Projects "Fly'nBrian" '34 Roadsterproject.

I finally got started on the '34 roadster (an east coast car built in the late 70's called "FlynFlathead" and featured in SR in '83) I bought last fall after selling our '48 Pontiac convert. Lifted the body and built a chassis stand using two Stanley Work-Mate stands and some rectangular tubing. Yesterday I squared and leveled everything and tacked the X member in. This morning I flattened the '40 rear crossmember and got that tacked in between the rails. Motor mounts tacked in for the 283 too. I've got a long way to go but it feels good to be started!

 

This is going to be Cool!

 

Quality stuff here as usual, Brian. Will follow with interest.
(Are those '34 front wishbones? LOVE the aluminum side rail mounts...'shades of Tom McMullen's first '32 roadster'!)

 

In the one pic it looks like all you needed were wheels and tires and you were off! Great start on a cool build for sure ....

 

Too many tools laying on your other car. Usually when I've started a new project, leaving years long ones to patiently wait for more attention, the guilt gets to me. Especially when they're next to each other in the garage. The voices in my head get pretty loud.

 

Nice to have you back! Gary

 

I know right? The Riviera is seeing duty as a storage shelf for roadster parts, and the T'bird has become a catch-all. It's embarrassing, but there's only so much room, and so few horizontal surfaces to pile stuff on...

 

Lol, the frame in the first shot was clamped together with 2x4's and vice grips, I dangled the engine in to mock up the engine mounts. ;-)

 

Good to see your building another car,I remember seeing your old car at a Goodguys in Charlotte,N.C. several years ago with it's new owner. HRP

 

Awesome

 

I will be watching this one. Love those model 40 roadsters.

 

nice crossmember.....

 

Ok I'm in. I have seen nothing but good come from Brian.

 

While I'm building the frame, should I bob the rear frame horns and kick 'em to follow the body, or leave 'em and put the tank back there and a spreader? It's still gonna be a highboy.

 

Yes, isn't it!

 

Bob it & kick the horns as it makes the ass end look so much better I think.

 

Kick the frame horns, and put a fuel cell in the trunk. The stock tank, and young women who drive and text can be deadly...

 

There's already a gas fill hole in the tulip panel...

 

Hadn't seen you post in a while, cool project. I have that SRM somewhere. Was it featured with a vintage plane?

 

Bob it - looks better as a high boy that way

 

Much cleaner look without the tank on a highboy, especially with a quick change hanging out back....

 

No, it was with a matching color (purple) '32, also flathead powered. This one at the time had a blown flatmotor, which previous owner #2 kept with the chassis, I bought the body with this new, unfinished chassis (supposedly started at Rolling Bones shop) and most everything but an engine trans. I think it was published in October '83, I used to have the magazine, but I purged my collection recently, and I think I gave this copy away with the rest. Darn, now I gotta buy one!

 

I remeber the purple one!

 

I mocked 283 up in the chassis again, and made the trans mount, after deciding I did not have to notch the firewall and move the engine back further. I have 2" between the fan pulley and the radiator, room for a slimline electric fan. Then I got the '55 Chev rear inside and mocked up the rear suspension. I must have measured correctly because the wheelbase is 112", just as it should be. I'm waiting for rear U bolts and clamp bars from Mac's Auto to arrive before I weld the spring perches and radius rod brackets on. After that I jacked the body up and got the cart/stand under it, much more stable now. It's looking like it has potential!

 

Somewhere I have that magazine, One of those cars had Halibrands.... I really liked that feature,Ya said Oct 83, Wasn't one of them a glass car,not that it really matters as they both were great cars and ahead of the retro-vintage curve.

 

This one is 'glass, I don't remember if the '32 was. It's old enough now to be a "survivor", regardless. ;-) It moved around the country as a project, but it's home in Michigan to stay.

 

Watching

 

Would it be Steve Centrachio's blown flathead '34? Featured with Mark Cornforth's '32 Cabriolet, possibly Ardun powered? This is from memory as I'm overseas so don't have access to my magazines, but I loved those cars when I first saw them featured and even had the priviledge of going out with Mark in his '32 when I was in Connecticut back in the early '80s, on holiday from Scotland!

 

That's probably right. The '32 had an Ardun.

 

New radius rods for the rear. I like the one I've got (almost) done!