A small hot rod adventure from chilly Finland

At last fall my bro heard about guy who was sick and tired of his '29 tudor project and he was thinking to let it go.At yesterday me and my bro went to check it out.My bro bought it and we picked up some parts that were included in the deal.And today was the pick up day for the car.

I asked my bro that are you going to borrow a trailer or something?
"Nope,i'll drive it home" was the answer.
That car was driven last time 2 yrs ago and even the previous owner wasnt sure
are the brakes stuck or how it runs.
Well,he knew that there was some problems with the piston rings and it smoked a bit and the weather was chilly too(around 0 in celsius,32 in fahrenheits)
I asked again that are you sure you want to drive it?
"Yep".
Thats true kamikaze spirit,my bro has been pulling stunts like this always.
He only changed the oils,put a charged battery and filled it with fresh gasoline.And put the the temporary transport stickers on too,so the ride was completely legal.
We can get those stickers from vehicle inspection offices in here.They are good have when transporting a ***led,but non inspected vehicles.



Here it is,the oil changing operation is done.And yes that Nuffield tractor grille shell is hideous,my bro agreed with me about that.



The grille shell is hideous in the daylight too.The body work is rough,seats are from wooden chair.Just things that i dont get it.But i see a lot of potential in this car.



And with potential i mean things like this.Rocket power!

 

That grill's not THAT bad. Maybe trim some metal off and lower it a little. Lot's of potential over all. But I have to ask, what's the reason for that alternator bracket?

 

We decided to drive to my bro's home via salt free country roads.
It took more time,but i think its better fix possible technical issues at the side of the quiet country road than at the side of crowded highways.



I followed my bro with his van and snap few pics.I couldnt stop laughing myself,when i saw the peoples WTF looks on their faces when they saw this really loud hell on wheels on the road.



Race is on to the next lights...



"****,we need more transfluids!"
So far,so good.Nothing bigger issues than this.Next issue was when my bro ran out of gas.While i was buying more gas few miles away at the nearest gas station,4 cars stopped and asked do you need any help.That wont never happen when you are on road with newer daily driver in here.



Waking up the neighborhood in my hometown...

 

Well,i guess my bro will sell it to some Nuffield enthuasist.
And the alternator bracket,i have no idea.I think its on my bros to do-list too.



More country roads,almost there...



We made it.It definitely needs some updating,but its in the new home and in one piece after 45 miles ride.



My bro put in his warehouse/garage number 2.I think he will start messing with it when he got more room from the garage number 1.
Well,it wasnt a really long journey.But cool way to spend your saturday anyway.I guess peoples reactions were surprising too,lot people gave thumbs up instead of giving a finger,when they saw some old iron on the road.

 

Driving home in an unknown car, sounds like something I would do. Good for you! I bought a 1963 Plymouth Valiant 4 years ago. I flew in and drove it 800 miles home. There was only 26k miles on it at the time. No guts no glory.

 

A adventure you and your bro will talk about for years and laugh that you did it.

 

About that alt. mounting. This is really kind of cool, a lot of work ahead but still cool.

 

Nice start and a quick roadtrip to boot! Looks FUN!

 

Hey finnrodder. Why no snow in Finland in February? Was my grandpa lying to me when he said Finland in the winter was like Michigan's UP?

 

Good story thanks for sharing, plenty of potential with that Tudor

 

No,he wasnt.I have never been in Michigan(only in Florida few times),but i've heard the weather and landscape is pretty much same than its in here.I guess thats reason why finns immigrated in your neighborhood.This winter was cold,but short at this year.Usually we have a lot of that white **** on the ground at this time of year.I think the winter keeps on going in the northern parts of this country.
Btw.Today was the first day of this year that we are allowed to drive ours cars without winter tires.So no fear for getting tickets because of tires

 

Cool Antti! Love the valve covers . . . looks loud.
Lots of potential.

 

Grill not so bad. You should see the HIDEOUS one in USA Rat Rodders. Good save of car, was fun to cruise loud and low?

 

I love this car, including the grill & backwards alternator! Very unique, not a belly ****on car.

 

Thumbs up from northern Finland, and no we have no snow or minus temp either in the normal manner. Seems to be a weak winter but I don't mind. Both tudor and you guys reflect some at***ude with that journey. Nice.

 

Real nice ride----what engine is that?? Sorry, I don't recognize it.

 

That's a great story. I once went to Ohio and picked up a 52 Packard that hadn't run for 5 years and after two days of work, drove it to San Diego. alittle over 2ooo miles.
I dig the radiator shell and if the alternator works, what the heck, its not common.
That shell gives it a sinister eye brow look. Its cool.

