Hot Rods Thunderbirdesq Builds a Roadster!

Great work Andy, lovin' it!!!!

 

Many sincere thanks, fellas. My rental property in PA has slowed progress a bit by stealing time from me lately, but that should all be squared away after the first of the year. Then it's back to biz-n***, get this ol ***** plumbed and runnin!

I swapped jrblack30 my mig welder for his Henrob for a few weeks and I've started hammer welding the patch panels in. Man, that little thing is AWESOME! More on that later...

 

I'm liking your vision a lot, Andy. Now stop reading this HAMB thread and get back to work on the roadster!!! But do post pics........

 

Looking forward to hearing about the Henrob. Been thinking of getting one myself.

 

Thanks, tinmann, I wish I could, I'm at work now... After viewing your thread about the flathead in a 32 frame, I went back this morning and lowered my engine mounts. Thanks!

Cool, just let me know, I even found a few more pairs of rears (again) since we last spoke. I think it's safe to say, whichever rears you need, I got 'em!

Nice piece, this henrob. Makes welding sheetmetal a breeze! I'm gonna have to p*** on the axle swap though, I've become attached to this one!

 

Great build, sure wish I saw this thread before my trip to Buflo in November. Would have loved to have seen it in person. Getting a lot of good ideas for my son's A roadster/'32 frame build that we are collecting parts for. I did get to hook up with jrblack30 on that trip and go to the Tuesday night gathering with him. Thanks again Jim. Andy, we'll stay tuned in to the rest of your build, learning a lot about the right way to do it.

Lee

 

Thanks Lee, I hope it's the right way! Most everything I've learned about this stuff, I learned on here and by talking to those who have done it before. Next time you're in town give a holler. I was gonna go with you guys on that tues, but work got in the way.

 

Hey Andy, looking real good. I think you should reconsider the purple, mopar made a nice shade of it in 70-71

 

Looking good man, I am falling in love with your car. It's good you are putting together the car anyhow so that you can clear some space for that 303 Olds that my brother should have at his house by the end of January!!! Whatta ya think that will go in???? Possibilities are endless.

 

Thanks doods, Jeff I think the 303 is slated for duty in our new club project, super-secret 31 A pickup drag truck! Oops! Did I just say that outloud?

 

Twice Pipes??? Where are you guys out of?? Erie or Buffalo? None the less I am excited!!!

 

Looks Damn NICE Man, I like it a lot!

Nick.

 

Haha, Buffalo and Williamsport, PA. There's only 3 of us... Me, kwmpa, and turkeyjerk. Turkeyjerk was just gifted a complete 31 pickup (lucky ****er!) and I've been trying to convince him we should build a track-only drag truck out of it. I think he wants to put it on the street though. We'll see! heheheh...

 

Only three of you??? That sounds like a perfect amount of people. **** we have seven and we could never build a car together without stabbing each other!!! Track truck would be pretty rad!!!

As far as your roadster goes, I am pretty sure that you'll have one of the coolest cars in Buffalo. Jim's '34 will be rad too and my brother's pickup will be another cool one. I don't think there is a more thoughtful (right word?) and authentic car then yours. I am just really digging your choice of parts, thought process and over all build on that one bro.

Next year hopefully I'll have my '35 up there for our baby shower at the end of summer. We should all get together and go for a Twice Pipes sponsored reliability run!!!

 

Hahaha! Yeah we also have our moments alright! Seriously, thanks man. I'm no pro at this stuff, I'm just doing what the car tells me it wants, you know? What feels right for it... hopefully it turns out good. I'll be happy if it's reliable and fun.

Reliability run... Hmm... that sounds awesome! Let's do it!

 

Just keeping with tradition the Camaro I have now was purple at some point.
As for the brown one staying well if something comes along.....kidding

 

Don't you mean, "if something purple comes along?"

 

I folded up some cowl feet/subrail extensions in the vise from .125" plate. Now I have a nice sturdy way to bolt the cowl down...

 

These extensions are small and not really noticed but seeing how nice they look is a testament to your work. I wish my little **** came out like that. It's the stuff you would like to expect on a Nascar frame but still very appropriate for your build.

I think I need to start thinking more about these braces in advance because I ***ume that you do not have a plasma, water jet, Bridgeport and such in your garage right? A bandsaw, vise and hammer go a long way.

Looking good dude.

 

Thanks, yeah from all outward viewpoints, they will appear to be the stock pieces, only if you lift out the floorboards would you notice they're not. I actually cut these out with a 4.5" cutting wheel on a grinder, rounded the edges and then folded them up with a vise and a hammer. No fancy tools here, even if I had some, they wouldn't fit in my garage!

Thanks Mark, snow and cold are definite enthusiasm drainers... I just know if I don't force myself to go out to the cold garage, come spring I'm gonna be hating myself for it!

 

Great job so far!

 

Well, it didn't take me long to get burned out on polishing aluminum engine parts. So I took a break and did some sheet metal work. I used jrblack30's henrob to hammer weld the cowl patches, cowl tank filler hole, and the 32 shell I had.

 

Someone torched this shell up on both sides to fit around a headlight bar.



Since I need to lower the radiator about 2.5 inches to make the hood line up, I used what I removed to patch the holes up. I wanted to keep the mounting areas for the stainless trim piece and the hood welt so I scooted that area up. Laid out my lines...



Cut em out! Man, it's a lot easier to cut up a repop grille than these originals! All in the name of progress!



Tack them in place...





Weld 'em up! and hammer 'em flat! A little dressing with the grinder and a few minutes in the blast cabinet and she'll be ready for a skim coat.

 

Oh yeah, I also cleaned and painted the trans. Darkness!

 

This is very cool! I can dig it!

 

looking good

 

Hi Andy. (I only know your name from seeing others use it.) Your roadster is comin' along great! Good job. Very inspirational to me, until I can get my '29 started...still gathering parts. BTW...has the skin on your thumbs grown back yet from all the sanding you did on that intake? Hahahahaha! I know what it's like! Sanded and polished one on a guy's '33. Maaaan. I didn't have thumb-prints for a while! It's all worth it to realize your dream of building a roadster. Keep it up! Cheering you on. - Rick