I am getting ready to start on a '34 3-window for a friend of mine. We'll be keeping things fairly traditional, though there'll be a few compromises - discs up front probably being about the most obvious. I am on the fence on a major design issue though: I am keen to not only delete the rails forward of the cross member, but also to pinch them so they run inside the line of the hood sides. Along with this there'll be some changes to the side profile of the frame (I am scratch building it) along the lines of the Rolling Bones Poteet coupe. Stance and overall feel will take cues from that and a few others. I-beam (which I will drop about 3-4") ,split bones and most likely spring behind. I envisage friction shocks and headlights mounted fairly low. The thing is that we will still be running a 34 grille and I have been searching for pics of any done this way. Besides those Streetroddy IFS Hankster things and this one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=555558&highlight=34+pinched+rails , I haven't found any. And I am wondering if there is a good reason for that.... I don't want the grille laid back, so it may be sectioned a little to get the hood height to flow nicely to the cowl, but the issue to me is the narrowness at the bottom, and how to have it transition backwards from there without looking too "empty' or just plain odd. All opinions appreciated.
Your "vision" applied to a '34 may be neat, but it's not traditional. Simple as that. Now, what do your friend and you want?
BarryA Check out the book Hot Rod Garages by Peter Vincent. It has a pretty complete chapter on the building of the Poteet 34 that might be helpful . If you have any questions you can pm me good luck with your project Ken / Rolling Bones
With the shape of a 34 grill it's just about impossible to get the frame inside of the grill. I pinched the front of my frame 4 inches. With the 4 inches the radiator is still gonna be tight. I'm guessing you'd have to pinch the front 8 inches to get the frame even with the hoodsides. Here's a picture of my car. Search my posts and you'll see more pics of the build. Clark
I like the look but agree with alchemy on the fact that it is not traditonal. I also think you should build the car the way you want it. There are alot of "traditional" cars being built that are not that traditional. Building your vision should be more important. There will be people that like it and people that wont.
Pinching the frame will present a few other problems to deal with. If you build your own frame the transition for the hood, if you run one, at the fire wall takes a wierd angle, also most people run the inner fender panel for the same transition issue. As bonsey stated, radiator problems, are you going to run a big block? You should probably do some side view sketches of different frame designs, stock type, straight rails or swept rails. My home built frame with torsion bars and a Dodge tube axle presented a BUNCH of problems. Good luck
Look at my build thread. Maybe you can use a few ideas from it. I have been stagnate for about about a month or 2 working on other projects but I did actually work on it today and plan on working on it more tomorrow. Good luck and post progress pics of what you do. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=542263&highlight=curbspeed+coupe
Thanks for the replies. All appreciated as I said. Yes, not strictly traditional and I get that I will take some flak if I do go this route. All part of the game. Where I am I will get asked where the big billet wheels and chrome IRS are? Looking at stance and side profile I am looking to get the appearance of a channeled car with the bottom body reveal running through to the hood sides in one line (ie without the sweep at the cowl). Like the Poteet coupe or this one: Thanks Ken for your input - haven't ordered that book yet but do have all the articles on the build that I could find. The problem I have been trying to get my head around is how the frame rails would exit the perimeter formed by the hood sides (viewed from above). Not seeing how it could be done. This car (Wonder if you ever did find any info Scarletfever?) seems to have managed something like what I have in mind with the bottom of the outer frame side rolling in at the front: Yes radiator is a concern. I do plan to stretch the hood (and wheelbase) 2" so packaging lengthwise is not an issue - a thicker radiator may help some. At this stage the plan is to run a 351C and five speed (because that is what the owner has). The body is 'glass (and not a great one) but my thinking is to build the rolling chassis and hopefully convince him that I should build him a metal one. Original steel over here is pretty much all gone Dale, your build is one I have been looking at while mulling this project over, as is yours Clark! designs that work, I'm going to have to look for your build - any links? Thanks again!
Barry I have a woody album in my profile page. That frame started out as 1 1/2 ton Model AA truck. Cut the horns off, sliced a horizontal section out of the frame, which gave me basically straight but tapered rails from the fire wall forward. From the fire wall back it is 2 x 4 rectangular tubing. I stepped the 2 x 4 2 inches down in the center where the body sits and finished the back similar to a pro street or T bucket frame. That is where fitting the hood becomes a issue, to much channel causes a issue with the hood sides, then how to you make the hood side clear the four bar and track style headers. Did you plan on using a stock but narrowed front cross member or suicide front perch. On my modified I used a piece of 2 x 2 x,125 wall front cross member with a reverse suicide mount. Just a regular plate and gussets but it is under the radiator which put the front wheels to my liking. Good luck
If you're looking for a vote on it, I vote against pinching - it has far too much Boydness about it. Mind you, as Jim Bouchard quite correctly noted, do what you want - it's your car (or the owners, or whatever), none of us should tell you what to do, but you did ask. How about a build thread? - I like build threads. Cheers.
I hear you on the Boydness, which is a concern. If I go this route I am hoping the lack of jelly-mould shapes, shaved or billet anything, or modern (or pastel) paint would redeem it somewhat Might anyone have done something like this to clean up the front and present less frontal area and cleaner air flow headed to the lakes or salt? More likely they would have gone for a track style nose and be done. Even so, and despite the logic and body of evidence suggesting it is as bad idea, I may just gnaw on this bone a little while longer before setting it down. Need to fire up that wood & graphite design program I guess..... Build thread there will be for sure - whichever way it ends up! Thanks for all the feedback.
I've seen different grills that make the hood wider like a 32 for instance on a 33-34. Track nose with wider hood. I had to move my frame back out because when I pinched it I couldn't get anything to fit. Check out the motor mount on the one above.
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