so i've been collecting parts

i had a collection of parts that would get me a good start on 2 or 3 different builds. i thought i had settled on a lakes modified after all those pics jimmyb had posted over the years. damn you jimmy.



i picked up a decent 27 cowl and a flathead with edmunds heads and dual intake.



at the same time, i had a deuce frame and a 291 desoto hemi. i had plans for a 30-31 model A coupe, hemi and deuce frame build, so i reluctantly sold off the T cowl and flathead. i have a 291 in my 46 and thought it would be cool to have a custom and a hotrod with the same model hemi.
the spare hemi turned out to be needing a little more work than a simple rebuild. no problem i thought, i have an early virgin bore 283 i'll use and maybe i'll put a roadster body on the deuce frame instead.
the parts kept growing, as nothing was getting done for over a year. then phat rat here on the hamb listed a 27 T project on a model A frame with a current title. that is when i decided to go in one direction and build this car. i sold off the deuce frame and picked up the T from jack.


it's the front half of a 27 T touring. many of you might remember him posting it in the past. he already took care of any rot issue with patch panels. the doors both open nice and latch. the seat riser is in great shape. it's really a good start.



i had thought about sectioning the seat riser to single seat width and mounting an aluminum tank or even the old bomber air tank i have in the cockpit beside the seat. cover it all with a zippered down the center tonneau cover and not have anything but the rear crossmember and banjo rear showing out back. plans for now call for ordering an oval gas tank from mike at the hotrod company.

 

Looks like a cool start.

 

Very cool project Rick. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

I like it. The flathead would have been cool in it.. What motor-transmission do you plan to run in this one?

 

X2...and I am not really a flathead guy...it's just that that one you had was pretty cool IMO. Kinda fits the build.

 

looks like a pretty good start to something really cool!

 

you had me in the beginning till you sold the flathead. ill keep watching tho

 

"so i reluctantly sold off the T cowl and flathead."

smart man.( at least the flathead part)

 

the rear is an open drive out of a 46 truck. you probably notice the kelsey hayes. i have a nice set of four.



i can either run original V8 caps


or steve sellers veda



i'm going with a model A spring mounted over the axle. the behind mounts welded to the axle now will have to come off.



i was going to run 46-48 front bones and a torque arm to locate the rearend.


but i recently picked up some landrover trailing arms. i'll add a few more lightening holes.


i don't like the looks of the front mount on these so i figure i'll cut them off and weld a sleeve to weld bungs in to accept these ford script tie rod ends. a friend has these on a pair of 32 split bones and they look so cool. and they're beefy too.



finishing up the rear are these repopped(or do you say repo) 37 taillights


almost forgot. my friend killbilly picked up a plate for me

 

guy sitting on the tire in the first pic looks like he's wearing navy dress white trousers. Taken shortly after ww2? Keith

 

That was what i thought, too. My Dad was in the Navy SeaBee's in WW2

 

moving towards the front, i have one of erics dry lakes front end packages that i had purchased when i was building the deuce frame. forged chassis engineering axle and lincoln style brakes.



i have a nice pair of 36 bones i need to open up for a 2 1/4 inch axle


for steering i can go one of two ways.

f100 box and column


bmw 2002 box in case i need to go with cowl steering


oh, and to run the kelseys, a set of spacers to properly support the wheel centers so they don't distort when torqueing them down.

 

the 283 is a 62 block in std. bore and literally no ridge build up. i have 2 sets of powerpak heads, i'll end up using 56 265 heads for the staggered bolt pattern and a little higher compression.

induction is an edelbrock 3x2 with large logo 97's rebuilt by dickster27. i had an original edelbrock but ended up(what else?) selling it to continental john.


gmcbubba did me up a distributor with a pertronix kit


nos cal custom valve covers


reproduction fenton black widow exhaust manifolds


just to see what it will look like.




transmission is a m21 4 speed. i have a hurst shifter for it and 2 bellhousings, an aluminum one and the cast iron with mid mounts.


because i have the fenton exhaust, side engine mounts will not work. thus the mid mounts on the bellhousing and this hurst front mount


radiator


because it will get awful busy down there with steering and exhaust, i went with a hydraulic clutch setup to do away with linkage. here's the pedal box, a fabbed up piece modeled after an early 60's chevy truck.

