Projects BRIAN MADE ME DO IT: 34 Roadster Build

This one had a nasty weld and grind section. I sanded and polished it the best I could. If I can still tell it's there after the car is assembled I will replace it. I don't want to since I have a lot of time in welding the stainless nuts to the bracket so it could be bolted on blind inside my boxed frame. It is near where my fog light attaches so it may not be noticeable. Plus I see things no one else does...like that damn pink elephant!

 

I played a bit after work, added the grille, inner fenders, etc. Here is your pictorial update.

And I couldn't help but add the hood so I could start lining up the pieces.

Glamor shot

I'd love to say I had everything figured out and that I am a hotrod builder but I make too many mistakes to be considered anything other than a gear head. For instance, the hood cant hinge open with the clam shells installed...brilliant! I am grooving on the maroon radiator sides.

I am going to have to devise a fix, maybe a threaded collar that fits on the 97's, and velocity stacks that thread on and off?. In the mean time I have parts to install. I did a thread a year or more ago about the horn install. Here it is installed in the lower grille apron.

And bolted onto the car with a 36 horn cover installed.

I hate to blow my own horn...so I wont cuz it aint wired up yet!

 

I don't remember that horn, nice idea! Now if I did that to mine.....would anyone ever ......awe never mind.

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I don't mind if you "horn" in on the idea.

 

Beautiful build.

 

Thank you, building my car and drinking are my favorite weekend activities.

 

Yesterday, when I added the inner fenders, grille and good it became apparent that something was not right. The gaps between the cowl and inner fenders was 3/8ths" off and the hood wasn't lined up. After a sleepless night I came up with the idea to back off all of the body bolts and scoot the body forward using ratchet straps attached to the front axle as an anchor. I had to use the lift as well to lift the body slightly to encourage it to scoot forward.

I padded them with micro fibre rags so they wouldn't mar the paint. I am lucky for this operation that the doors open backward.

Now the gaps are close enough for that stupid lexus ball bearing test.

and the left side

Id like to say this was a fast fix but it took me most of the afternoon. I tightened down all the bolts prior to removing the straps and it looks very tight and right.
The only other thing I accomplished was to re-work the left radiator support rod. If you recall from an earlier posting on another thread my carb fuel line made contact with the rod on the left side. I found long SS rods on the internet and bent one around the carbs. That was a feet in itself, I put my brake line bender in my vice, and used a length of pipe to coerce and manipulate the rod. Then a quick cut and some new threads and presto!

Close up, to keep it tidy I used 20 degree bends on both ends, aligning the center with the blower and fuel lines. It will make it easier to replicate on the other side.

I marred it up a bit in the vice threading the end I cut off but I am becoming quite the metal polishing expert lately. Later I came up with the idea to sandwich the rod (at the bend to keep it from twisting) between two short 2X4s in the vice. Oh well, Live and learn. It cleaned up perfect. Nice thing is a buddy of mine is installing an 8BA in his '30 5 window and needs longer rods, he just inherited the old ones I cant use.
Now, with the hood finally closed the rear carb is slightly off center. Easy fix tomorrow, transmission mount needs to move toward the driver's side slightly.

The front Carb is dead on and they appear level both by eye and mechanical means. Now that this step is done I can continue front end assembly.
But first, golf tomorrow morning, it is supposed to be in the 60's and sunny! I threw the 442 on the battery charger tonight to make sure she was up to "par" for a little drive.

 

That Alyn Swedberg flared hood is one shexshy piece ain't it!

 

He does nice work! My only issue is that when I sent him the car to make the hood the motor mounts were bolted through the frame rail. Later, during final welding I drilled out the holes and welded in bungs through the frame so you cant see them from the outside. I didn't think about it at the time but it resulted in the motor being raised about 1/2" to 5/8ths. The front carb is really tight on the right side where when you open the throttle, the accelerator pump rod looks like it is making contact with the scoop. Rats on rats.
Fixes include removing mount pads and installing hockey pucks or raising the radiator but I need to install the hood straps to make sure that latter option doesn't ruin the body lines.
If was easy, there would be no need for the HAMB. ...or Maker's Mark.

 

Very nice Billy!

 

Holy Gleaming Chrome and Reflecting Steel Batman...Your always stepping up to the plate and getting back again. The finish line fast approaching and its really showing...what Max said...

 

Golf went well today. not bad...not bad at all. I went home and added the head lights and fog light.

Not really hi tech. Just the standard socal brackets adapted to my shock brackets. I tried quite a few different installs before I settled on this one. It is tidy, allows for adjustment and fits the build.
Cute right?

Here is the fog light bracket that I welded to the frame,

Add the fog light

I spent a little time making sure the fog light would mate up here tight and right.
Here she is with lights installed for the first time

I don't like that number 1 carb sticking up that high. u got me some hockey pucks today. going to take the motor down a bit.

