Any First time hot rodders???? Questions???

Just wondered how many of you out there are "virgins". Everyone starts somewhere... What are you working on, what are your questions? The HAMB has a WEALTH of info to share... don't be shy, what do ya need to know that most veterans take for granted? Stitch

 

I'm a virgin.....three times!!!

 

thank you, thank you, thank you!!! what the hell exactly does the term ''SUICIDE FRONT END'' mean!!!! on an early '30's style car also ''z'd'' rear end versus "kicked up" rear end, "hair pin" versus "i can't remember the other term" i am a kustom guy slowly entering the rod world...thanks for the topic AND the info...KEN

 

Suicide front.... basically a spring mounted behind the axle.... ala a T-bucket.

Z'ed and kicked up are the same.... meaning you've taken the frame rail and stepped it up to the spring mounting area.... as per pic...

 

do all early updraft carbs like to puke fuel? or just the ones ive been messing with?

trey

 

............


great, thank you, BUT, to add more ?'s... i now understand the suicide front end, but what other terms/styles for front ends are there??? "generally speaking" for -our- style of cars, and z-ing i see can be done to the front AND rear end?? per your picture?!?! oh and the other in the previous question..."hairpin versus radius rod" or am i in over my head??? again thank you this may seem over gratitude, but i was just unsure how to ask ALL these ?'s in one topic!!!...KEN

 

oh yeah I got a question to end all! Ok so I picked up this 51 chevy 4 door a month or so ago from a guy who decided he wanted to make it a "roadster". So after he drank 1 too many beers he sawzalled the roof off! not a problem its still a cool car minus the roof and will look good...BUT! How do I fix his mistakes ? mainly the section behind the door has way too much metal removed..and the front window has enough metal left I think to make it work. Here are some pics. Anyone want to give me some ideas of where to start?

 

Hairpin....

 

My version of a suicide front end is when the axle is mounted out in front of the frame, so in the event that you had a spring fail (break) The frame would hit the ground instead of landing on the axle. (your screwed)

 

drunkntit.....when making a car a convertable that is not one think how the factory would have done it. In otherwords make it flow.

For the doors where he cut the posts off. The easy way would be to find a junk car just like yours and cut pieces off of it to cap the post area.

For the back maybe you could make a tonnue (spell?) that would snap on....easy way out. The hard way would be to continue the shape of the top of the doors the whole way around. Maybe use round tubing.

For the front try using some half inch square tubing it forms easily and will add a little structure to it.
Clark

 

Im a first timer.
Over the past year I have been looking at traditional 50's style hot rods more and more.

Im addicted.

I am currently working with my dad on his dad 34 Ford 3 window which we are making into an all steel resto rod.

I love working on hot rods or any car for that matter.

My question is: Where can i get a car or truck from the late 20's, 30's that i can use to build on my own with my own ideas?

I know that is going to be pretty tough, but that what this thread is for, correct?

 

drunkntit? nice! I smell a name change. Thanks for the insight I think I will go the hard way and try the tubing.

 

My wife just dragged home a 1989 Buick Skylark. Its an automatic.

I've never had an automatic in the family before....at least not one that has survived being stripped for parts.

WHAT DO I DO?

(by the way, this is a cool post!)

For the guy with the top lopped off, I think tubing around the cockpit and a removeable carson top would be cool as hell.

At least thats what I would do.

....btw...I've already threatened to turn the Skylark into a hoopty DUNEBUGGY.

 

yup so im new to all this, but i what to learn. I just bought a 54 chevy 2dr sedan running and driving but needs body work. so my ?s are
nosed?
decked?
frenched?

 

How do you calculate the amount of Z on your frame in relation to the hight of your body? Then how do you cut out of the fender wells w/o trial and error.
I see alot of lowboys and I am puzzled about the dementions.

 

first timer , really my ?'s is rather model A roadster or 38' to 48' ford coupe dun up in some sort of custom. i have posted this question but only 1 reply, i know it is ultimately up to me but i like to hear from others or suggestions on what i should go with any help greatly appreciated.

