What have you built a car 'Around' ?

i hear stories all the time. like "i found this cool old shift knob and it turned into a car" or "this engine just HAD to go in a .....".

me, i have a set of chrome 5 spokes with WWW Big N littles that i bought about 4 yeas ago that are just SCREAMING to have an early '60s style coupe/roadster/show rod built around them...i just cant make up my mind...

 

I started with an 8BA flathead...............then a stock Model A frame..............wheels and tires.........................then a 31 Coupe body.....................quick change.....................
different wheels and tires.............................C4...................tripower...................then to a blower...................


http://groups.msn.com/FordFlathead1932to1953/cobraschopped31av85window.msnw

 

I built "Cassi" around a '24 Nash cowl and windshield posts that I bought unrecognized in the '60s for $10.00 at a swap meet and stored at my best friend's until a few years ago. Found out what it was at Harrah's sometime in the seventies.

 

That is a sweet lookin' car Old6rodder!

-John

 

I built a hemi powered 50 ford around an old McBar adapter plate from a 331 hemi to a ford transmission.

 

i have an 29 model A cowl .....and now 29 business coupe quarter panels and an stock hood.....so i`ve to build a nice coupe. so i`ve 4 steel wheels from my budys 55 chevy with old WWW. framerails and crossmember layin`around . let`s see what i do with all that things..

 

...my buddy built a 48 Ford pickup cuz he already had the fender shirts,...
oddly the skirts were kinda universal ! ...now those skirts are on a 48 Ford panel truck that he owns.

...old6rodder, can we see or get more info on your car?...it's cool.

 

My pocket book. Thats why she's never going to be finished ?

 

It's all about the FOG LIGHTS,,,,and that's the truth,,,I've had them for a loooong time and that's what the truck was built around,

Or in this case behind. HRP

 

Building my '57 Chevy 150 dr wagon gasser around a set of fiberglass front fenders I got at the Charlotte Autofest for $80.

Before going full-bore loony, the plan was to paint it the factory black and white, white steel wheels, full stock interior, and build the 283 with 2x4 and vette valve covers.

I had the 409 in the shop, but no plans for it. I also had a slick-shift Hemi 4spd with GM input shaft, but no plans for it.

When i found the fenders, and got them for less than half what the guy was asking, it all fell together.

The car now has a 12-point cage, fully adjustable leaf link rear suspension with Mopar 8 3/4 rear, and fiberglass doors, a lift-off fiberglass hood and a pair of A-100 dodge van seats. The 409 is being built by Lamar Walden, and I'm ignoring the rest of it until I dig up a little more motivation.

-Brad
-Brad

 

Well my car isn't built yet but I have a handlr from an old powertool called an "Alligator". My brother actually gave it to me, and it is similar to a pistol grip, and on the side it says "Alligator". So that is what I am basing my 26/27 T roadster on. It is going to be loooow, and a dark metallic green. Hence, the Alligator.

 

Started my F-1 because I found a perfect passenger side lower front fender at Chickasha for $5.00, 16 years ago.

 

Great question that should get some interesting replies. Dad bought a Harley 45 new in 1937 and I desided I wanted one just like it about 15 years ago. Couldn't afford one, even a basket case, so stepped up and bought a correct '37 rear fender. Took the better part of 10 years to buy all the other correct bits one at a time.

 

my ol' ladys opinions

 

Building my tudor around an idea. No parts, just an idea

 

2x2 intake manifold for a 259 Stude motor

found the intake manifold at the Monroe swap meet
stuck it on my rust bucket Lark 2dr wagon,
drove it like that for a few months
sold my hot rod and had to have another

built the T to take the Stude motor

 

'52 flathead was the starting point then it all snowballed around it. now i have a 28 ford pickup project based "around" the flatty.

 

I'm building my '30 tudor around a Tattersfield intake for a Plymouth flat 6.

 

I started with a rough cab......but when I found the taillights and artillery wheels, I built my PU around those items. The rough cab kinda "fits" in with the "theme".....

 

I love these answers, some great comments here.

I'm usually a bit embarassed when explaining Cassi's start, but there're more like'er than I thought. Guess I'll be a tad less abashed in the future.


Rusty1, the underlined names in my sig are links to their photo albums, just tap on'em.

 

Well, I'm still in the parts collection phase, but I'm building my Model A around a '58 WA Lic. plate that was given to me. I had it hanging in my garage for years, then I started to think about it a little. 1958 IMO was perhaps the peak of what we now call traditional hot rods. Before street rods or show rods. Before the wacky Roth inspired 60's stuff, and before the muscle car forever changed hot rodding.

In '58, the last early Hemi came out, the Ford 9" was out, Buick drums were available. The '56 F100 steering box, and cool S&W gauges were available. And the list goes on. All of these elements are going in to my ride. While I can't run with the '58 plate since it's not a "Year of Manufacture" I can slap it on during shows and stuff.

 

A pile of rust and a mind of dreams....

 

I built the Whiskey Ridge Special around a 153 Chevy II 4 cyl that I pulled out of a '69 Nova in about 1975 or so. It was gonna go in a '31 Vicky but it got a 327 instead. After that I gradually collected a lot of odds and ends to start on it in 2000. That's a long time for a concept to grow.

Charlie

 

I've got a 401 that once I finish building it I will put a 30-31 roadster hi-boy around it.

 

i got a gold flake wheel from a swap meet ,then had to get a car to put it on ,then i found my caddy & built a bellflower car with a gold flaked roof

 

eldebrok crossram manifold for a small block ford. Was looking at a 61 falcon to put under it, but instead started to collect parts for a 1938 Ford pickup hot rod.

Jim H

 

Started with a '33-'34 Plymouth cowl. Should be done next year.

 

I started with a set of side trim. Then a grill, then tailights, then a motor and trans. And then finally came the car.

 

Von Franco built his Lightnin' Bug clone around the original headers... the whole story is on the Mad Fabricators dvd "The Car That Ate my Brain" too cool...

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I'm building mine around false hopes and big dreams.