Hot Rods The Arin Cee Roadster

Unfortunately, no, but there is precious little choice when it comes to this length and end style for this application. Most of the early-style shocks like this have been discontinued so one must accept that which is available, even if it is not ideal. Note that the front shocks are near vertical which makes them more efficient, while the rear shocks are at a greater angle which makes them less efficient. Heavy end vs. light end. If anybody's got more or better info on similar shocks I'd sure be glad to hear it.

Most modern builds (street rods) use Pete & Jake's shocks front and rear, along with some sort of commerically made bracket setup. Quick, easy and predictable. If you've been following this build you already know that these were my initial choice but as the car evolved they became increasingly less appropriate. I elected to go with these relatively unknown shocks which are very "vintage" in appearance and trust that varying the angle would be sufficient to regulate how well they control the ride in this specific car. We'll just have to wait and see...

 

..bought myself two pairs of them shocks, too.
as you said "We'll just have to wait and see..."

 

I mocked up a bear claw latch on the drivers door of my '27 tub. The latch pin really should go in the door, and the flat latch ass'y in the body.
Reason: I got in O.K., but on exit, caught my ultra-comfy cargo shorts on the pin sticking into the narrow space and fairly hung there (guess I'm a little 'top-heavy!)
-That's when I went for my KNIFE!

Hard way to go, as the shorts were stretched tight, my weight was on the 'hanging end', and my pocket where I keep my switchblade was pulled tightly closed at its opening.
Had the knife with 2 fingers, ahh...slid it out, 'Ka-Chah!' Open 9.5" (overall, blade is only 4.5") and two slices just shy of my thigh...'FLOP!' Landed 'gracefully', knife in hand...

A snake couldn't wriggle out of a space like that. Not with an inch of 'pin' obstructing the exit... Now I know why pre-'26's had no driver's doors!

 

Excellent advice...but be advised that if the pin is on the door the door won't shut unless it opens inward. This might present an even bigger problem than 'angin' by da loops of yous cargo pants, but to each 'is own.

Seriously, there is no graceful way for a person - especially one of ample girth - to get into or out of the driver's side of a hot rod roadster. There's lots of stuff that's been moved around to make entry and exit difficult. Even for size-small me, Arin's roadster is almost impossible to enter from the driver's side because the steering wheel is large, the column long and the steering column angle low, all of which combines to almost completely block the doorway. The shifter on the floor makes the task un-doable for even the most supple of bodies. But...the seat is very low to the floor and the seat back goes back under the lip of the opening, so once I'm in it's roomy and comfortable as heck with everything perfectly positioned for the driver to drive in an efficient and coolly insoucient manner.

So, how do I get in? Simple. I use Henry's miracle invention for graceful roadster access - the passenger door. I jump in, slide my ass over and drive. No knife required nor damage to the loops of my precious Wranglers.

 

Nope, even though Arin accuses me of it all the time, I haven't just been sitting around with my thumb up my butt doing nothing. I've actually been struggling with the plumbing of the brakes which, while it may be easy-peasy to some it's more like rocket science to me.

If you'll recall I'm using the combined clutch / brake master cylinder from a late '60s - early '70s Chevy pickup. I've switched the internals so the clutch side powers the brakes and the brake side powers the clutch. This is pretty much standard practice with these units - the pedals are reversed in the original application - and the internals are interchangeable side-for-side.

The first hurdle came when nobody could tell me what the value of the internal residual pressure valve is. So, to make a long story short and leave nothing to chance I elected to remove it and use standard Wilwood 10-pound in-line valves, one in the rear line and one in the front line. This way I'm certain that the residual pressure valves are correct for my early Ford drum brakes and that they are in good condition - I have no idea how old the master I'm using is or even if the replacement stock residual pressure valve was manufactured to the correct spec.

I'm also using a Wilwood adjustable pressure regulator in the rear line to avoid locking up the rear wheels before the fronts. In the original application Ford used different size wheel cylinders to accomplish this but I have no idea if this will be correct in this roadster or not - so I'm using the adjustable regulator to be sure.

Lots of other issues that I'll talk about later, but the biggest hurdle has been finding the right fittings to do the plumbing job neatly. Ustabe you could count on your local parts store to have an assortment of brake fittings adequate to piece together just about anything you could design, but that's just not true any more. The good news is that between Speedway Motors, Summit Auto Supply and eBay I was able to locate pretty much what I needed...but it was a struggle. As we move along though this plumbing process you'll see why...


I didn't want the lines from the master cylinder to just kinda' disappear into the darkness behind the firewall, but instead I wanted them to have a race-car kind of neatness of purpose. I found some Russell bulkhead fittings that pass through the firewall and fabricated a couple of short brake tube pigtails. The problem was that the fittings had to go one-above-the=other while the lines had to flow side-by-side. This arrangement solves that visual problem in a very straightforward way.


