Projects Let the project begin(Channelled 32 Roadster)

Picked up the body today and will deliver up to Warrens shop in Toowoomba on Wednesday.At the same time there was a coupe delivered for Gary Wright. Gary built one of the early hot rods in Brisbane in the mid 60's.I was only 17-18 and just loved his channelled 32 roadster with Y block power.It is being restored by another hot rodder at present.

Go here for details on his hot rod.
http://lostrods.bravehost.com/wrightkotavitch.htm

 

You had me at 'channeled'!..........more!!!!!!!!!!

 

Looks like a neat project. Is the glass body a local product. It looks really straight.

The Model A body is also very nice. Better than the one I started with.

 

This body is from Show Me Rod & Custom from just outside Branson Missouri.This body has doors 2 inches longer and cabin stretched 2 inches by shortening the panel between the rear of the cabin and the trunk .

http://www.showmerodandcustom.com/shop/index.php?l=page_view&p=welcome&c=Home

There is one in Australia that was imported as a turnkey hiboy roadster about 2 years ago.I checked it out at Valla last year and when it was parked next to 2 other hiboy roadsters(one a Deuce Customs body and the other a Brookville body) you couldn't see the difference in the doors.
In fact I had to point it out to others and use the tape measure to prove it.

My car will be channelled and hopefully look like the Tom Branch roadster that has appeared on the HAMB numerous times.

The first photo shows the Duece Customs and Brookville bodies and the 2nd & 3rd (grey roadster) is the one with the stretched doors/cabin.The last photo is the Tom Branch roadster in a fabulous shot at speed.

 

Yes channelled the depth of the rails.Will use American Stamping rails and intend to cut them down about 2 inches from the cowl back to the rear of the cabin to give some extra depth in the cabin even though channelled.

As explained in the previous post the doors are longer which will make it easier to get in and out for my 62 year old body and 6' 1" height.I remember my channelled 29 Model A roadster and it was a squeeze and I was only 21 then.

 

Fooled me!

I built my roadster using a Show Me body. One of the first ones Doug White sold after he took over the company. I'm very pleased. The recent editions have a flat floor which is a real improvement. You can really get a bench seat down.

I've attached some pictures. As you can see, the body required a very small amount of filler.

I think you are going to be a happy camper.

 

Since mine will be channelled Doug just put a thin temporary floor in as we will have to build a special floor up higher.that will all be determined when the frame is set up and body height calculated.

 

Headed off to Warrens shop in Toowoomba to deliver the body.Had a breakfast stop at The Caddyshack.Burgers were great but the coffee made a completely new high level for awful.
Took some shots of other projects underway in Warren's shop.He does a lot of 32's.
Time frame for build?Eight months hopefully.

 

So you are under way Paul. I guess we'll see it for Valla next year. I got my US 28A roadster body last week. It will require the usual patch panels around the lower rear sections but is all there. The hiboy project is certainly going to take more than 8 months for my son Scott and I. I have collected most of the original pieces needed for a traditional 28A V8 roadster including a Culver City Halibrand QC.
All the best with your build mate. Gary S

 

Gary,hope to see you sooner.My event at Nundah Village Street Festival is coming up on September 11th.Great day in Nundah Village with lots of street entertainment and I organise the classic cars(all types) and rock and roll and blues bands in Memorial Park as part of the Festival activities.

Will add link to new thread I am doing today and will email you also.

 

Well back in action.Been to Valla Park run(will add link when I finish posting all the photos).Did a quick trip up to Toowoomba to look at progress and have discussions with Warren.
Photos of chassis attached and hopefully the body will be mocked up before the end of the month.
Added a few other photos of cars under construction at the shop.

 

Just got some photos from Warren.He moves fast.Chassis is fully finished and welded. Floor built and you will notice how it is set up for the seat to be set down and this will give extra depth for the foam and more comfort.

Body mocked up and checking channelling level.Hopefully have it on wheels in the next week for a visual on the ride height etc.

 

Sweet, keep em coming!

 

Coming along nice ,Warren builds some great rods.


