Projects My Model A Truck will soon Scream under new Power

Shop looks really good.I also like to try and stay organized.

Just dont forget us when you fire it off.I need to hear it.

 

Nice shop,Im jealous.

I would suggest aluminum heads to help with your compression ratio and also a roller cam is a no brainer to me instead of a normal hydraulic flat tappet. Your 327 must have been a mild build if a 12.26 is all a 2600 lb vehicle could muster so be ready to hold on tight with this new one if done right.

 

You know, I love that truck more so than the Death's doorstep. It just looks right.

 

nice shop!

 

My 327 was the definition of a mild build, only 10.34 compression,Isky .464 lift w/ only .221 dur. @.050, stock 2.02 heads w/ no porting at all, not even gasket matched...but it was so reliable..........Littleman

 

Thanks.......But I am thinking of raising the front end up in the air and dropping the backend....Littleman

 

O.K. give me heck for asking this question. O.K., so I'm gay for noticing. LOL

Those pics are incredibly sharp. Especially for indoor shots. Is that really shot with an Olympus C3000Z as noted?

 

Yes, its like a little over five years old..........bought it just before my daughter was born....Littleman

 

What ??????? say it ain't so ! How much extra weight are you adding with the roll bar and maybe an extra bar in the back ?

 

The bars will not add too much at all.........I can really picture it with the raised front and dragging ass end........I am still up in the air w/ the idea.......Littleman

 

After I posted the reply I was kinda thinking that it might look cool if done right. Kinda like the old cartoons where the back is digging in and the front tires are barely clawing there way across the pavement.

 

I know what you mean.....I built a low budget mild 327 once myself and was very surprised how I could swing 7800 rpm shifts with stock steel crank,stock small rod bolt rods and fuelie style 11-1 pistons and how reliable it was. I ran it in a 68 Nova,4.88's.4500 8" stall and it was fun as hell. I ran a .558 lift .312 dur solid cam.......sounded wicked but no comparison to an equally built 400 or 383.

 

This 327 I pulled out will go down as one of my better combinations from through out the years.........Stepping up the compression , cubes along w/ everything else will make it tough to get back the same reliability...we can only try, time will tell...Littleman

My garage is a work in progress, my goal is total organization...if thats possible....

 

Little update.....The main hoop for the rollcage is taking shape will weld in real soon...It really sucked cutting into a finished Hotrod to install a cage, but I wanted it welded to the frame...The tubing is all 1 3/4''x .134'' mild steel....When I bent the main hoop I first made a test bend since I had to buy this Dia. size and had no reference...slid tube into my manual bender and marked the tube at the edge of my die...made the bend....I then used that 90 degree bend to draw out the exact size of my main hoop onto my chassis table surface.All based on all my outside to outside measurements I needed..then used my test piece with the marked line and layed out the first bend and then the nexted.....and a perfect mirror of the drawing is the result....Its always a good feeling when you can control the exact location of the bend and not waste tubing.........I know its no rocket science but its progress ...Littleman

 

Man.....I just love this lil' truck.....

Been thinkin' lately about changin' mine up after this summer....WWW slicks, skinny fronts, etc....

Yours will be my inspiration....

Go, man GO!

 

sweet!

 

Very cool. I feel your pain about wasted dom tubing($$$$$$$). I don't use my manual bender enough to make the perfect part in one shot
Making the test bend to reference is a great way to avoid waste. Here is one thing I have saved that might help some out a bit, it helped me:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

Excited to see your finished cage
Dan

 

Dodgerodder, I checked out that link from your post.......Its real close to how I figure my bends as they describe....Bending tubing can not be rushed, it takes as long as it takes.....When I was at So-Cal, theirs a fabricator by the name of Silky here in the states on a visa from out of country and he is a bending/rollcage making wizzard..He did all the bending on the So-Cal/GM Bonneville cars..While their I asked him questions all the time and watched what and how he did things......I feel much more confident when using my bender now......Now I need to gather the parts to make it hydraulic, I am a little spoiled after using So-Cals nice big power bender.....Not to mention I have to use a super long handle to get the leverage I need to make the bend...the 134 lbs. I carry around w/ me is not enough to lean into it effectively........Thanks, Littleman

 

I'm OK with the bending. It's those notches that get me every time. I always use twice as much material as I should.

 

I used my old faithful cheap Speedway notcher for this.....But I did just buy a old real small horizontal milling machine for 100 bucks with the thought of converting it into a endmill type tube notcher....Again I really loved using the So-Cal SpeedShops Baighle tube notching machine, but they cost 5 to 7 grand.talk about a perfect fit everytime.......we will see if I can cheat and make something similar on the cheap........I need to go pick that thing up next week.......Littleman

 

Dave,
For what it is worth, the truck will look awesome with the butt down and the nose up...... I hope you do it.
Glenn

 

Can't wait to hear it sometime

 

I agree with you about taking your time. The extra time spent up front for me thinking something through saves me lots of time & frustration. I have also thought about doing a hydraulic conversion. I am also in the lightweight division and have a cheater bar a mile long to bend heavy stuff hehe

Dan

 

nice shop,keep up the good work,what kind of heads are you thinking of going with? I enjoy looking at your builds very detailed good luck.

 

Ditto...

CC

 

Thanks, I went with Aluminum...190cc runners, 2.05/1.60 valves,64cc, 1.6 aluminum roller rockers with a girdle across the top.......These will be much better than my old faithful Camel hump 2.02's....Breath much better...I have always wanted to try aluminum heads and this was my chance.....Traditional by date, no!.......but traditional in the fact that a hotrodder has always utilized the advancements...and run faster........Littleman

 

Dave, after making hundreds of roll cages and doing litterly thousands of bends and notches (I built the roll cages and frames for Howe Racing Enterprises, oval track chassis manufacturer, for over 15 years) I can tell you the only way to go is a power bender and a mill style notcher. I to converted a small horizontal mill for notching and it saved me untold hours. I mounted a machinist swivel based vice to the mill table and was able to dial in the angle of the notch with the degree markings on the base. The exact fit of the notches sure makes your welding consistant and a much better appearing finished product.
Even now, not needing the production volume I did back then, the ease of doing the job with these tools lets me use the time more efficiently.

Frank

 

You forgot to mention what cubic inch you stepped up to. LOL

 

Some more progress......The rear main hoop will be welded to a 2''x4'' boxed tube, I had to cut the floor to gain access...I then slotted the tubing down over the frame rails 3/4'' so it will really lock in the chassis its like adding another cross member. Plus its raised a bit above the floor level and will make welding a little more friendly.....The front mount point, I cut away a small portion of the door well and simply hole sawed a 2'' hole through the frame to lock in the stub out tube...Its a retro fit job, for I never built in any provisions for a cage.....Really never thought I was going to Drag Race this Truck...It just happened....This new engine will probably be in just for the summer while I slowly go through the 327 that came out.....Its a lot of work just to spank the Truck for the summer..........you have to love it....

 

Can't wait to see it with the new power.