Projects The Little Green Roadster that got me here

Here is the little history I have:



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@BDUB77 this is very helpful as are the pics prior to your build despite appearances...

Unfortunately I couldn't find a description or a Thread Thunder may have shared it in but perhaps a Dry Lakes Historian may chime in...

@Jimmy B was helpful in Thunders Thread I shared identifying certain Hotrod/Racers he posted...perhaps he may be aware of this one...I'm very curious if this pic may actually be it...

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I'm no historian. But I'm old... LOL... and that gives me a tiny bit of credibility. And of all the images of roadsters I've seen and studied over the years, if I ever saw that particular treatment, it may have been only one time.
Just saying that I wouldn't be surprised at all if that's a very old build. That would be something.

Makes me want to start flipping through my Don Montgomery books. I think I will. Haven't looked at them for a while.

 

Tks much for posting your “rebuild”. Liked the first picture & really appreciate this post. Looks like many enjoy your “not belly button” rod. Hell of a nice garage. Following for more history

 

Found a couple pictures of roadsters with somewhat similar treatments, but only single seaters.

 

Nice job on the rebuild. Also nice to see an unusual car built up.


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I like it as well as or better than Wayne Carinis Moals roadster. Nicely done!

 

Looks really good, nothing like buying a car you think is ready to drive and then undoing all kinds of sketchy workmanship. I will say that I really do like it with the early Chrysler wire wheels on it though, looks very racy with those. Not that I dislike solids (I have them on my own car, after all) but I do like the wires on your Chrysler.

 

Thanks,
I still have the wheels, but I feel the fronts are too wide to put a tire that looks right. The radials that came on it looked like balloons to me.


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Great job for an “amateur”! You sir are modest to a fault.

 

Hi BDUB77,
Here's a little more history on the Roadster. Glad it's still running and doing well.
I bought the car from Jeff in San Diego and had it transported to me in Memphis. At this point, it still had the 283/powerglide. It was a great little car and was my first hot rod. I was a muscle car guy before that, but just fell in love with the traditional type cars. I sold it via eBay to a fellow in Virginia. At that time, I had a "friend" who had just started a transport company and he broke the pinion between the time he picked it up from me and delivered to Va. I was pissed that he broke it, felt sorry for the new owner and was assured that he repaired it before delivery, although I never heard one way or the other. (I believe he went to jail for embezzling from a used car dealership he was associated with. He deserved it)
I have some pictures that were taken from before my time with the car if you are interested. Here's one showing the windshield frame which a few have asked about.
I guess this will "out" me as the rat rod guy, but it looks like you kept the hot and cold water faucet handles I faux aged for the inside door handles.

 

I don't consider the faucet handles to be anything close to RR. Same as the car as a whole... just a little different. Not too different. Looks good.

 

And you won't catch your jacket on the door handle and go over the cliff with the car when you're playing chicken.

 

Thank you Lee! I would love to see whatever pictures you have. The main reason for the rat rod reference was that there was an emblem that said RAT that came with the car.

 

Also,
If you have any other history leads, I would really appreciate it!

 

A few more windshield pics.



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Here are some pics I got with the car. I was told it was painted with green Rustoleum. It was a very durable finish and didn't water spot. It had a wood floor and a wood dash with DECALS of gauges. I thought that was cute, but I made a dash out of aluminum and put minimal gauges in it. The little white splotches on the cowl which were magnetic "bird crap". I liked them and left them on. There were 4 canvas wrapped foam cushions which I replaced with gray seats from Bass Pro and dyed brown. I covered the interior luan panels with the leopard print wallpaper and added the SAFETY inside door handles. LOL The RAT ROD emblem was something I got off of eBay and put on the top of the radiator.
The car was a hoot. It was quick, but I never was able to get the brakes working to my satisfaction. The ride was fairly
rough but that car had The Look. That grille, the faired frame rails, lakes pipes with soot discoloring on the door flames just meant business.

 

It’s really cool to see old pictures of the car! Who was Steve in CA?


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I meant Jeff.


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I spent some time making a bracket to add a tach today. I mounted it to the levers on the Model T steering column.



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This is the second car on Hamb I have seen that has the frame covers. They really stand out. Looks fantastic.

 

Thank you!

 

That is a cool roadster!

 

Yes, way kool!

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Got confused with old pics ( easily done ) & had to go back to review whole post. Love this rod. How windshield frame attached to body frame? Like round tube with flat steel welded in then glass glued in place. And just noticed old push button panel - always liked them. Thanks for posting your “rebuild”

 

Thank you.
The tubes go through the cowl and bolt to an inner metal structure. And you are correct about how the glass attaches. As cool as the push-button shifter is, it is causing me a lot of pain right now dealing with that old Torqueflite. My wife has convinced me to give rebuilding it one more try (she really likes the push-button) before I put a stick in the car.

 

Automatic out, 3 speed manual in.

 

Just an update....
I just finished rebuilding the ford banjo rear end. It was pretty time consuming, but the car no longer has a very annoying whine. The previous owner had not used any gaskets and the backlash was way too loose. There were a couple of broken teeth, different brands of bearings and races, and every bearing and race had spun. This was the only part of this car that I had not rebuilt, replaced or fixed. Back on the road again!

 

I was just thinking about this car the other day, thanks for the update!

 

Thanks for the update. Cool car!