This side shot of the firewall reveals the hanky-panky going on behind those trick Russell bulkhead fittings. Yep, that's traditional 1/4" steel brake line in the engine compartment and -3 AN fittings and lines behind the firewall. The Army-Navy (AN) fittings and hoses are so much easier to work with, neater and safer than the traditional rubber lines...in my humble opinion. And, before you get your panties all in a bunch, AN plumbing hardware dates back to WWII so it's totally traditional - and was probably used by the returning GI's on their hot rods and race cars more than is mentioned.


And so, with tubing benders and fingers I shaped the 1/4" cupro-nickle brake lines in what I think is a very attractive arrangement. Could I have made the lines all one piece without the connectors? Sure...but I like it this way better.


And here's the finished installation. Notice that there are no clamps and that the lines do not actually touch the firewall. I like the appearance to be clean and free of clutter. I think the connectors will prevent the lines from vibrating. Once the reference marks have been removed it'll look like it grew there. One less thing to think about.

Stay tuned for the rest of the plumbing process. Most of it is done already but I'm still missing a couple fittings. I'm really pleased with the way it's turning out.

 

And moving right along with the plumbing...

 

It's hot here in Texas but I'm still making progress on Arin's roadster plumbing. The best decision I've made in a long time was using cupronickel brake line tubing instead of steel. It's a little delicate as far as keeping the straight parts straight, but it's also forgiving and messed-up segments can usually be salvaged instead of having to be thrown away, which is often the case with steel. The second best decision I've made is the purchase of a really good Ridgid tubing bender and taking the time to learn how to use it correctly. It can make really smooth and tight bends, the kind that make the finished result look really good instead of just adequate...


Making neat brake lines isn't rocket surgery if you step up and use the right tools for the job and keep your head in the game as you go along. It took a while for me to get the hang of the bender but once I did making neat tubing runs was really fun!

 

The brake plumbing is done. Phew! Not complicated but sure took a lot of fittings!


The front part is totally conventional using 3/8 steel tubing with a tee on the driver's side leading to a crossover line to the passenger side. The brake cylinders are connected using -3 AN braided lines, banjo bolts and fitted with speed bleeders. Ho-hum...

The rest of the system isn't brain science either, but it's probably interesting enough to share with you for your comments. It's got two 10-pound Wilwood residual pressure valves, one in the front line and one in the rear line since the brakes are early Ford drums. I've also used a Wilwood adjustable pressure regulator in the rear line along with a tee for the brake light switch. This portion is all done in 3/8" cupronickel brake tubing, terminating at the rear wheel cylinders with short lengths of -3AN braided lines and speed bleeders.

My goal was to keep the system simple, with built-in adjustability and segmented for easy repairs later on if necessary. I'm very pleased with the way it looks, but the proof will come later when it's put to the test on the road in the real world...


The main brake line runs down the driver's side frame rail. Each tee has a bracket which is bolted to the rail for support, with additional line clips every foot or so. No section of tubing is unsupported for more than 12 inches.


As shown before the hard line from the master cylinder morphs into a -3AN braided line at the firewall and then back into a hard line for distribution front and rear. I did this to absorb any possible vibration between the body and the frame which might cause a hard line to fail.


Traditional hot rods didn't have a proportioning valve, but were regulated instead by varying sizes of wheel cylinders and brake shoes in the original configuration. I've retained that OEM configuration but added a Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve to fine-tune the front/rear balance should the OEM configuration not be quite right for this roadster.


The main line then crosses to the passenger side along one of the crossmembers and attaches to a mirror-image tee before heading to the rear. This tee also holds the brake light switch.


Both sides then head rearward to connect with -3AN braided tubing lines to the rear wheel cylinders, also fitted with speed bleeders. Doesn't show very well here but there are brackets to the frame which retain the flex lines and adapter fittings at this junction.


The -3AN braided lines exit neatly from beneath the frame rails and attach to the wheel cylinder with a 90-degree turn to make everything fit right and tight. I will probably use some black heat-shrink tubing to cover the braided portions of the brake lines to simulate the old school rubber lines. I know, that's cheating...

Okay, well, now on to the dashboard and the gauges - Stewart-Warner black face, of course...


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Brake lines look good, I like the idea of the shrink wrap covering. (Probably have to steal that one.)

 

With the brake plumbing completed I'm on to fitting the dash with switches and gauges. I have lived with this arrangement for several weeks and still find it very attractive every time I look at it - a very important factor to me - so this is what I'll go with.

As you will recall the dash panel itself is a combination of stock Model A on the top and Brookville '32 for the flat part. These have been welded together and, in order to do the windshield fitting work, moved downward as a unit about an inch from the original location.


The downward relocation of the dash is not apparent but adds to the "deuce-y" look quite a bit. The tube braces behind the dash panel will not interfere with the gauges. The goal is to be clean, uncluttered and vintage in appearance. I think it's going to look great!

