If it's any use to you guys, my 28 tudor hiboy is RHD and steers great.... tight and light. I used a 57 VW Kombi steering box (reversed), a 40 wheel bolts straight on. It's all very tight and took a bit of nutting out, but I can run 60mph with just a couple of fingers on the steering wheel. I had to ream the pitman arm a little for the Ford tierod end.
Mike since you started this I have searched and asked every old rodder I know or meet and you are right mid 50s seems to be the start here By the way thanks I find this subject interesting and will follow your build and others here with great interest X38 Did not know that wow 75,000 better football finals Colin
X38, I might be wrong but I think Maroubra was a board speedway. It still existed in the 1930's and my father lived not far away. Rockabilly, I'd love to use that but our registration rules require a collapsible column of some kind. I'm hoping a pair if uni joints will do it. The hard part will be disguising the front one. Mike.
Actually no, we don't have to have a collapsible column if it is further than i think 450mm from the edge of the forward most crossmember. So side steer with a straight column is allowed.
Nick, even with side steer on the T bucket in my avatar I still needed a collapsible column. NSW rules are fairly tough. Mike.
Nick, we had a lot of changes a couple of years ago. The RTA changed all the engineers accreditation and have introduced some new rules for modified cars. It virtually stopped hot rod building for a while. The changes mean my 1929 Chev tourer is registered on the old system but if I let the registration run out for 90 days I will need to have it re-engineered. The problem with that is the wood frame body will never pass the new system so it will need a total rebuild. It does look like we are getting close to accepting national guidelines here soon so that will be better. At least all Australia should be the same. Mike.
It was concrete. Just did a quick Google and this was first up (very interesting): Other old racers in Sydney BITD: Read the sign!!!
nice work looks good I am using a rhd model b steering box with a 40 ford pickup column, looks like you have more clearance than me
X38, wow. I stand corrected. Thanks for the info. Some of those cars are the pre hot rods we have been talking about. Did you notice the front end on the Model T In the third last pic? Thanks for the info. Mike.
Just to correct you on the brown car above, it actually has two Torana unis under the dash, at an extreme angle, and is the worst steering setup I have ever seen, or driven..it has nearly a full turn of bump steer through the suspension travel, and is unsafe at any speed. gave the owner a report to this statement. Cowl steering can work well.. If some basic geometry and design principles are stuck to . Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Would that car be from Ballarat ? I think I know who owns it and who built it (then I may be wrong) and if so it is scary to think it is on the road.
That is disappointing I did not look under the dash as you said cowl steering can work well I have seen and driven a good 1 I hope he get it sorted
This '32 roadster is the subject of an in depth article in Hot Rodding International, issue 4. It is obviously registered in Victoria therefore has been inspected by an Engineer there. If it was dangerous I'm sure it would never have been passed for registration. I did not start this thread to provide a platform for criticism of cars that already have been built, it was started to see if anyone has any info about possible Aussie hotrods in the 1940's. Mike.
Colin, that's exactly what it is. I'll bet none of the early cars steered really well. They couldn't given the parts and tyres (tires for you Americans) they had to use. I'm not expecting my Model A to steer perfectly. We get it very easy with modern daily driver cars that almost drive themselves. Mike.
Don't aim low. You can have perfectly good steering if set up correctly. Parts get the blame too quickly. People put parts together and unfortunately not everyone knows what they're doing or gets it right.
As I said before, my A steers and handles fine with side steer and cross ply tyres. I dont buy the "old rods dont steer or handle well" thing, it's all in getting the geometry right. Sure it doesn't ride like my Falcon, but it steers just as well.
I have seen and heard some Engineers testing to extremes and I mean to break parts so if it has passed that and being driven. It shows it works even if some may doubt how it has been done. I could tell you about an A Coupe that was tested so hard that the owner took up the issue with Vic Roads Engineering here as it was driven like it was to be used as an off road vehicle. Last I heard from the owner it may have become a legal issue. On another note you can buy brand new Torana steering universals now and many Engineers ask for them to be used and not old ones from a wreck. Good point. Topic should not go off topic.
Sorry to steer this away from the original topic, I guess my point is that original steering geometry is generally very close to geometric correctness , and the bigger the mishmash of compo entry the bigger the chance a poor steering car. The best steering Hotrods I've ever driven have early ford steering boxes, and straight columns. Stick to that, and you have a fair chance of a fine driving car. one point on the brown car, it was never legally registered or engineered before I inspected it..bolting plates on for a photo shoot doesn't count. The new owner wanted to fully register it, my engineer and myself rejected the steering and recommended moving the steering box the rail, and running a direct straight column. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Sometimes it's good to just do cosmetic easy stuff. I know I should be setting up the rear axle so I can measure the drive shaft but this was easier. The repro F1 shock mounts and headlight stands are swap meet So-Cal parts. They will be painted later. Seems like a waste but they were very cheap so it doesn't matter. The shocks will be replaced with painted units. The lower fixing point for the shock mount is a piece of round bar drilled, tapped and tacked to the bottom of the chassis. I will weld it properly and gusset it when I turn the chassis over again. I know the Tardell roadster has the mounts cut and welded so they can be bolted through the chassis but this just looked right when I was mocking it up. The sharp eyed among you will notice the Mallory distributor. I make no apologies for this. It looks like a later dizzy with the crab cap and if I paint the body of it it will be hard to pick it. I've used Mallory for over 30 years and never been let down yet so I'll stick with it. I'll also have to make the radiator and shell fit more in the centre. This is using the original holes in the crossmember.
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