Can you see this as a Street-Legal Race HotRod?

[AHotRod]

I've been giving the thought to doing something like this with a recently aquired "A" sedan body. The car just "Has-the-look", beasty engine and set-back, extended front end, white-wall cheaters. Of course you have to find a way to add a radiator and grill that does'nt entirerly kill the image, but that can be worked out.
I can see this tearing up the street and strip, and if done correctly, even the highways.

So, what style of old race car would you build?

Come on, step up and let your ideas be known?

[Just Gary]

You might be able to put a radiator in the back seat area, with some tubing and thermostatically-operated electric fans.

We think alike...
I'm envisioning an A tudor sorta like Gabby Bleeker's AA/Fuel Austin Sedan from the mid '60's. The defining features are correct wheels, tires and exhaust. The body itself would be pretty stock, 'cept for ~4" off the top and lots of lightening holes in the visor.

Although a GMC blower would be the ultimate, I'm going with a 354 hemi and dual quads. An overdrive tranny & sensible cam & rear-end gears will provide something approaching 20 mpg on PowerTour & AmeriCruise.

[CruZer]

I don't have a pix but I'd do something early '50's. With the "Just thrown together" look that they had with either a (gasp) small block made to look like 1955 or a wild flathead. Skinny wheels and tires ;slight engine setback;and a radiator close to the motor.

[AHotRod]

Gary:
Exactly! That car has it going on too.
Here is a car show picture of the one I posted.

[AHotRod]

CruZer:
Got it, here is another option I really like to.

[AHotRod]

Oh, and what you could do with a coupe body too!
This car is really bitch'n.

[AHotRod]

And of course the pickups too!

[Just Gary]

Another earlier un-chopped itteration of Gabby Bleeker's Austin.

[Just Gary]

IMO, the finest example of this style is the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 '34 Ford Coupe. It's restored and currently in Don Garlits' (as I bow my head reverently...) Museum of Drag Racing. Lotsa pics at home. This will have to do for now.

[AHotRod]

Gary, it sounds like we have similar interest and ideas. Have you started a project yet? What are your plans?
Glenn

[graverobber63]

Shit those cars are savage!
Why wasn't I 23 in 1963? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[CruZer]

Yup. That does it for me, too. Ain't it great that there are so many options open to you??? Now you just gotta decide!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Rand Man]

This is the theme I’m going for on my model A project. It’s still in the design stages. A ’29 pickup cab moved back as far as I can. Engine set back and raised up a little higher than most.

[AHotRod]

CruZer: Making the "final" decision is the tough part, but it's beginning to come togather.
The really tough part is the exhaust, I love the look of "Weed-Burner" zoomies, but there is no way I could tolerate the noise and smell.

[plan9]

got these pics off the HAMB

i think this coupe has attitude. wheel and tire combo would be different on mine, but for competition purposes it works.

[plan9]

side

[plan9]

neat little car, id build it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[AHotRod]

I agree, I really like to competition look.

[Tim]

maybe you could run the rad. inthe back of the car slanted on the ceiling and louver the hell out of the roof back there?

[superchargednailhead]

go on gasser madness lost and found page a guy found that bantam it looks pretty good

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'm doing a street-legal version of another kind of race car. It will be a replica of this former Hot Rod magazine cover car.

[crow]

I'm totally with ya, Glenn, exactly the look I'm going for with the Jeepalopy gasser project. I say get 'er done!

[plan9]

[ QUOTE ]
maybe you could run the rad. inthe back of the car slanted on the ceiling and louver the hell out of the roof back there?

[/ QUOTE ]

that would be a good route for a vintage race car, you might even be able to install some electric fans to keep things at proper operating temp...unless theres a way to keep the engine cool without installing them?

id imagine the next step would be to figure out where the battery and gas tank would live. sooo...

what if you were to fab up a belly pan where you could gain some space under the frame for a concealed battery, and install saddle tanks?

[AHotRod]

Tim: That is a possibility, although I'm not sure I want to get "That" envolved with trying to not run it out front.

[Just Gary]

A Hot Rod, r.e. your question:
My plan is for a "drag punk" (think "Rat Fink" t-shirt car)themed 29-29 tudor sedan, like the first pic I posted. Envision the 554 coupe or the Purple People Eater, but slightly more civilized and street legal. It'll run low 13 sec ET's all day long and get 20 MPG on the way home with Momma & the kids along for the ride.

Right now the project consists of a 354 Hemi truck engine that's in excellent shape, but needs a complete rebuild and a set of freshly built '55 "high-port" 354 heads. I also have a connecting rod from an alcohol funny car that will become the steering column bracket. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

In order to fund the rest of the project, I'll first need to sell my '55 Chevy (Muncie M-20, fuelie-headed SBC, Torque-thrusts, Moon gas pedal, metalflake steering wheel, yada, yada, yada...). However, the family loves it- it's relatively comfortable while carrying a week's worth of camping gear & luggage.

[Just Gary]

Mooneyham & Sharp 554 fuel coupe:

[Just Gary]

Finally... no thread about race-style hot rods would be complete without a pic of the PPE. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[AHotRod]

Crow: How is your project progressing?

