The Jalopy Journal

**Ryan** · 11-25-2008, 10:17 AM

Our pals over at Hemmings found this one... The September, 1956 issue of Mechanics Illustrated featured instructions on how to ...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

COS · 11-25-2008, 10:22 AM

You motor boatn' son of a bitch!!

**chaddilac** · 11-25-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COS

You motor boatn' son of a bitch!!

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

**Dean Lowe** · 11-25-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaddilac

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

What an insult to a beautiful engine!

**JeffreyJames** · 11-25-2008, 10:27 AM

Wait, I already have a wood car and nobody makes a big fluff about that! My '31 Chevy probably is made up of the same ratio of wood/steel as that boat car.

I love the idea of incorporating wood into cars if it works but I am not sure about this thing. Probably would be a blast to drive at the very least.

**Ole don** · 11-25-2008, 10:33 AM

Um, if I admit to seeing this article when it was new, does that mean I'm a geezer?

Offy · 11-25-2008, 10:42 AM

My dad road an '54 Ariel square four and he had a Dumphy wooden runabout boat but thankfully never mated the two.

57dodge · 11-25-2008, 11:26 AM

So would this be a Beaver rod instead of a Rat Rod?

**Big A** · 11-25-2008, 11:35 AM

There's a guy here in Ontario Canada with a home-built wooden bodied MG that looks very similar. I tried to find it using Google and came up with a whole bunch of wacky results...

atomickustom · 11-25-2008, 11:39 AM

I don't care what anyone says, that thing is awesome! (I'm a little dubious about the 750 lb weight, though: the front suspension alone looks like it weighs that much!!)

Big T · 11-25-2008, 11:51 AM

I heard the guy who built this thing was in a huge wooden car club. Apparently however, there was a huge argument and he left and went on to form his own splinter group...

alsancle · 11-25-2008, 12:03 PM

I think it's really cool and I like the patina on the wood.

**daddyo54** · 11-25-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big T

I heard the guy who built this thing was in a huge wooden car club. Apparently however, there was a huge argument and he left and went on to form his own splinter group...

Ok so you got me with this one!HAHA

Wow imagine that 59 caddy taillights.

Some neat bits though.

RAG66 · 11-25-2008, 01:08 PM

Wow that shows my point you can build all kinds of cars and they still get to the HAMB somehow someway!

We here on the HAMB have a strange & wonderful sickness called HOTRODDING

**paperdog** · 11-25-2008, 12:17 PM

Fred Flintstone and Barny Rubble had simular cars..

DOES IT FLOAT"

60'shotrod · 11-25-2008, 12:32 PM

CACK! I hate wood,y' can't WELD it!

fiat128 · 11-25-2008, 01:31 PM

Now that's ugly! Looks sorta like a catfish with wheels.

BigA, what's the story with three wheeler in the first photo, that's kinda neat.

This Hispano Suiza is the car I always think of when somebody talks about wood bodied cars.

cmyhtrod · 11-29-2008, 04:39 PM

yeah and the HS isn't on a citroen cv3 chassis!!

KK Hickey Designs · 11-25-2008, 01:45 PM

More recently this has been done by a Gentleman name Joe Harmon, he calls it "The Splinter". It's still under construction but he claims it will reach 200 mph....I'll believe it when I see it.
His site. http://www.joeharmondesign.com/

alsancle · 11-25-2008, 01:49 PM

I think the car in this thread is way cool but I question the use of wood from an engineering standpoint on the "supercar". Maybe some of the structural engineers floating around in here can elaborate with more authority but there are a number of materials that are better suited for building a 200 mph car.

11-25-2008, 10:17 AM	#1
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,623	The Speedball Special Our pals over at Hemmings found this one... The September, 1956 issue of Mechanics Illustrated featured instructions on how to ... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

11-25-2008, 10:22 AM	#2
COS Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: KCMO Posts: 729	Re: The Speedball Special You motor boatn' son of a bitch!!

