Projects Hemi-Powered Model A Build Thread

We have a few projects going on at Honest Charley Garage at the moment, and this Model A is really the only current project that is HAMB-friendly. It's a pretty cool car, and the owner basically just started with a body, which had been chopped years ago. He bought a rolling ch***is (with Deuce rails) from Honest Charley Speed Shop and gave us the go-ahead to get started on the build. He plans to do the final bodywork and paint at home, so we're going to get it to that point and turn it loose. Not sure on wheel and tire combination yet, but the car is looking good so far. Check it out...


This is what we got when the owner dropped off the goods.


Body looked pretty good at a glance, but it's had lots of patch panels....cowl, lower door patches, lower quarters.


Whoever chopped it did a decent job and they definitely got the amount of chop right. Should make for a fairly comfortable driver, but it's still low enough to look killer.


The firewall needs to be reversed to fit the Hemi, so that's one of the first things on the list, in terms of body modifications.


More stuff that needs replaced...


The old mud is turning loose on the deck lid.


'32 rolling ch***is up on the table...doesn't need much to be ready to go.


Rear end is mocked up at ride height.


A closer look....


More rear end action.


Early Hemi (not sure which displacement it is) mocked up with GM transmission.


Front suspension going together.


Motor mounts are tacked in.


Inside the body...


HEMI

 

Nice start to a killer project!

 

Damn nice start!!!

 

off to such a good start, it cant be anything but bad***! 392 is freakin' huge!

 

Body on ch***is....


Ick...


Firewall has been cut out, flipped and modified to contain the big Hemi.


Looking good...


Another look.


And another.


Making a new trans tunnel and floor pan....by the way, Richard broke his wrist trying to hand-crank a 1911 Mercer. He gets points for that...


Making sparks...


Ready for final t******* and installation!


Turned out pretty good...we'll be riveting the floor pans into place, rather than welding. Greg Cunningham (boss man) is a big fan of using old school rivets.


Setting up the steering and mounting the box. Tack welding the mount with the MIG.


Finish welding the mount with the Tig...


Finished floors.

 

S**** pile...


Rear portion of the body is braced and ready for new sheet metal. Needs a new rear pan, rear corners, lower quarters and tubs.


Cutting stuff...


We'll have to make a patch for this area of the quarter panel.


Rolling the body bead into the patch panel.


Cutting corners....?


Fitting the corner patches...these did not fit very well. Beads were not aligned perfectly, so it made for extra work.


Tack welding...


Moving on to the other side.


Rolling a new bead in the rear corner patch. Beads were WAY off.


Fitting more sheet metal.

 

This 4x2 custom built aluminum intake with Stromberg 97s would great on the Hemi..It has vacuum outlet in rear and water cross over oulet in the from of flange..
Duane.
ps.. That is one *****en coupe..

 

Frame is stepped in in the back....what's the plans for tires back there?

M&H with mags? (subliminal suggestion)

 

Man, that intake is killer. Anytime you have more than one carburetor on an early Hemi, it's a good thing.

 

I'm not totally sure what he wants to do for wheels and tires. Hal set up the suspension and ride height for a 30-inch tall tire, so I'm ***uming he'll be running a big pair of cheater slicks, like the Firestone Dragsters from Coker. We'll see. I'd personally love to see this thing with a set of 16-inch E-T's on it....also can't go wrong with big window Halibrands. Anyway....

 

Pretty nice lookin where did you get those rear quarter patches, I need to get some for my coupe.

 

Looking really good!! It's a shame you have to modify the corner patches to fit though. That HEMI looks *****in', (ESP if you convince the owner to buy that intake!!)

 

A great looking project !

 

really nice work on this car i like the hemi

 

looking forward to more on this build!

 

More progress on the body panels...also getting the firewall straightened out.

 

After the ch***is got back from powder coating, Hal re***embled it.

 

awesome work. cant wait to see how it turns out. subscribed!

 

i realy like to watch that build

 

This is one awesome build, keep the good work!

 

Ch***is is up and rolling....

 

Great looking ride.

With those open headers, it's going to sound like a dragster. I have my 354 hemi running right now with no mufflers (it's not on the road yet) and it's LOUD.

I want my next project to be just like this one.

 

That's the car I wanted to build in HS -- back when we had several 354's retired from the irrigation stand

Yeah, it was that long ago

 

Awesome work

 

What an awesome build,i am going to watch this one!

 

Very nice. Is the gas tank fabbed or purchased? If the latter, where did you get it?

 

The tank is purchased. It's from Tanks, Inc....pretty nice piece.