 

drunkentat2, you could trim the tops of the doors down to where the stainless trim mounts like the rear is. The other option is to bend some conduit to match the shape of the rear of the car. You could build yourself a plywood form to bend the tubing around or do it freehand around a large tree or something. You could also use the proper conduit bending thingy. I think its called a hicky. You could even rent one. If you use a hicky, you will have to make very small bends around the entire radius in order to keep it from looking notchy and uneven. I think 1 1/4 should give you the right radius to match the curved areas above the doors. Conduit is galvanized (at least I've never seen non-galvanized steel conduit. If it exists, use that) so you will want to wear a respirator while you weld it or it can make you really sick. They call it "welders fever" and from what I hear, it really sucks so protect yourself.

 

Mostly you see Z ing the frame on hot rods. Those cars running no fenders.
Generally it's better to "mock up" a mod than to calculate on paper. For example, take off a wheel, block it up in the desired position in the fender. Then take measurements. With everything in front of you in 3 dimensions, you have a better chance of seeing any other potential clearance problems.

What kind of car?

Well, alot of the hobby is trial and error for the amateur.

 

Nosed: to remove and fill the trim and/or emblems from the hood of the car.
Decked: to remove and fill the trim and/or emblems from the trunk or deck lid of the car
Frenched: to sink a particular part of the car (usually headlights, taillights and anttena) into a recess. The recess, or tunnel, could be made of a simple piece of tubing for an antenna or could be as elaborate as multiple pieces of formed sheet metal for certain taillight applications. You could think of these things as being sunken into the surrounding sheetmetal.

 

Okay,

I love rods, and have worked on several, but have not personally owned any car older than 1962.

Here's the question:

I'm collecting parts for my '29 A project, and have a '56 265 smallblock that was running when it was pulled, disassembled, greased and plastic-bagged. I'm pretty sure from the look of it that it's never even been rebuilt. I know that there are oiling issues to be dealt with (rear cam bearings?) but what's a good, fairly period setup to run on an early Chevy V-8 like this?

I'm inclined not to run three twos, because everbody and his brother seems to go that route, so I'm really thinking an early single or dual quad setup, a valve grind, and a solid lifter cam that'll make it idle like a conga band, but should give me good nuts up above 3,800 rpm.

So, what's your ultimate build for an early, small-displacement smallblock?

Dave

 

In my opinion, in general, a hot rod (model A roadster) takes more of an engineering talent and a custom takes more of a metalshapers talent. Now again, this is just in general. I know that they tend to meld together sometimes, but I would pick the type of car in which you have the most talent that could be applied toward it's construction.

 

thank you i believe you have answered my question that i has been beatin' me up.

 

36-3 window has answered an important ?. now my next ? is on chopping 38'to 48' ford coupes, what is the standard for a chop and if possible any pics

 

I'm in the process of building my first rod. I don't want any part on the car newer than 1960. So far I've accumulated an A frame, a steel '23 T bucket body, a banjo rear end with torque tube and wishbones and a 1940? front end, Juice brakes and a 59AB flathead that needs to be rebuilt. My biggest problem is that I don't know how to set the car at ride height when I don't have the engine mounted and any other weight on the car. I'm planning on kicking up the rear, but not sure by how much. I'd like to keep the torque tube and wishbone rear end set up due to the simplicity and low cost, but I need to figure out how to shorten the torque tube. Also, I'm trying to figure out how to mount the front suspension that I have that will give me an "in the weeds stance"

Thanks

 

Just another rookie/noob/fng'r checking in.
I got more questions than anyone has time to answer. Im just gonna sit back and watch/learn.
But I do want to say. I have learned lot from just lurking here. Ive come away with alot of cool ideas.

This place is amazing!!

 

here is a cool front suspension from zipper motors. It is front half springs off the front of the frame.

 

I lied I do have a burning question..

How do you turn this rusted up metal to something that is useable.



Thanks!

