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Projects '53 Ford Gasser

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by booker512, Oct 10, 2014.

  1. I think you will find there are many guys on this forum that will call BS on you grandma car assessment! HRP
     
  2. CGkidd
    Joined: Mar 2, 2002
    Posts: 2,908

    CGkidd
    Member

    Check if there are any boatyards in the area. There are usually some really talented fiberglass guys there who you might get some ideas from. The guy who made my front end was actually a fiberglass guy at a boatyard.
     
  3. papajohn
    Joined: Nov 2, 2006
    Posts: 896

    papajohn
    Member

    Not trying to offend. My grandma loved hers!
     
  4. I did get a hold of Rich Venza on the phone the other day. We talked for 30 minutes. He knows his way around this glass stuff. His thinking for my 39 Dodge front end was that the fenders are egg shaped and light - no bracing in them - so skip those and make the hood top and sides in glass and maybe the nose.

    First thing he wanted me to do was get each piece and weigh them. If it is 200lbs and glass will drop it to 100lbs then for $1500 in material is that what we really want to do? (It would be less if we skip the fenders but a typical glass front is about $1500 in materials.) He said he would show me how to do it. But suggested figuring out the pounds / effort / $$ trade off before jumping into it. Look me up when you are at Greer Nov 1st. I will be in this heap :

    sedan_delivery.jpg
     
  5. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    That makes alot of sense. My front fenders arent too heavy. I can probably cut some of the factory bracing out of them then just fit and weld some small round stock in certain areas to stiffen them up, that would lighten them without weakening them too much. But my hood...that thing is a total boat anchor. I may just glass my hood and deck lid. The return on investment is there on those two items for sure.

    I will definitely find you at the races.
     
  6. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
    Posts: 40,276

    loudbang
    Member

    Like hell. My 6th grade woman teacher had one with the flathead V-8 that was class champion in stock class several times at Connecticut dragway and dover dragstrip. Many a man quaked in their boots when they had to line up next to her. RIP Mrs. Perkins :rolleyes:
     
  7. bulletproof1
    Joined: Feb 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,079

    bulletproof1
    Member
    from tulsa okla

    heres my 53
     

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  8. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Haha. Thats great! Thats a good story.
     
  9. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512


    That thing is bitchin! Thanks for sharing!
     
  10. Dragger52
    Joined: Jul 31, 2014
    Posts: 110

    Dragger52
    Member

    I will be following your progess. I am putting together a 52' using DeSotos car as somewhat of a reference as well. Cant wait for the updates!
     
  11. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Thats cool man. Feel free to post a link up if you have a build thread. Not much to show. I've been busy doing little mundane, stuff the past week or two. Just stripping paint from the jams. Getting rust out of the windshield channel. Etc. But I did get my slots cleaned up and painted.
     

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  12. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Haven't had much time to really work on the car lately. Work has been brutal. The trade off of that though is i have good cash flow at the moment. So I have been ordering parts and stock piling them for when I get time. So thats progress in my book.

    My dad, the wife and kids and i did manage to make it out to Greer dragstrip for the S.E. gassers finals. Man. I cant even tell you how awesome the event is. Quain and his group are awesome guys who put on a killer show. After watching them go side by side, wheels up in every gear..... it genuinely kills the appeal of the cookie cutter, long wheelie bar, giant slick, powerglide cars. They are a snooze fest to watch after the gassers kill it. Anyways. Here are a few pics, if you guys haven't seen any yet.
     

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    Last edited: Nov 9, 2014
    volvobrynk and loudbang like this.
  13. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    I love that blue Studebaker...one of my favorite cars for sure.
     

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  14. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Gotta love greg porter's car. My wife bought me one of his posters. That should look nice, framed and hanging up in the man cave.
     

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  15. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    If you look up "bitchin" in the dictionary, there is just a picture of this car. The "bad attitude" willys. I love the 8 Stromberg carb induction and basically everything about this car. I know it has the "poser" wheels up front, (at least thats what the gasser police call them:rolleyes:), im just going to say... I dare anyone to call this car a poser....clicking off 5.4's.....thats far from "posing". Lol.
     

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  16. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Here is my youngest. He was having a blast. He even slept for about an hour during eliminations! I wish I could sleep like that...
     

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  17. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    I did manage to snatch up a 7 gallon keg. Im going to fab up a filler neck and mounts and use it for a fuel cell inside the trunk. Slap a vintage Sunoco or STP sticker on it and call it done.
     

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  18. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    I had a few hours free today, so I cut out the driver side rocker just below the door jamb. The top is solid. So im not going to use the full patch panels I bought. I also cut the new rocker length wise to fit it up.
     

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  19. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Another view of the swiss cheese.
     

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  20. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    The inner rocker also needs some work. Lots of rot.
     

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  21. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Here it is after a light cleanup with a wire wheel. I made a template from cardboard and im going to fab up a patch. Should be easy. Its just a flat piece. The top 2 inches or so of the inner rocker is pretty solid, so ill just cut and splice it in there. BUT. I've got to grab a sheet of cold roll first. So. Tomorrow ill grab a sheet from my buddy who owes me many favors and ill pick back up from here.
     

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  22. Oh boy! Now you've done it! Your surely infected with the Gasser disease now!
     
  23. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Quain is worse than a drug dealer. Haha. Drugs are cheap compared to race car parts!...and probably less addictive too!
     
    volvobrynk likes this.
  24. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    The car in 'Adam 12' is a Tudor sedan. Yours is a Coupe.
    The 'Adam-12' car has a 352" FE in it, runs in the 11 second bracket, 112-or thereabouts.
    I have a '54 Coupe. My 11th. This one is getting a 406 FE, engine is a 'bolt-in'. Mine might also get a tube axle, not sure yet.
    But your '53 has the earlier frame and suspension, so the MoPar idea is great; as is the tube axle! (lots of 'tricks' can be done cleverly, as the Pannenton Bros. have stated)
     
    loudbang likes this.
  25. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

  26. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Love the 406 idea. That thing will be nasty. Most people have no idea what a ford 406 even is anymore...lol. Do you know of anywhere to grab a windshield from for one of these? Because mine had a crack and I need one.

    I am changing lanes slightly...well, temporarily anyways, as far as the drive train goes. I got a free shiverlay 327. "All forged bottom end"...thats yet to be confirmed, but it has dart heads on it. I did some work for a buddy and he traded me the engine. SO. Thats going into the car for now at least. Im not a big chevy guy. I personally think small block chevys are kinda boring on a hot rod. But i dont hate them either annnnddd free fits the budget pretty dang good. When I do the engine set back, I am going to make sure to box the firewall big enough to fit a big block mopar at a 10% set back. That way when I get my ma-mopar engine together, all I will have to do is re-do engine mounts, tranny cross member and build a new set of headers for it.

    But I figure I will just thrash that little 327 for everything its worth for a few months while the big block is getting pieced together. That way I get to have fun AND keep getting the car transformed over to a race car little by little.
     
  27. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    I had a helper today :cool:

    I didnt have much time to work. But my wife came out and helped out.
     

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    volvobrynk likes this.
  28. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Got most of the rotted bullshit cut out and the new piece tacked in. I still need to make a smaller piece to tie a little brace into the quarter panel area. But thats not to big a deal. Anyways. Thats where I stopped today. Sure do wish I had more free time :mad:
     

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  29. booker512
    Joined: Aug 8, 2014
    Posts: 89

    booker512

    Well...here is the pic of it tacked in...not sure why it double posted that other pic...hmmm. oh well.
     

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