Projects 1950's Tube Frame Sports Car

I restore and race early American race cars and I see you have quite a project on your hands !

 

Yes I have, But I been tied up in my other projects, that are all mostly OT.

I'm building a motor for my Volvo, and this one is getting more power then the last,
I'm collecting and modifing parts for my Volvo Rover V8 dragcar and
Still doing minor items on my Dry lake build, and doing some part collecting to my wife's car, a OT '78 Triumph.
On top of that my work is overloading me with work, again!
I hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and get back to them.

And this tube frame car is SO cool, and i would love some progress, and at least to know that it ain't lost again, or parked somewhere, becoming a barnfind.

 

Don't worry! Progress is being made. I just have been delinquent on posting pics. I'll put some up soon!

 

^^^^THIS.....I'm sure the original owner/builder would agree!

 

All right folks, I haven't had time to write much but here is a link to my photobucket album of header building pics. I have made them totally from scratch minus the 36 driveshaft tube. They'll run into sidepipes. When I finish the pipes and mufflers I'll try and do a writeup. They're all oxy acetylene welded. That was an new experience for me. I'd only ever stick and mig welded but since the whole car is gas welded I decided to give it a try. I don't claim to be a welder but they should hold together. LOL

http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/jebbesen/library/headers

 

Inspiration for a body. This home built sports car was built in the late 50's, in Wisconsin. The builders name was Wally Troy. Google "Wally Troy Special" will get you lots of pictures.

 

That is a neat car. There are so many good looking homebuilts from that era.

 

Seeing you headers, makes me so happy!

They are Pretty, well made and Era Perfect!

You flame welding is way better then my TIG welding ever will be! You rock, in the most profound way, like it was 1954 all over again!!

 

Thanks! They've been a fun project. I'll keep adding pictures as I finish the side pipes. I haven't had a computer at home lately and its cumbersome to embed the picture links from my smart phone. Been taking pics of everything I do though.

 

If you are in the smart phone, why don't you use the app istead? Then there is no need to imbed link, you just find the picture from the phone, and Bob is your uncle.

 

Not sure. Maybe I need to check that out. Lol
Thanks for the tip!

 

Just hit the "upload a file" button at the bottom. No need to be on the app.

 

Well what do you know. Lol

 

Got my headers finished finally. All oxy-acetylene welded. I'm pretty happy how they turned out. Again here's the link to the build album.
http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/jebbesen/library/headers?sort=2&page=1

Here's a few pictures of the finished exhaust ready to go out for sandblasting.

 

Got the headers blasted and sprayed them with VHT hi temp silver. At some point I'll probably get them ceramic coated but I don't want to do that until I'm sure there's no more changes to be made.

 

gas tank is just temporary....

 

The pipes look great... but my experience with VHT is that it fingerprints badly. Regardless of it's correctness, I'd go with a ceramic coating asap. Gary

 

Those pipes look great!

 

FINALLY GOT SOME OLD PICTURES! These came from Adrian one of the guys who built my car back in 53-54. They also built the second car which was his in 54-55. Adrian is sitting in mine in the first picture. The second picture shows Wes who owned mine and was the "older design expert" lol sitting in Adrian's Hudson Terraplane powered car. The picture by bridge is in Independence, WI. That appears to be a construction picture before Adrian's car got floorboards. Lol

I asked what the frame tubing is as it's really round and good steel. He said they went to the junkyard and bought a whole pile of Chevy torque tube inner drive shafts! Guys were clever back then!

He said Wes grew up down by Chicago before moving to WI and had done quite a bit of racing around Half Day, IL and up by the Milwaukee area.

The gal in the picture is Adrian's wife. Got to meet her yesterday too.
Hope you enjoy the history!

 

Those historic pictures are fabulous and you're doing a good job putting the car back together, great story.

 

The front axle & brakes are probably from a 39 V8 sixty Ford. Exactly what was original on my 39 Std coupe

 

Wow, the last shots are a great addition to the story. I'd bid for the V8 version! Gary

 

making some seat progress. Some background on the seats.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/bus-or-panel-truck-seat-id.1050947/#post-11917939

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been making lots of progress on several parts of the car. I bought and completely remodeled the next door house for a rental property/ extra garage. That took a lot of time the last year or so. I'll hopefully catch this thread up this winter.

 

Wow! Seats look great!

 

Thanks,
A guy down north of Chicago is doing them. He's been doing upholstery since 1958.

 

My uncles cars around 1960....Philippine islands

 

Also did some tranny modding rebuilding. Tailhousing is a modified 1936 Chevy one that will allow me to run a slip jointed chevy torque tube more like what sprint cars run. The rear wishbones will be mounted as trailing arms with a bushing at the rear. Trans was rebuilt with an open drive output shaft that was shortened to work with a resplined 54 Chevy ujoint yoke. Torque tube will be hybrid Ford/Chevy.

 

More pics