Customs Offered a free 'car'.

My last attempts at trying to be a part of the community didn't go over all that well, and I'm hoping this build is a little closer to being HAMB'able.

Admittedly, there isn't all that much car left to this thing, but I was hoping somebody could at least help me identify it and help me decide whether or not it's worth the hefty price of 'free' (meaning that it'll sit in my backyard while I ****on up my 240z, then it'll be a M***IVE undertaking after that). On to the pics.





VIN:


(engine stamp):






There's no roof, but there is floor in some places. No interior whatsoever. There appears to be a little suspension that's still dangling from the ch***is. It's a 4dr with rear suicide doors, I didn't have time to check and see if all 4 doors are actually there. There's a rear end attached, but it's too caked with mud, grease, and grit to be able to identify. It even has the front grille!

Anybody know what this would actually be worth? I'm going to start doing some research on the flathead, I really don't know much about them at all. This particular one looks like it's gone a bit too far to be restorable, so I'm not sure what I'd end up throwing in for an engine.

ANY suggestions are very welcome, I'm just not really sure where to begin with this. Thanks in advance!

 

I've always wanted a traditional rod, but have always kept myself busy with what's on-hand (there are always late-model projects available cheaply). This is the first opportunity I've had to actually take on a 'real' project, and to be honest it's a little intimidating. I think I'm going to have to end up p***ing on this one, because I'm about to drive cross-country within the next few months to live on the East Coast again. Once I'm there and my daily driver is completely sorted out, I'll pick up a welder and a proper ch***is to start in on.

I really appreciate all the feedback, and after checking it out again (I'm really trying hard not to fall in love with this car) I'm absolutely convinced that it's a Graham. This could be the same car, if you didn't look consider the vast difference in condition:


My main concern would not be getting it running, since the suspension is mostly attached, I'd replace the struts, clean the leaf springs, and toss some inline6 motor into it (I'm very familiar with Nissan engines and SBC's, but I happen to have a spare 2.4l SOHC Nissan engine lying around, along with a 4spd for it). I haven't COMPLETELY written it off, but I'm eyeing transportation costs pretty carefully. This is what I would consider to be the perfect body shape.

I may just end up taking it, ***embling what's there to see what I'm working with, sandblast and prime everything, and when I move sell it or give it away to someone who'll finish it. It'd be a great time to just hang out with a few beers after work every day and get to work on this.

I'll see about transporting it to my house this weekend, I'm getting rid of the parts car and will have some spare garage space

 

Free is good.

 

Aww, harsh. My daily driver is a '72 Datsun 240z, I love old Nissan!

... basically, the engine is bulletproof and reliable, it produces enough power to get a car on the freeway comfortably, gets reasonable mileage, and can sound very cool with an aggressive cam. ... and it's free, since it's just lying around in my garage.

That flathead that's next to the car doesn't look like it's going to run again, so I'm just looking at what other options I have to get this moving on its own steam again. The Nissan engine is the least expensive, and requires the least amount of work, and I don't personally see a big problem with it. An engine's an engine, as long as it runs.

 

I think that "Nissan" word is a big turn off to anybody that has any pride.
I feel another running off of you coming on.

 

not this again

 

Is "Datsun" better? (I kid, I kid)

You may be right, though. Perhaps this just isn't the place for me, I'm not really one to stick to names just for the sake of names. If the manufacturer name on the valve cover actually matters, I've been going about things all wrong. Or, maybe I'm just not 'traditional' enough. That's probably it.

Either way, I'm going to have a go at it, see where it takes me, and I'll post updates here until I'm asked not to. If you'd like to read and follow along, you're welcome. If you want to offer suggestions, I'll happily listen (just be aware that I do sometimes ignore advice, and don't be offended if I do).

I'll head over and organize the parts to see what I'm working with tonight. ***uming this thread isn't closed by then, I'll post some updates and might even get it to my house and break out the die grinder and welder.

 

My $160 Nissan V6 went 195 at El Mirage. My other Nissan V6 went 231 at Bonneville. Those were at the time, what we call records. It's an engine. It didn't know where it came from. And it became quite Americanized in the process. But I would want more inches in that Graham if it was mine.

 

Its not that they are POS, ive personaly never worked on one to know either way. Its that this is a traditional site and its not traditional. For example I love old honda motorcycles but I dont post about them here because its not traditional, I go to the honda forums for them. So good luck with the car if you decide to build it, just dont get offended when you get **** for postsing about nontraditional motors here.

 

Four decades ago, a hotrodder in Tulsa, OK drove around in a '40 Ford coupe, powered by a (gasp!) Jaguar engine. He was not some young kid, either. In other words, he had paid his dues and had some respect from other hot rodders. Would that be allowed here on the HAMB, or would the 14-yr-old "word police" jump all over it as if they actually knew something about automobiles? If someone wants to put a Nissan engine in a Graham, more power to 'em. As has been mentioned already (Grumpy Jenkins even said it years ago), an engine has no idea what name is on the valve covers.

 

Well, it's free. And if somethings free, you're just about obligated to take it. Particularly if it relates to old *** cars.
And as for the nissan motor, who gives a ****? Do what you want, it's your car, and it certainly will be kustom.

 

In the fiftys I went to half Moon Bay Drags pretty regularly. There was a older guy who ran in C/StR with a Jag powered 32 roadster. I thought it was a lovely motor and the twin overhead cams really grabed my attention when pushrod engines were still pretty new stuff. So I say Jag sixes are traditional. Nissans, maybe not. Still I have a soft spot for anything of mine that went 200. And I did say I would want more inches in a Graham. Which reads USA

 

I'm not hot for Nissan motors either, but it's your dune buggy. I think as long as you kept it under a full hood no one would know the difference.

I'd go for a slant six/T-5 combo in that myself, so I'm as sick as the next guy, I guess.

 

Awesome.

We are debating Traditional Japanese Hot Rod engines again....