Hot Rods The Hussy's Transformation!!! ('26 T Roadster)

Well not just yet but I thought I would update you guys (whoever is interested) in the transformation of my Roadster. Ever since I got this car I loved it but even after driving it for a bit I never felt like it was my own. It's that feeling that comes from building the car yourself or at least having a hand in it. I just felt like I was renting the car.

Here it is as I bought it in October.



So I have decided to slowly transform the car to how I would have built it and change a few things here and there until I felt like I had out enough of myself into it to truly call it my own. The first was the Valve Covers on the 300 Buick being painted Gold and replace the Carb.







That gold paint will get me by until I figure out what I want to do as far as an engine set up goes. I am thinking a blown 303 Olds for next year but I have other things that I need to get to first so it may take a while.

The next thing that I needed to do was address the wheels. I have never been the biggest fan of Radir's on Hot rods. I don't know, it seems like I always appreciate them but just not on my car. So, after much consideration I decided to relieve them of their duty. The one thing that would not be replaced is the Original 60's recapped Slicks with Tri Lined White wall. I have only seen these one other time in back of a Beach Boys promo that TRJ featured a while back. I love them!



That brings me to the question of what wheels I should run out back? Originally I thought Chrome Reverse but I had this itch as that was not going to do it. In one of the Mad Fabricators Society DVD's it featured Keith Weesner and also came with a complimentary DVD insert of Keith's work. The art featured a T Roadster with "Frankensteins Monster" at the wheels and a Mummy Lady with her leg up on the tire. I did what any cheap asshole would do...I frame it! It sat on my desk and I kept going back to it. The 5 Spokes out back looked awesome and in combination with the Chrome Steelies up front that car would become my inspiration.
So I started looking for Torque Thrust wheels and kept coming up a bit short or not the right bolt pattern. Then all of a sudden Kiwi Kev posted a set of old 15" x 8.5" Ansen 5 Spokes in the classifieds and I was just in time to be first in line. The deal was made and after a couple weeks they were sitting in my garage. I was super stoked to see them first hand and I started to do some research on them. It seems that the Ansen 5 spokes were rare compared to the Sprints. What I did find in and Old Alhemquest (spelling ?) catalog was that the 15" X 8.5" was specifically sold as a competition wheel commonly used on FED's so I thought that was pretty cool. This is how the wheels looked when they showed up at my house. There was extensive curb rash and a few chips taken out of the wheel through out it's history. They were worse then the image shows I think.



From there I sent the wheels to an incredible fabricator and Metal Man named Scott Bagshaw to weld up the chips and file the lip bag to it's original state. When I got them back they looked awesome and I immediately knew that these wheels were the right choice. So the next few images are me taking it from the there to sanding the rim with 600 grit and working my way to 1500. I only have one wheel to this point right now but by the end of the weekend I hope to have both sanded to 2000. This is my first attempt at polishing and I am learning as I go. They look awesome so far and I think they'll turn out good after I put a little more time in.









The front wheels which are Chrome steelies that I ordered form Wheel Kid and utilize an Original center. I spoke with him yesterday and he said they are at the Chrome shop so I should have them soon. I will get some pics of them as soon as I get them.

Eventually there are a bunch of things that I plan on changing or adding to the car to complete my vision. A new exhaust was planned before I go to Austin with the car but I think that it may have wait till after. I also planed on getting the whole front end Chromed before Austin by a local Chrome shop but I am still waiting on a quote. Those thing probably will wait since the time it ticking and I still have to get the car tuned and running properly. Last fall the car has fallen prey to some fuel gremlins that I have not completely figured out.

Perhaps next year I will look into putting on a shortened bed and the Blown Olds 303 like I previously mentioned. I also would like to build a Nerf & Roll Bar which I see in shiny Chrome! I will post as I go.

Thanks for looking.

 

personally i like the idea of chrome reverses better, especially with plans for a bed/box and nerf bars. but its all about makin it feels like yers right?

 

Lookin' great Jeffrey! It looked great before, but I like your vision for the car. Keep us posted.

 

Those wheels are going to look awesome in those slicks, on that car. Nice updates man!

 

Oh yeah!




BloodyKnuckles

 

lookin forward to some finished pics , i love it the way it was but want to see what ya got in mind !

 

Funny, I did the same thing with the Weesner card. I look at it everyday. The weesner T is a great infuence for yours. Keep us posted.
I love that car as it sits, but certainly understand the "not Yours" yet feel.

 

I know, I talked to a lot of older guys that were around and they said that it was the hot setup to run Chrome Reverses out back with cheater slicks. I have by far a fewer amount of examples that run 5 Spokes out back but it's that Keith Weesner painting that gets me every time. I'm a dreamer what can I say.

