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The last Grasp Special '34 3 window build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by whodaky, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. NSTLGA 33
    Joined: Feb 13, 2012
    Posts: 72

    NSTLGA 33
    Member
    from australia

    Don't worry about thinking too deeply Geoff am guilty of it myself. Anyway, I have spent some time yesterday and today going through this whole thread and have thoroughly enjoyed it and what hits home the most is the passion for what this is all about, like you Geoff I've also lost interest in big crowds and big events although the reliability run was perfect for me because it was made up of guys that are born to be hotrodding wasn't a decision made last week after tiring of something else and that's the difference, and you are the epitome of that passion. Well I better stop getting deep too. I will from here on in keep checking in here and look forward to you and Tony's progress on the last grasp special.
     
  2. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Jeff you are so right. I have experienced that a few times when others have driven off in my coupe. But it has been a while.
    Darren it is good to see you here.
    You will have read on here that I got the quickchange. When next our pathes cross I will fix you up for it.
    It's great that Stork is getting that big Windsor. He will do good things with it. I can see Nick's smile from here, knowing the hot rod it is going into.
    I remember like it was yesterday when Nick pulled the cover off the engine stand to show me the short block. Then he showed and described to me what he had done and the monster it could become. Your dad was one very talented dude. Special memories for sure.
    Mick you definitely have me summed up. Yes it is all about the passion I have for this stuff. At the end of the day this stuff is my life. These days I don't need to be around groups of people to appreciate what it all means to me.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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  3. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    A quiet Saturday morning here. I am whittling away on a new steering wheel for my '32 3W. Not images yet, but I will take some later.
    Was time for a coffee break so I thought I would jump on here and see what was happening.
    Thought I had better attach an image to make this worth looking at. Tony will be able to tell us what year he thinks this was taken!!!

    Geoff aka whodaky

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  4. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Looks like a convoy of rods just pulling up in Wendover homestead say about mid fifties?
     
  5. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Good answer Tom. I like the way you think!

    Geoff aka whodaky
     
  6. NSTLGA 33
    Joined: Feb 13, 2012
    Posts: 72

    NSTLGA 33
    Member
    from australia

    Hey Tom. I gotta say, Love your coupe with the steelies and caps.


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  7. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Hey Mick sitting on the banks of the Murray river in Echuca enjoying a cold one in traditional Australian style and surfing the HAMB on my iPhone !! Ahhhh hot rodding new tech style !! I loved this combo also unfortunately the ribbed front tyres threw the coupe all over the place like a mad woman's vomit and I had to change them over. I tried a set of Firestone wide whites with Red mercs and coupe looked way to clinical. I will get some Firestone Blackwalls to replace the ribs and run this combo again soon. I believe that you can never ever have enough wheel and tyre combos its as refreshing as having that much needed haircut sometimes !
     
  8. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Mick looking very much forward to seeing the hopeful re-union of the Kelsey wires and dirt trackers on your coupe !!!

    KILLER from Manilla!!!
     
  9. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Damn Tom. What a life you lead. One weekend down by the sea at Port Fairy, a couple of weekends later up by the mighty Murray, dreaming about hot rods. You deserve it mate, you work hard. I am sure the family is there with you, making it even more enjoyable.
    As I said in my post before the last, yesterday I was working on a new steering wheel for my '32 3W.
    You see the '40 wheel that is on the coupe is so big that it is hard to use the door handle to open the door, as well as steering is awkward to a degree. I have always liked Bell 4 spoke wheels and I have made a number of these over the years. So that's what it is getting.
    I won't describe how I made it, I'll just post images. For the time I spent to make this, it would have been more time efficient to buy one. But that is not me, I am hands on and enjoy making things. I think that shows through from all that I have shown on this thread. Besides this wheel is good practise for making the one that will go on the Last grasp Special.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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  10. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Then last evening I went to a good friend's 60th birthday party.
    So I got a card and of course it had to be added to.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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    Last edited: Feb 1, 2014
  11. That wheel looks awesome Geoff. Don't tell us how you made it just yet, save it for the next tech week. I like the striped card too, I got my brushes out the other day for the first time in a couple of months. Took a while to get my eye back in but I eventually came up with something I was happy with.


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  12. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Thanks Mitch.
    I have just been going through some of my photobucket files looking for an image. I still haven't found it, but I will keep looking.
    I have come across a number of images of my striping, maybe I need to show a bit more of that in here. That is if anyone wants to see it.
    Here's a teaser, let me know what if you want more?

    Geoff aka whodaky

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Wardog
    Joined: Jan 12, 2010
    Posts: 2,437

    Wardog
    Member

    Please do. I also pinstripe and love it when you post photos of you're work.

    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  14. Kialla Kid
    Joined: Dec 6, 2011
    Posts: 56

    Kialla Kid
    Member
    from Kialla

    Gidday GeoffBring it on, your work is greatly appreciated.
     
  15. You need to ask? Hell yeah we want more, that's awesome.


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  16. lowlids
    Joined: Feb 26, 2009
    Posts: 147

    lowlids
    Member
    from australia

    Geoff, I have spend the last two days with George and Barry and one of their mate Neville at the drag strip at Portland. One of their friend asked if we could pit crew for him as he and his wife needed a hand to run their rail, His name was Kenny Stewart and he ran 4.6 on the 1/8 mile track. He let me sit in it and let me fire it up ,what a dream to come to me yesterday I was truly honoured thank you Kenny. I started thinking and talking to George about starting about building a Hambsters To run on this strip. We all had a good time and really got my blood pumping. Maybe when Gary gets his Austin finished he can run it here and we can crew for him Geoff. Also we can finish Tommy Aussie 34 coupe to run that killer flathead there one day, and maybe we could finish the Grasp and see if our flathead build by Ace [George] give him a hard time.........................Geoff keep up the good work talk soon Tony.
     