[crow]

Slowly Glenn, I have been swamped with work. At least that has helped me to amass most of the parts I need. Still haven't figgered the front suspension or steering. Been waiting on a M-21 bought from a fellow HAMBer. But now I have lured my rockcrawling partner Edwin(Grasshopper) into the world of rodding and he's gung ho. We tend to knock things out when we attack them so look for some update info soon. Thanks for asking.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/image_uploads/508897-hELLBILY%20hEEP.JPG

[AHotRod]

Gary:
Do you have anymore pictures of the Bleeker Austin, non-chopped?

[S1B]

Glen ,that Model A coupe has the look! Ive had thoughts of doing something close to that .
Sean

[Paul]

first example looks like an early rail job with the smallest sedan body they could find stuck on it to qualify for another class.

[FEDSLED]

how,bout a 48 all steel topilino?.

[Rocky]

Glenn, you already did that with that red A-coupe you usta have in DesMoines. Maybe an A sedan would be a little different.

[Blownolds]

Plan9, that black A coupe is BAAAAAAD lookin', you got that right about it's attitude. Me personally, I'd have to change the engine out for something other than SBC, and I'd stick 10-spoke spindlemounts in front and 16x10 big window Hali's in the rear, and that's about it. I LIKE IT

[AHotRod]

So Jon, did you build the Blown Nailhead in your Henry?

[CharlieLed]

I built this model in around 1963 (don't ask how old I was then) before I knew that there were drag cars that looked like it. It was an AMT sedan kit that I modified...

[wingnutz]

In Wisconsin..., There's a guy that drives around a FED "T" with a 427 SOHC engine, wire spokes up front and Drag Masters out back... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and really small headlights by the cowl and a single brake light on th rear.:o

He wears a leather flight helmet and aviation goggles...! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


I used to see the car alot around the late 70's and early 80's..., Looks fun as hell to drive...!

Does Anybody have photo's of this car I'm describing and or any photo's of the "Anderson Brothers" Hemi powered Messerschmidt...?

Mark

[AHotRod]

If it was only a tad bigger .........

[Rocky]

Here's a photo of my shorty 31 dodge, ex fordoor. I used scissors and scotch tape to "photo chop" it.
But Glenn, I wouldn't use this heavy body. I'd do a tube frame with a cheap Ai or US Glass topolino body...hemi or BBC to make a real ANIMAL!!!!

[AHotRod]

So this is a "Sissor-Chop" photo, NOT the real thing,right?
So since when did we have taste nearly the same Rocky http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Just Gary]

Glenn,
I was able to find another pic of the Gabby Bleeker fuel sedan. Still with the steel wheels, but upgraded to a blown Hemi:

[fatassbuick]

Here's my old coupe with a more-than-usual setback for weight transfer. It made a pretty big difference on the feel of the car on acceleration I think. Farther forward and you can almost feel the engine wrapping up before you move (then again, this could be my imagination). http://home.comcast.net/~fatassbuick/Pictures/setback.JPG

[Tony Bones]

Long and low is the way to go. Marty from NW Customs ride, Bad Kharma:

[Rocky]

Right, Glenn. The actual body was shortened but not chopped. I wanted to see what it would look like chopped. Scissors and scotch tape chopped the photo.
It still had an amazing amount of room after shortening. I used a 318 and a 904 torquflite in it....and I never did chop the real body.

[hammeredabone]

Rocky,
My first hot rod was a 30 sedan I took 24" out of the quarter windows, 6" out of the top and had a 3" channel.
Neat, fun car for the stuffy restoroding early 70's. I will try to find some pics of it. I originally ran american 12 spokes on the front and learned very quickly how shitty the stopping was! Looked good though. When I had my A sedan stuff I considered building another but I realize I would probably not fit in it now!

[El Hueso]

another bad karma...

[Just Gary]

Here's a mean A coupe. Pic plucked from the HAMB

[Just Gary]

'Nuther A pic plucked from the HAMB.

[Just Gary]

Glenn,
Last one from my "inspiration" file. This one shows that even red Deuces can look right http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

Hope I've been of some help.

[suedesled]

Wow! Rikter that's an old pic. Here's a more current one. This is an original 50's rod that I want to build a driveable racer out of. It has the power and gets the traction thanks to the Hurst slicks but the trans was another matter.

[Morrisman]

Something made in England:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/DVC00040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/DVC00038.jpg

[Flipper]

[ QUOTE ]
Something made in England:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/DVC00040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/DVC00038.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

That looks pretty fast. How fast is it?

Even though they may be lighter/better for drag racing, I don't like struts on an open wheeled car.

[Morrisman]

No idea what the numbers areas I only saw it once at a race a couple years ago.
Interior shot:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/DVC00041.jpg

[AHotRod]

This is what I want.......

[Special Ed GT]

This is what I want:

[aussiesteve]

The car in your first photo is the Pop Marner Austin out of Denver.It is being restored as we speak.A street driven version would be Killer.

[AHotRod]

Yes, I would like to do it......

[Special Ed GT]

[ QUOTE ]
The car in your first photo is the Pop Marner Austin out of Denver.It is being restored as we speak. A street driven version would be Killer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you know the guy who's restoring it? I'd like to take a look if it's ok.

[AHotRod]

So little time and money....and so many great ideas.

I've got started finally!