Hot Rods Spalding Bros Repro, for "Too Tall" Ganahl.

Thanks Marty. Have followed the whole thread but must have missed when you mentioned the slotted arms. I thought there must have been an allowance for movement built into the system somewhere. Would you recommend this front setup for a street driven application? It seems that it would be very adaptable and tunable with regard to spring rates for virtually any situation from street to competition use. Granted, not so "traditional", but an extremely workable solution for an I-beam front axle (and indeed rear setup as well).
Thankyou once again for sharing your extensive experience. The outgoing attitude and willingness to help shown by most of the hambers is what attracts new people to the rod culture.
Best wishes to you and your family for Christmas and New Year.
Steve.

 

I have been working on some catch up jobs lately. My friend and Sign Painter/Pinstriper Extraordinaire, Mitch Kim is building a 29 PU. He needed me to mount the engine, and bend the steering arms. I like using the latest Bob Drake mounting cushions, they are very high quality. When mounting any engine using the early ford cushions, I use some aluminum pads that I machined, during construction. The reason I do it that way is, I have less chance for error due to the flex in the soft cushions. I borrowed a 181" Merc Cruiser Chevy 2 engine, to use for mounting, header fab and other aspects while Mitch's engine is out getting re-built. Starting with some sheet metal, I shear and form a sample, and make the mounts out of 3/16 flat steel. I also spent some time stretching the wheelbase on Jim Lindsay's Land Speed Roadster. Work on Pat's will resume shortly, Happy New Year !

 

Neat!

 

Very nice work as usual! Thanks for sharing.

 

That gusseting meathod is brilliant, another idea I'll be stealing from you

 

Hi Rob, How is your Dad's motorbike coming ? My Brother and I have a new pit bike, it's electric !

 

I'll be sure to razz him a little bit for you and remind him that he promised you a race. He showed up the other day to bore a barrel liner into some old Ballard rifle he has, the project of the day can be pretty unpredictable, guess thats what returement should be.

As for the electric bike I'm having a hard time not picturing the coyotee going off a cliff with it.

 

I worked on this Model A last Summer, narrowing the rearend, setting up the chassis, and mounting a Chevy 2 engine with a 5 speed. Over the next couple of days, I am building the header and tunnel cover. If anyone is interested, I will post the photos right here.

 

Would love to see the header build. I have one to do for my 27

 

Do you have more pictures of the dash construction?

 

Post the photos Marty. I like seeing your solutions to making the pieces needed for a job.

 

I don't have any shots of the dash construction, as the owner and a body man friend of his, did that work. It certainly looks good in the car.

 

Dean, You know there are many ways to get a job done, and I enjoy seeing the methods that others use as well. When the J-bends and the collector gets here tomorrow, I will get rolling !

 

Is that a 181 Mercruiser engine ? This is a 153, the header flange is slightly different on the two engines.

 

It is a 153. This one is a place holder while the real engine gets built. Lump ported head, 9.5:1 compression, bigger cam, cutting down a 3x2 intake from a 250 inline six for a pair of Strombergs, electronic ignition upgrade and a light weight flywheel in front of a 5 Speed. Lump ported head on the left, stock on the right. Bigger valves, screw in studs, and ported as well i am still debating tri Y vs 4 into 1 for the header

 

That's interesting, am I gathering that the 153 is just a 250 minus 2 cylinders? (Math doesn't quite jive) if so a SBC cylinder head conversion may work for it?

 

Port spacing is the same. Yes you can do a SBC head but it’s a ton of work. Kansas racing and Fontana blocks can come drilled for a number of different heads. My ultimate plan is a 181 block which is a 4” bore with a 153 crank which is 3 1/4” stroke. The front 3 exhaust ports are the same as a 250, the rear one is different. Bolt hole and stud locations don’t line up on the fourth. Headers by Ed has flanges with starter tubes available as well.

 

Here is pictures of fellow HAMBer Six Ball’s set up.

 

I have a video on Youtube that you might like as well.

 

The reason I asked about it being a 181, was the 153 in the 30 coupe doesn't have the bosses on the side of the block for engine mounts. I see your setup engine does.

 

I have 4 of them and they are all the same. I do have a 181 short block but I guess I didn’t even think to look at the mounting bosses on that one.

 

Hahaha, you looked a little surprised when it pulled the frontend in the air. You should stick a piece of rope in some fiberglass resin and make a fuse to hang on the back.

 

The fuse is a great idea, I will run it by Brother Tom.

 

Marty, my 181 has the same mounting bosses as your 153. I think my 153 does too.

 

Your forgetting the 230 six. (230/6)x4=153.3333
-Dave

 

I have a 153 and a 181 in a couple of midgets and both have the same side mounting bosses.

 

Well, I got the header done, didn't make any attempt for equal length pipes due to the intake, and the fact that this is not a high performance engine. With the oval ports in the flange plate, I squeezed the pipe in the vice to fit the flange. I used the threaded boss in the side of the block to bolt on a piece of sheet metal to space the pipes off of the pan rail, and to use for clamping purposes. The rest was band sawing the bend sections to align with each other, to get the contour I was looking for. I use a 12" sander to match the joints, and a knotted wire wheel to de-burr the inside of the pipe sections before tack welding. I am a proponent of using silicone bronze on the outside of the flanges, after welding the tubes to the flange on the inside. I need to set up a tripod, or have someone shoot pics while I do the work, as it's difficult to work one handed and take photos with the other.

 

Damn nice!

 

Looks great, Marty. I, too, am a proponent of the silicon bronze welding on the outside; it looks "right" and provides strength.

How much did you stretch Jim's RMR wheelbase? And where did you make the cut?

vic