Register now to get rid of these ads!

Projects My sport coupe project

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by nutrocker, Jul 1, 2017.

  1. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    I sold my ol' roadster a while back and wasn't intending to buy anything just yet, but to rebuild the seized motor in the modified, but like all good plans, they change.
    A 1931 Sport Coupe caught my eye and was too good to pass up

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    What to do now? Stand back and look for a bit to get a plan going in my head.

    Plan A: AV8 high boy with a heavy chop, rebuild and fit the motor from the modified and along with the gearbox and back axle. No rear chassis step and no drop on the front axle. 16" wires with 7.50's and 6.00's.

    Plan A is good, no need for plan B.
     
  2. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    First job is to start pulling things off the car and chop the roof. 6" should do the trick.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Pete
     
  3. 6.
    That's big number.

    I should add, you do good work so I'm looking forward to watching this unfold.;)
     
  4. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Yeah, 6" is a big number, but I think it'll work out.
     
    Poh and kiwijeff like this.
  5. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Time to chop. With a sport coupe there's not much to chop so was done pretty quick.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    That's the easy bit done.

    I also cut holes in the visor and flared them

    image.jpeg

    Time to push it outside to take a look.

    image.jpeg

    image.jpeg

    image.jpeg

    image.jpeg
     
  6. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 10,504

    BJR
    Member

    Way to low, unless you are a midget.
     
    Rathbone and jeffd1988 like this.
  7. KFC
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 455

    KFC
    Member
    from UK

    I've driven the car, it works no problem seeing out surprisingly
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  8. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    I'm liking the look. Next step was remove the fenders to see if the chop would work without them.


    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
  9. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    The wood in the car was all rotten as to be expected, so new and very expensive wood kit was ordered.
    What a terrible fit. Spent ages working on the wood. Never bought anything that fitted so bad.
    With the wood mocked up in place I draped an old sheet over to make sure the wood was positioned right and gave me 'the look' I wanted.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    Roger Loupias, LKR, Stogy and 8 others like this.
  10. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    With the roof looking like it'll turn out ok I turned to the chassis and running gear. So with the car back in the garage I removed the body and started to make the flatty fit along with the Volvo M40 gearbox and Winters rear axle.


    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    Roger Loupias, hfh, Stogy and 2 others like this.
  11. 55chevr
    Joined: Jul 12, 2008
    Posts: 985

    55chevr
    Member

    This is the best looking sport coupe I have seen. The chop makes it.

    Joe
     
  12. 51box
    Joined: Aug 31, 2005
    Posts: 1,103

    51box
    Member
    from MA

    Very cool man, I was looking at the first pictures and thinking that would look cool with a heavy chop. Then bam 6"s gone, looking forward to seeing it finished out.
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  13. Pete
    Joined: Mar 8, 2001
    Posts: 4,796

    Pete
    Member

    Awesome job, I really dig chopped sport coupes, so classy.
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  14. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Mikie likes it...
    when that baby hits the road.... God save the Queen !
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  15. cmarcus
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 953

    cmarcus
    Member

    Awesome, I will follow along on this one!
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  16. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    With the chassis I could have gone wild and turned it into a piece of art as some of my other builds, but this was to be simple. I have kept the A centre crossmember which has been part boxed as have the chassis rails.
    I added a pair of rails to the rear and a pair of 90 degree parts to the front for pedal assembly and brake master cylinder.
    I've also added some extra sections that conect the front parts to the rears under the centre crossmember that the gearbox mount is bolted to as well as the split rear wishbones.
    There is also mounts for front wishbones and in the middle is a mount for a hydraulic e/brake.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
  17. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Before the body goes back on I need to cut the firewall. In the past I only cut out the bare minimum to allow the motor to fit. This looks real nice but is a complete arse if heads need to come off. So this time I cut a big hole. Doesn't look as good but I'll run with a full hood most of the time.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Once it's been welded up and painted it's fine
    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    Stogy, bymanr, catdad49 and 4 others like this.
  18. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,431

    brady1929
    Member

    Nice work.
     
    nutrocker likes this.
  19. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    With the body back on I replace the middle and rear floors. There was no rust but they were pretty bashed up and I needed to replace the under seat panel for a flat one anyway.

    image.jpeg

    The raised bit in the middle has a 1/4" steel plate inside to mount a seat belt that's needed for competing.
    image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Managed to use the main wooden floor that the car came with.
    image.jpeg

    Also made a trans cover. Kept it fairly simple with just a bit of bead rolling and a few rivets.
    image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    hfh, Stogy, barrnone50 and 7 others like this.
  20. Clark coupe 2.jpg

    clark coupe 4.jpg clark coupe3.jpg

    Your work looks damn nice to say the least.
     