11-25-2008, 10:27 AM	#5
JeffreyJames Alliance Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SUGAR CITY Posts: 15,923	Re: The Speedball Special Wait, I already have a wood car and nobody makes a big fluff about that! My '31 Chevy probably is made up of the same ratio of wood/steel as that boat car. I love the idea of incorporating wood into cars if it works but I am not sure about this thing. Probably would be a blast to drive at the very least. __________________ I PLAY WITH TIGERS WWW.SUGARCITYSPEEDSHOP.COM CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM IMAGES

11-25-2008, 10:33 AM	#6
Ole don Alliance Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern Illinois half way between Benton and DuQuoin Posts: 2,457	Re: The Speedball Special Um, if I admit to seeing this article when it was new, does that mean I'm a geezer?

11-25-2008, 10:42 AM	#7
Offy Grenade Inspector Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 333	Re: The Speedball Special My dad road an '54 Ariel square four and he had a Dumphy wooden runabout boat but thankfully never mated the two.

11-25-2008, 11:26 AM	#8
57dodge Grenade Inspector Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 192	Re: The Speedball Special So would this be a Beaver rod instead of a Rat Rod?

11-25-2008, 11:35 AM	#9
Big A Alliance Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Niagara Canada. The deep south of the far north Posts: 4,007	Re: The Speedball Special There's a guy here in Ontario Canada with a home-built wooden bodied MG that looks very similar. I tried to find it using Google and came up with a whole bunch of wacky results... __________________ SFCC... we can do it ourselves. (Canadians use thicker socks) My shoebox build... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=626123

11-25-2008, 11:39 AM	#10
atomickustom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Joplin, Missouri Posts: 2,477	Re: The Speedball Special I don't care what anyone says, that thing is awesome! (I'm a little dubious about the 750 lb weight, though: the front suspension alone looks like it weighs that much!!) __________________ My real name is Dave

11-25-2008, 11:51 AM	#11
Big T Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 630	Re: The Speedball Special I heard the guy who built this thing was in a huge wooden car club. Apparently however, there was a huge argument and he left and went on to form his own splinter group... __________________ Sometimes the best things in life come along when you least expect it.

11-25-2008, 12:03 PM	#12
alsancle Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Re: The Speedball Special I think it's really cool and I like the patina on the wood.

11-25-2008, 01:08 PM	#14
RAG66 Grenade Inspector Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: WASHINGTON Posts: 160	Re: The Speedball Special Wow that shows my point you can build all kinds of cars and they still get to the HAMB somehow someway! We here on the HAMB have a strange & wonderful sickness called HOTRODDING

11-25-2008, 12:17 PM	#15
paperdog Alliance Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: MINN. JUST NORTH OF TWIN CITIES Posts: 4,911	Re: The Speedball Special Fred Flintstone and Barny Rubble had simular cars.. DOES IT FLOAT" __________________ Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.....

11-25-2008, 12:32 PM	#16
60'shotrod Old School HAMBer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Wales Posts: 2,910	Re: The Speedball Special CACK! I hate wood,y' can't WELD it! __________________ The closer you are to Caesar, the greater the fear. http://www.vhra.co.uk/VHRA/Home.html

11-25-2008, 01:31 PM	#17
fiat128 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 1,431	Re: The Speedball Special Now that's ugly! Looks sorta like a catfish with wheels. BigA, what's the story with three wheeler in the first photo, that's kinda neat. This Hispano Suiza is the car I always think of when somebody talks about wood bodied cars. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

11-29-2008, 04:39 PM	#18
cmyhtrod Grenade Inspector Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: ct Posts: 233	Re: The Speedball Special yeah and the HS isn't on a citroen cv3 chassis!!

11-25-2008, 01:45 PM	#19
KK Hickey Designs Grenade Inspector Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sacramento. Ca. Posts: 265	Re: The Speedball Special More recently this has been done by a Gentleman name Joe Harmon, he calls it "The Splinter". It's still under construction but he claims it will reach 200 mph....I'll believe it when I see it. His site. http://www.joeharmondesign.com/

11-25-2008, 01:49 PM	#20
alsancle Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Re: The Speedball Special I think the car in this thread is way cool but I question the use of wood from an engineering standpoint on the "supercar". Maybe some of the structural engineers floating around in here can elaborate with more authority but there are a number of materials that are better suited for building a 200 mph car.

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