HAMB GAS First I want to give credit where credit is due. First and far most to Rad**** for taking the time to prepare and host HAMB GAS. I'm in your debt in more ways than one. Thank you. My appreciation for all the help I received from everyone that took the time to travel, pitched in and worked on the Studebaker wagon. I'm forever thankful. Note: when I say "we", I mean the group not necessarily meaning myself. I didn't do much when looking at the big picture of HAMB GAS. Where ever I looked there was someone doing something. Not having done any of this type of work before I tended to shy away unless directed what to do trying to learn as much as possible from this group. I regret not working as much as I wished I could as much as I do the fact that I didn't get as many step by step pictures as to show everything that was done. The Before Picture When I arrived Friday nite and Rad****'s house the group had already pulled the front suspension and welded in a front cross member in preparation for the next days work. The next morning we began by removing the rear axle and prepping the olds rear axle to be mounted. Kartbreaker shown and Drgnwgn289 removing the Studes Dana 44 Drgnwgn289 cutting of the Olds spring perches so new ones could be welded on later. Rad**** welding up cut marks from removing the spring perches. Cougerdan cleaning up the spring and front axle with a wire brush. The next step was to get the frame ready to take the 56 F100 axle and springs. The frame was marked for metal removal and restructuring of the spring pockets to more of a straight beam frame style. We decided that it would be stronger to use the existing frame instead of sub framing the front clip. Joemama doing the torch work. Curious Rash cleaning up the cuts. [image]http://clem.mscd.edu/~swaggerm/rashy%20frame%[/image] Heat, hammer, then spot weld into place. Now its ready for bracing underneath. A ¼ plate was patterned and welded to strengthen the bottom of both frame rails. That gap from the spring perch will be patched later and then the frame will be cleaned up. Here Jerry is cutting out the ****** X member. Flattopbob supervising the Scourge of the swap meets... The frame had existing metal supports for the body in place. They were drilled and used to support the front shackles. Theres another filler piece father back that will be drilled for shock mounts later on. Sorry for the blur. Here the axle rear spring mounts are being located by measuring across the frame to fixed spots on the frame from the front shackle top-hole center. Once the distances were the same the rear mounts were marked, the spring U bolts were loosened to allow for spring movement to position them on the frame. Mark area to be cut away. Remove offending metal Weld hangers into place AFTER checking the location again with above method. The rear spring hangers were made from tube stock slightly bent out to fit the spring. Sorry I didn't get pictures of them being made. This is the only picture I got. Here's what they look like mounted One well hung front end Other items done that day The olds rear with 3.43s was placed to be welded later after setting the pinion angle. More work has to be done here to get it located correctly. Now than its a roller we rolled it out to see what it looks like. Curious Rash digging on the handy work. Stress testing the new mounts. Next on the menu placing the 351C and the FMX We stabbed them in. Rad**** fabricated X member that Joemama had drawn up on the sidewalk. Sorry no pictures of it before it went in. It was angled behind the front sump oil pan of the 351C. Heres the transmission X member for the FMX. We tacked it into place for now. Quick simple really tubing with the bolt holes located centrally top the holes are drilled to size for the mount bolts. The bottom holes are drill out with a hole saw for the nuts to mount the ******. Motor mounts: First round steel tubing was cut to slip over the bolt for the mount. The Rad**** made cardboard templates to transfer the pattern to 3/8" steel stock Both mounts were made the same way. After the engine was leveled side to side and both mounts angles were matched they were welded into place. The group photo left to right..... Roothawg, Rad****, Joemama, Curious Rash, Zeke, Jerry, Flat-Top, drgnwgn289, and Kartbreaker...... Cougardan isn't in the picture General pictures around Casa de Rad****. Thanks Guys
You boys are bad to the bone. Thats what I call getting it done! Theres not a show on tv that has anything on ya'll, hellava job!
Hey any of you Denver boys know a dude named Stacy? When I lived out there in Lakwood from 93-97 he drove a very low, very black 37' Chevy 2dr sedan....his licence plate was HOODLUM. Super nice guy.
Yep, know Stacey well...now drives a '37 Chevy coop that's done in dark primer, whitewalled slix on five spoke mags on the back and whitewalls on the front on five spokes...and pinstriped in white flames and spider webs...with a Mexican blanket interior...think his license plates still reads "Hoodlum"...his son drives a '48 Chev coop turned convertible with dark primer, whtewalls and chromed rims and cone hubcaps... Yep, nice guy...and still is!!! R-
[ QUOTE ] Yep, know Stacey well...now drives a '37 Chevy coop that's done in dark primer, whitewalled slix on five spoke mags on the back and whitewalls on the front on five spokes...and pinstriped in white flames and spider webs...with a Mexican blanket interior...think his license plates still reads "Hoodlum"...his son drives a '48 Chev coop turned convertible with dark primer, whtewalls and chromed rims and cone hubcaps... Yep, nice guy...and still is!!! R- [/ QUOTE ] Damn thats kool. I remeber Stacy's boy when he little,and know he's driving, wow. That ride sounds just like him! Tell ya what, did you ever run around with the South West Cruizers? We would cruize every Friday night from south of Englewood, through Denver, up north a tad and then end up back in LoDo. I had a black 48' Desoto on polished Americans. Small world. Hey how about another guy, he's a big *** Mexican, a bodybuilder, owns that totilla company in Denver. He drove a real colerful 51', I think, Caddy Coupe DeVille....He was another super nice dude.