 

some other parts

windshield frame and stanchions. i'll probably section the top half of the stanchions out and do with an eight inch windshield.



picked up an original hood. the 283 won't fit under it. that's ok, it doesn't need a hood. funny thing is, i considered selling the 283 and going with a quad4 or 2.3 duratec with side draft webers just so i can keep it all under the hood. that's crazy talk. nope, i'm keeping the 283. besides, way at the beginning i said it would be cool to have both a custom and a hotrod running the same model hemi. i still have the 291, somewhere down the road it might find it's way between the frame rails.




i have the dash from a 47 ford. i don't know if i want to section it up to fit or end up just using the speedo and gauges in some custum setting,




i forgot to take pics of the other stuff, headlights and stuff.

i don't need too much more. get my taxes back and order some 7.50 and 6.00 blackwall firestone deluxe champions. gas tank and the little stuff. now it's time to get started. i'll keep you updated.

 

great collection of parts and a nice start on the car , digging those headers never saw that type before ,

 

Cool parts...gonna be fun to see them all come together !!!! Good luck with the build not that you'll need it.

 

Rick,

Nice batch of parts - looks like good planning. What vintage are the Rover trailing arms? They look stout to say the least. Godd to see the T got a good home.

Charlie

 

the arms i am told come on 2000-02 land rover discovery II. they are forgings. i had 35-36 rear arms and 46-48 rear arms. without the added integrity of the torque tube, i was afraid of stock arms failing. i see no reason to add a torque arm with these arms.

 

looking good rick! i was out to pauls house last week, now that hes out in the boonies.

 

Love them Fenton exhaust manifolds. I didn't know they made reproductions?

 

Rick, nice to see the progress you're making.

 

yeah, i miss paul not living in hammond but i have my little spies that keep me updated on what he's been doing. i can't wait to see the ranchero in person.

what progress? i'm still parts chasing. i'm about to get started now that i have my rear spring hangers. i'll set the 283/4 speed in place, tack the rear suspension in and establish my ride height. then it's on to the front end. i have little things to keep me busy inbetween like fabbing a battery box to go under the seat and sectioning the windshield posts.

 

oh i cant wait for more

 

By progression I mean you have gotten a lot of parts gathered and ideas formed.

 

I can't tell you how happy we all are that he's finally decided what he's going to build!!

 

Rick,
You always have the coolest parts. Looks good I am going with a pinto style motor in mine as soon as I find it....I am finish the chassis now i will post up the pics you wanted to see soon. Now get to work you could be driving that in a week or so...hahaha
Shoe

 

Rick here is what I got so far. I am going to OH Sunday and picking up a pinto motor and trans....My wife Laughed at me for putting a pinto motor in a hot rod.....It something to the effect of "Really a pinto motor in a hot rod people are gonna laugh"...Thats My girl
Finishing My crossmember for rear and need to mount motor then I am gonna start on body...Its a 100 inch wheelbase I am not sure how I am gonna fit but we will see.

 

that's pretty cool david. man i wanted really bad to build a single seater lakes car. i even asked in an earlier thread about the shifter location in a single seater.
we won't tease you about the pinto engine, at least not within earshot.
i considered a quad4 and late model ranger engine. i started a thread about a shop i visited with offy and millers. and a fellow hamber here in hammond is into T bangers with overhead conversions, frontenacs rajos, gemsas, you name it. it was a last minute thing to run the full width body and the 283 and maybe eventually the desoto hemi i have.
are you running a closed driveline or do you have plans for a torque arm? i'm hoping i can make my rear suspension work.

 

Rick I am going with open drive. I have been stock piling banjos up and this one is a closed rear but its perfect no pits or rust. I have one good open drive we are gonna switch the guts from it into these bells and housging. I think I will be okay with rear spring and wishbones. I am thinking about painting my rear arched crossmember yellow and hanging a cheeseburger off of it for fun though...hahaha
I really like all the exotic mills that I could put under the hood but this thing is a budget build. Mostly junk laying around my shop and friends shops.only new parts should be some front tires and odds and ends.

 

Rick, great seeing you the other day and how about a update on the cool project.