  17. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Hey Tony. Sounds like you are pumped.
    Being amongst fast race cars can do that to you.
    Gary is keen to race where he can when the Austin is completed. I am sure he wouldn't mind having us crew for him.
    We workd on the Austin on Wednesday night. Although we didn't do a lot. We would normally work on it this afternoon as well, but it is to hot. So I have been messing with stuff here in my garage.
    I'll post a few shots from Gary's garage from the other night. Just general garage shots, but neat.
    I remember having a drive of Greg Klun's FED at Bairnsdale 1/8th mile many years ago. That was neat.
    I ran the coupe that day and beat Gary Tate's flathead in the final. Hey they put me in the wrong class. If I remember rightly I also made a pass beside Geoff in his '34 pickup. I am sure I have photos here somewhere of that day.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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    Last edited: Feb 2, 2014
  18. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Tony and Geoff lets line up the Last Grasp against TommyFlathead #2 - imagine that boys !!
     
  19. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Seeing as how Tony is on a bit of a drag racing high. Here are a number of shots from a nostalgia meet held at the Bairnsdale 1/8th track in '93.
    I remember this day very clearly. It was a very hot day and my coupe was having vapour lock issues with the carb. It is about a 1 1/2 hour drive from where I live. Anyhow I arrived very late in the morning and had no intentions of running the coupe. Especially with the carb issues I was having. After a lot of arm twisting I said yeah I will make up the numbers and run the coupe. So I messed around with the carb and fuel system and eventually got the coupe running half decent.
    I did make a number of passes that day and as I said, met Gary Tate in the final. I crossed the line first and got the trophy and some cash. But I am the first to admit I was put in the wrong class. But á win is a win. Damn I haven't thought about that day in a long time!

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    That is Gary Tate's '34 cabriolet ( made out of roadster quarters, sedan cowl and tudor doors ), it's a neat hot rod race car made out of junk. Gary's brother Ken helped Gary build it. It originally ran a flathead and ran here at Lake Gairdner one year. The following year it went back to the salt running Bill Herriman's y-block.
    Gary still has the cabriolet and his plans are to put it on the street with an Olds engine.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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    Last edited: Feb 13, 2014
  20. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Thanks for sharing these images Geoff I am very fond of this roadster and always wanted to know if its current status, will be great to see it in the road this roadster has a hot rod pedigree - run on the salt, ran at Drags and now is slated in retirement for road use - killer !!!
     
  21. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    OK guys I will have to dig into my striping files and see what I can come up with. There is a lot to choose from. Maybe I will do a striping post once a week.
    Gary, it is good to see you. I will post an image for your's and Tony's enjoyment.
    Tom if we put the Last grasp Special up against Tommy Flathead racing, we are at a disadvantage right from the get go. We haven't got the bling on our flathead that you have. So I toned yours down a bit by posting it in black and white.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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    Last edited: Feb 2, 2014
  22. yblock32
    Joined: Feb 4, 2009
    Posts: 2,433

    yblock32
    Member
    from Australia
    1. Cranksters

    Geoff I hope you don't mind....

    Tony's/Gary's coupe as it looks today
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Because Tony couldn't make it to Nagambie 2012 his nephew made sure he introduced himself to Gary & myself. He said they had thrashed to get the coupe to Nagambie
     
  23. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Of course I don't mind Y-block. I really enjoy other people posting and commenting on this thread.
    It has taken on real life of it's own.
    Geoff aka whodaky
     
  24. I've never seen an aussie and a seppo '33/'34 parked side by side, I knew there were a fair few differences but they're completely different cars.
     
  25. yblock32
    Joined: Feb 4, 2009
    Posts: 2,433

    yblock32
    Member
    from Australia
    1. Cranksters

    A couple of years ago after a swap meet I had was invited to check out a rodders shed. He had 2 chopped '34 coupe bodies side by side . 1 Aussie , 1 US.
    Apart from the obvious roof shape difference there's 6" difference in length between the dash & the rear window. The Aussie being shorter.
     
  26. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Mitch. Tony originally built the coupe above that Gary Salau now owns. It is a long and twisted journey that it has had and Gary has rebuilt it in the time he has owned it.
    Gary is one of hot roddings gentlemen.

    Geoff aka whodaky

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    Last edited: Feb 2, 2014
  27. yblock32
    Joined: Feb 4, 2009
    Posts: 2,433

    yblock32
    Member
    from Australia
    1. Cranksters

    Actually Gary would hate me for posting that Sept. '12 pic as being current.
    It now has grey wheels ! Sorry Gary .....
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2014
  28. brandos55
    Joined: Mar 26, 2011
    Posts: 73

    brandos55
    Member
    from Australia

    Ever since it was built,I forget how good the proportions and stance on Garys 34 are,makes me want one,Thanks for the pix...Jeff
     
  29. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Thankyou for the images Y-block, especially the last one. Those grey wheels are a perfect color ( use of black is over done on wheels these days ) and the wheel trims just make it.

    Geoff aka whodaky
     
  30. lowlids
    Joined: Feb 26, 2009
    Posts: 147

    lowlids
    Member
    from australia

    Geoff I was hoping this would happen, the grasp has bought a lot of memories of my hot rodding past man that coupster of gary's looks better than ever. Dave I was telling Tom that I would like to find an aussie coupe as I really miss Gary's. I still have the Jake34 plates and I want an aussie coupe to put them on. Tohard do you remember that trip when we went to Albury? man they were really good times. Gary that coupe looks real kool and thanks for taking real good care of it and keeping it on the road, thanks mate. Geoff its good how this site has bought good times back for you too,and also a lot of my mates from the past, Dave and Gary . Hope we can catch soon......Tony.
     

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