Hey I just picked up one of my dream cars. I never thought id be able to afford one of these or even find one, but one came up and I couldn't say no. It is a Australian Body, which has its own issues, which I need to sort out what I am going to do. The body itself is actually pretty decent. Its been cut up in a few places but I was supplies with a lot of pieces cut from another car to fix it. I have the RHD aussie dash for it. I don't think I am going to keep it RHD though. The previous owner sourced and American style floor for it and that's what its sitting on right now. Going to see how i can make that work in the front. So far the plans for this are 471 Blown SBC ( i have a OG Crietz blower intake and GMC Blower) Saginaw 3spd OD manual, i have a 58 wagon 9" rear, Ladder bar rear, with transverse, Dropped OG axle up front and just splitting the 34 bones. In reality its going to be a pretty simple car. The hood must have been on a Hot rod of some sort in its life, it has a very cool old Jahns pistons decal on it. Aussie guys, Are there any pictures around of original Roadsters and how the floor looked? I know they were wood from the trunk floor forward, just looking to see what was there. looking for any insight i can find on this, as i am missing the rocker panels under the doors. Im sure ill have to fab something up but would like to have a good idea of what they looked like. I have thought about buying a set of American rockers and just modifying them to fit the aussie body, as i don't want to convert it to American spec. i like the uniqueness, and these are quite rare cars, i believe a thread on the Ford barn said that there were only 570 34 Roadsters produced for Australiain in 1934.
You should send it home! Sorry I don't have any detail pics for ya. One day I'm gonna get hold of an Aussie 5 window coupe.
Fenders of fender less? If running fenders you'll need the spears under the rockers to fill the gap under the body. Have a look over on www.ozrodders.com
They are a real challenge. I have two Aussie 34s, a Chev Ute, the one in my avatar, and a BB Ford truck, both have timber frames. The spears that go under your roadster between the doors and running boards are easily made up if you are handy enough with fabricating. The other option would be to source some American style patch panels for the quarter panels and cowl and source some American Roadster doors and not have to worry about a timber floor. These Aussie 34 Roadsters and Pheatons were the closest to thier American counter parts. The Coupes and Sedans were completely different looking to their US equivelants.
Yea I have thought about converting it to us spec. My doors are very nice, and I'd hate to mess with them. Just lengthening then and matching the radius is do able. It's just I want rt o keep the aussie look to it. I've been thinking about buying a set of American rockers for it and modifying them to fit the bottom of the door, and fitting them to the American floor Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nice car. The Aussie assembled 33-34 roadsters are different from the US ones in the floor area, valance spear, door hinges and latches, and odd length taillight stalks (depending on state rules) The cowl, door and door pillar wood are the same, just a bit shorter to suit the floor. I have a 33 Aussie B roadster that I have replaced the floor in. The original main floor members were made of a tough redwood probably Jarrah. There are differences 33 to 34 floors, with 33 having folded steel supports to support the front floor boards and 34 having rebates machined into the floor members. Then there are differences Model B to V8 with the full width steel front toe board cut to suit the higher wooden floor with spot welded supports, V8s having wooden toe boards. Have fun with your project, Michael
wow, that is very Helpful. Did you scratch make the pieces? are there drawings of this stuff anywhere? Those pictures are very very helpful. I would honestly like to make this body pretty much original. is your Passenger rocker repop? or did you make those? Thanks for the awesome pictures.
Very cool! I have a 34 roadster project that I’ll be starting in the next year. It’s actually an Aussie cowl with US doors and SAR quarter panels.
All good. I luckily had the remains of the floor that was usable as a pattern by a local joinery shop that specialized in wooden aircraft. No drawings but can give you dimensions, they are a challenge with curves, rebates and tongues, a lot of work but all 33/34 roadsters have a bunch of wood and are worth it. The rockers are original.
If I had US doors, id just convert the whole body.. my doors are very nice, and id hate to cut them up.