this is the best thread i've seen in a while! i love the traditional chassis, mechanical brakes, and the banger decked-out in winfield attire!
Thanks for the kind words. Zach, most definitely. Just about have my steering drop finished. It serves two purposes. One, it keeps my hand from getting stuck between the steering wheel and the laid back windshield, and two, it adapts from the 2" model a column mount size to the 1.5" tube I'm using. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
I've been lucky enough to see this build in person... Excellent quality, amazing detail... Sure will be one nice little roadster .. Lets see the progress
Man....I LOVE this car!! Excellent work and perfect choice of parts!! I love/hate to see builds like this...Love them because that are PERFECT, pre-war porn....Hate them because they remind me of just how crappy my roadster is and what a hack I am!!! Great job, man!!!!!!
Thanks, you are too kind. This car ain't cherry by any means, and I am a hack my damn self. So don't beat yourself up too much. It's great to see a pretty decent number of prewar inspired cars being built. It's by far my favorite era of car. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Very cool build of what I think is a pre war build. One of the best build threads here in a long time. Keep the updates and info on the build coming.
Love, love, love it! Doesn't look like anyone answered your question on the spark plugs...Winfield called for the Champion 7 (Modern equivalent D-16) to be used on the Yellow Head. I have a slightly larger cam (SU-1R - 266*/.350") and smaller carb (SR-B), so I decided to go with a slightly colder plug per Jim Brierley's recommendation. His setup is somewhere between yours and mine (268*/.330" cam, single 97 carb, 6:1 head) and he runs D-14's (better for high-speed romps than the D-16's). The 1940's equivalent to the D-14 is the Champion 6 COM. I've picked up a dozen NOS 6 COMs on ebay for a couple bucks a piece. From what I can tell the plugs with the large brass top (like your 5M) date from the 30's thru 1941; the plugs that look like the 7 in your photo came along around 1942 (per Champion advertising). Hope that helps.
Thanks for the spark plug info. That is gold to me. I couldn't find any info on the early plugs. Any idea when Mallory came out with the ceramic top coil? I'm guessing it's a 40's thing but don't know for sure. Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app
Damn how did I miss this? Absolutely awesome Carter, it'll be a killer pre-war roadster. To call it "traditional" would be an understatement... "Historically accurate" is much more suiting for this "A"!!
No sweat on the plugs...it's good to see there are others as caught up in the fine minutiae of this stuff like me Wish I could help on the Mallory stuff...I'll do some digging, it certainly looks 1940's by the packaging. Does your box or coil have an address for Mallory? I believe they started in the mid-20's in Toledo and moved to Detroit in the late 30's-early 40's.
Looked fantastic this weekend! Cant wait to start getting some of mine together, I may end up using your rims and brake after all, still not sure! Beech
Thanks, I hope I'm doing it justice. Thanks, JJ. Hope to see some more updates from you soon. Indeed, the little details are what keep me up at night. The box has a Detroit address on it. Thanks, Beecher, it was good meeting you. Hope you can put those parts to use. Some small updates. I'm laid up with my arm in a sling for a few weeks at least following surgery, so there won't be much going on any time soon. A shot of my battery tray installed. It is made of a couple forged model A front fender braces, an A battery tray and a few pieces of old bed frame angle iron. This T coil box will mount on the battery tray and house my battery kill. The battery kill is the only modern piece on the car, so I wanted it well hidden. I'm hoping to come up with a more period solution eventually, but this will work for now. The T switch on the outside moves a little lever that switches the kill on the inside. Need to find a nicer lid. I mounted two little bullet lights under the rear of the body for turn signals, but they look too post war or 50's to me. Still on the hunt for something else. Turn signal switch I think I'll use. I got the left side patches all done before my surgery. Still some hammer work to do yet, but it's getting better. These 1/4's are wavy. The old 1/4 patch panels were overlapped and brazed on. Then the wheel well panels had about 75 spot welds where they were overlapped as well. I picked up some original door latches, an original terminal box, and a gas gauge with most of its plating intact to replace some repro stuff on the car. I also bought a replated(nickle) gauge panel to replace the repro chrome one I had and put together one nice original ammeter out of 2 good originals. Believe it or not, I found a really nice set of original brake rods to replace the repro ones, too. I'll be using the new clevises, though, as 95% of the originals I have are wore out. Random engine shot.
You need to get done welding so I can come down and watch ya fire that thing! Excellent work. For the guys who have not seen this car in person...... It's an unbelievable piece pre war hotrodding history
Thanks, Ben. Welding is done as of last night. Still have some metal work to do, then prime, and start body work, but welding is done and as soon as I finish hammer work, the quarter wood can go in, then the seat. After that, install battery and add gasoline, turn the key, pull start cable and hopefully first drive soon after. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Couple pictures. Passenger quarter welding done and gauge panel swapped. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Not yet, bud. I pulled the dash rail and blasted it and the trunk lid. Need to shoot some primer on the quarters and dash rail this week. I did run the hot battery cable and installed and wired the turn signal switch. Need to get a few more bullet connectors to finish that up. I will be starting the engine up this week for sure That's my goal. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Small update. Finished running the battery cables and mounted the T coil box kill switch. Filled the new battery with acid and charged it. I tore apart a 35 column for the key switch/key for my dad's 40, and while I was at it, I took the lower plate off of the box as it had the brass tube that goes up the shaft. Pulled the bottom of my 32 box apart and installed the tube/plate, then got the box filled with lube. I refit the body wood, did some shaping/sanding on it, re applied the wood protectant stuff, then got the wood all installed. Shortened the seat base and back up a little height wise and got them installed. Shot some DP90LF on the quarters, dash rail and trunk lid, and got the lid and dash rail installed. Right now, I need to slide the battery in and install the steering wheel, and it will be ready for its first test run. I'm on the hunt for a steering wheel right now as all of the V8 wheels I have are pretty well shot. My buddy Mikey stopped over so I could do a little welding on his tribute square tank bike, so it's in a few of the pictures also.
Thanks, Ben. Any news on your dizzy? We'll have to get our cars together and go for a ride soon. Also need to get together on the super secret LSR project. Haha.
Picked up another project recently. I think it will compliment the roadster nicely when done. Still need to go get the engine and trans. 41-46 WL frame, 46 WL engine, 47 trans, 47 tanks and an old chrome 49 Servi springer. Just bought an original solo seat and rear fender for it.
Still no word.... Wish I could find a magneto... That would be Much better. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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