 

Well, I bought my first hotrod project in Feb. of last year. I bought a 41 Ford pickup that was pretty much shot! I just wanted the running gear and front axle assembly. The guy is a buddy of the family's so I told him to keep the body (cab was junk but the bed wasn't too bad. I gave the rotten frame to my grandpa (it was REALLY bad). I'll be dag goned if he didn't take that rotten frame, shorten it, set it up with everything and now he calls it his "rat rod". I know that term isn't liked....

I also got a 35-40 frame off of the same guy. He had already cut some pcs. with his plasma to patch it up. It's a really nice frame, except for the usual rot where it starts to kick up in the rear.

I bought a 59ab off of a guy. This is an engine that my grandpa and a buddy went to MI and bought brand new in the crate. They bought two. Grandpa got one and his buddy put one in a 33 sedan. The guy sold the sedan and the next guy wanted a 33 motor back in it. He took it out and is has sat for about 10-15 years. This motor is sitting in the 35-40 frame pert ner ready to fire. As a matter of fact, I need to get me some fuel line and I'll probably fire it tonight or tomorrow. This enigine has less than a 1000 miles on it (it was a short-block). That's why I bough it. How often can you buy a brand new engine?

I also picked up a model A frame a few weeks back. I really want an A roadster. But, I have several different avenues I can take; anthing model A and anything 35-40.

Now the hard part. I don't have any bodies!!!! I have contacted close to 80 guys in the last 2-3 months, chasing down leads. I have found lot's of high prices, too far away, not for sale or junk over a creek bank. But, I'll keep looking. I may break down and just buy a new Brookville body. I have a guy checking on getting me a Brookville for about 1/2 if I will work on 2nds.

I just bougt a Merc motor this past weekend...
I have several columns....
I have about 20 carbs, some extra rear ends and front axles, 4 8ba engines that were in a flood, just a bunch of mechanicals but no tin....

You'll probably hear me talk about my grandpa a lot! He's been an old time hotrodder since he got home from WWII. He know's a lot about flatheads and old Fords, but sometimes his ways are crude- but it works and saves money.

I just built a new garage last summer. I love it! I finally have a place to get away and a place I can leave my stuff scattered all over.

I think my website and my webshots are linked if you want to look.

The HAMB is great!! I love the techs. BTW, that is something I have wondered. I have seen some great techs posted in the general forum but they never make it to the tech section. What is the criteria to make it there?

 

That'd be a lot nights in the shop blasting, welding and metal finishing but any 29 A would make a good ride.

On the guy with the 265: I got tired of solid lifter cams on the street a long time ago but thats just me. if you like to adj valves or want real high revs get one, otherwise there are lots of good hydraulic cams that'll pull hard and lope good at idle without maintenance. If you don't like three deuces how about four. They always get attention. Get a uni-syn and figure out how to use it. Dual quads are just kinda big and lumpy looking on a small block, in my opinion.

Zee'ing the frame front and back or just front is done to lower the car, obviously. It's easiest done on these early Ford-type suspensions with the sideways buggy springs, otherwise you'd get into interference and geometry problems with spring mounts/shackles/four bars or what have you on other setups. The easy and quick way to lower the nose on an old Ford is with a drop axle, keeping in mind tire bounce/fender clearance, if you run fenders. Of course, you can't drop the drive axle so zeeing up the back is a common way to bring down the back of a hotrod. Mind that all this brings the center of the car down so pay attention to ground clearance as you lay it out.

 

My '39 Chevy pick-up is my first rod. I've played with muscle cars, road race cars, done a little bit of wrenching on all sorts of stuff, but never a rod before. I'm not really a strict traditionalist (partially out of ignorance, since I'm a little too young to remember how things used to be), so I'm not going to talk too much about putting modern AC in my truck or things like that, but I'm learning alot from this board. I'm a crap fabricator, with a lousy shop to work in, so it's inspiring to see others building something-out-of-nothing, instead of buying shit out of magazines. Hopefully the truck will end up being a reliable daily-driver, heavily influenced by the traditional style.