Projects 1938 V8-60 Bantam Roadster Build Thread

Not bad for a old guy! See you later bra. Jeff

 

Thats a very cute car, but that motor make it great. And the fenders is great looking too.

What is the plan for colour?

 

Making a little progress, anyway. Very little, one step forward, two steps back. Happy Father's Day!

 

Very dark green body and black fenders. Thanks.

 

Such a way cool project and build.
So happy that your posting pictures in the LARGE size too !

 

I have not posted on this thread for ages, so this is a chance to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Actually making progress on my Frankenstein roadster. After so long with so little progress it feels like I am flying. I have the front brakes mounted on the modified Austin A40 backing plates, the modified Bantam hubs mounted with the A40 drums, all of the brake lines installed, inner fenders installed with all of the mods required to fit the master cylinder, the engine stay rod, the radiator hoses and the brake lines, radiator installed with its fan, grille section installed and adjusted, left front fender installed with its fender brace, and a start on the wiring. In addition, a fellow Austin Bantam Club member loaned me side curtains so that I can have them duplicated. They are originals in astonishing condition. They fit perfectly on my roadster, with even the holes in the body and door for the side curtain studs lining up properly. I ordered two pair of Model A side curtain rods that I can modify to duplicate the Austin shapes, and will take the curtains to the top shop tomorrow to have them duplicated. It will probably be about 2 - 3 weeks until I have the rods and get the side curtains back. Photos attached. One shows the curtains mounted on the other member's car, then a shot to show how the front curtain lined up on mine. I was really surprised that the fit was so accurate. I held the rear curtain in place and the mounting stud hole in the body lined up with the "lift the dot" fastener in it, too. As soon as I have the curtains I can have a top made. I tried to use the Bantam seat in the Frankenstein, but the back is too thick and it eliminates too much foot room. Would not let me have room to safely operate the pedals. I will go back to the Austin bucket seats, since they allow an extra 3 inches of front-to-back space. The other photos show the brake and front suspension work. I hope to post more photos soon, I have been lax since June. Work takes too much time, can't get work that is worthwhile done!

 

Lovin it Greg. Nice job of mixing and matching parts to get it done.

 

Looking good Greg.


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Cool. I've never seen the details of the Bantam car before. It'll be a neat driver.

 

Hey Greg, looking good!

 

I have made some real progress the past week. The floor is in, the firewall is roughed out and I will install it next week, the seat bottom and back are built, fitted and covered (I ended up making them from scratch with 1/2" plywood and very firm foam rubber), the fuel system is installed, the brake hydraulics are installed, the front bumper is finally installed and the rear bumper is on for fitting and will be replaced by a new one when I receive it. The filler piece between the front and rear fenders is made and installed. After I have the firewall installed and I have the accelerator linkage built I will wire the car and it will be close to a first drive.

 

Here are the photos. The upload app thought that I was not signed in.

 

Nice work, great project! Just discovered this thread and went through every post. I'll definitely keep watching.

 

A couple more photos, outside, but with a cell phone. Very encouraging, starting to feel like the journey does have an end. Playing around with rims in these photos, these are Bantam rims instead of the Austin rims in the other photos.

 

Looking good ,seeing your car reminds me of when I was a kid in high school we had a kid there whose Dad had built him a Bantam coupe with the v8-60, wasn't show quality no heads or multi carburation but with the hard as rocks tires he could smoke m all way down the block in front of the school. Often wondered what happen to that car it was in Atlanta at Grady high school.

 

Greg,
Looks real good! You are making progress.

 

Wow, nice progress Greg! I started fixing my new fenders but slow progress, had the flu then my back went out...
My previous owner send me some old photos, check this one out, V8-60 and not much else done yet. Somewhere in Florida

 

I like how the engine is nestled down into the chassis in the pic blowby shared. Wondering if yours (Greg) might have some problems with being a little top-heavy?

 

Greg and I have discussed this. My frame was cut and spread apart in front to drop the engine down, which of course opens up new cans of worms.

Paul

 

Neat little car! Love it!

 

Great photo. I do like the way that the engine sits down in the chassis, but we have discussed that one a number of times. The truck is going to look great with those fenders.

Mac, good to hear from you again. I would be happier if the engine sat a little lower, but there is not an extra millimeter to drop it more if I want to retain the original Bantam frame. You recall that one of my rules at the outset of the build was no changes that were not a bolt-on. As it is, the center of gravity without passengers should be right at the level of the floor, and with 12 gallons of fuel and a driver it should stay at about the same level. There will certainly be no body roll to contribute to top-heavy reactions. I think I will be OK as long as I don't try to slide through corners like a '50s sports car racer.

That is the way that every V8-60 Bantam that I have ever seen was built. It allows the use of the original V8-60 front engine mount and makes everything much easier. Old builds usually used a sectioned Ford beam axle. I am not good at doing things the easy way. Given the choice of the easy way and the Army way, you can see which choice I make.

 

Great progress; it's looking much more like a real car now. I think the Bantam wheels are a big improvement.
If you'll pardon another suggestion, I think your headlights look a little wimpy. I don't know what diameter yours are, but if you could find a pair about 1" larger in diameter, I think they would be more in scale to the other features of the front end.
Keep it up!

 

Makes sense, Greg!

 

50Fraud, the headlight issue appears in a number of entries in the thread. I am not completely happy yet. I tried the Austin headlights that came with the fenders and they are too large. It has 6" Ford tractor lights on it right now, which are close to the 6 3/8" Bantam shells, and I have been looking at 7" Dietz shells. You must be reading my mind. Thanks for the comment.

 

Looks good Greg, do you need a better rear bumper? Ron

 

Photo attached, I think that you were right. 7" Dietz lights on it now.

Ron, I have a rechromed rear bumper on its way. That is from a '48 Crosley wagon, like the front bumper. I liked the way the Crosley shapes worked better with the Austin fenders. Thanks!

 

What a cool little hot rod, great job.

 

Cool. I think those are in much better proportion to the car.

 

The car is really coming along - I like the fender choices . . . they really work nicely on the car and the style is perfect. Is the V8-60 stock inside . . . or hotrodded? I've always wanted to build a bad-ass 60, just never had a car to put one in. Your car will be a lot of fun when it's done!

 

Just a mild cam, but with Red's Headers exhaust, the Edelbrock heads and a Stromberg 48 it has about as much power as you can get from a 60 unless you use Simca Vedette internals and heads and relieve the block. It was in my '31 RPU and was a very strong-running engine.