I can get more measurements and pictures if you want. When I was thinking about doing this I planned to mount it on the passenger side but there might be problems with the distributer. Remember these things were designed for engines twice the size of our fours.
Yeah more measurements would be wonderful! And yeah with where the lower radiator hose goes in, and everything else crammed into the passenger side it gets super full super quick that’s why I figured blower would go drivers side and down low, and the alt would be a super small unit mounted basically on the passenger side next to the valve cover
Sure thing. Looks like @Six Ball got you covered but LMK if you need me to still. I'm focusing on the inside projects this week but I can always use a reason to go outside to the shop for a bit. I'm trying to economize on my propane consumption (shop is heated with a 20lb bottle and a 38k btu IR Mr Heater) since I don't want to go out into the world for more right now.
Blower spot measurements - thoughts after photos about 9 inches from block to hood side I’ve got plenty of room vertically back and forth room til I hit steering. Space until intake from mounting face tight spot I’m pointing at would be that primary for the header this spot is were the alternator would go. The bracket is for a pulley that kept tension in its original use. Left it there for a lift point for now thoughts. I need more specific measurements because each end measures so different because it’s like you stuck a torque converter on a generator. But I think if you had it in place and worked your header design around it working that it’s feasible to get it to work. Might have to make a blister for the hood side but I doubt it would be much. Thoughts to chew on
In other news I got the brace in/on the car and the cowl on! the one bolt per side is way less obtrusive visually than I thought it would be. Eventually I think I’ll use a button head Allen bolt. This is all just mock up random hardware first time the cowl has been bolted back together in a loooooooong time. Even if I hadn’t messed with it I’m sure it would have required “the old ford dance” to get all the bolts in. Seeing as I did well, hammer, shrink, and all around fuck with both sides it did take about an hour and a half to get the hardware to line up. And I still don’t have the cowl sides bolted to the top. I got the tank mounted to the dash bar, and the fire walls bolted together and figured seeing as it’ll come back apart anyways that was enough to assure further mock ups were wrong in placement. looks like the last to images jumped around I’ll edit them back in here you can see the cowl side bar in the one photo, and the tiny interference at the top of the valve cover in the second. It just barely touched the top but has plenty of room further down. I assume this is from me messing around with the other side shouldn’t be a big deal to massage it a little later. The other side could still use a little attention as well but we are far enough to move forward
Next moves are fitting the A pillar shelves. trimming these valve cover hold down bolts because I’m tired of working around them, and then making a filler between the steering column drop and the spot on the dash bottom it will mount to. I’ve got a few ideas. Might end up making it out of hardwood. Either way it’s likely I’ll build it in the car because bolting that’s tank back in was a real pain in the ass. I’m sure with welting in place eventually it’ll teach me lots of new curse words lol
I'll try to get some more useable measurement and pictures. Maybe not tomorrow but soon. The height and width I took are at the back. The front is smaller. There is a tension pulley and adjuster. If you modify it to direct drive it uses two belts.
Cool no rush, I’m basically going to make one out of cardboard and try to fit it if that gives you an idea of the basics measurements I’m looking for. I mean I’m stuck home for 30’days what else am I going to do, may as well build a cardboard blower
Got the valve cover hold down screws cut down and slotted for a screw driver and stuck back on. Then I threw the radiator stays on. After welding the passenger side fire well tab back on its wonky here and there. The firewall bracket was moved forward, the rod was S shapped and the tab on the radiator looks like it might be leaned forward a little. I think if I can get the stay rod straightened out it should be good. it’s a pretty obvious S about where my finger is pointing near the cowl. I took a hammer and anvil to it for a few minutes and got it long enough to put in place for now though
Started mocking up the wedge for between the steering column drop and the dash. Got it all measured and marked on the wood just need some saw time. so I pulled the two best headlights and chased the threads on the nuts and bolts even though the bolts are pretty shot and will be replaced eventually. I needed my magnets back lol. Shook a whole bunch of rust dust out of them I’m sure they’ll be nasty when I get around to working on them am I the only one who likes using a tap and die set and bending hardlines? I don’t know that I like the situations that generally require you do those things but the acts themselves I enjoy
Made a little wood block to fill the gap between the column support and the dash bottom. Originally I was going to move forward and make it out of steel but I’m really liking how the wood looks so I think I’ll make. Nice out out of a hardwood and stain/clear/ finishing to match the floor.