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Some new photos

 

That 32 as it appeared on the cover of Custom Rodder in its Kotavitch guise is still my dream car ,,,,,,maybe one day,,,,,

 

I never saw the earlier version till much later in photos, but the Kotavitch version was great as well.
Saw it many time close up.
A lot of Australian Rodders today do not realise how many Channelled Rods there were in Australian in the 60's and early 70's
Nice to see some "traditional" OZ rods being built again

Progres looks good Paul, will be good to see it when finished

 

Looks better every time!
Chrome backing plates rule.

Can you snap some pics of the inner boot and under the tail pan, i would like to see how he has done that bit.........please

 

Warren is building a Model A roadster for George Kotavich and these are some of the photos.The chassis is now finished.

 

Some more progress.Exhaust system getting done.Next week or so will see that complete with Smitty's mufflers and exiting through a rear roll pan.
Also hope to have driveshaft,handbrake and maybe tear drop tail lights done.

 

Back up to Toowoomba today to check progress.Getting closer.Also dropped in to see the engine rebuilder.Running a 327 Chev with fuellie heads and probably triple carbs.
Lots of other stuff happening in Warrens shop also.
My wheels and tyres were supposed to be delivered and I was going to take them up with me.However they were still in Melbourne when I rang yesterday so now it will be after Xmas.

 

A few shots of other cars in the shop

 

Some more progress.Warren has finished the cycle guards.I picked up my tri-power manifold and carbs(Rochester 2G's) on the weekend.The gauges,
VDO series one and the retrosound radio are on the way.Finalising the steering wheel decision and ordering hupcaps(57 Lincoln Premiere) right now.Steering wheel will be in ivory and my car colour where the pic has the bronze on the grips and spokes.
Should come apart for painting in the next couple of weeks.

 

Wow coming along and looking great ,can't wait to see it out and about...What color is it going to be?....Rod


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Well we did some sprayouts using a 50/50 mix of HOK Spanish Gold and Sunrise Pearl.Looked great on the small pieces done.
Went up yesterday to see Warren and the chassis and running gear was all painted.It is in a shed without natural light but I am having misgivings about the paint colour now.It looks very yellow in the in the shed.

Also the reconditioned box has to go back.The torque convertor won't slide in properly and it appears that the wrong input shaft has been used in the rebuild.Taking it back tomorrow for them to look at.Then we will see if this guy gets bouquets or brickbats.

When I go back up I want to roll it out into the sun to get a better idea.
Anyway here are the pics.

 

Took the box back today and it was the torque converter.The opening was burred and it wouldn't lock into the pump drive.
Casey at White Lightning Speed Shop was fantastic.He pulled the front of the box apart and found that the bush and seal were damaged from trying to force the torque converter in.All fixed,new seal and bush and no charge.
So he gets a plug here.He does engine and trans rebuilding and is well known in the drag racing and hot rod scene.Give him a call on
0407 116 094
Still haven't adjusted to the colour yet.Will be up in Toowoomba tomorrow to look further into that.Anyone else ever scrapped the colour when they have gone this far, and started again!!!

 

That Spanish Gold is a nice change from the gold that has been used excessively of late. Have you thought about painting the body Black?

 

Looks nice in pix,I wouldn't change it and start again not that far painted.Coming along real nice, all the best in what you do...Rod


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The colour with the HOK was very yellow.Lindsay from LDI has just done a mix for me and sprayed it onto a glass grille shell.I think it looks great and is close to what I wanted.It is much cheaper in material cost and easier to apply.

 

Well after the initial disappointment with the first colour choice(chassis/engine /box painted) I was ready to puke when I saw how yellow it turned out.
I went to Lindsay Houston(LDI Kustoms) and explained what I was looking for in the gold.(Why didn’t I do that several weeks earlier).He came up with
a great colour using a champagne gold base and Suzuki motorbike gold with pearl. That was sprayed onto a spare grille shell and after a day or so I decided that was what I wanted.
So now back to Toowoomba and disassemble the chassis and give all the stuff back to the painter. Luckily he is next door to Warrens shop.He sprayed the chassis and other stuff with scan sealer(over the taxi cab yellow) and then applied the Lindsay mix.
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Today I went up not knowing that the chassis and parts were already back in Warren’s shop and he had started on reassembly.We got stuck into it today
and I spent all day there helping and the whole chassis is almost finished.
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Here are some shots after today’s effort. Next is the body to go into the paint shop and final assembly.I don’t think I will make it for “Cooly Rocks On” but the Brunswick Heads run looks good .(July 13/14/15)