Hot Rods fiat gets new rockers

finally got my topo up on it's own 2 front tires...got tabs welded to frame today and snugged everything up..also working on the left side rocker replacement,,,,,,,

 

Ohhh, you mean Fiat.

 

that should read..."temporary tires and rims"...junk yard and friends freebees...hey they hold air...

 

Very cool!!

 

Lookin good. The front end looks really nice, you'll have it roll'in before you know it. Keep up the good work.

 

Here's my rockers installed.

 

yeah Bob, i am really happy with the Pete N Jakes frontend from Eric at Rileys Automotive,,,spent the whole evening out in the garage last nite wishing my burnt left foot was a bit more stable...i would have thrown one of those sbc motor's in the topo's nose to see how far down the front is going to drop...but if everybody is right about 1 1/2" w/motor, or about 4" off the top of axle to bottom of frame spring pocket, then i'll be really really happy..getting some steel formed up this week (hopefully!!) to mimic the ford frame and then i'll start on the rear kick,,,still needing a rearend housing for the LIL BEAST....and rims and tires...have some donor mags back there on blocks for mockup..picked up a sweet set of topolino pedals off evil bay, they're mint!!tight!!and $20.........wife said it is cheapest thing i bought for the topo so far...busting a gut waiting for the "new grille" to arrive from europe...and the headlites i bought from france....going for the totally "ONE OFF" as much as i can...got my eye on some euro foggers too right now ....i know one thing, it's gonna be a long *** winter trying to collect and ***emble this lil thing....motor still has not been nailed down, figure i'll keeep on building and see what happens....i feel it deserves a old Hemi, but..lots of money there...and i have several sbc's laying...and some cool one off stuff, like water pumps and such..but i could also run that stuff on a Hemi they tell me so ....but i have lots of things to finish before i have to decide, so...got that 218 flathead 6 motor laying, maybe throw it in there till i decide...but don't think i'l be satisfied with a whopping 100 hp.............and it would look really tiny in the engine bay........thanks for the good words of encouragement, mark

 

A Hemi would be nice but money is always the first consideration.
If it was me I would run one of the engines that you have. The 6cylinder definately not! You have had this dream for along time make it a v-8, otherwise you will not be satisfied when it is all said and done. Building a hemi will be costly. Put that money into your rear-end and ******. You'll be farther ahead.
Bob

 

Yeah, what he said.
I have suggested to you to hold out and use a HEMI, but with things the way they are right now, and the fact you have some SBC's, use one of them and change it later when the Hemi falls into your lap. It will still be a very cool and unusual hotrod.

No 6 banger.

 

It's Saturday night at the Italian car shop. I wonder who else will check in?
Looking good Mark.

 

Hey, Maddog! What's wrong with 6 bangers? I didn't hear you say that to my face when you first saw my Fleetline Bomb, now did you?
Besides, 6 banger Jimmys are way cool. I hope you wouldn't talk bad about those now? Then I would really be cross with you.

 

I still bow to you *****en Fleetline. The 6 is fine in that aplication, just not in a Topolino.

 

Thanks Rich, been a real pain hobbling around to put it together after the welder left .................but the caster is good, till i load it up i guess it may change then..but is right at 6 1/2 degreese...need to start looking at wheels and rims..would like to have them for figuring the rearend width and placement...will be finishing the rockers this week hopefully on the inner and outters....i think the left side turning out very nicely..and you were right, i got the doors adjusted real nice, they are in great working order...fab up the body mounts once the rockers are finished..might drop a sbc and 700r4 in it to see how it is going to set.....the body is mocked into place.......if it drops down like they say it will, i think it'll have a nice "traditional stance" and with some front tires just a bit thinner, but not too thin..rim in rear is mocked into place for a 30" tall and 11" or 12" wide rear tire.really bustin a gut waiting for the headlites i bought and most of all the new grille/nose section...i really think the grille gives just the right "bulge" to the topolino ok i'm a picture ***** tonite..this morning?????????

Hey Jim, i think it's time for you to post up some pics ...lets see that big block in your mouse!!!!














PS.........THANKS ERIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ok, Maddog, as long as we are in agreance about something.

 

Hey Jim, i think it's time for you to post up some pics ...lets see that big block in your mouse!!!!


Ok, as ordered.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170422

Its as updated as it can be without making stuff up.

 

NOTHING IS PARTICAULARLY EARTH SHAKING???????????LOOKS HOT TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!
LOOKS LIKE YA BEEN BUSTIN ***!!!!!!!!!hell at this rate you'll be done soon enough to drive it up here to help me get mine done..looks great!!!rockers turned out nice , and they didn't cost ya $500 beans..mine needed replaced more on the inside then the outside, so.....i bought new...kinda stalemated with this burnt left foot, i keep hobbling out and lookin at the lil beast, but.......besides i need to pick up some more sheet stock to finish up fabbing the door frame lowers before installing the inner rockers...thinkin maybe tomorow i might get to mocking up a rear kick outta wood, then pick up what i need for it and the rockers at same time...you going sucide on your front end still????its gonna be a long cold michigan winter waiting, working, me thinks

 

Thanks, you are my biggest fan.

Have you heard of that sheet metal that is easier to form? Some call it aluminized or something like that. There is something they do to it to make it a little easier to hammer form. Some streching machines for air craft use it. Still plenty strong, just a little easier to learn on. The guys with lots of experience dont seem to care much but I found it much easier to get the metal to move how I wanted it to. I am just about done eating up my first sheet and think I will try the regular stuff next. Again, not sure what its called but the metal supplier had a few sheets that he had ordered for some racecar fab shop that didnt pick them up. He said they like it , so I tried it.

Yeah, get those blocks out and hobble over and prop stuff up.

Still havnt made your back panel yet. You still need it?

 

yeah i still need a rear template....before i got the front end tabs welded up i figured i better get after the rust on the drivers door..looked as if it had been brushed up against in 2 places and had been left bare to the metal for years..weird because the middle (widest point in door) was still painted like the rest of the door...used chemical rust removers, did a nice jb, shinney even down in the pitted areas...
so did the easy fab metal weld up ok??i've heard it can be touchy to weld....right now between my foot and the holidays, money is tight for the LIL BEAST...hot rods/boats/jeeps/toys are not allowed any of the payroll money ..just something i started doing when i married the wife 9 years ago..no way she can ***** about what i spend on my happiness....and my furnance blower motor died tonite, so........i have tons of stuff to do that don't cost money, thats for sure...but i really want to get the last of the major peices to finish getting it to a true roller...then i can transport it off to get the roof work done...it is my biggest headache...but to get to roller sat, i will either have to wait till after the holidays or sell another toy/rod...almost put my 1948 cj2a up on selling it for topolino parts auction block, but i've been playing with it for almost 20 years now, and i'm having a hard time doing it..and the blower vega wwagon, well it's not an option ..yet....the topo is the the biggest dream i have had for over 40 years, and a real "trying to get one started " project for just about 20 years...always something..but i am focused now, and i expect to really get after it once the holidays have pasted....ya get a minute, let me know what it'll cost to get a template for the rear...think if i had a reference point i don't know if i might be able to fab it ...keep on fabbing, one of us has to eventually get a topo finished...............

 

I was just in the process of listing my 46 chevy truck for sale to help complete the Fiat!!

I love that truck, but as you said, the Fiat is the #1 project now.