Projects 34 Ford Roadster - (different) engine question

I don't want to cloud the issue, but you could go custom:

 

Before you get heavy into the era-correct build, ask yourself if you intend to take long cruises in it. I'm referring to interstate journeys. I'll just go out on a limb and tell you that seating your **** off in the heat of Summer in your era-correct rod isn't cool at all, pun intended. Very few long-distance rods have flatheads for power, and there is a very good reason for that. Don't take me wrong. I think flatheads look and sound as good as it gets. BUT, somewhere along the build route, one has to balance comfort and style. Personally, there is no way in Hell my wife and I could have driven to California in our roadster three times, during the heat of Summer, without Vintage Air a/c keeping us cool. I have been a slave to comfort far too long to change now. Lots of people vehemently disagree with me on driving points, but they aren't buying my deodorant or my gasoline. Seriously, when the flathead powered vehicles were the rule, they weren't driven 75-80 mph all day. The mean speed of such a vehicle was 50-55. Ask other oldsters besides myself (71) and they will tell you how it was. Please don't delete comfort from your list when you decide to drop the hammer on a build. There is a very good reason the vast majority of streetable rods are equipped with overhead valves, in particular, the ones driven cross-country. You have a super diamond in the rough. Is your grille and hood tops '33 ? That would be great since they are more sought after than the '34 parts.

 

Looks all 34 to me

 

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Copies ordered this morning, thanks.

 

g,

If you need to rebuild your steering this might be interesting to follow: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209193 It is a new product and there is no track record for it. All I know is what I see on fordbarn.

Charlie Stephens

 

A 40-50's style hot rod is not for everyone. If you aren't used to a true vintage car, you will not enjoy it. It takes dedication and guts to drive a car with old brakes, transmission, bias ply tires, and stiff steering. Let alone no AC like Addcox needs, mentioned above.

If you are up for it, I can say give it a try. Be forewarned that it's exactly like many guys say, you'll never spend so much money to go so slow. But you really will have a herd of admirers following that roadster when complete. It's a sweetie and deserves to be treated carefully, not hacked up and ***** foot framed.

 

Gary, Alchemy,

You guys are spot on, thank you for the reality check. I do have a sense of what you are referencing. I spent 40 plus years in aviation, flying 20's biplanes, 30's cl***ics, WWII fighters and bombers, post war transports, modern jets and airliners up to and including the 777. Some of these you could fly around the world, and some you wouldn't take farther than gliding distance back to the airport. I flew my 450 Stearman to Texas a few years ago - it took 3 1/2 days. With fuel stops every hour and a half I averaged 50 mph, and felt like I had been beat up when I got there.

The decision to go 40's with the car does bring with it some limitations, but, at the same time - retains its' integrity and satisfies my selfish desire to keep it rather than sell it. If it proves too formidable a beast for me to handle, I"ll park it in the barn and continue with the 600hp, TCI frame, street rod.

While in high school, I had a '37 Dodge coupe, '33 Ford pickup, and a '55 Chevy. (Yeah, I know - where are they now?) My routine with the '37 was to roar down the driveway, slam on the brakes at the last possible instant and slide to a stop in the garage inches from the freezer. You guessed it! Pushed the freezer right out the back wall of the garage. I know about brakes.

This car will be relegated to cruising the Napa Valley with the occasional trip to Healdsburg or the coast.

 

Thanks, X38 - I will check it out.

 

Unfortunately, you won't find much in the way of 34's in it.

 

You're right down the road from Vern Tardel, you might want to take a drive over and see what he suggests. I know he can build you a great power train as he and his son Keith have put more miles on a flatty than probably most on this board.
Look him up and tell him what you got going on. Tell him Cyclone sent ya .

 

Here is my car when I first got it on the road as a stripped down highboy. Nearly every part about it could have been available in the 40's. But man do fenders look good on them

 

Thanks, I realized that this morning when I googled him. He does not have a contact number I could find, only fax and/or email - I sent him a note. I called the number listed for Keith and it came back as not in service.

If I do not get a response in the next few days, I will take a ride over. I've got a buddy in Santa Rosa with a deuce - he might know him.

 

Vern doesn't do phones . Best way is to take a ride on out, Keith is in TX, and is in The New "Rex Rods" Shop after being at Ryan's ATOMIC INDUSTRIES shop for the past months since relocating there. He did a stint at Austin Speed Shop for a bit as well.
There's quite a few people on this board who know both. I can say though if you want a "Anywhere You Want To Go Flatty" they both can build it, just buy the speed equipment from me though .
There's lots of great sources in your area.

 

Hey Bandoola . . . I know exactly where you are coming from . . . as I've built my 32 Cabriolet to follow a similar route - though I haven't yet finished the Columbia rear for it (I'm busy driving it!). My car was originally built in the early 40's, so I decided to stick to the 40's period in general. It is a work in progress . . . which is what they all are in the end. LOL

There are a LOT of good points on this thread - sort of the good, bad and ugly of early vintage hotrods/cars (depending on what you want out of them). I have built many flatheads, modern engines of every type and believe that every era of hotrod building has it's merits. Since you're going 40's, then it pretty much has to be a flathead - and I have a particular love for these engines and I'm willing to be a sounding board to help you understand the details, options, costs and what you'll end up with. There are many things to know about parts combinations, modifications ***ociated with them, etc.. Most of it has to do with what exactly do you want in the end - and how prepared are you to stick to your build dates?

