(This thread got ****ped in... save yourself some time and don't read it). the build isn't in this thread. Just a common courtesy "heads up". Well, I figure I better get a build thread started. My fabrication buddy got back to town last night. And we were talking about our cars. Fun twist of events. I told him I'd been looking and I've decided that I'm not gonna let him run this 292 he has... I asked him how many 235's he had laying around. He figures 6 or 8, but none of them run. I figure 2 grand to get an engine from laying on the ground to actually running. I didn't want to spend that, he didn't either. Not that either one of can't afford it. It's just funner to REALLY think it out. I don't want to throw money, I want to be clever, that's half the fun. Swinging a good deal on a runner, or something like that. He says what about a flathead? I said I talked to our other buddy, I think it's to much money. He says... we'll maybe I've got a kick *** runner I've been hiding from ya... ...lol... What a hold out piece of ****... So this first one will be a flathead. Talk is cheap. Let's see what happens.
DON'T BE HATIN.... I've got a 307 and a 350 I can stuff back in it. This is just a possible local candidate for me to get all the drivetrain out of for my gas rail. this option I'm out Say 3 grand outta pocket. but perhaps can make some of it back parting the truck. Or popping the 307 in it and selling it done. Either way, I can possibly re-coup some dough. Truck looks WAYYYYY better in the photos than in person. It is nice...ain't that nice. But the guy that owns it is cool. I actually told him what I was thinking of doing with it.
Ditto....that would be a sweet truck...and creating a whole package deal. hurry up, get off the computer, and do something constructive, you've got a week to proove yourself Cheers, Drewfus
Yea, I know. I gotta start backing some of this talk up with some action. Although, seriously don't you think this other truck (shown below) I'm in the middle of building, wouldn't be a better tow rig? I can tell you that we hadn't planned on putting a hitch on it... We're gonna now though.
I take a lot of pictures and love to talk... So just be ready... that's all I'm sayin. Here are my other 2 options as presented, at this time. Likely this will end up a 2 car build. My bud has his flathead and stuff all lined out. I'm still poking around. Option 2) Yellow chev farm truck, looks like a '55. Guy said I can have the 235 engine and trans for $300, it's not stuck, but needs a carb. truck 4 speed. you'd think it would be good for something like this. Unless there are some ****py snycros or something in those boxes that make them good for hauling grain, and not for hauling ***. Option 3) Rusty Ford truck. Some random flathead. I was to cold to start trying to figure it all out and write stuff down. Likely a few of you guys know what it is just by looking at it. Also $300 engine and trans complete. I couldn't get it to rotate, might be stuck.
Update: I went with option 1, I bought the blue truck, I pick it up tomorrow. I can finish and sell the blue truck later. I probably never will, but that's the twisted rationale we all use when starting a new project. Here's the flathead we're gonna stuff in my bud's car. Runs like a top. Best part is that we'll have our own internal Ford vs. Chevy rivalry. And the last pic is some more **** I found in his garage.
Man, this is a tough room. We pick up the blue truck tonight. I gotta move a bunch of cars from in and around this shop over to another shop I've got so we can have a more open work area. Little project based stuff, basic storage, etc. My buddy has keyed in on my wifes irritation that it looks like a wrecking yard around here. So I need to do a bit of tidying up this week too. Will go a long way toward keeping the peace when I drag home more **** all winter. Guess it kinda does look like a wrecking yard. This week I rented a few acres outta town, where I'm gonna start taking parts and project cars and **** like that. How long does it take to move 20-30 cars and rope tow them 10 miles one way? *UGH* Anybody into Subaru 360's? I've got 7 of 'em I'll shoot you a deal on. One's just about 90% restored, just needs final interior ***embly.
Tough room??? Nah, just a bunch of greasy knuckled fools talkin' trash. Subaru 360's.......hmmm, might be a good body for an altered or a compe***ion coupe.......sorta like a poor man's topolino.
Damnnnnnn.... you might be on to something there. I'll have to give them the "hairy eye" this evening.
Yeah, I remember those things. Hey Tom, you recall that pair of Honda "boot"s that used to run Irwindale when it opened? Ran something like 27 seconds.
I'm gonna post some "current" thoughts on direction. Mostly I have to write this stuff down somewhere or my A.D.D. kicks in and I completely forget what that hell I was looking at...Sad as it is, this is to remind me later. I love the torsion style front end the most. Just ahead of the 1/4 elliptical. In keeping with the age of the build, I checked and VW made bugs back to 1938, so those torsion tubes were available, and surely made it onto builds of the day. Spirit of the "Bug"...get it. I'm thinking I don't want the bottom of the axle flat. Has to have a curve in it. Likely I'll have to build the axle to get the look I want. I'm seeing it curved with about a 5" drop. I'll roll it to get the shape and weld some king pin bosses on it. Mark Williams sells a pile of neat bits to build a front end, including a new torsion tube. http://www.markwilliams.com/ch***isFrontaxles.aspx?CategoryID=160 Some front end bits I find pleasing to the eye. I like the look of the triangulation of a narrow front frame and the look of the radius links off the front axle coming back to the frame. Perhaps 12" wide at the nose. In my minds eye I also see the ch***is coming to a point with 4 frame rails meeting up at the front and connecting at the torsion tube. kind of like the second image. From an HA/GR ch***is perspective, what's the general opinion of the ch***is in the second image? To much of the 60's, and not enough of the 50's?
from an HA/GR perspective, thats a slingshot dragster. an HA/GR must have the driver positioned forward of the rear axle centerline. that is definitely a 60's deal.
I don't recall any vdub front end dragster builds before slingshots, not even on desert buggies of that time. But yes, they certainly were extant then.
Looks great, but it doesn't represent the era of the bug!!! In order to keep this spirit going, lets keep it smiple & more 50's!
I know it's a slingshot, was just wondering about the shape. "as a whole". not particularly the rear axle location. If nobody was doing the torsion tube until the mid 60's, well, that ****s. I'll have to poke around some more. The color picture, the one that is newer looking is from the vintage dragster builder guys. It's on this page: http://www.slingshotdragsters.com/kits.html
if you haven't already, this thread has some proper inspiration! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138837
Ah, a bit of good inspiration. Much appreciated. So the square tube lower frame rails seems to be the look we are after, more than not. You know, Ryan, this would be easier for folks if there was some kind of master HA/GR build photo list. If a dude was so inclined, they'd all be right there. Just sticky it at the top, and keep it locked so only you could post in it, so it wouldn't be full of debates. Just cool pics of what the HA/GR community has produced. Lot easier to look at something and say "I can build that", than to look at rules and think, "what do you suppose they meant here?"
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