Here is a close up of the mount and the surgery I did


The socal mounts were hollow, I cut a filler and welded the in and had them plated.
Much nicer and very adjustable for pitch and azimuth.
And finally, I took a 33 grille ornament, cut off the mounting screws and used clear epoxy to attach it to the firewall. I like it, it will get some pin stripes later.
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Enough for tonight.
Oh....by the way, I shot an 84 today at Lewis River. Golf, cars, booze...a good day! I can't show you the 68 442 but she made the run in prime style! Convertible top down on the way home. Great day!

 

Sounds like a good PUCKING day

 

What a can of worms I opened. I left work early to take advantage of an un-seasonally warm day (70) and do some wrenchin. I put the car up on the lift and jacked up the motor one side at a time to remove the stock mount pads and replace them with the "Gretsky" inserts. Instant issue, it lowered the motor alright, right into the motor mounts I fabricated. So no choice but to unbolt them, modify, re-polish and re-install.
This is the mount I built, over kill on the thickness of the stainless and a pretty art-deco curve on the leading edge which is the problem as it hits the water pump using the low hockey pucks.

So I taped 'em off and hacked 'em off.

polished up and installed again, not cinched down yet as I still need to pivot the transmission over to center the back carburetor in the scoop.

The result is a much lower motor. Now I have breathing room on those accelerator rods on the 97's. Cool picture, up shot of the carbs. I still need to trim the paint masking job, that will come last after I beat up the car a bit putting it together.

And from the top side, a big drop put the front carb down inside the scoop rather than over the top.

I stuck the clam shells on for a photo op, they will not clear the hood when it opens so I will either replace them with short velocity stacks or add thumb screws so I can remove them to open the hood easily without a screwdriver.

They fit in there real well, just need to move the tail shaft over a tad, I'll tackle that tomorrow after work and move on to building the other radiator rod and get back to the brake and clutch pedal installation.

I figured out why all this happened. When I built the motor mounts and installed them during mock up I bolted them through the frame rails. Later, when I welded up the frame I built threaded bungs and welded them in through the frame. The result of drilling out the holes and adding the bungs raised the motor 3/8 of an inch. That combined with lowering the radiator to improve the body lines (it was slightly uphill to the radiator before paint), put that front carb in the hood.

Oh well, that's hot rodding. I build it, I screw it up, I fix it. Did I mention it was 70 degrees today? Nice day.

 

can you make a bar/strap/clamp that joins all three scoops and holds them all down with one fastener? that can be quickly unlatched for removal? or maybe even held down by the hood with a rubber pad?

 

"Did I mention it was 70 degrees today? Nice day."
Why yes you did! And it's been a very nice couple days for March!
ps; nice fix on the mounts.

 

I had been thinking on those lines considering different options. I never thought a 471 blower on a flathead would poke the carbs up that high. I even sunk those mounts low in the frame and glad I did now. Tonight I will get an accurate measurement once the trans mount is corrected.
One issue I have to amend is that when I dropped the motor in front I ma messing with the torque angle on the trans output. I have a large aluminum spacer under the mount that will need to come out tonight and get 3/8ths cut out of it on the band saw. Then I can measure the hood scoop for clearance.
If I have room, what do you guys think of these little horns at only 2" tall?

 

When you get the motor where you want it, check the pinion angle on the rear end to match the tranny.

 

Agreed totally! I just want to maintain a 2 or 3 degree slant backward on the motor and I took it out last night. I have adjustable ladder bars in back, easy enough to dial in the pinion angle to the dangle.

 

Man you're killin' it on this build. I don't think I'd have the patience to do some of the things you've tackled on this. Great job.

 

Thanks, I appreciate that. I have patience but I need more whiskey!

 

I have followed this thread from the start. Awesome job and great attention to detail.
I would love to see a pic of your back yard, I imagine every blade of grass and every tree is manicured perfectly (if you have spare time that is).

 

It would be if it were not for two important obstacles;
1. It rains way to much here and when a dry day does show up I have a tendency to go golfing.
2. The yard maintenance guys only come a couple times a month during winter. Seriously, I don't even own one of those mower thingys. Next house is getting a brady bunch lawn.

 

Right!



That roadster will look good sitting out in the driveway cuz it sure ain't fitting in the garage with all your other stuff.
And what's the missus gonna say when she finds out you traded her Caddy in on a Prius?

 

I really don't get the whole car port thing designed by an architect. And that rim aint regulation!

 

Here's a story
of man named Brady

Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Back to car stuff. I found these pedal return springs a while back and they have been gathering dust on the shelf till tonight. Pretty self explanatory, install the polished cup on the M/C (you have to remove the dust boot if there is one), measure and cut the spring, slide it over the push rod and connect the pedal.

In the picture I have the clutch spring and pedal installed, Brake pedal yet to come.
The kit comes with a polished washer that the spring pushes against on the pedal end.

This is still mock up to establish pedal position, I will take it back apart and add Loctite to the threads. I also plan to add a rubber bumper to the pedal shaft so it doesn't hit the firewall metal on metal. It is very tidy and works great.

 

Are those weld BB's ?

 

You only gots 13% battery left. Use it wisely.

 

GENIUS.... You got a link to those? I had a DOH! moment the other day when I realized I didn't figure return springs before powdercoat..... BUT I think that or something similar could work!