Hot Rods Mild to Wild! Engines Set Back

Not exactly a hot rod, but...one example of how it was done back in the day.

(scan from Dec, 1966 issue of Wild World of Funny Cars)

 

Jim Lytle's '32

 

Most people can't tell my engine is set back nearly 12", just because it's not under the cowl. But I took a foot out of the firewall to get the engine to fit behind the grille, and now I sit in the backseat area to drive.
As you can see in this picture the stock firewall is way forward of the cowl:


And here's where I moved it to make room for the 327 Chevy:


And my seating. I still climb in the suicide front doors to sit in the rear:

 

This one had a Desoto Hemi in it, the owner/ builder, would build "The Orange Crate" a few years later.

 

One word....Awesome! Been looking for a while for some style cues and I think I just hit the mother load!

 

I like the thread and engine set backs for racing but not sure I would like it for the street. the guys arm hanging out the back quarter glass of the 57 Chevy would make you do a double take if you passed it on the street.

 

Here's my Henry J i just picked up. Old gasser from Alabama. Had a Hemi under the dash!!

 

I had originally wanted to build my 31 Chevy 5 passenger coupe to Gas class rules, but there was a clearance issue with the radiator with the 10% set back max. So I decided to slide the motor way back and just call it an altered. The axle is 21.5" behind the centerline of the front axle.

 

Here is a shot from inside.

 

my 41 studebaker .Was race only but now it will be street legal too.

 

set mine back a bit. http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q286/296moon/linclon186.jpg

 

Nice, big block Mopar!!

 

..... So will an ice cube!!...

 

Nice!....

 

stupid question but i wonder what was the reason behind it ? more weight on the rearwheels ?

 

^^^^
I think that was answered on page 1 of this thread...

 

Mild setback - not obvious... I had to set it back to run a stock hood on a channeled car... note that the firewall was drilled out and a two inch band added to the top reinstalled and trimmed and fitted the sides of the firewall to give the illusion of an un-cut firewall... the dip in the center was extended up like the 36 Ford... most folks never notice that it isn't stock

 

holy mother of GOD ....that is wicked

 

huntington beach cal 1980

 

got it

 

Jimmy Smith artwork,I hope to start turning paper into reality this summer.

 

Here's mine nowhere near as wild, but its back about 7" had to trim the cowl on passenger side for the header primary and watch aircleaner size at the top...gonna have to notch the top for my Hilborn once that is on. You can almost see how close the firewall is to the dash, its only about 6" to the back of the recess....

 

dutchman

 

Heres a few pics of my '67 Nova, i built it to B/A rules. It is too expensive to run in NHRA and the nostalga groups say it is too modern, so it sits collecting dust.

 

Sweet!

 

sorry for any duplicates but heres a few more

 

and a couple more

 

My coupe was set back so I could use a stock hood, the p/u was set back along with the body to get some of the weight of the big block off the front end. I also removed the humps on the firewall which gave me about 3 inches more room

 

I,m sure drivin a f/c is it but I just sold a 59 savoy, old drag car, and there is nothing I mean nothing,
like driving from the back seat..........even if its not real fast ..it is the best!!!