I'm also confused. Pretty simple in my book, a stepside is a stepside and a fleetside is a fleetside. We all know the difference and should be no reason for any confusion or anything to be made fun of... I also agree you have the talent and skills to build whatever. However you really need to be in close contact with your customer on his or her needs and wants. There is no book or any other information that will let you know what it is your customer is looking for. I think the best thing you could do is have your customer show you some pics out of hot rod rags as to what they are looking for. Remember the customer is always right even if you feel different. Just my two cents for whatever its worth...
Axle/ spring designation: Over and Behind. Over is a more traditional, stock set-up. With a dropped axle and reverse eye spring,front can be dropped quite a bit (4,5 or even 6"). Spring behind, or "suicide " front end can go even lower( or too low!) Amount of drop can be changed by reverse eye spring and dropped axle again, but also by location of spring "perch". These front ends are used in "T" buckets, modifieds, occasionally hot rods,and ???Green car was done with option 2 (suicide) although lots of people told me not to.Steering radius is greater because of altered wheel base, but I think the side view of the car looks a lot better stretched out (12")Originally I put in a reverse eye spring, but it was too low; oil pan s****ed on ****py roads. Standard eye put it up 1" and problem solved . Hope this helps." You have nothing to fear but fear itself!" Good luck , Mike
Somebody? Heck, everybody got offended. Apparently if you're really, really into Ford trucks, a step side truck is called a Flare side and a fleet side truck is called a Style side. Who knew? So now I step up onto the 'flare' to get into the back of my truck...how silly does that sound? Mike, thanks for the info. I really like your car. If I was to build one for myself it'd look a lot like that. I just did a couple of image searches on Yahoo, I think there's enough pictures there to get me started. It'll be different, for sure. Last pre-war(either war)build I did was a '29 International 2 ton truck. I really enjoyed that one...sometimes.
Best of luck with the build Old Crow. Keep us posted! I drive a dually on a daily basis. What do they call that boxside?? UGH!
If you are building your customer a full fendered car I would suggest you retain the spring over the axle,you can use a dropped axle and a reversed eye spring. Using 35 to 48 Ford spindles will give you good brakes and a 5 1/2" bolt pattern.Ideal fr or steelies or early Ford wire wheels. As for the rear axle,don't rule out a early Ford Bronco 9" rear axle,it's the right width and has a 5 1/2" bolt pattern.HRP
I apoligize for any insults given by some of our more astute members. They mean well, but sometimes get thebig head", as do I. just stay with this forum,ask stupid questions, and LISTEN to these "astute" members. they are what keeps this forum so great. I could not have built my 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe with out their help and guidance. By all means , GET A BOOK!
man I wish I could get that lucky...(someone coming to me saying...Hey will you build a rod for me)...But then again. that's opening up a whole new realm of an owner standin around in your shop lookin over your shoulder...I still would raqther build them then sell them...much less stress...good luck...
Afterthought on the suspension questions; You mentioned you had a Speedy Bill catalog? There are "tech tips" on a lot of the suspension pages with pictures.I'm a picture guy myself- I get confused too easily ( '60s flashbacks) reading instructions.Give me a picture and I'm good to go. They have a pretty knowledgeable tech staff too.If you have a customer number and a catalog number, they can help with a lot of basic questions.For the hard stuff, tap into the HAMB brain-trust.Lots of trailblazers here. Sift it all out, go with your gut, and when the dirts gone, the nuggets will show up. You must post pictures when you get started! Go for it! Mike ( thanks for the positive feed-back on the coupe)
37Kid. OCSS is how I got introduced to the HAMB back in '07. A friend of mine off a Harley newsgroup(where I'd been using OC for some time)started on here and then ordered and sent me a t-shirt. I've since ordered a new one(since the "breakup")and wear them proudly. The night I was watching that auction show on TV and they were the experts called in, it was storming at my place and the TV went out just as that segment started. Took me a while to find and download it so I could watch. HRP, thanks for the tip on the axles. I'd already pretty much decided on spring over, anyway. We've got a lot of ****py roads here in N Arkansas, and I don't think he's going to want it as low as Mike's car. I'm pretty sure he's going to want to keep the fenders and boards too, just to preserve the paint(although, I hope he lets us paint it. It's nice now but the color is real close to Ford Grabber Blue and it just doesn't look right on that car). I'd also been eyeing the spindles/axles that are re-drilled for the Chevy bolt pattern. He wants a SBC motor, so I was thinking to keep the whole drivetrain GM all the way from the intake to the ground. Don't suppose it matters, but if I can find a Bronco rear end somewhere that'd save some cash by staying Ford bolt pattern. Anyway, talking this out has given me some ideas. At least I have a direction to drift in now. As far as pictures, can I just post the Photobucket image links in my posts, or do I have to attach them to the message as Mike did in his reply? I know there's an unwritten rule out there somewhere.
