Hot Rods Spalding Bros Repro, for "Too Tall" Ganahl.

I got the ****pit sheet metal done on the "Tank", and am back to work on the Spalding.

 

Very nice!

 

Today I finished up fabricating and fitting the blank-out panel for the RH door opening. I started with some 18 ga CR steel, ran it through the rolls, to rough in the front to back contour. Next was rolling the bead along the top, followed by bending the top flange. The flange required a trip or two through the shrinker to get the contour back, the next step was to give the panel some shape, the opposite way with the English wheel, making it fit the vertical profile. More pics to come .

 

Once I got the panel to hug the body structure, using machinist die on the inside and running scribe around the opening, I trimmed it to fit with a 6" corner notcher. Now that the part is tacked in, the next thing to do will be doing the small repair under the door opening, and then the body will get re***embled and the perimeter round tubing will get fitted and installed.

 

Wow nice.

 

Gadzooks, Marty! That fit is close enough it could weld itself! Excellent form on the bead and sill (flange)
Look like they 'grew there'...
Will you fit a piano hinge to the cowl lid from the dash?

 

I had t smile when I saw the 6' corner notcher. That is a BIG ONE!

 

Mike,
I got lucky on the bead, my die was 1/8" too wide, I rolled it anyway. When I broke the top flange, I cheated the bend into the radius of the bead, and it worked out. And yes on the cowl hinge, that will happen when the dash/firewall goes in.

 

Nicely done. Are you planning to add a mounting point for a shoulder harness? I realize you want to be historically accurate but if it ever gets driven down a LSR track or drag strip that might be a nice bar to hide away behind the seat.

 

Ahhh...Good thinking! Taking a 'bite' on the edge of the bead's not always easy...Did you get it in one swipe?

 

Frenchtown,
It will have harness mounts and gussets on the cage as per SCTA rules, as someone might want to re-power it down the road, with something that will run over 200, it will certify .

 

I did get lucky, and didn't deform the bead.

 

I am going to say that door panel is likely a much better fit than the one on the original Spalding roadster. Damn nice work Marty!

 

Your work IS FANTASTIC, !!!!

 

Dean, I need to talk to you, I have been considering a project for myself, (after Pat's is delivered to LARS), and I need your input. These 3 pictures should give you a hint. BTW, can you still shift a 4-speed ?

 

Marty!! You have to concentrate on finishing the stuff you have in the works already! I`ve been waiting for the Cabover to be done for AGES!!!

Seriously? A Roadster Pickup? Did I ever show you the pics of my old one? I`m all in on that...

 

Great build thread, I will be checking it often now that I have found it.

 

I'm at your service Marty!

 

So now you go from building a tribute car over the coolest track roadster I know, to doing a tribute car of the Dean Lowe RPU.

You are one awesome dude!!!!

 

If it's got a Quickchange I'm all in.

 

Haven't checked the link for awhile but giggle every time I do. Incredible as always, can't wait for everything to come together and am absolutely enjoying the journey via the journal. You know what a ****er I am for *****in' drag trucks and hope you plan on a p***enger seat for your potential project. I'll need a ride unless you trust me to grab a gear after Mr. Lowe has his turn at the fun. Larry

 

I have made some progress on the Spalding, the door blank-out panel is welded in, and the perimeter round tube of the body is shaped and tacked in. The function that downloads pictures from my camera to computer is not working, help is on the way, I will be posting soon. My thoughts of building a 29 RP intensified when a buddy of mine,( Jim Lindsay) decided to "hotrod" a 29 that his Dad had restored years ago. During a conversation I asked what he was going to do with the fenders, splash aprons and brackets that he removed from the truck. He immediately said we would work something out. Since then he has procured a cowl, doors and a back panel, so I am well on the way as far as body parts are concerned. The little truck he is building should be a lot of fun, with a "B" engine, juice brakes and Pat Warren QC rear. His plans are to make it to the hill climb in Colorado next year.

 

That should be a fun car. That is about the same engine set up my RPU had the first year when I plowed the Walnut groves around the house learning to drive a crash box Model A.

 

Not to hijack this post...
But... Marty... and Dean... we need to talk about this Street Roadster thing...
I have written up a set of rules based on a 1967 Rule Book for a street roadster cl***.
I need someone to RACE!
We have a few guys interested... which would make all that more FUN!
Four Speeds, wheels up... 9 second Street Roadsters? Hell YES
BTW... my car has an automatic in it now... but I am collecting parts to do a Mopar powered 4 speed car and will be converting mine over too.
!!!
Send me a message with your e-mail addresses and I can e-mail you a copy of my rules.
Sam

 

Dean won't run those wheels, so I hope they're not in the rules.

 

Here are the pics of the body perimeter tube installation.

 

The bending tools used were Hossfeld #2 bender with a 6" radius and feed-along dies, tube roller, and hand bender. When the tube frame is welded in for good, I will trim and roll the edge of the top flange.

 

nice!

 

Nice work! What size tube is that? I'm very jealous of your bending and rolling equipment. Someone told me once "You can tell how good a blacksmith is by the way he rolls his eyes".

 

It's 3/4" .065 welded mild steel tube. I left out a pic of my Ridgid bender, there were a lot of different shapes and bend radius changes, in that short run. The long, gentle curves were done with a 1.25" die,thanks for your interest.