Projects '32 Roadster build at Austin Speed Shop

Sometimes projects get off track. They could be started by one guy with a vision, then for various reasons the car is worked on by another guy who has a slightly different vision, both visions being a little different than what the owner of the project really had in mind from the beginning. This roadster was a product of similar circumstances. The chassis was completed at one point, some body modifications were done, and a number of details were beginning to be ironed out. It was at that point that the project was halted while myself and the owner rehashed the plan for the car and considered it a blank slate for the most part. That's where we'll pick this one up. Here's where we started.



The first change made to the car was in the wheel department. Previously it was running bent-spoke wires from Rally America. We went instead with a set of the new Rocket Racing smooth wheels, similar to a no-window Halibrand. The best part is that we could use the ribbed 16" front tires and 18" Indy Firestones we already had.



With the new look now in our minds, I went on with the chassis work. The rails are ASC and had previously been boxed using pieces from another set of '32 rails. The transmission crossmember is made from pieces of 1/8" plate and the rear legs are some 1/8" wall rectangular tubing. The wishbones were relocated on the frame from on top of the side reveal to under it. They were also pie cut and rewelded to account for the caster change. I've got to mention the bungs by Cory Taulbert allowing the use of early style tie rod ends to cap off the wishbones, they're damn nice pieces. The front of the frame was stretched roughly 1"and rebuilt with a SoCal crossmember. The spring is mounted to the wishbones behind the axle (also a SoCal piece that has been prepped for plating). You can also see the new radiator mounts taking shape.







The original intention was to have the fuel tank behind the seat and not use the stock style tank. The frame was modified to shorten the rails but the stock floor was left, leaving a large gap between the frame and body and nothing to really finish off the back of the chassis. The rear axle was also a little too far forward to our eye, so I decided to cut the rear of the frame off completely for a re-do. To start, I cut the rear of the floor out of the car and modified the subrails to allow for a kicked up/flat frame. I sat the body on the chassis and mocked up the new frame horns to sit level with the floor. The frame horns are from Tanks Inc. and were just about the perfect length needed. The spreader bar would be tucked just under the tail panel of the body. We were able to cut the Model A style crossmember out of the old rails to re use. Once everything was tacked into position, the body was removed and everything fully welded. Fish plates were used in splicing the rail pieces back together and is very strong. Pardon the surface rust!





Out of the jigs and flipped for final welding.



Finally on the ground and reassembled. The rear axle is from Winters with '35/6 wishbones and a Ford torque tube.

 

The engine is a '57 392 Chrysler. Intake is a Horne with 4 97's, has adapters to run a big block Chevy water pump, and a water crossover to use a Chevy water neck. It has been adapted to an interesting choice of transmission, a carry over from the initial build up. It is a T5 from a 4-wheel drive Blazer, with another round of adapters to allow an early Ford u-joint and torque tube to bolt up to it. The only thing changed in this area were the engine mounts. I made a
new ones from 1/4" and 1/8" plate to use a biscuit style cushion. The frame brackets are pieces from Chassis Engineering. I do intend to add some anti-chatter/stay rods to keep the rear suspension from pushing the engine forward.





With everything reassembled for the first time I moved on to the detail stuff.



The car originally had a stock height radiator on it which in the end was just not going to work. Using a non-dropped axle didn't leave much room for the bottom tank as the radiator floats over the axle. So we ordered up a 2" chopped Walker and I made some new bolt-on mounts from 1/4" plate. Then I built a front headlight/nerf bar combo off of those mounts. It is all 5/8" bar heated and bent with a torch, welded up and metal finished. The '36 headlights were canned in favor of some much smaller Arrow 775's.

 

slicker than greased goose shit
patiently waiting on shock mounts

 

I'm sure you spied the new tail panel and lights in the earlier picture. They are original '51/2 Pontiac units. To mount them I made a hammer form and made a recessed ring that I welded into the new panel. The old panel with very odd tail lights was removed and the new one reinstalled. The spreader bar is a beautifully made piece from our good friends at Walden Speed Shop and is curved the full length to match the curve of the body. And just to top it off, I made a simple "push bar" from 1/4" plate and 5/8" bar. The fuel filler cap from Crafty B was sunk into the upper panel similar to the tail lights.










