Projects **Malcolm Model A Roadster Build**

Yeah Nick, your kinda blowing me away with your fab skills. Everything is top notch!

 

Lookin good !

 

Hey, Nick, we've met a few times before at the Rust Revival and GoodGuys in Des Moines. I wanted to check in and let you know that I'm very jealous of your roadster. I've been thinking about a '27 roadster with a similar suspension to the Rolling Bones. Since you've been around a lot and have obviously done a lot of research, do those guys use panhard bars or FForks(TM) like your ch***is?

This thing is coming together very nicely, thank you for sharing all of your build pictures and knowledge.

 

Figured it out: they don't run panhard bars because they don't use cross steering. Hmmm, guess I had better salvage my Mopar steering box for cowl seering...

 

I have cross steering and no panhard bar and no problems!

 

Good to hear from ya!! I was also thinking about doing a '26/'27 Roadster until this '28/'29 body popped up...

I'll probably start off without a bolt/slider in the axle (that would ride in the 'Funky Fork') and see how the car drives. If it seems like it needs help with keeping the axle centered, then I'll add it.

 

This week I've been working on getting the decklid hinged and latched. Still have some work to do, but at least have an idea of what it's going to take.

I've also been doing alot of thinking about what taillights to use and where/how to mount them. I really like '37 Ford taillights and have had a pair for a while. A couple nights ago I was going through photos that I had saved and came across a really cool way to mount a pair of them.


The first photos are just a mock-up of what I'm planning on doing....
Picking up some 1" .095 wall round tubing tomorrow to mount the taillights on. Mounts will be made to go under the body and bolt to the frame. Also planning to use about an 8" vertical piece of 1" round tubing in the center to look like a little push-bar. Similar to what you'd see on a Bonneville car or drag car.


(I've also ordered a new panel to replace the one below the decklid. It's beat to hell!)















Here's the photo I had saved a while back... I have no idea what or who's car it is, but it's a very cool idea!







If any of you have other taillight mounting ideas or revisions to the photos above, please chime in!

 

Also, I must add that I'm planning on using some contoured pieces like the photo above, but keep the taillight as a bolt-on piece and not welded on.

 

Super clean look man,great progress!

 

I bet its this car: http://pinkeesrodshop.com/?page_id=29

 

Yep...



I definitely like how the taillights are mounted.

Nick, I like how you're paying attention to details like the holes in your tanks straps etc. Small details make a good car great.

 

Nick, I dig the tail light idea. What if you left the round tube and added a contoured gusset with speed holes in it to give it that same curved shape?

 

How about a chrome tube nerf bar that follows the subtle arc of the rear subrail, with the taillights mounted on the ends of it? Some short standoffs of the same tube could hold it off of the subrail about an inch or so, mounting yet also hiding the wiring. Simple yet elegant.

 

NTAPHSE beat me to the speed hole idea!

Looking good man!

 

brilliant!

 

I definitely like the Pinkee's taillight mounting idea. The chrome nerf bar that alchemy mentioned would be cool too.

 

looking good nick , coming together nicely !

 

Ahh, the Pinkee's Coupe -- I love that car! Thanks for figuring that out, guys!

You guys kind of read my mind... I picked up the 1" round tubing over lunch and I'm going to a friend's garage tomorrow to bend the slight arc to match the rear subrail. I was considering bending 90 degree tubes that would come off the bottom of the 'nerf bar', go under the body, and build mounts on the frame. The 1" tube stand-offs and mounting it directly to the rear subrail does sound like a better idea, though.
Also, I plan on doing the contoured gusset and I like the speed hole idea, so will most likely do that, too.


Thanks alot for the input and ideas, guys -- I appreciate it!

 

This morning I came up with a plan of how to mount the round tube to the rear subrail and still be able to route the wiring inside the tube. I used a Model A headlight bar end as a template for mounting tabs, cut them out, and ground to the right shape.




I also had to patch two holes and two areas on the rear subrail where it'd been cut out years ago. Kind of looked like it may have sat over a stock '32 frame at some point.




Here the mounts are already bolted to the rear subrail and the main tube is clamped on for mock-up. I started with a 5' length of tubing, grabbed one end and gave the other end a good whack against the concrete floor. First try and it worked! It ended up with the perfect curve to match the rear body panels. (thanks for the idea, Jason!)




A couple photos of the tube and taillight mounts tacked in place. I like the result!!







I'm going to do some thinking about the correct shape and length for the gussets, but here's a start...

 

Looking great! I love the tailight treatment.

 

Looks good.

Maybe shorten the inner gusset so it doesn't look like it will interfere with the outer mounting bolt?

 

Lookin' good....goin' to LSR?

 

Very slick!

That inner (front) gusset needs to flow with the curve of the subrail. It will make it pretty small but should look nice. I'm sure you'll get it just right. The car's looking great.

 

Great planning and execution.
I just yesterday got my 50 pontiac lights mounted and while they look great, I thought, man there went my pre war look!

 

This drew a chuckle out of me. Some guys have all the luck.

Looking great, Nick.

 

thanks for the update Nick. looking good. I really like how the bar follows the body shape

 

The gussets will actually be above the bolts. I have to do them that way to be able to still access the screws that hold the taillight buckets on.

I do plan on going to the LSRU, but without the car (not going to try to rush it to get there)... Will you be going again this year?

You are exactly right, Lee! That's what I'll plan on doing.

 

With all the metal cutting, grinding, welding, etc. the garage became a huge mess....
The weather is nice and in the low 50's here in Omaha today, so I rolled the car out the clean and decided to snap a few photos.





A couple months ago I picked up the "Old Blue" C20 Chevy pickup that's in the background. Great old pickup --- well preserved 24k mile original, just a really solid, smooth running pickup.

 

The roadster is turning out awesome. Thing looks great.....

 

Sweet.