 

Cool journey and cooler photos !! I`m also really happy of lacking that white thing this winter..Anyway looking forward to see pics and stories from upcoming adventures !!!

 

Looks like a fun ride..tractor grill really belongs on tractor JMHO. HRP

 

I really like the alternator bracket ! Cool car !

 

I went back and looked at the alternator bracket and then noticed the alternator is mounted backwards from the norm,,interesting. HRP

 

Its Olds 324 rocket.There was Olds 303 rocket motor included in the deal.
I was hauling the extra motor with my bros van,when he was driving the tudor.
Anyway,he is pretty thrilled because of this deal.He have owned us made cars before,mostly GM products but this is his first hot rod.
And yes,he loved riding it low & loud

 

Can't really tell too well from the pix but the cooling fins on that 10si look like they're for CCW rotation in order to get the normal back to front airflow.

Jack E/NJ

 

Looks like a fun ride and a cool project. Good way to spend a day. I spent mine shovelling white stuff.

 

Yeah,you just cant win always,Andrew

 

You sick *******s...

 

Very nice, looks like you and the bro will be busy.
Looks like another fun project.
Looking forward to seeing progress on this one.

 

Cool trip, awesome ride, thanks for sharing.

This reminds me of my trips driving some of my imported cars from harbour to my home time, each 160 miles trips. The first one, 1948 Dodge on my avatar, I drove home JKL CEF (CEntral Finland) from Port of Kotka in April 2006. The car was "yard driveable" acc. to the seller in Illinois. It was unloaded in January, temp 0F in Kotka. We just towed it 10 miles to my buddys back yard and left it sit there 3 months until snow melted and roads dried.

Then one fine day in mid April I hitch hiked there, hooked fresh battery, checked fluids, filled her up and crossed my fingers. She fired up and ran so-and-so. Brakes held so-and-so after pumping 3-4 times. Tires were 20 yrs old bias ply, badly dry rotted. Acc. to amp meter the generator was not completely dead yet. Thus all systems were GO! (?)

Now you need to notice I was there alone, no whatsoever back up, but cel phone for emergency, bag full of tools and a flashlight. It was 5PM and sun was setting. I started for home, 160 miles ahead.

First 40-50 miles I was nervous, listened every squeek and rattle, and there were quite a few of them. Police stopped me once, ve-ery su****ious, but my paper work was acc. to the law and all the lights were burning (not bright, but hey..), thus they let me carry on.

The darkness fell and I relaxed a bit, over the half way, no major problems, only oil pressure had vanished some where down the road.
Then the engine started to cough bad. Sputtle, bang and she died out. I pulled on road side. Traffic was heavy and big trucks p***ing by every now and then. On the light of the flashlight I noticed, that fuel filter was full of brown gunk. Blessed thing had sight gl*** between the end plates. I pulled the float chamber cover and same gunk there too. I cleaned the fuel filter, carburetter float chamber and all the jets. The car fired up and ran better than when I started from Kotka. Drove 15 miles and same thing all over. Obviously new gas and vibrations had drove the rust dust off from the tank to the fuel lines. I ended up dismantling the carbutetter four times during that night on the road. It was way past midnight when I made it home. Generator gave up some 20 miles before home, thus I drove the last miles with lights off. Kind of pissed off and dead tired - BUT in the morning when I woke up and looked to my drive way with the fat fender Dodge there I felt like a KING.

P.s.
Only two yrs later I found out that the oil pressure was lost due to one bad main bearing. The 230 flat head did not mind low pressure or one ****ty main, just kept on pulling. After I mended it she has held steady 40lbs like a good girl.

There are other similar stories with 1951 Nash with leaking fuel pump and blocked radiator, 1961 Cadillac with stucked brakes and rotten floors (gas pedal fel through) and 1960 Biscayne with dead generator...
Some of my friends or collegues ask me why do I do this instead of towing or hiring a trailer. Well, why do I mess with 60 odd years old cars in the first place. Driving Toyota safely is reasonable but nothing much to think back.

p.p.s.
do intention to hi-jack the thread, but similar stories woudl be interesting to hear...

 

Well,i guess we are just an amateurs,it feels like that after reading that cool story.The saying "Its not the destination,but the journey" is so true.
My bro is on hamb too,but he is just lurking here.So i dont know is going to post any progress pics of the project or starting a build thread,but maybe i'll post a spy pics now and then.We'll see.
Thanks everyone for your comments!

 

Good find for your Bro. The tractor grill shell is not that bad, if your bro has any of your talent he should be able to do some mods that will improve it's appearance. Alternators don't know or carewhat direction they are running, most likely a clearance issue. I'm so sick of snow this year, coldest winter in 25yrs.