Build: The Littleman Coupe build

[Littleman]

I Scored this Model A Coupe today, found it about mid Ohio and 675.00 later it found it's self in the back of my truck. Stopped on the way home to by some sawzall blades so I chop and channel this thing to death....sometimes being 5'2" is a good thing! Littleman

[Littleman]

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[Littleman]

Scored Model A early mock up pics.Just getting my direction, was going to use the stock frame to start with but going to fab my own frame......Littleman

[Littleman]

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[Littleman]

This is the A I picked up alittle over a month ago. Thought I would post an updated progress pics of another hamb build started in the year 2004.I have named it Deaths Doorstep, That was my name I came up with for my Topolino, but thought it fit the direction this one has taken...Littleman

[Littleman]

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[Littleman]

http://img83.exs.cx/img83/5307/p20900271rb.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img181.exs.cx/img181/8647/p20900210ga.th.jpg (http://img181.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img181&image=p20900210ga.jpg)

[Littleman]

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/8586/p82000022as.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

pic2http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7732/p90600052mq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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pic3http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9559/p90600066ki.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/9787/p10100039vo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/7245/p10100050ps.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/295/p91500062gg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8257/p91800092uo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2646/p92900050af.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9011/pa0200100jv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

Looks awesome.
So how much clearance/travel did you end up with between the top of the rear and the upper tube/crossmember?
Keep up the good work
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/3633/pa0200093cz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1671/p20900230ri.jpg (http://imageshack.us)












Another view from awhile ago..............Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/8979/pa1700231mi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9927/p10100195db.jpg (http://imageshack.us)











Perimeter frame tacted together.........

[Littleman]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7323/p10100167dp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6861/p10100188qf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3065/p10100204lz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/6645/pa1700249aa.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/7803/pa1700258mz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3509/pa1700266je.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/9871/pa2500014gk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)









Still need to make a mid mount, put in the rear drive shaft loop, mount the front shocks, do alot of finish welding and put in a couple of tubes here and their.but hit the ground tonight for the first time...its one of the best time of any build............................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5161/pb0100052sh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)











Fully welded chassis................

[Littleman]

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6230/pb0100063dy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9617/pb0100104ur.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/5186/pb0100119rz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/1281/pb0100121mx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/7222/pb0100130dn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3586/pb0100142yl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4514/pb0100208ev.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/1219/pb0100184on.jpg (http://imageshack.us)









Special thanks to Hamber"Curator" for coming over and helping me place the body back on, and you are right about my rear hairpin location, it needs moved up alittle, it looked good with out the body on, but will get moved up after seeing it in the pics....but that will have to wait, as of Friday I am off to Florida with the family and this time its mandatory that I go, got out of it last time, so I owe them, hat to lose a week of build time, but will take a break from them 2am nights and getting up at 5am to go to work. Plan on taking my 3 year old daughter to the Garlits museum..........I can wait for the local cops passing this coupe up on the street........Littleman

[Littleman]

Rear end is 57 9" Ford posi still need to select gears as of yet....Trans is powerglide w/ trans brake for doing wheelies and because I have it laying around.....The 392 is at the machine shop.bored .060 over.11 to 1 or so Ross pistons on Bill Miller aluminum rods........and a big Isky stick for breathin, and Mondello like ported heads with big valves...Thanks Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img351.imageshack.us/img351/7850/pb1400115vn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/4816/pb1400099ju.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2892/pb1400124do.jpg (http://imageshack.us)









I finally have the body in its final position before I mount it.........Littleman

[Littleman]

I want to set the firewall that far back.because I want to make the old gas tank part of the cowl top removable, so I can work on the engine...This panel is currently welded in from its early days as a drag car. Where it is roughly placed now puts the outer lip edge of the firewall that faces the Hemi right under the upper cowl filler peice that goes under the window, by doing this it makes it easier to isolate the enginebay from the interior and will look much cleaner when the upper cowl is off....When I built the frame I did not want a real long wheelbase, I wanted the engine stuffed in the car and with that sets up a whole bunch of challenges, I knew it would be tight, the seats will be all the way to the rear, as of right now the gas masher and brake pedal are the only thing fighting for some space due to the trans so far back in the car.The steering column will be extended to the back...The seats I have are real narrow and flat they will be raised up from the floor, but tonight I will take a pic with them inside,their really is enough room.But I know I am the only one that has to fit, my long legged friends will fit in the pass. side....I will make it very comfortable for me....I will not drive anything that I dont feel right while behind the wheel, especially at the drag strip...I had this idea for the firewall from the get go and will see if it will work out, if not on to the next idea.............Littleman

