Projects So this is how it starts T RPU turned Roadster

Love to hear that I had a feeling. Although it's kind of a the fact they where just banging around with all my other parts loose in a box.

 

Found a few hours today to get out in the shop, I was able to get the three lasalle cases painted inside with red glyptol and brushed on a ford tractor gray to the outsides. Modified a spare side shift case with a ford trans mount to get an idea where my trans crossmember will sit seeing as the lasalle trans is a few inches longer. Was hoping to mount the engine far enough forward to avoid cutting up the A rectangular crossmember but no dice. Hoping to get my wish bone mounts dialed in and welded on tommorow now that my engine is sitting square and level in the frame rails.

 

Cool

 

Recent focus has been on wrapping up the radius rods. Mounting plates inboard on the frame rails hopefully for a better turning radius made a pie cut at the yoke to bring the rods closer to the frame ending with 8° of caster.

I think down the line when I find a nice set of longer later model radius rods I'll revisit this project. Not thrilled with the look of the short "A bones" but they will do for now.

 

Had some time to spend on the car today, picked up a pair of NobelSpeeds new laser cut mounts and worked them over to better fit what I had in mind they are based on the deminsions from the VernTardel book. I found these mounts far superior to the speedway universal type mount I was using previously, right now they are bolted to the stock shock mount holes 2" from the back of the crossmember. I will be adding a third bolt from the topside although i think its unnecessary. Body is still just sitting inplace going to work on steering next. Gathered up all my model A U-bolts for a quick media blast and thread chasing. I thought a few where too far gone but they all cleaned up nicely.

 

Had my friend Zac drop by on his newly finished scooter to address some loose nuts and bolts and he was able to help me get the body set back on the ch***is. Choppers go hand in hand with hotrods.

 

Nice work,

 

Looks great!

 

Not much done this week startered whittling down the F1 cross member and am working on body placement basing everything off centering the rear wheel arch over the axle. I was hoping to avoid entirely cutting out the factory ford center cross member but the added length of the lasalle transmission is forcing my hand. Tore down a gritty looking F1 steering box and was pleased to find it in incredible shape internally.

 

Really taking shape!

 

Really second guessing the f1 cross member, with added length from the lasalle transmission my pedals will be quite a ways back. I scooted the body back as far as I could and it helped some. Considering cutting the center out of the cross member and staggering either side of the cross member forward to get my pedals in a better spot. I cut nearly all the factory center cross member out but it looks like it will all need to come out.

 

Yeah sometimes it’s just a day for a trip to metal by the foot and start from scratch.

 

I haven't given up on it yet but we are approaching that point.

 

Tired of sitting idle I made the decision the old crossmember was coming out, welded a few spars across the top and bottom of the frame some tack welds on the front cross member for bracing. Lacking a duplicate set of regulators for my torch and the plasma cutter on loan the center punch a pile of dull drill bits my favorite hammer and a sharp chisle I set to work knocking out all the offending rivets. Glad to see I can still *mostly* swing a hammer only smoking my chisle hand once. The cross member is out. Slipping the F1 unit in made it all worth it, lots of pruning to go but I think this will work nicely.

 

lol that’s a nice wall hanger award ya got there

 

Work has been crazy coming to a close this year which has been good for the pocket book but hasn't left much time for hotrod activities.

F1 Crossmembers are more work than they are worth, I've fought this one and finally got fed up with making it beautiful and functional as I go and settled with functional. We set to work with the torch and welder making the F1 member fit. After extensive measurements a placement was settled on that will allow some factory frame holes to be used for mounting and hanging puck type engine mounts off the back the ford 3spd spacing was able to be maintained. Decided against welding in the crossmember incase I pull the lasalle and go back to a 39' 3spd in this ch***is. Going to buy some steel and work on some legs to turn the crossmember into a K-member.

 

Ain’t mad at that.

 

*side note* This is the F1 crossmember I ended up using because it was already hacked and I knew I was going with a non standard transmission so it would be cut up anyways. When I mocked it up I found it was perfectly clearenced to the shape of a lasalle. Makes me wonder if the truck I salvaged it from was using a lasalle aswell.

 

Contact @Pinewood here and ask him about his F1-in-A-frame K braces. I have a pair I'll be putting in B4Cdan.

 

I had wondered about an F1 cross member. Haven't heard much positive about fitting them

 

Mine fits just right for my application...with a "few" changes...






Still have some finish welding to do, then final fitment. Also the addition of K-legs from @Pinewood and removal of the original A crossmember.

 

I really like how you whittled that one down, very tasteful..

I finally have mine where I like it, although my welder has been giving me fits with the wire bird nesting so I haven't been able to finish burning it in. Figured out the torque tube today, took way too long but it was worth it to get it right.

 

Awesome

 

This is how good they look smooth .....cut real neat and weld plugs in the end for bolts

 

I like the way that looks!

 

Cheers , I like to recycle stuff. When I set my caster up I had the engine and box in ,rad in and 2 anvils with stands sitting in the car (to simulate people) then I pie cut my wishbone to get 7 degrees because I wanted to have short drop down plates.Drives great runs true and done 70.5 mph on Pendine sands

 

Love to hear that, the ultimate goal with this is to go fast.

 

That pretty much what i did with my RPU, 8* and have had 130 mph (and still pulling) and dead straight and corners great with good self centering. JW

 

Wrapped up the torque tube shortening minus shortening the actual drive shaft using the clamp in a piece of angle iron to keep it straight trick with great success. Local purveyor of hotrod knowledge @Tim and son stopped in and blew my mind by mentioning the QC rear drops the pinion location compared to the stock banjo. This remedied the banging my head against the wall wondering why my radius rods seemed to want to point up! He also mentioned seeing some people mounting the rods to the top of the torque tube and that is the route I decided to go.
Starting to really feel like a car and less like a endless pile of parts. Maybe this is progress.

Also pretty proud of the bevel I ground on the torque tube shortening cut, really took me back to my days in the ditch laying pipe glad I still have the muscle memory after years of not using it. " Something Something wemon might not find me handsome but they do find me handy."

 

Enjoying your project and your shop building.