[ QUOTE ] Figured it belonged here and not on a website. [/ QUOTE ] You figured right! Looks like it was a good time. Wish I coulda been there. Stude's gonna be bad***!
Hey Zeke...don't mean to hijack your post...the wagon looks good BTW...even I couldn't get that much work done in a weekend!!! 1lD-Yeah, very small world!!! Naw, never had much to do with the SW Cruzers other than go to their summer opener...and now they're back to doing it again...this is the first year in a long time they've put on the event...don't remember your DeSoto tho. Raul De la Torre...still owns the company, still has more money than I'll ever know what to do with...and a very good friend of mine as well. The Caddy-"Radillac" was wrecked about a year ago...lost a rear wheel bearing and the axle left the car at about 80 mph...tore up the rear quarter really bad...so now it getting a re-do...new 454" big block, new bodywork and paint...it'll be stellar when they get done with it...he's also got a new '40 Buick in the works. And yes, still a helluva nice guy...would give you the shirt off his back if you said you needed it! R-
[ QUOTE ] Hey Zeke...don't mean to hijack your post...the wagon looks good BTW...even I couldn't get that much work done in a weekend!!! 1lD-Yeah, very small world!!! Naw, never had much to do with the SW Cruzers other than go to their summer opener...and now they're back to doing it again...this is the first year in a long time they've put on the event...don't remember your DeSoto tho. Raul De la Torre...still owns the company, still has more money than I'll ever know what to do with...and a very good friend of mine as well. The Caddy-"Radillac" was wrecked about a year ago...lost a rear wheel bearing and the axle left the car at about 80 mph...tore up the rear quarter really bad...so now it getting a re-do...new 454" big block, new bodywork and paint...it'll be stellar when they get done with it...he's also got a new '40 Buick in the works. And yes, still a helluva nice guy...would give you the shirt off his back if you said you needed it! R- [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for the info bro! Yea Raul, super nice guy. Damn thats a bummer about his Caddy, hope him and his family were all right. I wonder if any of the guys I use to cruize with come on here? Lets see, one guy had a yellow 35' or 36' Plymouth coupe with a very bad *** little 289 in it. Theres was a guy, had long hair, Indian I believe, he drove very slick 36' Nash Lafayette. One more guy I can remember was a young dude about my age. I'm 28 now. He drove a 63' Studabaker wagon, white if I remeber right, that had Americans or Torque Thrust's on it. He worked at that big tire and wheel place in Englewood and his Dad drove a real nice Burgedy and flamed 32' 3 window. I allmost forgot about another guy, real laid back older dude that drove a little yellow 57' Devon that was scary fast.
Raul was alone at the time of the accident...no injuries. Don't know the Plymouth...the Lafayette now sports a blower and is an electric blue color...think his name is Steve(?), still does the cruises and rod runs. Young guy is Chris Gordon...still works for Performance (formerly Coys), buy all my tires/wheels from him...still has the Stude wagon...done now in base coat dull green with whitewalls and hubcaps. His Dad had his leg amputated two year or so ago becuz of diabetes...sold the burgundy 3-window, bought a yellow '34 hi-boy, sold that just after the operation and bought a very nice '54 Chevy two-door with a big block in it...had to learn how to walk and drive again but does so very well now... Haven't seen the Devon for a couple of years now...doesn't do the the events anymore....or he sold it and drives something else now that I don't know about!!! I'm gone for the evening...be back on the Hamb in the AM... R-
Thanks a ton man. That bring back alot of good car memories for me from Colorado. The old car scene out there is huge. I almost took a job transfer back about a year ago. For one the money, and two the old car people. Ya'll have a lot of good folks out there. But not enough damn oxygen! You gotta have HELLA horsepower to get a good run out at Bandimere! Thanks agin man
That's just unbelievable...! WOW! Don't know what else to say, except that's quite a post to absorb, thanks for postin' it, nice work, guys!
Pretty good Tech post. Zeke, you had a great crew for your build. It is hard to believe that much work could get done in a seek end. With that bunch, nothing is impossible. Ryan, see what you have created!!! Jim
KICK ***!!! The wagon looks great in G***er mode...and CLEVELAND POWERED??? It just don't get no better than THAT!! Excellent post, guys!!!
Great post Was looking for front end how toos on g***ers.One qustion,out back do you flip the axle or just rase up the spring mounts?? fitzee
the axle was flipped under the spring..it felt very odd to put the spring on that side...to raise a car?hummm. but this is the hamb...so you never know whats gonna happen.
Nothing to update as of yet, but there will be soon. Schools over and I have a new job so I should have some time to get back on it soon.
Man, we need something like that in Indianapolis. Kick *** work from what must be a great group of guys to get it done without bickering like a Monster House crew. I just wondered uninvited into my new neighbors pole barn tonight because I saw them working on something and it was a 1970 Mustang fastback with a 514ci twin turbo Ford and a 33 Ford 5 window steel drag car. He apparently makes custom headers and ch***is for a living. Very cool guy. Fine neigbhor...now if he'll just whip up a ch***is for that 31 Model A... bttp...You KNOW I dig g***ers so I am cheesin on this car. Great use of a stude wagon. Can't wait to see more.
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