Hot Rods Humble beginnings... Lets see if I can finish this one...

I wear a respirator. That dust is not good! Who knows what's in those cheap cut-off wheels.

 

Kid, thats one of those half year Chryslers.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514781&highlight=chrysler

 

I finished both wheel housings today. Then attempted to square up the carcass by myself, problem is my arms are about 4feet too short to hold both ends of the tape measure.

Baby steps

Beau, just bustin' yur nuts about the mask. I should probably wear em more often.

 

body is squared and braces are run, now the easy stuff begins! What a relief.

 

Well done for making a car out of that collection of holes and tin.

 

Nothing fancy, but here is where I am at now.

 

Oh yeah! That's going to be a nice length for the tub.

 

Well I F'ed up my whole weekend today. I decided not to go to the Buffalo show, and instead stay home so I could sell this '46 Willys jeep I had. Then take that cash and buy a Beverly shear tomorrow.

While moving the jeep with my tractor this morning I hit something and totally destroyed the Jeep's frame. Goodbye sale, goodbye Beverly B3 shear. What a shit day. I ended up selling the Heep's body to a buddy of mine, and I decided to part out whats left. Who knows, maybe I'll make more parting it out?

I SOO WANTED THAT BEVERLY THOUGH!!!

 

Man, in a strange turn of events my new girl Beverly came home with me tonight. She is purtier than her CL pictures. Shes still tied up in the back of my jeep, I'll get her out and post some glamour pics tomorrow.

 

Figured I'd give a quick update. I haven't touched this car in more than a week, I've been to busy with other stuff. I decided to get off my arse and do maple syrup this year, little did i know its a lot of work.

My stock 28-29 radiator came in. I'm hoping the local radiator shop can handle the task of adding the outlets for the flathead. It looks like there is alot less lower tank on the 28-29 rad than there is on the 30-31 rad.

I've also decided that when it comes time to paint I am doing a brush job with an oil base paint. My son wants it to be green, so I'm sure I'll oblige. Rustoleum sells a Hunter Green, thats a bit dark but may work good with a black chassis.

 

Nice. I have been brush painting stuff as well. I have a buddy that works at Diamond Vogel and they have a new paint they were testing that can be applied to bare metal. A gallon is like $60. For chassis stuff it'll be easy to touch up. I'm a normal person. I expect to mess up the paint.

 

I needed my work table back, so I set the body on the chassis.




Keep in mind, its just setting ontop of the frame rails. It will get channeled down somewhere between 2''-3". I'm thinking about stufffing two small round tail lamps (think '33 Ford) between the body and the rear crossmember. I still have to cut the rear off the frame and move it back to where I started out with.

I'm sitting here in my shop boiling down Maple sap, and working on the rod. Nice and peaceful, nobody hear but me and the voices in my head...

 

Lookin good! I really like the body.

I'll forward my address for some syrup. My lady uses it on EVERYTHING.

 

I tacked in the package tray tonight. Then started on the seat sides. I just used a hammer and some exhaust pipe for a make shift hammer form, little trick a Mr. Gene Winfileld taught me. (yeah, I just name dropped)

 

Motor mounts are back in there, and I FINALLY got to set the drivetrain in my chassis. It looks like I have the perfect amount of clearance at the front and back of the engine. (again, note that the body will still have to be lowered over the frame AND I am getting a drop axle)







I still am not sure how to do the trans mount. Though, it looks like a pretty straight forward job. I may have to trim that stock crossmember though.


...and I finally found a use for the totally obnoxious green laquer paint I have.
Its actually growing on me, I may paint the body this color

 

Back in the shop. I finally am at the point where I sorta know where everything is going to go. Today I did the trans mount, still needs to be dressed up a bit.

The crossmember needed to be cut, there was noway of getting around it without lowering the engine. Truck waterpumps probably would've done the trick but I'd rather cut the metal that hunt for a pair of good usable truck pumps.

My trans mounts. Simple 3x4x1/4 angle cut to a 3" length. 1.25" hole drilled 1.5 in and centered.

all welded in

Gusset ran underneath


Now was also a great time to trim the rear of the crossmember for torque tube clearance.




Still needs a bit of cleaning up and finish welding, but we'll worry about that when it all gets blown apart again.

Now to move that rear crossmember AGAIN

 

Frame is now where it belongs. Wheelbase is now 101.75'' way far from that 96''-98'' that I've been thinking.

I had to shorten my torque tube by 25 3/4"

 

Made and welded up the block for the rear bones to mount to the TT. Took a little manliness to squeeze the two arms together AND install the nut on the bolt, but I got 'er.

Now it's on to the front split wishbone mounts. I plan to run the "newer style" tie rod ends, but really don't want to buy an off the shelf tapered mount. Any ideas?

 

First roll out, this thing is gonna be a blast!

 

And the money shot.



The body is only channeled about 2", maybe a little less. The grill and radiator are stock. I honestly don't know if it needs to be lowered. Opinions?

 

If whats needs to be lowered? The front? Yes

 

The grill.

The front is coming down via drop axle and tires.

 

Lower the front

 

Yes the front of the car will be lowered.

I'm asking about lowering the grill in comparison to the body.

 

The grill needs to come down a couple of inches to look right. Run some tape lines from the grill to the cowl and it will tell you where it needs to be.

Devin

 

Went to a small private yard today.

Bought a headlight bar from a '28 Model A, I'll be cutting that sucker up tomorrow.

While I was leaving I noticed a spindle sticking up out of the dirt so I walked over and lifted it up. Wouldn't ya know it had an axle attached to it, along with the wishbone, and the main leaf spring. It looked to be a '32 Heavy axle, but I've been fooled before (damn truck axles) It was hailing while I was there so I snapped some shitty cell pics and stashed the axle until I could go back for it.

Quick text to Titus and he confirmed that it IS in fact a '32 heavy axle! Now to go back and get it before someone else does!

I love Sundays

 

Hey Joe,
You are doing a great job on this build! I really appreciate the effort you have put into this to save another vehicle from rusting into the ground! I too am currently building a very traditional AV8 as well. I am looking forward to watching this build through to the end. Keep up the great work.
P.S. - I wish I had your luck with the flathead engine you bought and the 32 axle assembly you dug out of the ground!

 

Thanks, to be honest I'm really surprised how many parts are still in my area. Granted hot rodders are few and far between around here. If you check out my DeSoto build you'll notice that all the parts used on that car were found locally also, including the packard tail lights, old headlights, buick portholes, AND 409. Actually the guy I got the 409 from is the same guy I got the flathead and tranny from.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516827

Here are the pics of the '32 Heavy axle.


All stripped down now, ready for the drop treatment.