Then I got to work on the floors. The front floor was left alone, doing a fine job covering the trans. The rear of the car sat a bit lower with the new chassis work done causing an already slim gap between the torque tube and subrail brace to now touch. So I made a hump in the brace and extended the trans tunnel back to allow plenty of clearance. I added a third brace to the floor just for grins (and a little for strength and additional mounting points for the fuel tank). I meant to take a few more pictures of the rear floor and crossmember cover when I was at the shop this morning but forgot all about it so I'll get some next week.




The original chassis used a '35-up cross steer box to turn the wheels but the owner really wanted cowl steering, and I think that fits the theme of the car pretty well. We got this setup from Track Master Products and its a very nice piece. I made a plate to mount it to the firewall (also welded the firewall to the cowl for additional strength) and welded the supplied ring into the cowl side. The angle of the column has been set and next I'll build the column drop for it, as well as some bracing where the sector shaft fits through the cowl. The pieces you see under the cowl top were there to mount a hanging pedal assembly and remote reservoir for the master cylinders. That was canned as well in favor of an under-floor setup which has been fit and I'll get pictures of soon. The brackets will be cut off but the structure we built for it will stay and provide a strong point to mount the column drop.


I also used a little trickery to mount the Veda center caps to these wheels. It was an idea suggested by another builder at the shop that I initially hated but warmed up to quickly and now its one of my favorite parts of the car.





I'll get some pictures of a few more details next week. It's been a very productive 4-5 weeks rebuilding this one but will be taking a small break. Steven Boschma's '55 Chevy "Showtime" arrived this morning from its paint adventure with Tuki and I'm starting final assembly of it on Monday so keep on eye on that thread for updates. The '35 truck has a couple weeks of work left on it as well to send off to the paint shop so in a couple months this one will get wrapped up. Our goal is to have it finished by the Roundup and I think we're in great shape to make it.

 

Oh yeah! We're using a set of NOS Roto-Flo shocks. Their original mounting location on the frame has to move though since the axle centerlines aren't where they once were, so I haven't put them on the car yet.

 

Very Nice, what do you do to get that brushed look?

 

what's the ratio on the TMP steering box

 

I believe it is 24:1. I can say for sure that is is 3.5 turns lock to lock.

 

Scotch brite pads and elbow grease

 

Nice save/turn around! Nice work for sure. Good to see ASS on track! Thanks for postin' up, much appreciated. Bayou or Lonestar Round Up?

 

Quite tasty, I must say.

 

Glad you dig it! Lonestar.

 

Soo the steering is mounted to the sheet metal on the firewall?

 

yeah, but he said he welded the firewall to the body for strength, and I'm sure there will be a column drop attached the dash brace

 

I don't think a column drop will solve the problem

 

What problem are you inferring? Between that, the column drop, and additional bracing in the cowl side I am confident it will be plenty sturdy.

 

Here's a crafty B mount for comparison. And the installation of the box in Track Masters installation manual looks much weaker than what I've built for it.

 

Lookin good so far Eric...

 

Have you ever witnessed firewall flex just from a ansen brake/ clutch setup?

I see no bracing where the forces are going to be applied to the box as it is used to steer the car , its mounted to 14 gauge sheetmetal ......

..it might last a little while before the sheet metal fatigues and cracks around the steering box , but what happens when you hit a New Jersey pothole at 80 mph on the freeway with the left front tire?

Never mind ...... Carry on...

 

Looks great. I liked the 36 ford headlights.

 

Thanks for your input. I'll take it into consideration!

Once the steering linkage is connected, bracing and drop in place, I'll evaluate the strength and go from there.

 

as my three grandsons would say, "that's sweet, Pops"!

 

Very nice work. I like the direction on this one.

 

makes me want a 32 even more. Nice work!!!

 

Great work.

 

MEE TOO!

 

cool build so far.looking forward to more update,s.

 

The new wheels make this car awesomer.

 

That looks great Eric. I love the headlight/nerf bar.

 

Ryan...loudbang is makin up words again