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1923 Dodge brass era speedster build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by carlisle1926, Nov 10, 2012.

  1. 24dodgeroadster
    Joined: May 7, 2012
    Posts: 4

    24dodgeroadster
    Member

    I will be watching this project I am currently building a 24 dodge roadster in dirt track style
     
  2. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    I found a 1915 Buick radiator to fit the speedster. But, when I went to put it in, it was 2-1/2 inches too wide! The steel shroud had severe rust along the bottom edge, so I made a new bottom and and narrowed the radiator shroud about 2-3/4". The brass radiator itself had enough wiggle room that it still fits in the shroud. I've set it on the frame just to see how it fits and I'm happy with it. I have the 235 Chevy engine resting on 2x4's on the frame, and next I will make motor mounts to lower the engine significantly in the frame. Once the engine is mounted, the radiator and engine will be about 14inches farther back on the frame than they are sitting now. The top of the radiator shell is 39" from the floor to the top and the tires are 33" tall, so that is about as low as I want to go with the radiator. The updraft carburetor and manifold that I got off of a 1954 cab over engine Chevy truck is needed because there will be very little hood clearance-- and an updraft makes the engine look a bit older. I spray painted the shell black just to see what it looked like a uniform color and to keep the fresh welds from rusting up so quickly in the Houston, TX, humidity.

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    Last edited: Jan 4, 2014
    kiwijeff likes this.
  3. dwollam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2012
    Posts: 2,319

    dwollam
    Member

    Going back to your rear axle... Don't forget to weld those spring hangers to the 8" housing. (Nice job on disguising it to BTW) On the original DB rear end, those pivot between rings so there is no spring bind. Remember the old axle had a solid drive shaft and housing. That kept the rear end from twisting. Now that you have an open drive rear end, as soon as you put it in gear it is going to twist the rear end in those brackets. Weld the bottom U plate to the housing and that should be sufficient. Looking good! Like the 21" wheels best, plus have you priced 32x4 tires for the 24" wheels?? 5.25x21 is what the 26-27 DB used, 1921?-24 had 32x4 and 1925 had 5.50x20. 21" tires are what lots of Model t's and 28-9 A's used so they are plentiful and cheap, at least in the 4.40/4.50x21 size.

    Glad to see you back at it. Stay well.
    Dave Wollam
     
  4. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    I haven't forgotten about welding the rear axle in place, but until I get the engine in place to get the drive shaft angles sorted out, I'm leaving the axle to rotate freely. The expense and the ultra high air pressure that make the 24" wheels/tires ride like rocks, is what made me choose the 21" wheels.
     
  5. dwollam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2012
    Posts: 2,319

    dwollam
    Member

    Ok cool! I didn't want to see a new drive shaft wrapped around the rear end or pulled out of the tranny and pole vaulting you on the 1st test drive. Carry on!

    Dave
     
  6. charliechaindrive
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 70

    charliechaindrive
    Member
    from staples mn

    Amazing build, you make it look so easy!
     
  7. whtbaron
    Joined: Sep 12, 2012
    Posts: 579

    whtbaron
    Member
    from manitoba

    Glad to see you are still making headway... I wondered why the other thread got so quiet. Great work.
     
  8. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    Glad to see this one making progress again. Hope you're feeling ok now.
     
  9. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    I found a 1916 Buick touring car cowl a few days ago. I plan on trimming off and rounding out the top portion of the cowl. Since I am using a 1915 Buick radiator, the 1916 cowl matches the curvature of the radiator. I paid a whopping $40 for the cowl.
    I cut the frame in two in the engine area, and lengthened it 9" using steel from the rear of a 1946 Dodge one ton truck frame. The 46 frame had the same thickness and the same radius in the bends, so it worked to make a great stint.
    I cut the front and rear cross members out of a 1946 Chevy 1/2 ton truck frame to make my motor mounts for the 235 Chevy I'm using. I just had to trim a bit off of the Chevy cross members, and then they dropped right in. I still have to properly weld them in, but the 235 is now resting where I want, and now I can start building the body, now that I have the radiator and cowl positioned. The reason for the large space between the radiator and engine, is because I will have to mount a small modern radiator behind the 1915 radiator. The reason is, a primitive round tube radiator doesn't cool very good at all, they have a tendency to leak, and they cost a fortune to re-core. A fan shroud will hide the yucky new radiator.
    The old American LaFrance fire truck hood will still need a lot of chopping to make it fit. I found a 1910's American LaFrance engine hand crank too. I might modify it to fit.