Also, my very first hotrod (a 34 Ford) had a set of Lincoln Zephyr gears in it . . . and my 32 Cabriolet has a set of Lincoln Zephyr gears in it (both the 25 tooth versions). I built the transmissions myself - they're simple, but correct parts, correct clearances, some special 'mods', etc - are very important. I can rev the heck out of my flathead in second gear . . . let off the gas . . . and it stays in second gear. A lot of guys WISH their 39 transmissions would do this.

I know 34's very well - my first car was a 34 coupe (I'm building it again as I write) and I also have a roadster that is "patiently waiting" for it's time to be worked on. You car looks like a fantastic candidate for what you plan for it - I'm super happy that you're heading the direction that you are! (Though it is none of my damn business!).

Feel free to drop me a PM - be happy to talk on the phone and help you along the way . . . as plenty have helped me.
B&S

Here is the engine in my 32:



Interior - sort of a 40's custom style (as I'm not a fan of the original pleat designs):

 

I love that look!

 

I hear you on the fenders . . . while I love the highboy roadster look, there is just something about a 33/34 with a full set of fenders - especially a roadster with the top down. Nothing looks better in all of Henry's creations.

 

Now if some one would come up with a good, easy, no paint scratch way of detachable fenders - I'm in!!! There's a '31 Chevy 2 door sedan I got my eye on. You guessed it: the fenders & board are off the p***enger side. It's a rough field/project car and l was thinking about......

 

I'm going the highboy route for mine for now. I have the fenders and hardware but I just like the looks of a fender less roadster. I also went a different route for my engine. I went with a early 1949 Cadillac backed to a 37 LaSalle trans, 40 banjo with 3:78 gears, 40 brakes. But my project isn't as nice as yours. Mines in the construction phase lol.

 

If you are comfortable driving your jeep at speed on rutted highways in dessert heat an old car is a cakewalk. Flip up the cowl vent and don't go over 50mph and will seem glorious in comparison to a short wheelbase jeep on 37's with a Detroit in the back.

Beautiful 34 by the way.

 

Speaking of fenders, anybody got pick of Ollie Hynes bronze '34 fiver ?
customized to the max...

 

You've got guys giving you pointers who own some of the nicest '34's in the country, so PAY ATTENTION!! . My car originally had a quick change, which required a Model A crossmember and spring, with a cutout in the trunk floor. I didn't have QC, didn't want one, and didn't want a hole in the floor for the crossmember, so got a '40 crossmember, flattened it and used a '55 Chevy rear. Then I had to cut a hole in the floor to clear THAT because the flattened crossmember put the pig right against the floor. The late 40's/early 50's look would be perfect for your car, just be careful not to use parts or big components from a later era or it'll look confusing and street rodish. Great car!

 

Update on the '34 Roadster: First of all, thank you to all who responded to my post, offered advice - opinions - personal experience - suggestions; but most of all - those who tactfully impressed upon me the value of what I had and to get my head out of my **X and do the right thing.

I followed Cyclone Kevin's advice and sent Vern Tardel an email with some photos, and just to make it interesting I asked how much cutting would be required to fit a 427. Within an hour I received a phone call from a young man who told me he worked for Vern Tardel, and asked if the pictures were legit. In the background I could hear another voice - repeating, "Has he cut the car? Tell me he hasn't cut the car. Tell him not to cut the car, tell him NOT TO TOUCH THAT CAR. Just, just - bring it over here - bring it over here." And that was my intro to Vern Tardel.

The next week I took the car to Vern, and there began my "enlightenment". Vern walked me through his shop, showed me his cars, explained what I had, and with sincere p***ion said, "You cannot cut that car."

We discussed some options, and decided on a plan. Without giving away the details: there's no cutting, no chopping, NO 427, no repro parts. It should be on the road in a couple months. We have a pictorial history of what was done - I will let Vern tell me what and when to post.

Thanks again to all of you - I think it's going to be worth the wait.

 

Great News! You'll now have a car that will be totally traditional, will bring you back to the early days of hotroddding and also will be worth MORE than if you'd headed down the 427 route. Glad you're headed this direction, can't wait to see the result.

B&S

 

Good deal. That is truly a special car, and I am glad you realized it. It's in good hands with Vern. Keep us updated. I need to get mine fired up, it's sat all winter :/

 

I stopped by Vern's a couple days ago - he wanted me to come by and have a look at the progress. Without specifics - the car has been completely dis***embled, cleaned, inspected, and is in the process of re***embly. Only original parts have been used and there were not very many needing replacement. Vern built a "period correct" flat-head, aluminum heads and dual carb intake. Zephyr trans, swapped out the rear-end, stayed with juice brakes, all pre-1945. He has been digging deep into his stash to "Do it right", as he says.

 

Back in the 40's did anyone put a flat head Cadillac engine in a Ford? That would be one way to get more power and stay traditional, if it was done back then.

 

Fantastic news, with Vern involved you can't go wrong and that is an understatement. It will be spot on !!!
I am thrilled that you are on the right track (the car definitely deserves it) and am anxiously awaiting updates.

 

Any pictures of the progress?


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