    Stogy, burl, sloppy jalopies and 4 others like this.
  21. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Happy that the chassis and body are good to go I got the paint gun out. The chassis gets and coat of etch primer and gloss black top coat. The body gets a good wire brush and under seal on the under side while the inside gets etch and gloss on the floors and sub rails. The inside panels get a heavy coat of Matt black. On the outside only the areas that were chopped get a rough coat of gloss. The paint on the car isn't great, probably done a fair few years ago and cheap. I'm not much of polish and wax guy so not too bothered, as long as it has paint, it's good.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    hfh, Stogy, catdad49 and 2 others like this.
  22. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Build up time.
    With the chassis still on the rotary stand I ran the brake lines. Fitted master cylinder and Land Rover steering box which I'd shortened the column and fitted a uj.

    image.jpeg

    Hydraulic e/brake
    image.jpeg image.jpeg
    New body mounting wood
    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Body wood fitted and painted matt black.
    image.jpeg
     
    Stogy and catdad49 like this.
  23. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    I know have a roller with the body on. A mate, Rik was going to be making and fitting the roof for me and as he was always busy we weren't sure when he'd get a bit of time and space in his workshop. So rather than work on the engine and the rest of the bits I spent my time working on the inside of the car so it would be all done and ready for when Rik had a slot.
    I bought a pair of Cobra seats. Seating was going to be important if the car was to be usable with the heavy chop. And they were perfect. My view through the windshield is perfect. I also did the wiring, fitted overhead switches and interior lighting.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    hfh, Stogy, catdad49 and 2 others like this.
  24. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    I bought one of those cheap Chinese made radiators. Have to say it's not bad. Had to modify it slightly to get it to fit the way I wanted, but that's just me being fussy.
    With it fitted I fitted the hood and sides and the headlamps, which were fitted as low as I could get them.

    At this time it was still a little on the high side. Both front and rear springs were to be replaced with reverse eye.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    Stogy, bymanr, catdad49 and 2 others like this.
  25. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

  26. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Engine time.
    Last time this motor ran it suffered an oil pump problem which seized the rods to the crank on numbers 4 and 8. The crank was reground and a new set of Scat rods and Mellings oil pump were bought.
    One of the things I wasn't happy about on the motor was it never liked to rev. I put this down to not enough exhaust porting compared to intake porting. So I spent some time opening up the exhausts. Most other internal bits from the motor were good so used them again.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
  27. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 32,279

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    like watching one of those hour long builds on TV reality show - keep having fun
     
    kiwijeff and nutrocker like this.
  28. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    The motor was fitted with a pair of new Edelbrock heads, Edelbrock slingshot intake and a pair of new Big Stromberg 97's. A powergen and new water pumps and the motor was good to fit.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    hfh, Stogy, Tall t 26 and 3 others like this.
  29. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    Just as I had the motor fitted Rik called me to say he had a slot to do the roof.
    What a job he did too, I love the shape and the amount of padding he used. Just enough but no so much it looked over done.
    Although not quite finished at this point, still some trim to fit, but you can see 'the look' is starting to get where I want it.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

    sko_ford, hfh, fauj and 11 others like this.
  30. nutrocker
    Joined: Jan 12, 2007
    Posts: 414

    nutrocker
    Member

    As soon as I got the car back from Rik it was full steam ahead on getting it running and driving. VHRA Pendine Sands was going to be its first run out and it was approaching fast. Lots of minor issues, but nothing that couldn't be sorted. Once all running it went back to Riks for the finishing trim on the hood and I got to drive it around locally for a few days before the trek to the Sands.
    I also managed to buy a set of repop Lyons covers.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
    hfh, 282doorUK, Stogy and 14 others like this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.