Projects The Sachem Special; a little 'T and A' for the ROG

@Speedy Canuck @Olson @Ryan I tried to use lettering and graphics in a simple style that would have been used back then. I wanted it to look good, but I also wanted to do it quickly, as if I couldn't wait to go racing. Which is true. I can't wait.
I've been trying very hard to resist revisionist history. No super slick lettering. Don't worry that the rad shell is a little higher than the cowl. Make changes to make it lighter and faster. Then dress it up a little, and go racing!

Thanks for the compliments. I'm stoked with how it's coming together too.

 

Made a mount for the tank, and gave it a little character, too. I'm on the hunt for a couple old leather belts to secure it to the cradles.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Except maybe a trip to Salvation Army...

 

Well, for me right now it's nearly a full time job. So things tend to move along at a pretty good clip.

 

Thanks Nick!

 

Heck Yes!

 

Been working on some things on the car.

I cut up some aluminum sheet, and took a hand drill with a wire brush to it for a super quicky firewall.



Heated and bent a 90* into a beat up Model B conn rod.



Picked up a seat the other day. It was made for a T speedster, but I'll repurpose it here.



Made some cradles for the tank. I got some old belts for 2 dollars from Salvation army yesterday. They made good hold-downs. No pics of those yet.



@CrazyUncleHarry and I spent a little while yesterday getting it ready to run. The carb was very resistant to cooperating, but we did manage a "puh" if not a "puh-tato", making good hot spark, great compression. So I'm going to pull the pan, make sure the bottom end is tight, and move towards the installation of speed parts and having a real runner.

I also started messing with fitting the windshield and making plans for a chop. Kinda my after hours kickin' around. After you spend 8 hours working on one task, but aren't ready to call it quits for the day, you just need to find something else on the car to do. And there is ALWAYS plenty to do...

 

@Speedy Canuck, copied from post 13:

On IG, someone asked me what a Sachem was. So I thought I would provide a little background for those that don't know. Apparently, I have a tendency to give a name to my jalopies, as is evidenced by my previous effort, the Silver City Special:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/build-thread-introducing-the-silver-city-spl.723050/

I guess it just provides an iden***y to the car. Maybe a way for someone to connect to it, an easy way to refer to it. Instead of "hey, you know that car built by that guy..." one can say, "hey, you know the Silver City Special..." It can also help to build a rivalry... the Silver City Special is gaining on the Dust Bowl Special (@@Bugsy )...

Anyway, when planning this car, I was inspired by the rebellious spirit of the Native Americans in my area. Metacomet, also known as King Philip, was chief (or, SACHEM) of the Wampanoag tribe in southern M***achusetts. He plied political brilliance, finding ways to get along with and cooperate with the colonists. Again and again, he gave concessions, gave up much of his tribes' armaments and land, each time hoping he and his tribe would finally be left in peace. But, after 13 years of negotiating, in 1675, Metacomet lost his patience. The colonists had taken away too many land use privileges, their expansion had decreased the number of natural food resources, and they showed every sign of continuing to try to push the Wampanoag out of southern New England. He allied with several other local tribes to push the colonists out, and the fighting was fierce.

One night, cornered in a swamp, he was betrayed by another Indian and was shot and killed. His body was dismembered, and his body parts, including his head, were staked up across the disputed territory as a sign that messing with the colonists would end in disaster. So fearsome was Metacomet that his head remained on a spike in Plymouth for 20 years after his death.

So, what does all this have to do with hot rodding? Well, Metacomet was a bad***. And hot rods are bad***.

 

@cactus1 @Ford Mike I had the engine started a couple days ago, and then something really neat got dropped off at my house yesterday. So, we gotta wait a little longer to hear it run. But it will totally be worth the wait.