I've made a few tick marks around the cardboard gauges just in case one or more falls off in the hot weather we're having. These will be replaced with more precise marks as we go along. I'll also be adding three switches - only three to keep the dash as clean as possible - to the cluster including the keyed ignition switch (on-off), a starter button and the light switch. This is about a basic as it gets, right? The fuel pump switch will be hidden and used as an anti-theft device. There will also be a racing-style battery disconnect switch mounted in the trunk close to the battery to save the charge during storage and as a second anti-theft device.

Okay, now let's get 'er apart and start cutting...!

 

Love this build, read it all this morning.....now finish my coffee and get back to my own garage project.

 

Any updates?

 

Actually, yes, but nothing worth doing a post about. The rear spring got pulled out and relieved of four leaves. It was 'way too heavy, like for a sedan or pickup and not for a lightweight roadster. Floorboards have been fitted and the gazillion rivits in the subrails smoothed so they'll fit better. Small stuff, but stuff that's gotta get done before I move forward. Thanks for asking.

 

Eric I am glad that you are makeing some progress on it. Frank

 

Okay, well here we are again, moving forward even if somewhat slowly.

A nasty bump-steer problem in my black coupester took a while to diagnose and fix, taking me away from Arin's roadster for several weeks. And, an "unfortunate" (you can read that however you want!) trade deal put me in possession of a red '30 roadster that was built so badly that it could not be safely driven beyond the end of my driveway has taken up even more of my time and resources. Yep, Arin isn't happy.



So...what's happening now. Well, the black coupester got a complete new Pete & Jake's 4-bar front suspension - along with a bunch of other related stuff - to get it back on the road and driving better than ever. And, the red roadster is getting a total ground-up make-over to correct some really bad engineering and workmanship. I can't just push it into a corner, cover it up and pretend it doesn't exist now can I...?



But the good news is that I've now got some major new shop equipment that I'd been putting off from buying that will make Arin's roadster and the new red roadster projects progress far smoother and quicker than if I'd not spent the money on the tools. And, I've got some fresh new perspective on Arin's car that will somewhat change the direction it will take in the future...don't panic, the changes are for the better and are the result of much study of OLD HOT ROD PHOTOGRAPHS that have just recently been released on the HAMB, Facebook and Instagram. More on this later...

So, the next post on this long-neglected thread will be some real progress on the Arin Cee Roadster! But to be totally honest I think Arin's hopes of being able to drive his new kemp before he reaches middle age (which to him is 25...) have somewhat dimmed. Gonna' have to see what I can do about that.

Stay tuned.

 

I'm glad somebody finally lit a fire under your fat ass, 'Dad. I'm gonna' be as old as you before I get to cruisin' for chicks in my "new" stoker. Daylight's burnin' so how 'bout if you get your butt out to the shop and get busy! I ain't gonna' live forever...!

 

Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday.
What do you need?

 

Same as everybody else, Frank...time and money.

Oh...and getting Arin off my back wouldn't be a bad thing, either.

 

Looking forward to the future updates!

 

^Me, too!^

 

Not sure how I missed this build but it is veddy cool. I am stealing your idea for the HD exhaust hangers.

Thanks.

--louis

 

Nope, I haven't abandoned the Arin Cee Roadster project, just postponed progress for a while.

Why, you ask?

Well, because I made a very bad trade deal and have to do a total frame-off rebuild of the car I received in trade in order to resell it as planned. Long story but my conscience made this an imperative.

More on the Arin Cee Roadster soon, but in the meantime please feel free to follow the new car build on Instagram: eric.pierce.79.

See ya' there!
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I know you had to push arin's roadster back just wondering if you finished the other roadster yet

 

Hey Missysdad-just found this post. Looking good! I’m down in New Braunfels and also restoring an old survivor Model A on Deuce rails. Hope to see you at one of the TX events. Take care.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Not yet. I've got it prepped for paint though. Bodywork - especially the block sanding - takes forever. I just keep up as steady a pace as possible, doing my best work, and it will eventually be done. Thanks for checking in.

 

Did paint and body work all my life and now I can’t seem to get my own car painted. Frank

 

I am stuck on that point with my roadster too. Hard to motivate myself to finish it.

 

At least I am not alone

 

Back in the day it didn't take much to do an "outstanding" paint job because there wasn't much to compare it to. Today, however, it's pretty tough for a hobby builder to do his own paint and then park it next to a $5000 professional paint job and feel good about it. But I'm block-sanding my little heart out to make the body straight enough to look good with shiny paint. I've done a couple of test parts to be sure my prep is going to be okay so now it's just a matter of finding the time to finish it up. It's 104* in the shop today so I'm taking a break to write this before I die of heat frustration...
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I don’t recognize that part your final color will depend on what color sealer. White sealer will make it bright, red sealer will make it darker toward to maroon, gray will make it in between, Black will make it the darkest. Call me if you have any questions. Frank