[Littleman]

when I was in high school I bolted the trans in my 68 Chevelle direct to the rearend, and welded the rear end solid, moved the steering back and bolted the bucket seat where the back seat once was and could adjust the dizzy from the drivers seat and drove it to school and work....So with some of my ideas, I may not be firing on all eight cylinders, but I will get this to work..............................leg room is kinda tight........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4270/pb1500033tl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








Pic of the swap meet seats I was thinking of using...............Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/7341/pb1500021xw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3016/p10300058ex.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








This is the first time I have been able to roll it back to see a full side view.I love the engine set back.
Body finally sitting on the frame with no blocks, can finally roll it and nothing falls off......Still a way's to go, need to finish floor structure,mount fuel tank, which finally found its final place, finish floor structure, firewall.......Do have the brake pedal and master mounted, waiting for my gas pedal to arrive in the mail..And will mount steering box and make the steering column........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1836/p10300065in.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7077/p10300081gg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/312/p10300104wz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)







Just some of the floor structure that I need to finish, its still trying to find its way.slow process.......Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5384/p10300111go.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/323/p10200019ht.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

I have one big electric fan that covers the entire rad., and moves alot air....I plan on getting a Stewart electric water pump, that moves 55 GPM...I still need to figure out the water line dia., but will be nothing under 1" dia., I may fab up some aluminum tube for hard lines and rubber hose the ends.....Still working on that, just not to that point in the build yet.........Still do not know what to do about the alternator........................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/734/p11600055hi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








It looks much better than I had mocked up originally, seems to work great and the box does not move at all when in use.......Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7512/p11600078bc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8668/p11600105oy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

The cowl was welded in from its drag racing days from way back when, I plan on cutting it to make it removeble, then you can get to everything (sparkplugs) with no problem......................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2470/p13000013di.jpg (http://imageshack.us)







This is the no brainer 40 Ford dash, that I have already narrowed, but would need to blend the ends in..........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img445.imageshack.us/img445/7048/p13000027th.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img445.imageshack.us/img445/9103/p13000032rf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








Then their is this old Divco Milk truck gauge pode type mini dash..

[Littleman]

http://img445.imageshack.us/img445/4469/p13000044ck.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

Or I could just put the gauges flat faced into the firewall...............Just have not found that killer dash laying around anywhere, I could make a standard drag dash, but feel that will just fall short..........Thanks Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/4505/p20300105kv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)







Started on the other side, need to crown it more once the body comes back off...........need to finish this before I finish the inside sheetmetal work..................................Littleman

[Littleman]

... they are vents out of a huge gull wing hood, a 20.00 swap-meet find....Have no idea what it was once on, it just caught my eye.I knew I was going to do this with the some kind of vents, I was thinking about a shark gill kinda look, I built most of the car in my mind as I drove to pick up the body alittle while back.My problem is that I have already started building the next two cars in my mind, hard to work with all kinds of crazy thoughts and ideas for the next one..........The fuel tank will bulge out of the body and new decklid once I build it, I like seeing it, and think it gives it some kind of balance in the back. I have yet to figure out the dash , Hamber Nero, pmed me and had me stop by his shop and loaned me, I think he said a small Mac Truck dash........But AM still thinking of just drilling the firewall and putting the gages in the firewall, can not get much purpose built than that, and I will stick the tact out on the cowl directly in front of me..............Thanks again...............Littleman....and I forgot , yes the vents will direct the air to the radiator, it was going to be this or when I drill the visor out, I was going to sleeve them into the car, build a false ceiling, basically a cavity, and direct the air through their and down the rear corners between the back window and quarter windows.........

[Littleman]

I am trying to get it running for Detroit autorama, which is less than two months, The Hemi is in the machine shop, I still need to build six carbs and make linkage, figure out the kooling system then build it, well I can go on and on..I am in deep poo poo.But will give it my best shot.....Littleman

[Littleman]

Thanks for all the response, this place is great.....Well just came in and the otherside is welded in, so their is no turning back.............I have to say I really like them, I guess you have to see it in person? And maybe you still may not like them...I will also pull air from the bottom also via a scoop of some sorts.............I am trying to build the cooling system as bullet proof as possible..............and I tend to go overkill on most things............I am not building this rig to match any picture of some past hotrod or of anything I have seen or heard of, just building to the art work in my head...When this thing is painted, I do not think they will really stand out that much. I am pretty sure the body will eventually be painted flat red, along with the frame with the stainless sleeves scotch brited, the Hemi will be a bone white with chrome headers and a bone white rearend.......Still thinking on the dash...............Thanks again.......I look for the true response that everyone gives here on the H.A.M.B., the info helps validate what I am thinking most of the time, do I need it ,,not really, I kinda march to my own tune, be it good or bad, but the H.A.M.B. is an awsome tool to use..everyone sees things differently.........and building what everyone wants, well that just sounds little too much like pop music to me..and their is nothing wrong with that, juust not me.......It is difficult to do something totally original anymore, those guys and gals did alot of playing way back when and built everything in all different ways.its my parents fault I was not born so I could have played back then.........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2048/p31300467ma.jpg (http://imageshack.us)







