30 Roadster on Duece Rails Project-It begins

Pretty nice. Why would you wanna use a ****py new axle when you can use the orifginal old timey dropped axle? With your abilities, just have Eli check it for alighnment. The old ones are better than the new ones.Mikey

 

more more more!
nice write-up.. can't wait to see it all done, which shouldn't be long at this rate.

 

I'm running the same box in my pickup, and it steers super easy. My draglink isn't perfectly parallel either, but I have no noticeable bumpsteer.

Also a note on the column, if you're not planning on using the column shift but want a column - or at least the right bell - to match the '40 wheel, I believe a '35 truck column is the one year and model with the correct bell.

 

Hey Mike,
The old dropped axle that I have is a 37-41 which originally was the shortest axle you could get width wise ...on top of that it was dropped about 3 inches. After we mounted the spindles and did some bending of the steering arms we noticed that the tires would have hit the frame when turning because of the short width. I kinda had a feeling it was going to happen but wanted to see it for myself with the spindles mounted. It was a bummer because it's a neat old axle. Oh well.

 

wheels are all cleaned up now and primered..came out nice. I'm also going to be using an original seat out of a coupe. It will need some TLC when the time comes, but it's all there

 

that's going to be nice car. the 390 caught my attention. i just put a 1960 caddy 390 in my 31 ford pick up. i have a three deuce intake for it, but for now i am using the stock intake with a new 4bbl. good luck with your ride !!! mike

 

Impressive progress...

 

Skinned the decklid today. The original skin that was on it was shot..luckily the inner structure is solid. I have a louver press and do louvering so I'm gonna louver the new skin that's going to go on. Door and trunk skins are pretty easy to remove. I use a grinder and grind along the edge till it pops off.

There is a nasty little peak in the middle of a Model A skin that I don't think I have the skill to replicate. If you take a close look at the pic you can see an anti rattle pad on top of the dimple in the middle. The dimple causes the skin to rise at that point just enought that you cant put a flat piece of steel on top. I might just buy a new skin a louver it. Not sure yet though. Might give it a shot.

I was also considering taking a large hole saw and doing away with the dimple all together to make life easier. That way I could just louver a flat piece of steel weld it on and be done.....but I don't want to cut up a nice original part.

 

Pulled out my headlights today and cleaned them up a little. These are orignal E&J's which I swapped a whole bunch of louvering work and some cash for. You either hate em or like em.

The outside housing on each is very nice. I can't decide if I want to polish them up or just leave them as is..they have some nice patina. HUMMM

Crafty-B, here on the HAMB, has a nice thread going on repops he's making in various sizes. I am thinking of getting a really small set to use as front turn signals.

 

We starting putting together a transmission mount with a drop away center section so the ****** could be removed easily down the road if it had to be pulled. Just getting started...need to add more support. The break pedal will also need to be bent for better clearance

 

Here's a shot of the master cylinder mount I will be using. I will be using a late 60's Mustang master cylinder from Auto Zone for $30. They work great,are compact, and look good. It's the same master cylinder that alot of the aftermarket places sell with their pedal ***emblies

 

Had to go ahead and put a set of wires on the front for the time being. I haven't had a chance to blast my backing plates or drums yet..so the wheels are just bolted to the hubs.....some inspiration never hurts.

 

Thinking about trying to rig something up for the rear spring hangers. I still have these left over after I cut them off of the front bones. Might try to attach them to the rear end housing some how. Anyone ever use these in the rear?

 

Coming along nicely...

I've seen guys weld those spring hangers on to the back of a front axle, but never on the rear.

 

Man your going for it...

My opinion I would run different wheels ..Hear me out...

I think if your going to build a car that is running a 1960 Caddy...it tends to
be a step back running the wires.. If your running a flatty then yup Wires but I
think the caddy is too "NEW" for the wires... might make the car look confused...
a set of 40 ford's 16in would look rad on that car... even the E&J are a bit old..but
you can get away with that..

But you build it the way you want ..I just thought I would put it out there.,

it's still going to RULE!!!

 

Yeah, I've been kinda on the fence about the wheels the past few days. I was thinking the same thing.

 

My option , too.
Michael

 

I'm just saying

 

I got my front chrome ones from Wheel Vintique for 90.00 Bucks..

 

that's a good looking wheel...are those tires 700-16's in the rear? I like the way the wheel wells are filled up

 

I'm not sure but they look like it,, I would PM Brian B***..

the cool thing about those wheels is there is a bunch of different combos you can do..
ya know with just a center cap, Cap and beauty Ring, Nothing at all, Spider caps, etc,,,,


I pretty sure wheel Kid on here sells them too (originals).. you might even be able to trade your wires for some... just a thought..

 

Tacked the dogbone to the rear crossmember and hung the spring. I'm using a Posie's spring in the front and rear, they work very nice.

I got a rear ladder bar set up made by a shop up the street similar to a Pete and Jake's. It took a while but they were able to make one at about half the price of what a setup like this goes for.

Moved the rear end into place to begin mocking up and measuring. Some cool info about the rear. My friend Matt is a stunt car driver and goes to the west coast several times a year to do movie stuff. About 6 years ago he bought one of the original Elenor Mustangs that was used in the movie gone in 60 seconds. He currenting is restoring the car..but decided to go with a different rear and gave me the one from his car. So that's the rear I'm using. In hindsight, I should have sold the thing on Ebay..some nut would have most likely paid big bucks for it...but oh well..I thought it would be a nice rear for my hot rod. Ha

 

been watching along quitley, vary inspiring ,any ways
ill take them there templates?

 

isnt that a familiar picture

 

Thanks for checking it out, you guys do great stuff. Shoot me a PM with your address and I'll mail em out.

Jerry

 

Got some welding done on the rear end housing. The ladder bar mounts, panhard mount,spring hangers and gussets, and lower shock mounts are now in place

 

The ladder bar front crossmember that I had didnt work out. When we held it up it hung way too low, was too short width wise, and looked out of place. We cut the tabs off of the orignal bar and fabricated a new front ladder bar crossmember and welded the tabs on. It actually looks better because the old crossmember was made from tubing and the new one we made was from square stock, keeping with the look of the ****** support

 

Speaking of ******...I have to thank gas pumper, here on the HAMB, for hooking me up with this excellent new ****** leftover from his car after doing a T-5 swap. Even came with a cool shifter. The one I have in the ch***is now is just a junk core for mockup.

 

Picked up a radiator from a 65-67 Mustang from Auto Zone for about $120. The SOB slides right into a duece shell. I thought it would be too wide but it fits like a glove, but is a little short..which is no big deal. I didn't want to spend the $600 or $700 for a new A or 32 radiator. Once everything is mounted, I'll make a small louvered filler panel at the top of the shell in the back and a bracket to attach the radiator support rods...Pics to come

Might be getting some steelies to replace those wire wheels.

Update...The Mustang radiator had the lower water outlet on the p*** side..I'm swapping it for a new one from an early Falcon...same radiator,just about the same price from Auto Zone, but the water oulet is on the driver side where I need it

 

You are making us all look bad with how quick this build-up is going

If you think of the car as a late 60's build, the wires would be out of place. But if you think of it as an earlier car that has been updated with the newer engine, than you can justify it. The flattie blew up last week.

I like wires too, and think of mine that way to justify it to me.

Your car can go either way. it will look good.