Projects The HAMB's slowest build, aka the Desorta modified

good score on the transmission , its better than the 700R4 i scored off the craigs list for $100 lol

 

Mike,

I like what you're doing here. It's got me thinking about a future project. Maybe a T frame, Nash Metro 4-banger (got 1 left over from my current project) w/sidedraft Weber, etc. I'm going to have to try to fab up a radiator shell like yours, only smaller. It fits your build perfectly. Keep posting pics.

Mike

 

I love your build but you still have a long way to go before it is the slowest build around.

I'm not sure when they gave that to me but they had number 19 this year and my truck still isn't finished.

 

I lived about a mile down the road from Frontier Park in '95. Probably saw your car there.

Mike

 

This makes me regret selling the parts for my modified build. Oh well, think the wild little 302 is coming out of my 65 F100 and getting replaced with a stock 460 soon so I can tow without worry. That will give me a 302, a C6, and front and rear axles again. Shit, I NEED a body and frame and it's on again!

Thanks for the inspiration and getting the gears turning again!

 

That's pretty cool, and funny. This is actually coming together a lot faster than I planned lately.

 

Sounds cool. Thanks! I haven't done much creatively yet. Just mainly trying to get it back to the point Kirk! had it, but with slightly more budget parts. Then hopefully we can work out some cool ideas for steering, seats, dash, etc.

 

Just an idea Mike. I was looking over your thread today and I couldn't help but think about the spun aluminum wheel discs that Stu Hilborn ran on his streamliner and how your modified needs a set. I am getting excited to start tearing into that thing.

 

Those are nice. Those particular ones are made for wire wheels though, right? I like wheel discs too. I've always wanted to use some on something. Eventually I hope to run 16" wheels. Ya, I can't wait to get your help and get this thing rolling.

Ordered up some small parts today. Motor mount biscuits, trans mount, rear end breather. Should be enough to start fabbing the engine mounts and figure out what to do for a transmission crossmember.

 

Wesley (el hueso) and I took the car apart, and moved it to his place. He's building some motor mounts, and fabbing some things for me. I've been working on a logo and some marketing stuff for his business.

He sent me a couple update photos of the super cool motor mounts. Hopefully he doesn't mind me posting these. Wes, feel free to post updates too.





I am enrolled in a tig welding class, for the second time. So, hopefully I can get my welding skills up where I want them to be and do more of the fab work in the future.

Also, I ordered up a universal trans crossmember that will be modified to fit.

 

Mike,

Kudos on the motor mounts. It looks like El Hueso knows his stuff. Can't wait to see it all together.

Mike

 

Yes, he certainly does! Glad to be able to get help from him. Besides getting some kick butt work done, he's also inspired me to get my skills up and is becoming a good friend of mine. He and his wife are great people.

 

Thanks for the kind words guys! I did a detailed write up on all the fab work on the car over here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7193577#post7193577

Thanks Mike! That means a lot!

 

Got the car back to my place, after we had to get really creative to get it on and off the trailer.


See El Hueso's thread about the fab work he has done on the car.

I have to sort some stuff out. The rear spring isn't going to work as-is. There is no clearance between it and the top tube of the ladder bars, and luckily the rear is sitting a little lower than we want. I am either going to get a new standard main leaf made, or else find a standard spring with the same perch center width (46.5"). Hopefully it would have more of an open steep arc, if that makes sense, to add even more space there where it would hit. I hope to avoid buying a new posies spring, since they are so spendy unless I can sell this one to offset the cost. need louvers? (Chip) checked a spring shop for me in PHX that can make me a main leaf. A speedway hi arc spring looks like it would work except that it would raise the rear too much, I think.



Besides that the next thing is to save some money and gather some parts to set up the steering. Also looking at my options for a seat and gas tank. Probably going with a widened round T tank.

Almost finished with the tig welding class I have been taking and I'm feeling pretty good about it. Hopefully I can get a tig setup sometime soon. Originally my plan was to work slower and hone my skills as I went along, doing most of the work myself. Wes moved to town and a lot of the ideas we had for the car were similar. He was looking for work, and I was wanting to get this thing rolling so it all has worked out great so far.

 

Not much of an update... but this is still a project.

Wes is redoing the ladder bars so they will clear the spring better.

I bought some steering arms, drag link, and a steering hoop. Found a bench seat out of a suzuki sidekick for free on craigslist. Pretty cool little seat, has the releases to make the seat fold forward on the top of the back. It's also a tumble forward type seat so that might come in handy? Anyways...it fits perfectly in the car.

Hoping I'll get some tax return money and be able to buy a few things for it.

I'm taking a mig welding and a sculptural metal class this semester. I'm hoping I can make some parts in class for the car. Got some ideas at GNRS and some renewed interest in actually getting this thing driveable someday.

 

Small progress...

Bought a radiator from Champion online. Fits real well. I know, its aluminum...but in the height I needed and the style I can't afford a new brass/copper one.

I'm planning to start make the mounts later this week. The plan is some simple brackets that are bolt on, using the existing shock bolts. Any welding on them will probably be gas welded. I just started learning that. Got an A in that TIG class. Now doing MIG and a Welded Sculpture class.

I still need to drill and bolt the shell on, and scrounge up some parts to make rubber pads and the other mounting hardware.

Also, Wes is working on the ladder bars. Here's a shot of the old design vs. the new.

Oh, and I got a new spring, non-reversed eye that will bring up the rear and get the stance where we wanted it.

 

Looks pretty good keep it up youll be rollin before you know it.

 

Thanks James!

 

Hey mike thanks for putting up the link in the other thread. It looks like deSorta is in good hands. Kirk!'s posts about it spured on the build ing of my mod.

 

Yeah, that's cool!

 

Hey Mike, if ya get a chance, any possibilty of putting tape on that seat and coming up with some measurements for me? How wide across the back, how wide across the front, how tall up the back from the bottom of the seat cushion to the top of the back? That might just be a player for my roadster pickup deal...

 

Sure! I'm guessing it might be too wide for you. The back is about 46.5" at the widest point, 24" tall from the floor to the highest part on the back. It mounts pretty much flat to the floor. Front brackets are hinged and in the rear it has 2 latches that when released allow the seat to tumble forward. The seat back also folds forward.

The bottom is about 46" at the widest point and about 21" deep from the backside of the seat back, to the front edge of the seat bottom.

Fits in this car perfectly.

 

Cool! Its funny because I have been enjoying seeing updates on your mod. It's cool to see similar cars being built. Keeps me anxious to get my on the road.

 

Damn, went outand measured up the RPU and those are pretty close! I'd need to shorten the back and inch or two and narrow the base just a inch or so... Might be worth looking into! I like the idea that it folds forward too. I'm assuming like most modern stuff it's a tube frame and moulded foam, right?

 

Seems like it. I can feel the frame in the back. The bottom has a cover that I haven't taken off, and I can't feel the frame through the cushion at all.

 

SWEET! That seat sounds like it would work really well in my T too, and I need something that flips forward, as my car won't have an opening deck lid. I'll have to keep my eye out for one of those!

 

Used to date a girl that had a Suzuki Sidekick... Did some things in that back seat and never noticed the seat itself... But I digress...

 

haha

...and here I thought this seat was going to have a more exciting life in a hot rod!

 

What body did it start out as?

 

1929? Desoto 4 door sedan