I want to officially start my AV8 Roadster build. My starting point is a titled 1931 Ford Roadster frame. 36' front axle & wishbone w/ a Millworks reversed eye main leaf. Currently a 36' rear axle & tube w/ a Millworks AV8 reversed eye spring, but I plan on using a 48' Columbia axle. Wide five hubs and rims. 42'-48' juice brakes front & rear. 32' style grille shell. 40's or 50's aircraft fuel tank. 46' flatty 0.60" w/ a Merc 4" crank. Hotton & Sullivan heads and Hexagon intake w/ matching air cleaner. 39 trans w/ Zephyr gears. 36' Ford headlights. 38'-39' Zephyr taillights. Stewart Warner Police speedo, 4500 rpm tach, and N.O.S. gauges. There are many more small bits and pieces as well. I'm trying to keep the build within the 49'-53' era, but I know I already broke that rule with the SW instruments. I'm mainly using Ford parts, with a good mix of period aftermarket. No Chevy parts here. Trying to stay away from California built speed equipment, as this is a Michigan built hot rod. I've made mention of some of the specs in other posts, but this will be the official build thread for the Haven Hills Roadster.
The body is coming from Brookville Roadster. I will be picking it up at the NSRA North car show as long as it is still happening in early September. Till then, I hope to do some engine and chassis work. I will post updates as they come. I also want to thank the H.A.M.B. community for the vast information and support. This project would not be possible without information in the H.A.M.B.
Wish I'd have seen that firewall a couple of years ago, I repaired and notched a stocker and cut the slot to use the spoon throttle. No reason the reinvent the wheel, spent a lot of time and effort on a rough firewall.
Model A Gomez, if you want, I did post a tech thread posted " AV8 Firewall Modification". I posted the pics of the old and new firewalls. I was going to use the whole 32'-34' firewall, but it was getting to tricky for me. So, I used just the engine dimple. It was so close. I swear Ford used the 30'-31' firewall as a base to design the 32'-34' truck firewall. Very similar lines. It looks like yours turned out good. I don't know yet if I gained any clearance, but the spoon pedal should mount up like it was supposed to be there.
I finally got ahold of a 32' K member. I found them for sale, but everyone I found was butchered, rusted out, or was local pickup only in Cali. Thankfully I was able to get one shipped from Colorado. I was going to use a 46' truck crossmember, but alot of guys said it would mount the trans to high in the chassis. So, now that I have the 32' K member, I need to find the rear bearing cap to mount the trans in the K member and convert my open drive back to a closed drive. The trans is a 39' with 18/26 Zepher gears. Just counted the teeth today. Parts are ordered to convert everything back to closed drive.
Well NSRA North was cancelled, so we decided to pick the body up at Brookville Roadster. Everyone at Brookville was great. That shop is awesome. Alot of skill and knowledge goes into each body. I am very happy with the end result. The hot rod is right at home with the other projects. Thank you Brookville Roadster.
Well not much has happened, but I have found some more parts. It's funny how the concept evolves and spirals out of control. Found a 40'-41' Zephyr steering wheel, Parker Products turn signal switch, 49' Merc gauge pods, 100 mph police speedo, N.O.S. Mallory DSM coil, 38'-39' Zephyr taillight assemblies, early FoMoCo seat belt buckles, Shell Oil license plate topper, and a 32' wishbone. Needless to say I have some other parts I need to sell now.. Or build a second car. Only time will tell.
I hope to be building the engine soon. Still need to order some more parts, but I have enough to measure deck height, so I can finish the machine work on the block. It's winter and I have no heat in the shop, so progress is slow. 255 Merc crank, reconditioned rods, Egge pistons, Hasting rings, and Clevite bearings. Shold make a good foundation.
Other than getting junk drunk and tinkering with the flatty, I really need to get a coat of red oxide primer on the new Brookville body. A cold shop will not treat the body well this winter. I have some feelers out there, but none of the local body shops do custom work. Hopefully soon I can get it some where. With the body in primer and the flatty short blocked, progress is sure to speed up.
Update. Body shops don't paint cars anymore. Who would of thunk. Been searching for a year with no luck. I'm tinkering with the "Yard Art Roadster" because its actually fun to work on. NO PAINT! I'm not a painter and I do not have the time to do the job right, so this AV8 is permenatly put on hold until the body gets primed in red oxide primer. The flathead is also on hold, mainly because I won't dump thousands into an engine for a car that will never get painted. I'm extremely disappointed in the body shop industry. All they want is that easy insurance money. At least around me.
Skill isn't the problem. The space, the tools, and the time is the problem. I don't have too many weekends I can dedicate to painting. I just need it done so the car can get mothballed until the engine is finished. It could be years.
Sometimes its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you get this deep into a project, and it seems the parts and services to support the project are hard to come by. I talked to another shop today. I got a maybe. Better than the 50 "we only do insurance work" s I got. We will see....
Great start......... Makes me want to start another build........ah, nevermind! Said no more and I have to really mean it this time!
You have such a great start and you have collected so many special parts that will be so much fun to use in getting your roadster together. Find a restoration shop (not just a body shop) that you can trust to get your body painted. That will likely renew your interest in getting it completed. Then you will have a reason to get your engine together. It is so rewarding to finally, after years of work, to hear your engine run, to actually get your project to move under its own power. Don’t miss out on those rewards. It’s really worth the struggle.
Thanks for the encouragement. This is a bucket list car that I have very high expectations for. Hope to make it to Autorama with a really unique AV8. I will get there. Just stalled and frustrated. This year is basically blown. Hope to be back heavy on this car next spring.
UPDATE!!! Mike at Gas Axe Garage has the body. He is fitting the 39 Zephyr lights to the rear panel and will relay the body to get primed in black sealer. Makes me want to mount up some white walls. My budget is blown for the year, but finally some real progress! Unfortunately, the flathead is stalled. The crank is shit and will require major and expensive surgery. This will push the engine into next summer if I'm lucky. I will update with photos once I get her back from paint.
Keep up with it your getting it done and just love the vintage direction @Haven Hills Auto Club... Just imagine how much effort has been spared with the choice of body...
I searched 4 years for a real roadster body. The good ones were out west and the ones near me were basically the same price as the Brookville, but missing the bottom half or major components. I know the Brookville isn,t Henry, but at least she is steel. I just say I bought a patch panel for the gas tank. Ha!
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