Projects Phantom 27 Pickup "Flat Hat" (27x part 2)

Before and after.... We finally got a chop on the grille today. After a good cleaning, we discovered quite a few caty-whompus problems and unique surprises with the shell, but we think we can correct all the crazy stuff easily. Welding up the "teeth" and getting them filled-in will be a major pain. But it sure looks a little better, eh? The Newport wipers fit great... still working on blade and wiper sizes. No pix yet, but the new trans / driveshaft tunnel was fabbed in wood and already has one layer of glass. And it looks like I'll actually have room for my feet! Later, Gary

 

grill shell made a big difference looks good !

 

Thanx, time will tell. It's either going to get better and better looking as we fit the hood and scoop, or stranger and stranger. If the latter, I sure hope it will be in a good way! Besides the hood scoop (a glass dragster nose cone), there will be at least 2 small / 1 large blisters here and there on the hood and hood sides to provide room for engine parts that just won't cooperate and fit under the skin. Later, Gary

 

Excellent proportions. Looking good.

 

Looks sweet! Keep it exactly how it is if that's how you like it. To me it looks fine.

 

I am with the others, lower the bed some, i know its way to much work but you could have lowered the rear rails about the thickness of a rail and just did a C notch or small step and make a small center hump for the pumkin.. but its so far along I know if it was mine I would not go back.

How about just raising the whole floor about 2 or 3" and lower the bed over the rails, would help hide the 4 bar some... some neats things done to it overall..

keep the 32 but chopped or go with a 28/29 grill as its clean and simple (and cheap)

 

Appreciate the comments, guys. But again, the bed is as low as it can go without busting thru the floor a little - a non starter in the max cargo department. The frame under the bed is only 2x2, so a C notch isn't really practical. Besides, I've seen too many little trucks that either have no bed floor at all or won't hold much more than a couple of brief cases out back. Sure, they look cooler but... I'd have to UPS my skivies on a long trip.

We are headed to the radiator shop tomorrow afternoon with my cardboard simulation for a quote and the hood guys will be dropping by soon for a look-see. Gary

 

Quick update... We have been working on the floor in wood / glass.. shifter is located but the e-brake is still drifting around from one possible location to another. I starting fabing little brackets and tab mounts for all the stuff that will go under the dash / cowl this week. Sawing some holes for vents and gauges in the dash. We got the right bank header modified for a QTP electric dump and short baloney tube mock-up piece - which will eventually become a stepped SS tube deal going from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 - 4" in diameter. The left bank has a log manifold that connects thru a crossover above the bell housing. So the only dump is on the pax side. Toggle up down for noise as required. A conventional exhaust / muffler runs down from the right side header to the rear under the passenger seat. The gas tank is mocked up in aluminum and after we get the mounts finalized we will get it back to Kirt for the final weld and fittings. Sorry, nothing too flashy this time. Later, Gary

 

Looking good, Gary. Keep us updated on your progress. I got a new shroud fabbed up to cover the radiator.

 

Thanx... neat beads on your covers. Gary

 

Seriously O/T update... trad guys look away! We finally got the dash mocked up and most of the gear test fit, except the radio. Hidden under the cowl (sure glad it's LONG) are the A/C unit, cruise unit, and the brake and gas pedals. The next "layer" holds the Ron Francis fuse panel, xmsn controller, multi-function box, paddle shifter receiver, Dakota xmsn sender, ECU, obdII, etc. The outer layer (dash) has the Autometer Cobalt gauges, fellow Hambr New Vintage http://www.newvintageusa.com/ PRNDL bar, Vintage air, Repro T-bird flags and some toggles for other fun stuff. We tried to keep the billet down, and most of the knick knacks will be plated or wrinkle black. On top of the dash pad will be a small tach and boost / vac gauge. The wheel is a simple Lecarra in a Grant pattern.
Too crazy? I like the look of old sports cars, newer drag cars, old gassers, etc. so this is what I ended up with. Somehow it looks balanced despite the off beat layout. Next up, take off the body and get the underbelly smoothed out.
Later, Gary

 

Gary,
Glad to see your still moving forward, I think it looks great. Where are you tapping in on the motor for that boost/vac gauge?
A

 

Hey Alan... I've got no idea yet... haven't read the instructions! Can't be that hard to find a source, eh? Gary

 

Gary,
I'm feeling kind of lazy, when you figure it out let me know, OK!!

 

Sure... in the mean time, check out this other SC 3800 V6 in a street rod. Gary

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/0804sr_dave_garners_1936_chevrolet_standard_coupe/index.html

 

The coffin lid... Gary

 

We got the body inverted and then glassed in the bottom of the tunnel. Then a couple coats of gelcoat. It isn't pretty, but seals up everything. We put some 3M ruberized undercoat on it this afternoon... too... looks pretty sporty.

The oak strips were added to raise the back and rake the body a little down hill in the front. The metal straps in the center are for the Lokar shifter.

Believe it or not, we plan on having all the body parts headed towards the painter at the end of July!!! Gary

 

Moving along at quite the fast clip! Nice.

 

Yep, and thanx. We hope to have it done for the NSRA show here in October. NO pressure. Gary

 

Looks like you'll have it done in time. Anyway, it looks really mean. Keep up the good work.

 

Thanx again, ya'll. Gary

 

Well gang,
About 9 days or so and counting till the glass n metal parts are taken to the painter - the level of panic will depend on just how soon the radiator is finished and we can get the front of the body all finished. Once the body parts are delivered, the diff and frame will get the final welds and then powder coated. We hope to be bolting the frame back together and finishing the engine detiailing while the body is out and by the end of August be wiring it and doing the interior.

Got the bottom of the cab mostly finished... the acutators on the toneau (1/8th aluminum with a piano hinge at the front)... and a lot of little brackets done for the plate holder, aux lighting, etc. The bumper will have to be mocked-up and it's mounts tacked to the back of the frame before we can blow it apart for paint. Later, Gary

 

Florida....

JH

 

??? Gary

 

Teaser pix... Chris, the hood man, is making the patterns and should have the hood and sides done Friday! We plan to have anything that needs painted on it's way to the painter Monday AM!!! Good God. Then the engine comes out and the frame goes to the powder coater. There IS light at the end of the tunnel. Gary

 

Comming along good Gary! Can't wait to see it finished.

 

Thanx Dean... should be an interesting, non-Hambster sort of a rod. Going with a BMW Imola red (dark, blood red) with either a black or very dark gray chassis. Firewall might be a light silver / metalic gray. Black dash and console (yes, it will have one), probably saddle (or red? or black?) seats and dark gray carpet - at least that's the plan.

 

It was magic, watching Chris form my hood today. He arrived in the AM with a flat sheet that had the sides bent up in his break... and left with it looking like this. Tomorrow we chop out the hole for the 180 intake / TB and filter and see about the scoop and hood sides. Don't ya just hate guys with talent? Later, Gary

 

One day left before heading to the painter... So, we had this beautiful hood this morning and then... just up and cut a dammed hole it it for the scoop. The dragster nose "scoop" isn't going to work, so Chris is going to fab one in aluminum. Should be interesting.... Gary

 

Well Guys.. we just ran out of time. Chris did all he could today but the scoop still needs more work and so it will be a little late to the painter. The driver's hood side has a small Cobra / Vette like shark gill vent and the other side has notches for the header but will still need a window for the AC. Until I can find someone to pound out some blisters to cover these items, they'll just flap in the wind a little. As I mentioned, the glass scoop was too narrow to fit over the TB and allow the hood to open, so a wider one in aluminum is needed. It will be lower, so visabiltiy is improved. Later, Gary