112" wheelbase for my 31 Olds 5 window

On mock up I set the tires at the factory wheel base setting at 112" and I loved the way it looked. I am using a 350 crate and 350 tranny. I was told to shorten the base to 106" (the same as the 32) in order to limit the dead space. I was hoping to get a better ride with the longer wheel base. Does anyone have strong feelings about this. Will there be too much gap in the engine compartment if I go with 112". It is a 31 Oldsmobile highboy with an open engine compartment. Will there be too much gap between the radiator fan and the grill shell?

Thanks:

BrianC

 

I don't understand what wheelbase has to do with the radiator-to-engine distance. Is there a front crossmember with rad mount that has to move as well? I would try the long wb with the close rad and see how that looks.

 

I have not mounted the front cross member yet. That will set the wheelbase. I just don't want there to be too much room in the engine compartment.

BrianC

 

I would base everything from the firewall. I would mock up the motor and tranny and then pu the crossmember in accordingly. 112" is about the wheelbase of a 35-40 Ford roughly.

 

I don't see any problem with a 112" wheelbase. I have built a number of rods, from the ground up, and here is a bit of insight. A stock model A Ford, from1928 thru 1931 had a wheelbase of 103" (+/- 1/2"). In order to fit a small block chev engine into it, you absolutely must recess the firewall by 4", which eats up 4" of legroom inside the car. You have to also run a short nosed waterpump, and even then there is not proper room for a mechanical fan. So----If you built a model A with a 109" whelbase, at least the engine would fit a lot better. Now, mind you, this would be a problem with a stock hood or fender package, but if you are running high-boy fenderless, then it shouldn't be a problem. I don't think 112" gets to crazy, and with the longer wheelbase, the ride will be improved. In general, when you run a beam axle, with the spring located above the axle, the front crossmember rides directly above the center of the beam axle, and the radiator sets directly above the front crossmember, so that is the relationship between wheelbase and radiator to firewall distance.---Also, with the ability to get a couple of more inches clearance between the firewall and the back of the engine, you will end up with a much smaller transmission hump encroaching into the floor of the passenger compartment.

 

if you are building your typical american hotrod start with your front axle mounting location then your radiator mounting location and work backwards......nothing worse than having to try and cram lots of stuff in between the front of the engine and the back of the radiator as an after thought

 

my question is,if you're building an Oldsmobile why not use a Rocket engine?

 

Does anyone out there have and extra "Rocket" engine for sale in my 31 olds?????

BrianC

 

Not trying to highjack your post, but do you have pics of the steel body framing you installed...

 

cool project...go for olds power , looks like theres room for big block olds 425,455....the 112wb offers some advantages as brianangus and others point out

 

I'm with Yorg, stick with the 112 and toss an early olds in there, take a look around they are everywhere, hell even down here they are getting a whole lot less rare.
BTW the body looks lik it has some nice lines, how big vs a model A ?

 

I just hate having to cut up a good firewall due to poor planning.