Projects Altered Drag Car Build

One step forward, two steps back with regards to using the original frame mounts to locate the bellhousing. After getting an engine mocked in place it was pretty clear that the driveshaft angle was too severe. The driveshaft will be less than 12" long for the small block set up and about 10" longer for the flathead drivetrain. Looks like the engine needs to drop about 2" to get an acceptable angle. Plan is to section the existing frame mounts, lower them the required 2" and then build the front frame mounts to accommodate the Hurst crossmember. Using the Hurst crossmember will allow both a SBC and a flathead to use the same front mount.

Oh yeah, the headers I was hoping would work bend in too far and hit the frame.

 

White knuckle indeed with that rear axle! Good save!
On the headers, either make a slice along the top of the tubes an inch or so out from the flange and weld it up or just get everything cherry red and pull! Old school would be the second!

 

Spent a couple mornings this past week getting the engine located so that the driveshaft angle was acceptable. Started by sectioning and lowering the existing mounts a little over 2". Dropped the drivetrain back in to check transmission output to rearend pinion and was happy where things were.


Moved on to the front mounts to accommodate the Hurst crossmember for the SBC or the flathead water pump mounts.


Pretty happy with the way things ended up. The height of the engine relative to the grill shell and cowl looks pretty similar to a lot of old pictures of similar builds. Bottom line is everything was dictated by rearend position anyway. I'll definitely need to run a hydraulic throwout bearing as the is no space between the bellhousing and framerail to fit an arm in there.

 

Getting a few things finished up before the chassis gets fully welded.

I found a 3 row aluminum radiator for a Volvo application that fits the radiator shell pretty nicely and should allow some flexibility in run time. The bottom has a post for a saddle mount and the shell will retain it from the top. The shell is removed with four bolts to access the cap. It'll require some reducers to make up with the larger engine inlet and outlet.

Made up some simple mounts to locate the fuel tank centered on the front crossmember.

 

Slow week, didn't accomplish much on the car itself, but hit a couple swap meets this weekend and last and picked up parts I needed.
Last weekend I found a small diameter starter that I'll need to clear the framerail and a new waterpump; total expenditure of $30.
This weekend I found a nice set of no name finned valve covers with breathers for a good price.
Also picked up the driveshaft. You'd think it'd be cheap since it's only 10 1/2" long but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

 

Great save, will look period correct when done, and you will have fun !

 

Nice progress!

 

Looks great. And yea, drive shafts are expensive to have custom made. The one I had made for my drag coupe, well I nearly shit when the builder told me what my bill was.

 

I'm sure going to miss my mentor and machinist friend when it's time for my driveshaft.

 

Hey Whiteknuckle.... take a look at this photo. I'd bet you a coffee it could be the same car. The car in this photo was Lou Allevo's "Chicken Little". He ran Chicken Little in mid 60's and then bought my Uncles Super T altered in early 70's. I'll look and see what other pictures I may have. Drop me a note, I can give you some history on Lou. Lou and his brother Joe ran at Connecticut Dragway a lot back in the day. Lou and Joe have both passed, but I've talked to Joe and Lou Jr during my search for the Super T. Red car is a fiberglass body, but there are a ton of similarities.

 

Steady progress in between plowing and shoveling snow.

The valve covers I picked up were missing one breather cap so I machined up a pair.



Got the F1 steering box cleaned up, painted and rebuilt.



The door was pretty rotted out so instead of putting the time into it I found a reasonably priced one on eBay that should save me quite a bit of time.


Started fixing the rot in the bottom of the body. Still need to cut out a little bit of the reveal and fab a patch but I'm happy with a couple afternoons of work. It's cool when you think about this body being over 100 years old.

 

Nice save!
Will you be able to use that tube frame for the door? It doesn't look as lace-like as the skin.

Will the center rad support be enough? I'd consider one on each side.

 

It's coming together nicely, great job.

 

I'll transfer the tubing to the new door, most likely with some additional bracing if I make the door functional.

The radiator actually has a post in the center and is intended to be mounted that way on the bottom. There are uprights off the frame that support the grill shell and the radiator is sandwiched between the uprights and the shell.

 

I needed a radiused reveal in a panel to patch the last remaining rotted out portion of the non functional "door". I made a buck out of some aluminum and MDF board that provided the channel for the reveal. I radiused the end of a small piece of steel to mimic the shape of the reveal to serve as a punch. A panel was clamped to the buck with vise grips and I started hammering away. I was expecting to have to go through some trial and error but was pleasantly surprised to get a good result on the first try.

 

Looks great! Curious - what gauge metal is the patch? Diggin’ this thread…

 

Relatively heavy, 19 gauge