Projects Art Deco Roadster

Kerry, guys like you are my heros. Build a car as you see it, from scratch. That is real automotive creativity and skill. Your car looks like it will be beautiful too, but I agree with an earlier comment that wire wheels might be the ticket.

Great job, keep us posted!

 

Kerry, Looking Good!!!! good to see it out of the shop under its own power. Now its time to finish it all up. Make a list, lets get together see how big of a dent we can make. I'm ready just give me a call.

Matt

 

Fantastic sheetmetal work!!! It looks like you can do just about anything your imagination will bring forward. I look forward to seeing more on this thread. Inspirational!!

 

Kerry,

Looks great. Congrats on the shakedown run. If it was winter that smile wouldn't thaw out till spring.

 

Got the noise sorted out. Turned out to be low on differential fluid. I thought I had checked that but apparently not. Anyway, added a tube of limited slip additive and some 90W and she's quiet as can be.

 

Hi Kerry, I've been wondering how things were going with you. Glad to see you're still making progress with your roadster. It's been on my mind lately to give you a call just to B.S. a little . Bill Harrison

 

Holy crap..... How did I miss this before?

Amazing work, and congratulations on the road test.

Look forward to seeing more as you make progress.

 

All of the thousands of hours you'll have in your masterpiece, PLEASE work towards some perfect wheel/tire combo.

Awesome work! What a craftsman!!

 

You could run those wheels along with some fabrication time in the way of center caps (build one and cast some more) Paint the wheel (maybe something shocking like zinc chromate), no chrome blingdety bling....
Ebay some 2 bar CAST spinners. Fab a hub for the spinner and hat to affix to.

Some Excelsiors maybe (you gotta lose the white letters!).

I'm supposed to be getting something else out but....wish I could spend the time on a better sketch.

 

That's a thing of beauty already. I imagine someone with that kind of vision has long imagined, not only the wheel and tire combo, but every detail down to the nuts and bolts.
Nice work.

 

Congratulations Kerry!!!

It's gotta feel great finally being to drive your creation after all the problems you have encountered....Keep up the great work.


Dave

 

Thanks for the sketch. I have the center caps but they have a Cadillac emblem. I'm an Imperial kind of guy so the caddy emblem has to go if I end up using those wheels. I've talked to some chrome folks and NO ONE can strip chrome on plastic. I've got a friend that can cast aluminum so that is one option.

I appreciate all the kind words.

I'd like some wires and ultimately that is what will be on her but I'm still staying with the 16" wheels because that is period correct. The tire diameter will determine the fender opening location and radius.

The tires on the rear came on the wheels (4 wheels and 4 mounted and balanced nearly new tires for $300). The front tires are new. Try looking for skinny tires with a 30" diameter.... I'll just have to look at the raised white letters until I get motivated to have them turned over.

 

That thing is wild! You have a good eye for design.

 

You want to strip chrome off of some plastic center caps? Dunk them in brake fluid for a few hours to a day. The chrome should wrinkle up and slide off. As well as any paint on them as well. Practice on one single first before you dunk all four.

 

Kerry, If I'm not mistaken you can get blank caps with no logo for those wheels
Matt

 

The model building guys will tell you to soak those caps in bleach to remove the chrome.

 

Its good to see that you are still working on this project Kerry, looks like its coming along real good!

 

Progress!

Earlier this year Matt Ischo from Kustom Chop Shop in Decatur, Al spent a few days at our shop working on some difficult door skins. He offered to help with the gas tank for the roadster and since I've never done any before, his offer was gladly accepted.

The roadster is a bit cramped for space so I went with two tanks that fit just in front of the Corvette rear on either side of the driveshaft. They are cross connected. I chose 11 ga 3003 aluminum (1/8"). Monday I picked up the metal and took my mockup tank over to Matt's shop.

In short order we had sheared out the panels and started TIG'ing them together. Matt did all the internal welds. All seams are welded inside and out except for the top. I did a lot of the external welds.

The trapazoid shape of the tanks made the internal welding a challenge, especially with the heat conductivity of the aluminum. Try sticking your arms through a 6" slot welding, and touching the metal!



Both tanks have baffles. The top was welded on last and, of course, it could only be welded on the outside.



Pretty welding!



Here is Matt with one of the finished tanks. I've leak tested them and everything is good. Hopefully I'll be able to get them installed early next week and get rid of the plastic gas can and hose!

 

Looking good Kerry...

 

Nice job guys. Tanks look great! Mike

 

Here's a link to a video of one of the test drives.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7758041730588186465&hl=en<o>

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What are you doing on this board with a C4 suspended hand built roadster?

Seriously, that's awesome metalwork and a neat concept. I love the Deco look, too. Here's a photoshop rendering of my `54 Jag project (Maybe I don't belong on this board either?).

Wires are cool and might I suggest a solid disc look would carry the Deco look, too? Like this `39 Delage:

Oh, and the exhaust note on your Youtube is just sweet music!

 

Some progress was made at MetalMeet08 with the help of some friends.





The headrest may not stay.

I'm thinking of a pale yellow...almost cream...or perhaps a non metallic silver



Still a LOT of work to be done on these panels before I can even start on the other side. Since the other side has to actually MATCH this one, it will be much more difficult and tedious. I can't wait!

 

That's some damn fine work there - looks gorgeous!

 

Very nice, I think you have captured the look that you are after. I could visualize that car eating up it's class in one of the major road races of that era.

 

VERY well done! You took "from the ground up" to a new level.

 

Very impressive! I vote to keep the headrest.

 

Art Deco? more like an Allard, but either way looks like it may have potential.

 

Another vote for the headrest, I have always loved those.

Awsome work !!!!!!!

BB

 

I missed this the first time around.
That is a fantastic looking car.
It's got lines allover it.

I'm in the very early stages of building a Torpedo Speedster style car.
It will be on a 46 Ford Chassis that is being pinched and lengthened.
I have a collection of about 1200 or so pictures and drawings of things with cool looking lines of design.
I've sat for hrs with them playing in a fast rotation slide show, by doing this I have been able to visulise the car that I will build.
The work that I see from the people here keep me cooking on this project as well as my 48 Ford F1 Panel "Shop" Truck.

Thanks for the kick.