 

Where did you come up with the bed/box idea??




BloodyKnuckles

 

A wise old man with a cane told me in my dreams. His name was Boobie. I am pretty excited about that thing and the Roll Bar. The Lively Set as some really cool inspiration for the roll bars.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=2949

 

Hey Thunderbirdesq, I'm coming to Buffalo (hopefully with the Roadster) for 4th of July. It'd be cool if we got a chance to meet up and shoot the shit. My brother is throwing a 4th of July party.family get together so let me know if you'll be in town. You can check out the transformation in person!

The rest of you will see some of it at the Roundup this year!

 

Do a short box with the tank inside and cover to match your interior. A round-ended nerf bar would dress up the back end (not to big and gaudy though). I'm not a big fan of chrome reverse wheels. Do the torque thrust in the back, and a skinny as hell wheel up front. Halibrands would be rad- but probably out of budget. Spindle mouts would also rock, but again, spendy.
For the "full show" money no object 60's look, have the exhaust exit in 4 individual pipes, running over the frame and running back to the rear tire in unison. Plated of course
Blown 303 would be rad, plate/polish anything/everything. Get a Roto-Faze, mag or
Spaliding for it, plated stock valves covers, ect. I'd also spring for a plated grill shell too.

The cool thing with T's is, there are many ways to do em, and you have to try to screw em up Look at like Ivo's T for insperation, and go from there.

 

That's some of the sexiest shit I have ever heard! Chris who would have thought that you would have such a strong and beautiful opinion on early 60's Hot Rods. And I thought you were all late 40's.

All the stuff you said is great and I am really on the same wave length as far as thinking. Spindle Mounts would be awesome but I can't bop around town in something that doesn't stop especially with my Wife in the car. The exhaust is something that I am still thinking about. I really want 4 individual pipes exiting the car pointing down and towards the cowl but it's going to be loud so I have to consider plugging those pipes with baffles for long trips. You hit it on the money with the Roll bar bed and tank idea. Exactly what I was thinking.

Oh Ivo is always inspiration for me so rest assure I am talking notes. RoyalShifter's T is also a big influence. I think that's probably that coolest T out there...well that and the Lightning Bug.

 

Man those Nailheads look good.

 

I am mainly into "early" type cars. I don't think I would ever build a late 50's-mid 60's type show machine, but I understand the style. Another idea for the style is make a top for it. Even if it is a lift off type, a lot of T's had white tops. Heres a pic of my Friend Russ' T. It's an earlier one, but the idea is the same. Pretty simple really.

Oh yeah, I don't know what engine you have now, but if you want to stay Buick, My friend has a 425 Nailhead for sale right now. Thats the ultimate Nailhead

 

I hadn't mentioned it because it's just a thought until I get a bed on, but the Top like Ivo's or Royalshifter's is definitely a cool idea. I am pretty pale and the NC sun can bake me pretty quick. I think it would look pretty bitchen also. Looking at you friend's T I really have to wonder how you could not like Chrome Steelies! Probably the same as Radirs for me. I always thought Radirs were too much show and not enough go. Cool for customs but not for Hot Rods.

As for building a 60's type car, I really never thought I was going to love them like I do this one. I really like the purposefulness that late 40's early 50's Hot Rods have. The 60's always seem like a time of excess and superfluousness. But now I can get really into them because they are so much fun. My heart is in earlier stuff for sure though.

And lastly the 425 would be pretty Boss in this car but that would just piss off Bloodyknuckles and I really don't need it to walk his '61. I traded the Radirs for a 303 Olds complete with tranny, open drive shaft and rear which is why I mentioned it.

 

I just can't get into chrome reverse wheels. Most of my friends have em, but they are all into full show cars. I am not. I just like painted wheels and caps. They just look right on so many cars. But then again, I am really into the 40s-mid 50's era, and chrome reverse were not around. In the end though, thats the neat thing about old cars. You build em how you like. If we all liked the same thing, we would all build the same car

Tops are rad, and have a purpose. Plus, you can take it off if you want. I would want an Olds way more than a Buick, but figured I'd let you know.

 

I don't want for this car to be mistaken as a full out 60's show car. I really would like to grab the vibe of a purposeful street driven drag car from the early to mid 60's. Has just enough sparkle to place itself in the era but enough balls to separate it from a show car. That was the problem with the Radirs for me. It just screamed fluff. I needed something that would ground itself with competitive drag cars of that time. The Chrome steelies up front give it a street influence I think with something that would have been cool. I think any other wheel would have distracted from what I'm after.

