I just bought this project and I need advise on what to do with it. The rear end is a mopar 8.25. The front end is from a 1943-48 ford and they made it a suicide front. I measured the spring and I need to do more research on the lengths to find one. I was only finding 30 and 39. What do I use from the steering gear box to the right tire? Pipe with heim joints? I also need some flat top perch bolts. I need to cut off the motor mounts because they put it in there sideways for some reason. Right side wishbone needs to be welded back to the tie rod end that hooks to the frame. Master cylinder doesn't look good on the firewall. Anything else you see wrong with the pic besides the body?
I'd pull everything off the frame and measure it corner to corner to see if it's straight before getting too deep in. The proportions seem a bit off too. there's an awful lot of room between the engine and the firewall. Moving the engine back will put a lot of distance between the front axle and the radiator. Which, unless you're building a dragster, probably won't look right. What's the story with the rear end there, is that spring toast too? Those rear rods kicking up like that raise a flag for me. I'd wager they should be parallel with the frame or angled down. That front spring perch needs repair/replacement before anything else. I'm not sure why you'd go to all the trouble to put the hangers on the bones then put them on top like that. That's about where they'd be with the perches over the axle. Regardless, it looks like you at least don't have suicide steering, so that's good. And it looks like the steering box is there already, also good (looks like a 60's F100 manual box). I can't see the pitman arm on the steering box, but it will likely take a Ford style tie rod end. Since it's not a stock application, you're going to need to measure from the center end of the pitman to the steering eye on your pas side spindle to get the length. You can get kits from Speedway. You can also get flat top perch bolts from Speedway. You can probably pick up a spring as well as fresh bushings and/or shackles there too. You're going to want to measure from center to center of the shackles on welded on perches there (get that broken spring off). You'll be able to figure out what size you need that way. I strongly suggest running more than 3 leaves since it looks like that caused a failure on this thing in its previous life. You're probably in the wrong place to get on the disc brake thing on an open wheel car. Those drums should do you fine on a light car like that anyway. I'd lose that MC in favor of one that isn't plastic (early Mustang dual is a favorite). Figure out your desired pedal ***embly, then get back to that one. Whoever put that there seems to have just stuck it through an existing hole on a T firewall.
Well, sorry to say and hope you are not offended, but that is some ****tastic fabrication. It needs several things fixed. Just a few observations: 1) where is radiator supposed to fit? steering box is in the way 2) engine angle looks like front is down? 3) perches not through the bones with reinforcement, but just welded on top? 4) too much space between engine and cowl 5) can't tell but it may have too much caster angle 6) Pinion angle and how are rear radius rods mounted to rearend? 7) probably more but that is quick noticed items Tubing is used for the tie rod and drag link, not pipe.
yep, pull the body off for repairs, strip mechanicals down to the bare frame and start over like a new build.
I'm with these fellers ^ That's a "bit" of a basket case, but anyone who's spent any time on here knows how some seemingly lost causes can be saved.
There's plenty of good car there for sure. But I think that frame may be your worst enemy going into the project. You may do well to transfer all the good parts over to a fresh frame, particularly if this one isn't straight or has any cracks. It's tough to tell what it started out as. It looks too deep and long to be a T frame. If it's a TT frame though, I'd probably spend the effort to fix it up and shorten it to close that big gap. Looks like the radiator can sit in front of the steering box and behind the front crossmember by mounting to those gussets BTW.
That is not a project, that's a stack of part leaning on each other. Something can be made from this, but it ain't a fast one winter project. Maybe for Jim Sibley. The proportions are a little wacked, but fixable. I would blow this apart and start from scratch regarding checking frame for square and that it's level/plain. Then you have too redo suiside mount. I would be looking for a spring in front set up to aid the wheel base proportions. And maybe a dropped axle. I would also go for a 32 grill, because going cl***ic or cliché is the only thing that can save that front end from look out of place and proportion. But the most important thing you ever will need to do is find the bucket of ugly thread. That will teach you a ****load about proportions and the does and don't of buckets. Google "lightning bug", and stare at the pictures for at least an hour a day. This two thing will get you a long way! And a lot of hard work an busted knuckles. Keep up the spirit and there is a lot of help to get here. I wouldn't go for do Disc conversion, drums do fine and on a fender less bucket they should be all that you will ever need.
