Projects Cars built around a Radiator cap or other single pieces.

It was once a joke that cars were restored or built around a radiator cap, a body or chassis I can understand, but who has started with one small part and based the build on it? Twenty years ago I started with a 1937 Harley rear fender and had a roller in primer when I finally sold it.

Bob

 

Buddy, Dave bought a pair of '39 tail lights from me...
went on to buy and build a '30 coupe with a 354 hemi, '46 truck tranny, rearend in '32 rails... lights were the first purchase... it is funny where we start...

 

Always wanted to build a roadster or coupe. I'd imagine how I'd build it, but was never exactly sure what engine I would run. I knew I liked the early large V-8s with multiple carbs...especially a 6x2 setup...looking like jewelry.
One day I was hanging around a buddy's shop. He bought and sold quite a few intake manifolds. I saw a big wide aluminum Edelbrock 6x2 intake sitting on the floor that wasn't there before. I asked Poncho, "What does that intake fit...a hemi?" He said, "No...you won't believe it...it's for a 430 MEL motor. I vaguely remembered reading about those engines...the predecessor to the 460. I quick went and did a little research. Yup...first American V-8 to exceed 400hp. Late '50s engines have the FE bellhousing bolt pattern allowing the use of a later Ford std trans. Not a lot of hot rod parts available for them.
I'd found the engine I wanted to use...and build my own version of a "hot rod Lincoln". I bought the intake from Poncho and held onto it for a while...the only part I had so far toward my hot rod. I was lucky enough to get a '29 roadster body. I bought an original '32 frame from an older hot rodder...the late Roy Montgomery who lived not too far from me. Joined the Hamb and leared more about the MEL engines. Hamb member Beep and a couple others shared info with me. I bought a 430 Lincoln engine. Had a set of late '40s Ford wheels.
I was excited.
Unfortunately, life had other ideas and I had to sell my pile. Came that close...
My only consolation is that others can enjoy my junk. I've seen a lot of my parts on other cars, and it's kinda cool.

 

have had [245] 1928 - '34 half body or more hulks...
does feel good to have a pile of my former parts run down the road !

 

I found the fog light's and had them a long time before I found my deuce pickup but knew immediately they would end up on the truck. HRP

 

Had plans to build a hotrod from scratch. Having never built ANYTHING before, I started buying and selling parts when I would find them to raise money for this project. Had an A frame and some other odds and ends with no real direction. I bought a few B transmissions for a good price. One had a 39 top. While figuring out what I’d bought I discovered the B with 39 top had 26 tooth Lincoln gears. From that discovery I set my course. Early style pre war hot rod. Warmed up banger, B trans, 32 front brakes, 33-36 front axle, ‘34 steering box and column, A rearend in an A frame with a 27 T roadster body. Slow progress but chassis basically done. Mocked up pic.

 

Years ago I unearthed a cowl out a farmers scrap pile. Didn’t know what it was from,just saved it. A buddy stopped by later that week and informed me it was a ‘35 Ford roadster cowl. Sold it to him and almost 20 years later the car is running and driving

 

Started with a 2000 crown Vic rear end, now it's sitting in a 2x3 rec tube frame with a 47 ford cab on top at this point.

Maybe get back to it when the model A is done.

 

partsdawg...awesome example. Cool.

 

Old guy in town built an A around a horn button.

I bought a running 80’s mustang for the transmission. Since I had a strong running 302 and a posi rear end I built another car around that.

Didn’t end up using the transmission anyway


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Got this "rad cap" and had it sitting for years before I built a model A under it.

 

Ended up with a new Speedway Motors Model A chassis after a series of trades and sales. Also had an old quick change center section that needed a home. Decided I had always wanted to build a T coupe so started a new project. Started shopping, trading and ordering some parts....
SPark

 

Nice project, you may want to go for a larger rear wheel. Bob

 

That's how I sell my junk- "1944 Henway Coupe, 99% complete, ran when parked, needs few parts to finish..."

 

The very first part I bought for my roadster project was an aluminum rod to make a steering column drop out of.
Bought it at the CHRR swap meet at Famoso twenty years ago, five bucks.

 

IMG_7022 by charleyw posted Nov 3, 2018 at 10:51 AM

I picked up a passenger side, lower fender for a 48-50 F-1 at the Chickasha swap meet in the early 90's.
Decided to build a driver F-1. Just got it in paint last month.

 

This started out as a cowl that I found laying beside the road at the intersection two miles from the house. I drove by it on the way home in my car, spotted it and ran home, jumped in the truck and ran back to town and snagged it. I had an early 20's Buick cowl that I was going to use but the Ford cowl is a better fit for the Chevy grill shell that came from an estate sale. This is a real mix and match as the frame came off craigslist from a rat rodder, the front axle from a friend who had it at his shop after doing a suspension swap for a customer, the rear axle is out of another buddy's stash and Rob-redm donated the flathead Ford six a few years ago. The plan is to have it look like an early 30's 2 seat race car

 

For years I had a right side headlight bezel hanging in my shop at work. I would kid my helper that that’s my 65 Galaxie, just missing a few parts! Looked for the right car for years, like 20-25. Two years ago I acquired the car in my avatar. Didn’t “ build “ from the light bezel.... but did dream from it.... to reality.



Bones

 

My next long distance driver will be built around a title and body tag (might not be really legal) and some interior parts.

 

This is a beginning ...........
And here we go ....

 

Inspiring...

 

I like that, I started with a back half.
Bob

 

Only built a few cars from scratch
But they all started with one small piece

 

Years ago I bought a set of chrome coke bottle/daisy mags then bought a off topic AMC spirit so I would have something to put them on, Does that count? ....ok I may have bought the car anyway but having cool wheels already, was definitely motivation

 

I started with this single piece....now it has multiplied exponentially.

 

started with this super bell axle in 1995 then the body in 1996 and ended with this.

 

Bought a $50 '28 roadster body in '82, no doors or decklid... couldn't find anything in my $ range...
traded it to a buddy the late B T for a '30 roadster cowl made from 3 cowls...
I had been given a '30 roadster rear clip from a farmers "dump"...
made glass canoes in high school, then molds for both '30 quarters, both doors from B T's metal doors and the panel above deck ... built the body...
decided to go roadster pick up... bought the RP cab back from westcotts… first hotrod...
totaled by a redlight runner 2 years later... had been lots of fun !
Cam Snappers member joey angers' dad bought the R P body from me...
oh, and someone is now driving my glass roadster parts.
you never know !

 

I had a pair of "MR 800" license plates so I put 800 louvers on and in my A coupe... **clic pic**

 

I have one early T3 low beam here, that is looking for the rest of another '58-'59 Task Force pickup. This next one will be a 2wd short bed, V8, with a car 4 speed.

 

Sweet... Makes me think of the movie Convoy...

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