30 Roadster on Duece Rails Project-It begins

I am going to use the stock 32 tank in the rear of the frame. I have been checking out a lot A's with 32 tanks to get some ideas and to figure out what I want to do. I also wanted to do something so it looks like the rear of the body was made for the tank back there.

I decided to do a mini sectioning of the rear corners of the quarter panels to follow the profile of the tank. We took about 3 inches out above the lower body line, moved everything up and welded it back on so the lower body line runs along the top of the tank. Also the panel below the decklid was sectioned about 3 inches. I took the metal off of the top and rolled the top edge where it meets the lower edge of the decklid. I then moved it up so the lower body line of the panel lined up with the corners. You can probably see that I did away with the lower rollbar panel that originally went under the lower decklid panel.

The wheelwells were also trimmed to match the sweep of the rear framrails kinda like a duece. Everything is just tacked in place for now..but with the decklid on it almost looks factory. You can see in the one pic where I drew the green line how much metal was taken out

Body has been moved back slightly since these pics have been taken to make the gap smaller between the rear of the body and the gas tank filler cap

 

Just got the intake for the caddy back from the coater up the street...also polished up the scoops today.

My fiance' usually asks how much things cost if they are nice and shiny. My response when she asked about this manifold was "$40 baby from Chad down the street (1oldrat)...he was going to send it out for s****" Ha

 

I'd like to try to use some of the carbs that I have laying around at the garage...some of them were gl***beaded before I got em and are stuck....someone told me that if you soak them in kerosene for a week or so..that sometimes it can free things up.we'll see what happens.....anyone have a match?


UPDATE.. it worked...they are all free

 

So, why not just do a 32?

 

hahaha...you *******! I knew you were gonna do it.hahahaha

 

Righteous...

 

Foiled again!

I was gonna go make some popcorn and watch the show.

Thanks alot for ruining my life.....

 

:d

 

hell yea, i love a model a on a set of 32 rails. keep posting the pictures, im thinking about putting my 29 roadster on some deuce rails.

 

great informative post , I have learned alot just looking at your pictures,and descriptions , more details and pics , please,,,,,

 

Keep them pics comin... Looks great so far. Make sure to take lots of pics of the sub-rails and floor...

What are your plans for suspension?

 

I like how you did the rear of the body, and the 32 tank. Looks like it belongs. Very nice.

ROB

 

In the front I'm going to do a buggy spring and split bones. I have a set of late 30 Chevy knee action shocks that I was going to use for the front..but I used a set on a previous build which turned out to be a rough ride as a result. I'll probably use tube shocks. In the rear..buggy spring and regular shocks also. I have a cool Pete and Jakes style ladder bar set up that someone made for the rear..but not sure if I want to go that route.

This coming week the frame comes back to my place so I can box it up.

Jerry

 

Cool... Thanks for the photos and descriptions. Looking great so far!

Malcolm

 

Hey Jerry I've been following your post... And I just saw the updates,,

That thing is going to RULE.. I'm excited to see the outcome...

thanks for the PM thats was really cool... glad we can entertain

Now get back work ,,,, hahahahahaha

 

any pix of the cad motor yet????? I wanna see

 

Jerry - Looking good! I want to see the Cad too. Let me know if I can help doing anything, not that I'm good at much except bringing the cheap beer .

About the suspension, why not go with unsplit bones, for that old-timey look? Supposed to handle well too.

- MRAK

 

Thanks, Evel..
The caddy motor is over at my dad's place...he wanted to help out with the build and volunteered to clean/degrease the block so I could paint it. The engine was out of a running driveing car previously. I'm going to paint it gold..kinda like Sloppyseconds did with his. I'll be putting the original valve covers back on which I had chrome plated...with the Offy 6x2 set up and those scoops that I had in an earlier post. It should look pretty spiffy.

 

Jerry man, that thing is looking great and coming along fast. I'm actually a little jealous. Keep the updates coming, they give us something to feed the hotrod fix when the weathers cold.

 

Rear floor and subrails are now finished...front and middle floor pans are now rewelded back in. I didn't want to get nuts and try to match the exact bends of the original subrails. Just wanted something that was strong and looked clean

Again, the new rear subrails were made from 14 guage steel and curved with a shrinker. Large pieces of steel were then measured to make a trunk floor and bent in increments on a brake to the match curve of the rear kickup on the frame. Holes were drilled in the new rear floor along the top edge about every two inches. I clamped it in place tight against the subrails and filled the holes in with weld. You can kinda see the filled in holes in the pic in the upper left corner. The upper edge of the rear subrails were also tacked to the inside wheelwells

 

The new rear subrails were notched so there was a slight overlap into the original front ones

 

The body has been pulled off and on about 15 times so far..we rigged up something to pull it on and off. Might be this years Christmas card..some lights and a star is all it needs...hehehe

 

Onto the frame for more work.

Holes were drilled through the subrails into the top of the frame to mark body mount locations. Again the body was pulled off and the holes were enlarged to accomidate the threaded tee nuts. These were then welded in and ground smooth. You can find these at Hope Depot for $1 each. They come with the prongs underneath and without..I got the ones without so I wouldnt have to grind them off

 

All the T nuts were installed and welded in. Two middle crossmembers for extra ch***is strength were also welded in. Just some 1 and1/2 in square tubing. boxing plates will be notched so they fit right over the crossmembers. A ****** crossmember will be fabricated next. Also the rear crossmember with the upper shock mounting bungs was installed. Starting to come together!!!!

 

We changed our minds and piecut the frame and welded it up so things stayed put. This was much easier to do than expected. I have all 10 fingers left.

I took about 1/8inch out on each side from the upper and lower edge of the frame, pulled it in again to match the lower subrails and welded it up.

 

Next, new front subrails were fab'd from steel and tacked on..they'll be finished later with a piece to fill in the inside.

 

Let me just say I hate you and all that you stand for.
But what a great project!!

 

haha..
We'll I'm getting some good help from my buddy Eli. He's nice enough to let me come over after work, put up with my constant questions, and oversee my madness. It's nice having someone to smack you in line.

 

My one bit of advice would be to shorten the rear horns and move that tank in a little bit closer to the body. On a '32 the filler neck is about an inch away from the body (maybe less).

Other than that it's looking good so far.

 

Brian,
I agree. Actually forgot to mention in a post that I moved the body back slightly closing the gap between the rear of the body and the filler cap. The thing has been on and off so many times...its hard to photograph and list all of the changes. I still may take about an inch or so out of the rear horns for a better fit as I wasn't 100% happy. I dont want the rear end to be out of proportion with the wheelwell openings. Moving the body around too much forward to backwards will screw things up. Good eye man and good suggestion.