Projects Model A Roadster Build - The Berwyn Bomb

Lookin' good. Love the grill.

 

Lookin Good! Love 28-9 roadsters on 32 frames.

 

I remember lusting after this roadster body when it was in my buddy's garage. I always wanted to see him build it, but circumstances didn't allow that. Still, I am glad to see that it went to someone who is making it back into a car. Carry on, Sir.

 

Looking good dude! Let's hear that sucker fire!!

 

Cool build!

--louis

 

Hey Mike, great build. I will be copying. . . errr, watching

 

Very cool keep the updates coming

 

Been working a little on the roadster lately. Decided to get rid of the divers helmet distributor and go with the more conventional '42-'48 style crab type. Because my engine has the early style camshaft with a longer snout, it requires a spacer. Baxter Ford helped me out with both pieces.




Jumping around a bit, I was able to use a spoon type pedal and linkage. I still need to bend the pedal over closer to the brake and clutch.




Next the gauges. Found a nice set of mid fifties SW's with the large logo on the HAMB. The tach and the speedo are a little later. The speedo was a charitable contribution from a fellow Hamber! It required a bit of cleaning but turned out decent. The tach was a HAMB purchase and appears NOS. The insert is original SW as well.

 

Had a vertical fan clearance issue with my radiator outlet. Decided to mount the generator on the left hand head and make up a pulley specifically for the fan. I used the front and rear of another generator core, cut down the shaft (with the help of another Hamber who machined one end for me to match the bearing ID), and was able to lower it about 0.75" from where it was when the generator body was in place. This allowed me to keep much more of the fan blade to cool this 85 HP beast!




Rear panel time. It needed a bit of straightening first. Then I found an original well used Hollywood light for above the plate at a swap meet. The tail lights are original '42-'48 Ford with NOS Lynx Blue Dot lenses. I always wanted a set, so what the hell.

 

Looking good Mike!

 

Needed to shorten the '40 driveline I was using. On my other roadster I took my torque tube and driveshaft ends to a local driveline shop and they did the work for me. This time around I was fortunate enough to have a friend help me. Many of you know who Cory Taulbert is. He's one helluva nice guy and extremely knowledgeable and talented in the hot rod arts! Well he's made a fixture that holds the torque tube cocentric and the ends parallel to each other for welding. I was his first patient, and the operation went smooth as could be. We ended up shortening the tube to a total of about 53". I had a mockup tube in the car so I could get the right length.

 

Next we shortened the '33-'34 driveshaft I was using. I was lucky to find this shaft at a swap meet. I also purchased a 10 spline to 6 spline coupler from VanPelt. I didn't use the 10 spline end for anything but the larger OD which fits (after turning it down some on the lathe - thanks again Cory!) into the shaft tube. Then the 6 spline end goes into the '40 rear. We did TIG weld the coupler to the shaft, but I didn't take a picture of it.

 

I am also getting a torque tube seal to prevent axle lube from migrating to the torque tube. This is coming from Bruce's Hot Rod Shop.

Next I finished my brake lines. Don't have any pics of that - but its pretty simple stuff, just takes some time to make it look decent.

A friend of mine gave me his '37 banjo steering wheel for Christmas! What a gift! I also make a toe board out of birch plywood (the floorboard came with the subframe) and made a simple bracket for the park brake lever that mounts it to the trans.



Last but not least was a purchase from Baxter Ford Parts - a rebuilt and partially NOS Stromberg 97 carb. For now I'll be running one only. Maybe later I'll buy another one and get crazy.

 

Damn - I guess my mug scared off any comments.....

It's looking good Mike!

 

great build!

 

Cool build. Neat TT welding jig too.

 

Great job Mike! I want a ride! Really like the gauge and banjo wheel, it looks great!

 

Super cool!
All of my family is from Berwyn. I live in Ann Arbor (I noticed the yellow M flag in your shop).
Great job!!


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Great build.

 

Mike, have you relocated the mount for the radius rods? And I assume you eliminated the center bearing in the torque tube.

Great build, can't wait for a ride.

 

Great build! Can you show your rear suspension and how your spring mounts.

 

Yo Bill. Yes, relocated on the tube and when we shortened the tube, cut out the center bearing. I tried pushing it out, but it was much easier just to remove that section.

 

Spent time trying to match some body panels with a finish so this doesn't look like a bunch of parts welded and bolted together (which of course it is). I just used CLR, water, and some scotchbrite to remove some surface rust. Then a light coat of semi-gloss black and a pretty abrasive rubbing/polishing compound to buff out some areas. I tried to match the look of the right rear quarter and upper decklid panel plus cover some bare steel. Rubbing out some of the new paint left a trace of the previous panel finish. I also painted the frame, but left some "patina" behind so it didn't lose its personality. I still have to do some rubbing here and there. I am pretty happy with it.

 

Thanks. This is the best pic I have. Pretty standard stuff. '35-'40 rear crossmember flattened out a bit, with a '40 spring and U-bolts. Using stock spring shackles to the axle as well.

 

Any updates?

 

Looks like the history of this thread in pics is lost like many others. The car is on the road now. Here's where it's at currently. Still working on a windshield and some small stuff.

 

Looks great!! Just how i pictured it.
Nice work.!

 

Holy cow! It's a car again. Just the way I pictured it as well. Well played, Sir.

 

Bullshit photobucket Car looks good , wish we could see the work that went into it

 

Got the windshield mocked up. 4.5” chop. Old chrome frame.