show, can we make it happen. Like an idiot, I said sure.




We basically took the cars as they were after a bit of cleaning etc. Then I printed a full sized work bench tool box with tools and cool parts sitting on it. Plus several large old automotive signs that might be hanging in a garage and hung it all on the backdrop curtains along with a few real hubcaps and parts etc.


We scattered a few real tools and more parts around and they opened the show. I don't think we sat down the entire time. There was someone in the booth area the entire show asking questions etc. The tool bench there looked so real Dad actually forgot while talking to a guy and tried to set his Coke on it. LMAO!


We had blast and the area car folks got a little preview a couple of killer rods to come.

 

Not long after the show I started talking to a good friend (actually the same guy that got me the flathead) about going through the motor. Fortunately he not only has the skill but the tools for the job as well. All I had to do was pick up a rebuild kit from Speedway. Easier said than done.

The Isky kit was out of stock with the ominous text to the right of it saying "no restock date available."

I started looking at other options including just building my own kit with different lifters etc. and I was well on my way to putting the whole thing together when I just accidentally while looking for some individual parts say Speedway suddenly had ONE ISKY KIT. I don't know if they found one or what but I did not waste a second hitting the purchase button. And low and behold a few days later a full kit arrived just as advertised!


And we picked a date to get it done.

 

I have always wanted to tear into a flathead as has Dad so we brought the car to my work shop where we would at least be able to walk around it (lol)...no thanks to my Daughter packing every inch of shop space with some would be lost project car. LOL


Just in case, we started by marking the exact placement of the dizzy and then started ripping her apart.






The motor came with a new old stock ISKY 400jr Racing Cam so along with all the other goodies we got started. I learned right away that getting the valves out of a flat head presented more than just a small challenge. I sure as hell hope they go back in easier (LOL).


Dad paying close attention incase he had to do the other side. LOL. Oh by the way you might have noticed I got rid of that chopped up and down fire wall. Thanks to Jackson (@wrenchbender) here on the HAMB, he had one laying around. It looks so much better.

As far as the build we got all the valves out, did a quick grind session and believe it or not, got them all back in again! We called it day after that and had a steak. All we have left to do now is set the valves and she is ready to put back together.

 

WOW!!!
Was wondering about y'all.
OK, since you have been so busy you get a pass for not keeping us up on what you guys (and girls) are building.
Quite an envious family dynamic where all share the same passion.

 

The USFRA has the 130 and 150 MPH clubs, for those wanting to run down the salt without the full build requirements of speed week. Info here: https://saltflats.com/I30_Club2015.htm

 

AND so as usual if you have ever followed one of my builds, here is where it goes wacky. Scope Creep some people call it. For me however it is not usually creep, more like a rocket blast. So I am taking some photos while Jamie beats away at the Flathead and this is what I see.


Look at that car. There it sits without its visor looking like a little squared off Deuce Coupe. And I get to thinking I really love that look but I like the lines and smaller size of the Model A. So I get the bright idea of simply grafting a 32 Ford roof to the "A". I mean the roof is a disaster anyway. It was going to take quite a bit of work to make it presentable and then likely filled etc. I mean how hard could it be...right? lol

Before I really even start searching, one fell right in my lap. A friend of a friend had ordered one for a customer's car. It had sat for quite a while and when it came time to install it the customer wanted a filled one. He ordered and had is shipped with out telling the shop. Long story short the original has been sitting there just waiting to find a Model A in need. I little talking and little swapping later and poof...there it is.




I haven't decided exactly how I am going to do it but I want to keep the original '32 roof whole so I can install a traditional top. I am going to get pretty serious about it here in a bit and decide exactly how to do it. I sort of want a bit of rake on the windshield but that may be too much to ask etc. We shall see. About to get busy with it.

 

I heard and certainly an option. I bought the new rule book so just kind of running through the different classes. I am not sure which one to run it in. I will be a modified (sort of) flathead with a Supercharger (sort of) on top. LOL. I really don't care about records just want to say I made a run, get some salt on her and hang at the Nugget!

 

To be honest though, it may run out pretty good. I mean we have the 5 speed in it and if we flip the Halibrand gears??? If we can get it rolling who knows. Going to be fun to find out!

 

Hmmm

 

Oh we will definitely need a push. But that will be exciting for Dad and Zoe to get to do.