I’m happy to see this forum. I’ve personally used the wealth of experience on here to guide my OT build over the last 4 years. It’s ironic that the guys that have been so helpful with the period correct details that are crucial to keeping this hobby alive, piss and moan over the finished product. Adapt or suffer….anyway here she is. 1934 Ford roadster pickup inherited from my dad. All original steel minus the new hood. Driveline is 70 Mustang, 302 with a C4 and 8” rear. The motor is now a 347 stroker, street fighter C4, New third member with 3.55 posi, heavy duty 32 spline axles. Wilwood manual big disc brakes at all 4 corners, Ridetech IFS and front coilovers. It drives and handles fantastic and goes like snot. Literally everything mechanical is new, I’ve done 100% of the work myself in my residential 2 car garage. My dad started this build in 1986, I’ve stayed honest to his plans and think he’d love it. I did replace the firewall, but I used as much of the original for the MC cover in the floor, door and bed patches, etc. My father in law was my biggest supporter. Lost him in November but we did make a car show last June. From the first start one year after bringing it home, to the car show last year.
I like it. Nothing wrong with modern guts under and old skin. I see you got a haircut! Not sure about the wheels.
Thought I would “chime” in2 the controversy regarding diff power plants and running gear in traditional “accepted” car. Been a hot rodder for 60 years(age 75 now) that concentrated on early Ford hot rods powered by the famous Ford flathead. Bought, sold,traded in excess of 30-35 engines for myself as well as paying”clients” Recently, sold almost all of my flathead “ goodies” at below market price to reduce the tonnage of stuff that 60 years of collecting produces. Neighbor down the street told me he had a “hot rod” in his garage and indeed he did. He acquired the car from Cali and in 5 years had made very few changes. I bought the 55 Ford 2 dr sedan and made a few changes but most of all really drove and used the car as a daily driver and put 3,000 miles quickly trying to “break” it b4 taking up a new residence on the east coast o Delaware to get away from the 75 years of the central Texas heat—-many,many days last year of temps over 100 degrees. I have enclosed pics and info about the car—-u can like it or hate it,I don’t care—-just be open minded and not judgemental. 55 ford 2 dr sedan,never in an accident,original paint,original chrome and stainless, original style interior,factory tinted gl***. Engine,trans, and entire frt clip from 95 Lincoln Mark 8,4 spd auto o/d trans, power steering,hydro loc power brakes,rack pinion steering,sway bar,struts,Mustang 17 x 8 wheels. What a “sleeper” looks like 55 Ford,drives,handles,stops like a95 Lincoln. First pics are of my “traditional” hot rods I built completing most everything except paint and upholstery. Went from 60 years hot rod flathead to 4 cam lincoln(pre COBRA) in less than a month and damn sure DON’T regret it.
Everything I own fits in here. Been doing this for 30+ years. Love the old body styles, love the modern drivetrains, suspension and brakes.
I FOUND MY FORUM! I have been a HAMB follower for many years, but realize the "upgrades" in my build (a 1936 Ford Fordor I call Legacy '36) such as a modern ch***is with IFS and 4 link, SBC motor, 4L60 trans, and 9 bolt rear make me a poor fit for the other forums, despite an all steel body going for a 'cl***ic' look (3" chop, shaved door hinges, filled roof and cowl vent, select stock trim, etc.). With the help of Platinum Custom Cars in Manteno, IL, I am completing a 'father / son' project started by my dad in 1975 that we just never found the time to work on. After my dad's p***ing in 2022, I've made it my goal to bring this project to the end HE would have wanted. This is very much a work in progress, and I am happy to have found a venue that may appreciate the process of finishing this mission. Stay tuned...
I’d hardly call a 302 a modern drivetrain, although the engine you rebuild is only 54 years old the design was first introduced 62 years ago and hasn’t been produced in over 20 years. I like your build, it looks like a moving violation could be in your future.
This is going to be small block Chevy powered, probably a 383 stroker. Chop is complete, thanks to the guys at Platinum Custom Cars.
I didn't know a "modern drivetrain" had model year limitations. Here I thought it meant a drive train more modern then the what was available when the sheet metal was produced, or at least a more modern drivetrain then the HAMB standards of 65 or older.
I guess I was thinking about the LS, Ford coyote or the third gen Hemi as late model, you know the ones that wouldn’t have been allowed on this site just a few weeks ago. The flathead ended production in 53 the Windsor V8 started in 62.
Up until this section opened up, I was not allowed to show/talk about the Dakota ch***is under my truck, or the 96 5.2 EFI motor. I don't know how slipped by showing pictures of my truck with the modern 6 bolt wheels (factory 96 aluminum wheels) to be honest. Now you want to sail right on past all the vehicles that now fit in here. My son built a 57 Dodge wagon with a modern 5.7 Hemi around they year 2010, my truck was built 12 years after that. His is modern by your standards, mine is modern by the HAMB standards. Please don't put limitations on this section. Just skip over what doesn't work for you.
A number of people have told me they gave up on the HAMB after their posts got removed. I grew up in So. California in the 50's/60's Hot rod culture was everything. Kids learned to use tools, build things,they dreamed they planned, some day I'll have an ISKY Cam or Edelbrock flat heads, or someday I'll have a Hemi. anyway, I'm glad they opened up this venue and bring some of the really talented people back along with their off topic contraptions, genius is genius after all
@flynbrian48 's DeSoto wagon fits this thread as perfectly as one could IMO. He needed something to replace the Tin Woodie that got munched by a ***** and needed something powerful and dependable to tug his vintage travel trailer around. He removed the DeSoto's hemi and installed a modern 5.7 Hemi. Perfect! And then re-purposed the DeSoto Hemi in his roadster, double perfect! As for guys getting their ******* in a wad over thread deletion...they need to grow some thicker skin and a bigger pair. I have had a lot of stuff deleted, I wear it as a badge of honor. Like those Velociraptors on Jur***ic Park, you got to test the fences once in a while.
A couple of people I talked to got their posts removed because components on their cars were "off topic" end of the discussion for them, they were removed. Thats why I like this new venue as there will likely be interesting stuff that would otherwise be removed, not seen.
Didn't the small block Ford come out in 1962? I wonder how hard it would be to take a later 302 and make it look like a real early engine.
Most of the early 220, 260 and 289 were black with blue, gold, silver ,orange or chrome valve covers and air cleaner. The 8.2” deck height Windsor had a forty year run with Ford, parts availability is outstanding for the 289/302 not so much for the smaller versions.
Thanks. I posted the wagon build, if I thought some part was off-topic, like the engine/transmission, I didn't post about it, and I didn't show photos of that stuff. The stuff that was relevant here, bodywork, painting, the struggle to get things to work that weren't easy, those things I did share. Likewise my Diamond T build. Anything that isn't discussed here, like it's engine, I didn't, and I didn't share photos that showed those bits. It's no big deal. The DeSoto Hemi in the roadster I shared the entire build, because it's on-topic. And if weren't for the new Hemi in the wagon, I wouldn't have been able to build the car. So, in that sense, the new Hemi swap was suitable for discussion, as it lead to a build that was topical for the HAMB.
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