And like I said, it's that Damn Weesner Painting that has me. Now if I could only get my car to proportion itself like the cars in his paintings, I would be sitting pretty.

UPDATE: Painted the rebuilt starter and replaced fuel pump tonight as well as starting the sanding of the other Ansen wheel. It fired and sound great!

 

Jeffery, I LOVE your idea for the Ansens' and skinny chrome steels,should look bloody stunning!The blown Olds motor sounds great too as does a full house Nailhead!Heck either way you can't go wrong,60's Hot rods I LOVE 'em!

Nick.

 

Totally Rad. Can't wait to see it!

 

That Hussy is a fun little car, and will look great with all the changes.

Mike


We'll get some sunscreen for that pale skin

 

One of my favorite cars on the board. I'm still waiting for the story of how one of the caps came off and beat the hell out of everything though. Those tires are cute for a show only car but I'd be scared to put them to real highway use.

 

Jeff, the wheel is looking good so far.

Are you sanding wet?


I ask cuz I'm trying to bring a couple of 4 1/2" x 15" wheels around to reasonably shiny.

So far, used medium grit 3M abrasive on a rubber backed arbor spun up on a high speed drill.
They're getting better, but are still a long way off.

One wheel is for the 'before' picture, but it ain't worth the trouble to show the 'after' yet.

Here's a couple of 15" x 6 7/8" I did with some hand applied 3M pad, both medium and fine, some work with the 8" 3/4 HP buffer and a bit of the Mothers Wax drill driven buff ball and their metal polish.



Didn't put a whole lotta work into these cuz they're the wrong backspace for my 32, but it allowed me to see what a narrower rear wheel might look like with a smaller tire than the 15" x 10" and 30" tall tire I'm now running.

I'm curious to know if you saw machining marks in your wheels as you sanded them.

 

Love that car and what you are doing. It's one of the only T's I've seen that I lust after.

 

I am sanding wet starting with 600 then 800, 1000, 1500 and tomorrow I will get the 2000 out. I lay a coat of WD40 down then start sanding keeping it wet through out the process. I have not started with polishing compounds yet and not sure if I want them that polished because at 1500 i looks pretty cool. Once I get past the sanding I will let you know where I am at with it.

I did not see machining marks but I have noticed on the other wheel that there are some dings that probably should have been filled before I started sanding. Like I said this thing is not a show car so I am just trying to get them as best as I can without driving myself nuts.

 

I am going to run these tires for one more summer then retire them. I had them checked over and they said they are in great shape, but I still think that I should not push my luck since they were recapped in the 60's. Appreciate the concern though.

Thanks everyone for the nice words. I think that when Vesley built this car he gave a good platform for me to finish it and transform it into a complete vision. The car looks great, but up close there are a bunch of issues that need to be worked out. It is as Sean intended, a Hot Rod that is fun to drive and moves like a raped ape.

 

Does anyone know if there is an exact color that could be used to mimic the original spokes? I am playing hell to get them clean but it's not going well. I have been told Cast Blast but to me they have a slight Champaign color to them instead of just cast grey.

Help!

 

Thanks for the info on wet sanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Try Brownell's.

A gun supply mail order house.

An overview of their paints.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/catsearch.aspx?k=paint&ps=10&si=True

Epoxy rattle cans formulated for aluminum.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1119&title=ALUMA-HYDE~

Some shades look very close to what I've seen on the five spokers.

I believe there's a color chip page somewhere in the paint area.

 

Update.

Well I'm still waiting on the wheels that I ordered from Wheelkid 3 weeks ago. He said he's having trouble getting his Chrome shop to buff them in a timely manner which sucks.

I got both of my rear wheels sanded to 1500 and they are looking pretty slick. Atfirst I could not get the second one to shine like the first and I was afraid that I would have to go back to 600 and work my way up. But after taking a polish rag to it, the problem seemed to be just a haze which will become a thing of the past once I get the buff ball out!

Over the weekend I stumbled upon an exact SW gauge that I broke last fall. I was not even looking for it but came across it in the Village of the Hamb'ed. It's a sweep temp gauge which is weathered just right so that it does not stand apart form the oil pressure. Should have pics of it tomorrow when I install it.

Other then that, there were some really good deals to be had at the Charlotte Auto Fair. I did not find the Model A bed but I also did not bring any money because I am trying to calm down with spending lately. Bloodyknuckles found some cool Nerf Bars from what I heard but again I did not look at them because of my lack of control.

Anyways, one week exactly until we leave for Austin with or without the car. Pretty stoked either way.

 

What length bed do you want? I cut down a new Brookville bed years ago and kept the chunks that were removed...but they are only 9" long.