Mounted the water system overflow, and old Eelco tank, did not end up using the brackets that I built int the front cross member tube.....I think this is much kooler..............A big thanks to Curator for stopping over and helping out greatly with the wiring.You now can turn over the Hemi and everything else is wired such as water pump, fuel pump.....It is just days from firing up...As I add stuff to this thing .it is looking more and more like a giant Hotwheel..still have to weld the header tubes to the flanges...........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7285/p31300474ls.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6462/p31300488nc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








The plan is to get it running again, then put on the 6x2 set up and build the linkage.........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/2295/p31400493yr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






Welded the chrome header tubes to the flanges today, last night mounted electric fan to the radiator and a few other things.the list is getting much shorter..........I think I will drill the visor Monday evening and do more prep for the firing................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/7241/p31400502hk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/1210/p31400519ux.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6357/p31400531yv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

I have thoughts of a pair of lights that are actuated and pop out the side of the cowl, but room is real tight, maybe a modern bulb in two larger chrome tactometer cups ?...........it will have to have some lights to keep the koppers from pulling me over, thats why I like the hidden lights in the cowl, just so when they pull me over and they say you have no lights.and say what do you mean and hit the switch and scare the bajeebers out of them as they shoot out the sides of the cowl right where they are standing..........Littleman

[Littleman]

Well DeathsDoorStep Lives....................Came home from work and filled the kooling system, checked for leaks, poured in the cam II and dialed fire...and the monster was born..It did not sound all the bad, add a little bigger cam and this engine could stay in it....................always a good feeling when they start up for the first time, even moved it forwards and back so it is an official running freak........................now to convert it to 6x2's and hook up the fun pedal..........................Littleman.......... .......when you jaz the throttle the whole thing rocks like a jet Kennworth.............Plowboy ya want to race in the streets of Detroit?

[Littleman]

Ran into trouble with my old vintage chrome U-FAB intake, currator and I noticed that the copper was flaking on the inside, way back when they had bee triple chromed and the entire inside was coated in copper..We tried to sand blast it but you could not really get it all...And I thought about it and decided not to run it until it could be stripped by a chromer and replated, which probably will not happen too soon.......Plan B I am going with the aluminum Drag Star intake..........................You can try to plan as far ahead as possible, but something will always get you.................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/5047/p32700559yq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








It leaves rust piles from the body everytime I fire it up...........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5573/p32700573zf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)







I finally got the 6x2 with straight linkage running good enough to drive it into Detroit..It by no means is close to being tuned,so beware it will reak of lots-o-fuel.......................just like my truck did last year.........bug killers.....he he..........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3286/p32700586uo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/803/p32700619xm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/5720/p32700629oh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/2039/p32700643tp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






When its running the visor shakes like mad along with the front tie rod....................I have never mentioned this on here before, but this car is being built in memory and dedicated to my last step father, Robert Busser,that my mother had kicked to the curb a number of years ago.............He was the one that was more of a father to me than anyone.......He entered my life around the same time I was able to drive, 16 yrs old......He never really tried to be my father and I think thats why it worked out.........He retired a Ford mechanic after 30 + yrs working for the same dealership here in Ohio.........When I really started doing crazy things with cars, it was only him and my autobody teacher that told me I could do it............His son came up from North Carolina and picked up his father my last step dad to live with him and his family, for he was not in the best of shape after smoking and drinking hard much of his life.........So he left Ohio and my wife and I maintained contact with him the whole time........Six months later his son passed away from lung cancer, it ws a huge shock to everyone especially to my step father, it just did not work out the way they had planned it, he ended up taking his son to his doctor appointments instead of the other way around.........Bob stayed down their after his sons untimely passing..............Well last January he had fallin ill himself and spent alot of time in the hospital, once I knew he was home, my wife and I planned a surprise visit to him.but the night before we left I called him and said see ya tomarrow, and he said no way do not come down here right now, he even said he would not answer the door if we did come..And he would let us know when we could come down when he felt better, so we canncelled our trip last minute.................So last year I am at Detroit with my little A truck, and I get the call from my wife, He has passed away, this was Saturday evening..luckily I had met the Danger/Danger crew and hangin with them helped me not to dwell on it.............My last phone call conversation I had with him was me telling him I was going to build this bad ass coupe and had some ideas that I thought would be fresh and new.........He just said if anyone can do it, it would be me...........He used to race Model A stock cars in his youth at the Akron Rubber Bowl track............................In June of last year I get this box of stuff from my step dads house and a letter and a check for 500 bucks, in the letter she wrote that he did not have much, he only had 1000 dollars in the bank.and after cleaning his house up, all she found was everything that we had ever sent him, so she figured I must have been something special too him for he never saved anything.......so I am giving you half of what he had in the bank, for you to do what ever with....................and after thinking real hard about it, I wrote her a letter telling her I was going to purchase car parts with it for a project I talked to her father about it and do this car in memory of him...............I feared a nasty letter back, but was far from it, she loved the idea and said cars where his lifes work and could not think of a better way to honor him. So this coming Wensday I will have made good on a promise that I made myself about October last year, and will have this car their almost to the day of his passing............................Thanks for reading this long winded thread, but I feel much better now that it runs and I can take it, even thou its far from finished...............I bought the chrome drilled I- beam with the 500 bucks so he can lead the way into Cobo Hall Detroit...............Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/9185/p41201127ui.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