ACTUALLY, guys, I just pulled this into Photoshop and found that the proportions are not as wonky as they may seem. If you pull the body up to meet the engine, problem solved: you end up with an axle-at-the-rear style T. Long wheelbase, yes, but not out of bounds. Also, I advocate a 28/29 A shell or a T shell over a 32. 32's are TALL and I find the 28/29 is a nicer medium between the T and 32 on a T body. Here, see: Body Forward: vs. Shortened Frame:
The body is just resting on it. The motor mounts will be coming off to redo them because the engine sits sideways. They didn't weld them in the right spots. The rear suspension is that old style leaf spring that wraps up into the frame. Id have to look it up.
Transverse leaf spring. Good stuff. BUT unless there's a panhard bar back there, those shackles show zero tension in the spring. They should be at about 45° Those wishbones look like a weak link for a SBC car. They are stock Model A bones from the looks of them. You'll really want later V8 bones back there and possibly a torque arm if it's open drive. When you get it home, take the body off, take pictures, & take measurements so you know what you have. Don't even fool with the motor mounts yet until you have the whole picture.
This looks like a cl***ic case of 'I want to be cool and build a Rat Rod, wait this is harder than I thought it and is gonna cost more than I have. FOR SALE!'. Worry not my friend, you've come to the right place. Some of the answers to your questions here may be a little harsher than you like, but that's just because sometimes the truth hurts. Stick with this one and you will have a killer ride when you're through. Or, you'll be advised to cut your losses and find a new project before you're in too deep. Either way, we won't steer you wrong. Good luck and have fun!
Yes, strip the whole thing down to pieces. As of now, its just a death trap. Set the frame up & start there after looking at ALOT of pictures to get a plan for what you want. Hitting the pavement at 70 mph. is something you do not want to do.
Hope you didn't part with a lot of cash, if it were me, I'd throw most of it away, build a new frame, different steering box in a different location, start with something you and the rest of us can trust. Good luck, I've used worse.
You actually have some useable parts there, but they are buried in poop! The front axle looks useable and the wishbones are probably salvageable. The rear spring might be. The steering box looks ok. The motor may have useable items. The shackles on the front appear to be aftermarket with plastic bushings. The rear end is probably too far back due to the placement of the spring on the rear diff.
I would def rip it completely apart and take stock of good and garbage. Judging by the stellar Fab work seen so far I am sure the frame is crooked so start there. It may actually be easier to find another frame to build than to fix that one. Body looks saveable for sure. I know I've fixed way worse. I'd be looking for a good A frame to build with what I salvaged from that frame. Basicly rip it apart, salvage, and start over. That frame and some ch***is parts scare the **** out of me.
Boy she is rough, I'd figure out the proportions first then dismantle and rebuild with correct parts. If you were closer I would give you a good deal on the front 3/4's of an A frame and a T rear crossmember to start over.
Wow, I've never seen so many positive and helpful posts to a rat rod. This place would have chewed this up and spat it out a few years ago. Nice to see great helpful advice on how to make something proper out of this. Here's almost 300 pages of required reading for fixing this. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-bucket-of-ugly-a-de-uglifying-thread.824491/ I don't think I'd bother fixing the ch***is, the body is fixable, keep the engine, and build a new ch***is with good proportions, and get yourself watching the bucket of ugly thread.
The positive posts are because he just bought it and wants to make it right, He did not build it. Anyway, not too bad lots of usable parts and a good start! Just treat it like a complete new build and it will be fine. The photoshop work that Patmanta did helps but I think it looks better with the shorter wheel base.
Interesting points brought up by the above posters. All are most are correct on how to do it correctly. The one post by kiwijeff about it being a rat rod isn't exactly correct. That is an example of how many hot rods were built back in the day. It took us a long time to learn how to build a safe driving car. The scary thing is that many people are still trying to build cars like that.
I don't think this is an old build, and it looks to me like the original builder was indeed buildng a rr, Just never finished it. I may be wrong, but it doesn't really matter anyway.
If it were me id sell that off and concentrate on starting with a real body. Im not saying that to be critical, its just that it takes so much work to build a car you might as well start with a real body that will be worth something when youre done. That looks like a touring back shoved up to a cowl with no doors to me. The ch***is doesnt offer much either. Youll be better off sending that down the road. For real.
I like all the feedback I am getting from everyone. I will have it gone this Saturday and you from there. I may just sell it and I may just take it on. I'll post more pics then Sent from my SM-N910V using H.A.M.B. mobile app
looks tweeked because that spring is broke up front so frame is sitting lower Sent from my SM-N910V using H.A.M.B. mobile app
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