Either way on the pics is fine....just size them correctly for attachments so they aren't too small to be seen(I still haven't looked into this but have been told) As to the front axle,I ***ume (we all know about that) that you have messed wiht them somewhat by your past projects,but if not, you need to figure out how you will attach to the frame (split wishbones,4 bar, radius rods,etc) before you decide tube or I-beam Good luck on the learning curve and the build
A good number of us aren't expert in any facet, but are pupils of the professors and are getting better after reading each thread. I'd urge your client to jump on the H.A.M.B., read Ryan's explanation of each forum, and decide which road he wants to travel. The only difference between a restorer and a hotrodder is getting that first hotrod under your belt. Jump in.
Hey Old Crow, it's pretty easy to offend some people, and there's an abundance of offended experts on every forum on the internet. I still get **** from people when I call a Ford rearend with clutches a "posi", and they correct me by saying it's a "limited slip". It's not that all the experts don't know what we're talking about, or they wouldn't be able to correct us! It's more about them showing you and everyone else who's watching that they're such clever fellas! I think you'll do just fine with your skills if you listen to the owner, and sit down with him and look at pictures of similar cars he likes for examples. Once you and the owner have a idea what he wants, the rest can be researched and figured out. Who knows, you might even end up doing more hotrods when you finish his!
Yup, it's just metal, rubber, wood, and maybe a little plastic. If you already elbows deep in car work, this is just more of the same. The only difference is calendar age, style, and some lower tech original construction methods. If I can do it, you can do it. Read up, listen to your customer's desires, and wrench away!
Finally got a pic of what I have to start with. I know it's gonna make some of you cry. Heck, it almost makes me cry, but I need the work. I tried to talk him into building one from scratch, but it ain't happenin'.
Granted there wasn't as many Model A's built in 1931 but there were 626,579 built so a few sacrificed to the hot rod gods is a good thing! You know as well as anyone the better car you start with the less you will spend in body work. Here is a Model A a friend of mine has for sale,THIS SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME KIND OF IDEA ,it has a 32 grill shell, a cowl vent, a lower valance panel in the rear and bobbed rear fenders and the top is filled but basically every thing else body wise is stock. HRP
After 30 years in my shop then retired, I offer this : the customer is NOT always right, But is always en***led to be heard, and you as a craftsman / salesman guide him to what he envisions in his head, or in pictures, ideas, he brings you. Don't be a bodyshop *****, and just work for the money,, Make it something he wants, and you can be proud to say: Yes that came from our shop. I almost always look for quality and design, and appreciate most cars, but some look like they were designed by a committee, and an owner, blind, but with ready check book. " owner said " I always wanted a Chopped, channeled, sectioned, shortened,pancaked, suicide door, reversed trunk lid," I didn't take the job, even tho my 8 man shop was slow, He waited 4 years, spent $255,000. now over 30 years later wants less than $30,000. a proven driver, he's 78 and no buyers' calling. Ok. rant over.
Where'd everybody go? Thought we had a build thread goin' here??What happened to the PICTURES( saw the "before"- need the "after). The suspense is killing me! Come on, Wally, don't leave the HAMBERS hangin'. Mike
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