a new 34 build in Oklahoma.

Ok guys I finally got some pics of my dads all steel 34 ford 5w coupe he has had since 1972. i'll try and give a brief history of the car as much as I can before posting picks.
My dad was a young father with a new mortgage, two in diapers and one in the oven. He scrapped together some money and was gonna buy a boat down the street. Before he could go buy it his brother stopped by and told him of a 34 5w coupe some ole boy had for sale in town.
Dad and his brother go over there and dad bought the car for the price of $400 bucks, which was alot of money to him at the time. Dad says he brought the car home and it had some kind of Ford Mustang Cobra motor in it and an auto tranny. For some strange reason, he dont remember, he yanked it, gave it away, and dropped a 327 chevy and turbo 400 in it that came out of his other brothers camaro. Dad di a little bit of work to the car, drove it every now and then around town and basically lost interest in the car.
While I was growing up dad always promised me that old car when he passed, he knew I loved the car. I would play in it and act like I was driving it all the time. Time flew and a few years ago he was crippled by some health problems that limits what he can do on a daily basis let alone building a car. We got to talking last summer and he told me to take the car home and build it anyway I want since it was gonna be mine anyway. I have owned 3 camaros and knew I could tackle the coupe.
The car needs alot of work but it has a very solid foundation I think. Dad says it is still on the original frame with wishbone suspension in front but has a 56 chevy rear end in it. The car rides rough as heck and i want it to be a smooth nice ride with reliabilty more than anything.
Maybe you guys can help give me some advice on what to do with this thing.

 

hope this works.

 

Looks like it's ready to roll now. What kind of plans do you have for it?

 

Very kewl story and you will get more opinions than you want on here...question is what do you like cause in the end that's who will be the final judge. Can you post more pics....have fun and enjoy

 

another shot

 

more

 

last ones for now

 

The biggest thing i am worried about is the frame and what suspension to use. The frame has been buggered up and will need metal work done which isnt a problem, i know a little bit about welding and fabrication. I just dont know what the best route is to make the car ride decent. Can you make a wishbone front end ride good, go with some type of 4 link or ifs up front?
Not sure if you can tell but the body has been channeled over the frame so far that the radiator is higher than the cowl. Im not gonna chop the top on it but will definately raise the body back up so I can put a hood on it.
will probably keep the small block, drop in an od tranny (i know, i know but its his ride to lol) and put a 9 inch ford out back. i think ride quality and driveability are the most important.
By the way if you will notice the rear fenders were made out of 55 gallon drums by someone a long time ago.

 

The rough ride may have more to do with what spring setup is under the rear. I think you could achieve an acceptable ride using a dropped front axle and tune the number of springs under the front and a 3 or 4 link suspension in the rear.

I'm sure one of the rulers will chime in with more specifics.

Nice car, great to keep it in the family.

s.

 

yea i was looking at the rear end. it looks cobbled together and is definately comin out.

 

Plates reminded me of my truck. I run a black tag to keep the registration current. They charge a penalty for the number of months unregistered. Does the car have a title. I ask, as it's always better to iron out the legal parts before you get too much money invested.

I run coil overs on the rear with a triangulated 4-link. It's a pretty rough ride. I actually get airborne over some of the pot holes. straight axles and coil overs are for people with two good kidneys

 

yes it has an oklahoma title and dad keeps plates up on it every year. he just dont put em on the car since it doesnt get out on the street.

 

Sweet project,best part is your dad kept it for yaLike said,you can change your ride a lot by spring options,but I don't think any hotrod will ride like a caddy.Where ya located in Ok?Oh,and for god sakes PLEASE don't put IFS on it

 

im in el reno, just west of okc. the ifs. i would like to keep most of it like it is i think.

 

ok i been readin all night on the board and i think i will start at the rear end and go with a 9" ford. Anyone know what width and vehicle i need to be looking at to get one? we are gonna put fenders back on it with running boards if that matters.

 

I've heard that a first generation full size (like 68-76?)bronco fits a model a coupe well,but not shure on a 34,but you've picked the right place to find out.

 

I may be blasted by the traditional mob here, a lot of guys run a ford granada, maverick rear ends, seems to be a good fit. More traditional, I believe a couple locals have used tri-five ford rear ends.

I'm the odd man out, my dads 33 truck is getting a leaf spring rear and I am running big chev 5 on 5 wheels all around - only because both my 52 pontiac and 70 chevy truck run that pattern and I have spare sets of rims.

s.

 

Can the stock wishbone suspension be rebuilt and have an acceptable ride and can someone point me to some companies that sell the replacement suspension parts i would need? Speedway or posies or ???? I have searched this sight and others and dont seem to find the information i am looking for.
I think i am leaning toward a more traditional build since the car still has the original frame, suspension and body. Im even looking around for a ford flathead to replace the sbc.

 

that thing is going to be so cool when your done... Keep it up

 

Cool story, cooler car....hot rods ride ruff, street rods ride smooooovvveee....I like hot rods!! lol.... good luck!

 

Riley Automotive, Vaphead here on the board, should be able to hook you up with suspension parts.

 

thanks for the replys guys. im gonna go get it some time next week, take it to my garage and start tearing it down. i will post more pics when i get it here. just trying to get a game plan in my mind on how i want to do it.

 

First thing you should do is take of those rear homemade fenders and throw them away. Are you going to run fenders or are you going hiboy? I would suggest starting with a new chassis if the one under the car is too cobbled or you can't handle the fabrication it is going to take to get it back in shape.

 

My 34 Sedan rides smoother and handles better than my 35 PU with the MII front suspension simply because the car is set up better and the springs on the truck are too stiff.

If you're close to Stillwater and If you want (and the 34 is running, as I currently have it torn apart) when I get back, Ill take you for a ride in it.

 

dirk35, what mustang II are you running on yoyr 34?

 

ok got the car home and took a look underneath it. boy what a mess. take a look at the way the rear suspension is mounted. i think it twisted itself around and dad always wondered why it road like a tank and had a terrible vibration, lol. the pinion looks as if it is about 20 degrees up and someone used 2 and 1/2 inch channel for some type of traction bar. if i woulda known what was under this thing i would have never ridden in it.

 

more of the rear suspension

 

this is a pic of the front shock. i have no idea what they were thinking with this.

 

anyone tell me what rear end this is? dad said it came out of a 56 chevy.

 

I have a rear end that looks like that and I was told the same thing