Hey gang! I've been lurking on the site for a while (registered in March!?) Figured I'd go ahead and jump in! I stumbled across the site a year or so ago when I was doing some research on building a modified. My plans changed a bit when we found out my wife was expecting (due next month!! ) So now I don't know if a modified (2-seater) is still in the cards or not, but we'll see what comes up. I've been keeping an eye out for something interesting and collecting parts. I have a 53 DeSoto Hemi that I've torn into and poke at in the evenings with the hopes of having all freshened up with some cool parts by the time I want to drop it in something. I really love the DIY attitude of this site. I spent a looot of money in the past few years having other people weld up roll cages etc, and just recently, I said fuck it, if I can't do it, I don't need to have it done! I bought a welder and have been driving my wife nuts setting off the smoke alarm here in the house while practicing. (smoke going up in the roof, I guess.) It's a bitch finding cool parts for this motor, so I'm going take a stab at making a multi-carb intake for it (2- log type, nothing fancy) once my welds get a little purtier. I went to the Kontinental's car show last spring and really had a blast. Maybe next year, I'll have something to scrape up there in. I have very limited hot rod experience, but I've built a good slew of motors over the years (hell, one or two of em may even still be running!) and beat on 5-liters at the dragstrip for many years, so I'm good at breaking stuff and replacing it. If anyone in the Cen-Tex area ever needs a hand throwing wrenches, give me a shout! -Scott
Well I see that no one jumped in to say hello or give You a hard time or anything, the intro police must be sleeping. So from one DeSoto owner to another, welcome. I know first hand that DeSoto stuff is not easy to find, I made a blower set-up to go on Mine. I just recently got a set of O'Brain Truckers finned alum vavle covers for My Hemi, My old chrome vavle covers were pretty ragged, if You get the chance pick up a set for Yourself by all means do so. Enjoy Your self here and take it all with a grain of salt. Von Doc
Hey thanks guys! I talked to Don Hampton a little while back and he said he'd be happy to make me a blower setup (for about what an entry-level B&M or something would cost.) I think I'm gonna try to give it a go first though. I already scrounged a set of Sanderson headers off of e-bay. TDC: I jutht wanna feel spethial! -Scott
Welcome to you from a newbie. If you have been watching for a year, you have got a good idea what this is about. I've gotten some good advice here about cars.
Welcome Scotth from one Texan to another! Your in the right place there in Austin. Good luck on the HEMI!
Glad to have ya, Scott. Here's what I believe was a kit "back in the day". It's perched on top of my old Chrysler 331 Hemi. If I can make it streetable I'm gonna bead blast it and have it ceramic coated with the headers.
Welcome to the HAMB. Are you coming to the Drags in Nov.,or Sherman in Oct. If not, we need to go get some beers or see a band in town somewhere. Or if you are up for it, we have unofficial club work days down in Bracken on occassion. Maybe you could swing down there and meet up with some of us. Just a thought.
Welcome. A Texan with a DeSoto HEMI. A man after my own heart... What are your current plans(since the good news about the baby) to put that motor in? Gonna run a pushbutton auto, or some other tranny behind it?
Hey Buzzard, thanks for the warm welcome! I'd love to come down and help out sometime! If anything, I know where some good breakfast taco places are on the way... hahaha! I'm always up for catching some music! I've been meaning to come down and catch Toni Price, she recorded a song my dad wrote a couple of years ago. I definitely plan on coming to the drags. I was trying to find dates for it the other day but the Kontinental's site was down, I'd remembered it was coming up though. (my 11 yr old Mustang daily driver is probably about 40 years too "new" to compete though ) I'd better stay close to home in October, so I dunno about Sherman. As for the HEMI plans, I'm undecided on the tranny. I have the fluid-drive setup that came with it, but I'm not sure if I'm going to try to run it or not. I may wuss out and use one of the adapter kits to put a more modern piece in there. The main plan changes involve building something with more room (maybe an sedan or a sled instead of a modified or a-bone) and maybe making it more user-friendly (an auto and single carb as opposed to a stick and multi carbs, etc.) I don't mind "fiddlin" with it on the roadside somewhere, but I'd kinda worry about getting stuck somewhere with the kiddo in-tow, so I might simplify the combo a bit. If I do go the sled route, I may hang onto the hemi for a rainy day until I can find something to "let it hang out" in. If any of you Austin guys know of any cool "projects" floating around, be sure and let me know! I went out to Rosanky Fri. afternoon, and there were a few interesting candidates, but they were pretty proud of em! I usually stumble across good deals when I'm not looking, so I figure the right car will find me soon enough.
Welcome aboard! Anytime you wanna do some wrenchin', come on over. There's lots of work to be done at my place. Seems like cars for sale are poppin' up all over the place lately. What kind of project are you lookin' for? Big or little? I know where there's a good 50 Ford for cheap.
What are you thinkin' about as far as a project? Stuff shows up through Aces and Eights all the time. You thinking 30's hot rod, custom, or more of a mild stocker. I'm guessin' with the mill you're building, probably a hot rod. I thought the 4 dr. 50 Merc at Rosanky for $1800 was pretty fair. The rockers were gone, but it was fairly solid other than that. And the matching Shoebox Fords were pretty nice. Did you see how much the wanted for them. No prices when I was there. Who's you dad? What did he write that Toni recorded? If it's Gwil Owens, he's one of my favorite songwiters. And all I know of is his Toni Price songs. We don't go see her too much, but Mrs. buzzard listens to her stuff a lot. Actually, Monte Warden is one of her oldest friends. He wrote "Just to Hear Your Voice" on her first CD. Boy or Girl? Do ya'll know already? Got names picked out? Is it your first? Anyhow, we'll catch ya soon.
Yeah, I took a good, long look at the Merc. I couldn't find a price on it though, $1800 is not bad!. The rockers turned me off a bit, I figured if they were that bad, the whole car was gonna be pretty rough. I've wanted to build a 30s style rod for a long time, so that'd be my first choice. I did get real tempted by a 49 Chevy a few months ago. The car had been sitting in this lady's yard for years, I finally went to the bank, grabbed some cash and drove over to talk to her just to find out she'd sold it a couple of days prior to that! I didn't get a price on the shoeboxes either, the ones that were "done" close to the front? Tim Henderson is my dad, he wrote "Rusty Old Red River." He's more of a folky kinda guy. He's been around Austin for a long time though! This is our first! We're going to be surprised. My wife asked my what I wanted to name our child, and I said "You know honey, this is really important to me. I'd like to name it after some heroes from my youth..." She said "Oh, Ok, like who?" "You know, the Dukes of Hazzard." She said "Oh, like what, 'Bo' and 'Luke'!?" I said no, those are too cliche, needs to be something cool, like 'Cletus' or 'Enus' or 'Cooter.'" She won't let me suggest anymore... Hey FatLucky, I was looking at your site the other day, awesome stuff! I'll look you up when the time comes!! I might be interested in a 50 ford, I may hold out a little while for a rod though. Thanks for the tip!
The Jalopy Journal
