Hot Rods Spalding Bros Repro, for "Too Tall" Ganahl.

Damn, I know that's fun!! Never did it in a roadster, but plenty of laps in a midget.

 

Yeah!!! Please do a seperate thread on the build!
Micky

 

I'm having as much fun and admiration watching this car develop on the HAMB as all of you are.
First, I want to say a big Thankyou to Bob Lick, Babyearl, and all the others who have either offered or contributed pieces for this project. Thankyou, Thankyou.
Second, I have a cheap mill and a worn-out lathe, but I can't make anything that looks like what Marty makes. He claims he's not a machinist. Maybe he's a jeweler, yes? He's also quite humble. The reason we're building a Spalding Bros. "repro" is because it was maybe the best track roadster ever built--both construction-wise and performance-wise. But what I'm seeing Marty doing looks to be at least one level above what I can see in the several construction and finished photos I have of the original car. I'm already proud to own this thing, and can't wait to make it run and put finishing touches to it.
Third, if Marty made that roll bar to clear my head, it would look stupid.
And Forth, perhaps most important to the present discussion, I vote that Marty does a separate thread on building his "standard" track roadster. But not until he finishes mine! (Don't worry, he's getting close to finishing his part of the project.)
Thanks Marty. Thanks to all.
Pat Ganahl

 

Oh, "what a relief it is", to get a difficult task completed and not screw it up ! I have been wondering how to determine angles, width, and location for the axle bungs that connect the torsion arms to the front axle. Then, be able to set it up in the Bridgeport cut the holes, and hope the bolts will slide through the arms, and screw into the bosses on the axle. While the axle was in the car (with the proper caster), I checked the angle of the bars, and and tach welded (with silicone bronze) a piece of angle iron to the axle, at the same angle. My thinking was, that would give me something to get a reading with a level, while it was in the mill. Assembled shots will follow.

 

It worked out well ! Cutting the 7/8 holes with a Rotabroach, was a breeze, and it slipped right together. The RH arms, front and rear, will be slotted for articulation.

 

I rotated that last shot, for a better view.

 

Are you going to bolt through the torsion arms as is or are you going to machine them for uniballs?

 

I found this pic recently of Hartman's car with a tube front axle. Every other pic I have seen of this car, it has a Model A axle. As Hartman made the torsion bars for Spalding's car, I assume this would be the same setup?

 

Marty may say "he's not a machinist", but I was a machinist for 50 years, and I know one when I see one!

 

Marty, question/concern, years ago Eric Vaughn was building some tube axles with bungs top and bottom for perches to replace some with a sleeve that had been welded through the tube like you are doing here. Those axles were breaking at the perch bungs.

 

Won't the axle have a bit of forward and back arc? Is there some slop or wiggle to allow the torsion arms to move in that arc? Or are you thinking the arc is so small (not much travel up and down) that it shouldn't matter?

 

The RH arms, (front and rear), will be slotted, otherwise the suspension will not travel up and down, so there will not be any uniballs.

 

Dale, the axle is 1/4" thick, and having only a 1/2" nub on the front side, should leave support for the axle. Also, this car will only weigh around 1500 lbs.

 

Jeff, My plan is to add a bracket that wraps around and makes the attach point double shear, with with some clearance for travel. Thanks for all of the questions and concerns.

 

Please do a separate thread on your next build......AFTER you take care of Pat !

 

Today, I cut, sleeved, drilled, and tack welded the roll bar in place. Next will come the gussets on the lower sleeves, and fab the mountings for the rear shocks and the rear bumper receptacles.

 

While getting ready to gusset the roll bar stanchions, and before removing the turtle deck for better access, it was time to reinforce the rear body panel. Using some 18 ga electro-galvanized sheet, I punched holes for plug welding and formed a 3/4" flange to stiffen it up. I also added some 3/16 holes to the flange, to attach a lower skirt, if needed. It really cleans that area up, along with adding rigidity to the panel.

 

Welded in .

 

This is great stuff. Just like "advanced Hot Rod building 2.0"

 

No, this is a graduate level course.

 

It's nothing earthshaking, but I completed the seat mounting today. Using a tube notcher, with Kool Mist for cutting and coolant, I coped two 1" tubes. For the mounting tabs, I keep 10 ga P & O steel in strips of various widths, as it makes it simple, to layout, punch, saw, and handle. You also get the benefit of having 2 parallel sides to keep things square, with less grinding. With everything racked, tacked, and drilled, it's finally mounted. That Dennis Webb seat, is a thing of beauty !

 

Marty, Really looking good !

 

Thank You Pete ! I really enjoyed our visit at CHHR.

 

Gather new and great fab ideas everytime you post, thanks. !!!

 

I like your turret punch.

 

If I had one of those punches think of all the time I'd saved instead of drilling holes. And all the Dr. Pepper I could drink for free by putting the punches in the machine! Marty you are definitely Big Time!

 

Another unique feature of the Spalding, was the slot for the pitman arm and drag link to operate. While most had the arm on the outside of the cowl, having the arm on the inside, kept the drag link nicely tucked in. The arm from Schroeder came milled down for lightness, and had a 3/8" hole to fit a small heim joint. The original car used the larger, "truck" tie rods that are 3/4" thread on the shank, and have a 9/16" NF thread for attachment. I welded a .300" boss on the outside, and bored and reamed the taper to fit the "big ones". Next was cutting the slot, it will surely need a little more massage, when the drag link is completed and installed, but it is a place to start.

 

nice

With all the meticulous attention to detail the creator of the original car did I am a little surprised he did not fab a nacelle to cover up the gash in the side of the body. Certainly he would have been up to the task. He must have had a reason - like easy access to the tie rod end should it need servicing, or the threat of locked-up steering should it take a hit there. For me, "function" will always win out over "form".

 

^Wrecks? Hard to make oval cars as nice as dragsters or lakes cars, eh? Or keep them that way after the first weekend. Gary

 

That also has me wondering - are there any pics of this car after a hard night of roundy round racing. From what I've read those CRA racers were a rough-n-tumble group. It must have been wadded up at some point, no? In all the pics I've seen of it it looks pristine.