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    Last edited: Jan 19, 2014
    kiwijeff likes this.
  10. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    I lean something new on the H.A.M.B. everyday and today is no exception. I'm subscribed to this thread. Cool build.
     
  11. chuxx
    Joined: Jul 15, 2007
    Posts: 208

    chuxx
    Member

    Great score on the cowl. Looks pretty solid and for 40 bucks!


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  12. 4444Design
    Joined: Aug 25, 2012
    Posts: 292

    4444Design
    Member

    interesting project

    lookin' forward to the progress

    never ever seen a rearsuspension like on that frame before
     
  13. charliechaindrive
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 70

    charliechaindrive
    Member
    from staples mn

    Really can't go wrong on a cowl for 40 bucks!
     
  14. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    Here is what the car looks like mocked up. I just ordered some steel 1/4" rivets today so that I can start making the body, which is really nothing more than a floor that connects the cowl to the seat. The hood still needs to be shortened a few inches in length and height.

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    kiwijeff likes this.


  15. Now that's COOL! :D
     
  16. 4444Design
    Joined: Aug 25, 2012
    Posts: 292

    4444Design
    Member

  17. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    Here is a sketch that I did tonight of how I would like this car to look when done.

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    bct and kiwijeff like this.
  18. The sktech looks great!

    Looking at the chalk lines on the cowl, have you thought about the possiblility of making it asymmetrical to shield the driver/steering wheel? Looks like you have enough sheetmetal to do it- here's a pic of a '27 Duesenberg to give you the idea:
     

    Attached Files:

  19. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    At one point, I did consider making the tail of the car and cowl look just like the one in the picture you posted, but I decided to stick with my original idea and have the car have a much older body style.
     
  20. Amazing work!! PM sent...I'd love to have one done of my RPU project!
     
  21. I agree, it will look MUCH better with the bobbed back and tank.

    Just know that right now you have the extra metal to shape the cowl to protect your hands and give you a little more of a break from the wind... if you look at Frontenacs and Bugatti, they added them on :D
     
  22. Luv it!!!!!! Fantastic sketch too!

    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  23. charliechaindrive
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 70

    charliechaindrive
    Member
    from staples mn

    Wow! Amazing drawing skills. I wish I could draw that well.

    The big dodge is coming along great!
     
  24. whtbaron
    Joined: Sep 12, 2012
    Posts: 579

    whtbaron
    Member
    from manitoba

    Looking good! I keep looking at that squarish hood and the rounded cowl and rad, and it looks like you've got a lot of extra metal in that hood. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easier to build a 3 piece hood than to make that one work. Possibly you could use the louvered sides, but it looks to me like you might have to change the cowl shape to make them work... it could mean moving the cowl back to fabricate a transition.
     
  25. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    My plan at this point is to use only the hood sides. I have to shorten them in height about 3 inches and about 4 inches in length. I really wanted to just reshape the top part of the hood to match the cowl because it is full of neat rivets, but I've decided to just make a new hood top section and rivet it together.
     
  26. carlisle1926
    Joined: May 19, 2010
    Posts: 536

    carlisle1926
    Member

    I got a bit sidetracked today. I've had this 4ft long old oil storage tank laying in my back yard that came out of a bulk oil company. The tank was made in 1912 and I was saving it because of all the rivets in it. I decided to cut a section out of it and make the large external exhaust collector/muffler that would often be seen hanging off the side of these early racers. I'll have to bend the 14 gauge sheet metal into a roughly 7" diameter cylinder now. I'll weld the riveted 4" pipe flanges on the end to seal up the collector. It should look pretty period correct when I'm done.

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  27. Quite a backyard you have :eek::D!!!
     
  28. whtbaron
    Joined: Sep 12, 2012
    Posts: 579

    whtbaron
    Member
    from manitoba

    Yea....how many planes have crashed back there anyway??
     
  29. charliechaindrive
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 70

    charliechaindrive
    Member
    from staples mn

  30. charliechaindrive
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 70

    charliechaindrive
    Member
    from staples mn

    Stupid double post
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2014

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