Projects The HAMB's slowest build, aka the Desorta modified

I bought this project off of KIRK! a while back. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing to purchase it. I basically just bought the body, frame, and grill.

I had some parts I had gathered for a early T project that never got off the ground.

Well, after getting married and buying my first home. I don't exactly have alot of extra money to build a hot rod. I decided to do it anyways. lol


Here are pics that KIRK took, before he took it apart and used many of the parts to build the Legion Special.



Here's the parts pile taking shape on my garage floor.



Not really sure where this is going exactly. My first idea (and the one I'm leaning towards) is to sort of follow Kirk's lead, and take some styling cues from the Legion Special. (194/230/250 straight 6, probably PG or TH350, 40 ford rear, etc.) Although, I'm on a tight budget so it won't be as finished looking, at least not anytime soon.

Another option is a later style build, with a 9 inch and a 60s small block chevy. A friend of mine has a small journal 327 he offered up. I have many speed parts for SBC and some lakes style headers, so this would be the cheapest route and I do like sbc's.

I'm thinking bucket seat, tonneau cover, bare bones hot rod.

My first order of business is to get the front end under it. I still need a spring and some spindles. I've gathered everything else. Sort of in parts gathering mode right now.

This is going to be a slow deal, but I thought a thread of it's own might help inspire me and get some feedback/ideas.

This is my first project of this size. I have owned and worked on many old cars, but this is my first real hot rod build. I will do what I can, try to learn, but also enlist people with more knowledge than myself to work on it when needed.

 

neat little car i like the 6 cylinder , and the white steel wheels in the mock up photo , good luck

 

Cool dude! Looks like you got your axle problem sorted out. Sorry I bombed out on stuff, I just realized when we talked that I had a project for all the "extra" stuff I had. Glad to see you back on this, It's gonna be neat! Just my opinion, but I think continuing with the modified theme rather than trying to make this more a T bucket type car would be a good idea. There seems to be lots of cars out there that can't quite figure out just what they are...

 

modifieds are awesomeness

 

Thanks. Hows your mod coming?

I got a good deal on this dropped A axle. Already had the brakes and rims but I want to go with 16x4's in front so these will probably just serve as rollers. I agree with you guys, I definitely want it to be a real modified type build. I think the 6 will help with that. Also, i've owned a few stock 6's and always wanted to put some speed equipment on one, and never have.

 

Little update: Got some '37 bones for the front, some '40 ford wheels, my friend is building an 8 inch for me at the shop where he works. Getting ready to order springs and a set of spindles. The axle is sitting on top of the frame here obviously it will get mounted in the regular fashion once I have the parts. Excuse the messy garage, we're in the process of setting up shelving and a bigger work bench.

 

Got a posies spring and mounted the axle today. Not the prettiest spring but it will work, I think. Told ya this was gonna be slow.

 

Nice progress Mike. Any updates?

 

Thanks. I got the 8 inch center section fully rebuilt with an auburn posi, and I have the housing and axles to go with it. A good friend of mine works at a rear end rebuilders so I got a great deal on the axle. Things have been kind of tight so I haven't done much else.

Are you in Yuma yet?

 

No, I hope to arrive on the 19th. However wife is already living down there and has been since the 24th of July. Keep up the great work Mike!

 

Had an issue with slop between the bones and axle. With some advice from the HAMB, I got some shims ordered from Pete and Jakes. Installed those...

and finally got some spindles and got them installed. I think I should be able to basically get the front end rolling this weekend, minus tires.

 

That grill shell is off my old model a sedan. I bought a 32 shell and insert for it and sold that shell to KIRK years ago!!

 

I remember reading that it came off a HAMBers car. I wasn't sure who's though. Cool. I paid a pretty penny to get it away from Kirk, but I thought it looked good on this car and I hated to put a 32 shell on it (would have been my next choice though), since the body is pretty unique.

Got any pics of the sedan with that shell on?

 

Good to see you on it again! I got the windshield posts figured out for mine and finished hammerwelding the dash and cowl vent holes in mine this last week. Now I have to get back to other peoples stuff... Damn these customers and unreasonable demands of me actually making progress on their projects!

 

Hey Chip, Id love to see what you did for windshield posts. Thats something I will need to figure out on mine too. I hope I end up with something on this car that I can get some louvers punched in. haha

I just sold a bunch of spare stuff, so I should have some funds to start the rear suspension soon, or to buy an engine to work with.

 

Just some castings that I bought from a guy here locally (wintertime) that builds glass bodied modifieds. They look like the ones that Zipper sells, just a bit rougher... Should be fine for mine!

 

Got the paint on the backing plates stripped off, and mounted the brakes. Ordered up lug nuts too. Now I need to order some tires and rear wheels. Kinda surprised to see that the wheel bearings were all Ford and all in great shape.




**Another small update. Bought some used radials and got the front rolling.

 

Tranny is getting gone through, and I just bought a 250 straight 6. I have to go pick it up in a week or two.

 

I like it!

David

 

Go man Go!

 

Spring pads removed courtesy of El Hueso.



Took a trip with the wife to Chandler AZ and picked up a chevy 250. Supposed to be a good runner, thats been sitting for a couple years with a rebuilt head. Spun over easily and looks clean. The guy I bought it from was really a nice guy. He even gave me an old ford wheel that he had for free.

 

What is the grille shell? Is it a custom made job or a modified piece?

 

Chopped Tudor or Kirk could probably answer this better, but to my knowledge its off a car called a Grant Six but its been modified.

This one looks the same, and was listed as a 1916.

 

Good to see you on it man! Next time you come up to town let me know. Your welcome by any time, I'm right down town.

 

Thanks Chip. We only made it as far as Chandler, but I was surprised how nice the drive was on AZ 347. Really light traffic the whole way. Would like to make it out there more often. I would like to take you up on that.

 

liking what i see,, great to see a 6 going in .......

man that "Grant" grill has got to be a bit rare!

 

I like it.

Blind Elwood

 

whats the grill off of, cars lookn good man

 

jus saw the grill info, keep posting pics friend

 

Drove out to San Diego yesterday to pick up the TH350 that my buddy gave me. It came out of his 69 camaro (he put in a 4 speed). Then, his friend rebuilt it for me for FREE. SWEET. I did get him a bottle of tequila when I was in Mexicali as a thank you. Got the torque converter and the trans has a shift kit in it as well.