Since Detroit I have not touched the car, have been doing everything that I should have been doing while thrashing on the car..........Just about caught up now.still cleaning and organizing the garage..............But today took a ride after work to Alvin Pridemores shop to check out the Hemi progress........Alvin has run these for years and builds them, well he can build anything........he has been racing along time, and just finished his latest top fuel front engine rail not too long ago.............He is one of those guys that does it all..................and one of the two guys in my life that impressed the hell out of me.....................One of my goals has always been to be like him . It was he that sparked my interest in learning how to use a Bridgeport and Lathe...........and wanting to build my own chassis one day...........He has the short block together and is getting ready to rip into the heads soon.I can not wait to hear this one...This Hemi will make the one in the car now..........cry...........................Littlem an

[Littleman]

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/6655/p41201130xw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Littleman]

This engine is kinda similar to Bass's Hemi down in Texas.........except it has a few more cubes................It is a 392 block w/ Ross 11 to 1 pistons hung onto by Bill Miller aluminum rods, Isky cam........534 lift. and 250 Dur. @ .050...............balanced of course.................Heads are 354 Hemi and are done just like Mondello did them........big big valves....................I just hope it makes my one neighbor loathe me even more once it fires..........ha ha ha .................Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/4880/p41301157ic.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








This past weekend the car was in the Cleveland Choppers car show, everything went great, the car ran good with no problems.......I fired it up and left the show and drove the car down and around the corner where the trailer was.......It was back in an industrial area.....so I drove past my trailer and further down the road and figured I would have some fun with it.no one was around at all.........so I turned it around and stabbed the pedal.it went all over the place..........in a good way...so I stabbed it again and coasted into the parking lot in line with the rear of the trailer, put it in park and revved it once and cut it off.........Only to hear running water...well gushing water out of the drivers side rear freeze plug.........spit it right out.........It was a stocker type freeze plug.I figured it either came out on its own or possibly due to a blown gasket.........fired it back up pulled it into the trailer real quick................Today I decided to off load the car, hit the key, it acted as if it where locked up , possibly hydraulic lock.Currator came over to help me push it in..we took out the plugs and turn it over and it did not turn over..........turned it over off the crank and it would go so far and stop.not good..............So tonight I tore it down.took of the intake first and peeked into the heads.found that #5 was missing its valve...........Littleman .......

[Littleman]

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/502/p41301184vi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






This is what was smiling at me when I removed the head.you got to love it........Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9629/p41301204za.jpg (http://imageshack.us)






This is the head, it punked out the chamber into the water jacket, and can only guess thats what made the freeze plug spit out.........Littleman

[Littleman]

I may have floated the valve ? Sometimes having fun cost money ....he he he, sure it hurts but it happens...I may have done something wrong putting it together years ago ? I really have no idea..........But the car was fun to drive , so I will chalk this up as a kick ass memory...Littleman

[Littleman]

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/5299/p41301215ap.jpg (http://imageshack.us)








It mangled the piston top, which is fixable.most importantly no apparent cylinder wall damage................Littleman

[Littleman]

so...when is that hemi going to be ready...




Real soon, I was going to pull this one, some of the parts need to be used on the fresh one, like the timing cover and dizzy.I will clean this one up and bag it and go back to it when I have the extra cash to deal with it....Littleman

[Littleman]

The Coupe drove fine, it stopped fine...................and I must be part nuts to put the new engine in it.the one I just hurt was more than enough power for it..........................but it would not be a hotrod unless I bolt in the badest thing I have..................so soon we will find out and I will video the start................................Vrooooom..... ...Littleman