Then managed to wiggle the back bumper into place. It’s basically the brackets for a stock back bumper set, the little bumpers that guard each fender would have mounted to this. You can just make out that the center bar is bolted on at the ends, that the rest had been cut off, and that there is a little gusset on the ends of the “spreader bar”. The plan is to either flip the bar around or rotate it so that the gusset faces the car and then trim the side brackets to match the round face of the cross bar. mocked up a license plate and some tail pipes and realized that I really needed to see a tail light to get a better feel for it. Then I tweaked the set up by pushing the license plate light back about a half inch so that it lines up with the plate flush instead of hanging way past it got rid of a bunch of zip ties and trimmed the ends of the bumper bar like planned as well only added variable I havnt messed with is the plate size as it will run a 1929 plate which is wider than this modern one I have mocked up
confirmed that I can drill the threw holes perpendicular to the top surface and got the drivers side brace shelf market and pilot homes drilled. I need to nip off a little on the bottom of the upright to account for more arc that I thought was there and it should be ready ringo on. passenger side needs the tubbing trimmed a little more. Just another nibble at progress
Laid the muffler in place and started thinking about how everything will be routed and hung Trying to remember which is in and which is out on these smithy’s I don’t see an arrow or anything? I think for the very back I want to put a tab on the back side of the spreader bar with a rubber pad on top of that. Then have a bar Connect the tail pipes and lay on top of the rubber. in the general position of the wrench in this photo. seems having the rubber in the mounts being compressed flat works out better than them hanging vertically being pulled apart so I’ll be trying to do there where possible.
Looking at different stock and hot rod routing of the tail pipes to get an idea of how to navigate the radius rods. stock looks to have a quick sharp rise over them but there’s not room with the car lowered this much. I’ve seen several hot rods make the jump toward the trans and just run along side the torque tube which seems like would give you a straighter shot at it. Just something to think about
Running "Boards". cool....gonna stain and clear them or paint body color? Maybe wrap them with rubber?
Oh, and I accidentally knocked the license plate over and wouldn’t you know it I like this better. I’ll walk by and stare at it for a while before I move forward with it
@Rocky didnt have any running boards but I had some long boards lol. The plan is to make a frame from square tubing with flat plate for the top. I don’t really like the stainless trim on the edge of stockers and I just know the kids will jump on a set of re pops and oil can them in two seconds. Figure this way I can use them as running boards and not give them a second thought.
isn’t that the truth haha. At least with an earlier car there’s not much of anything that you have to work around, you’re just tight on overall space. The 46’ has a million things to work around and retro fit. The A may as well be a blank canvas comparatively. home for another month before I’m hopefully allowed to open the shop back up so I’m just trying to pick at something every day that doesn’t require me spending any money. Makes my head feel better
I can relate to that. My 34 is at my son's place while I do a buncha home repair and paint. Luckily I already have the paint and supplies..Waiting for work to call me back.
Any excuse to drive the hot rod is probably a good one @Rocky Few little “notes to self” photos I found today. was thinking a flashlight on the column like this could make a sneaky spot to stick your registration and other papers. and I thought this pan hard bar was clever. I want to add one in front back havnt really landed on how I want to do it. Just gathering up ideas
My son's '54 Stude wagon had the least amount of room for any modifications of any car I ever worked on. It doesn't even have a trunk. The heater intake is behind the right front wheel and the outlet is under the passenger seat. very tight engine compartment and very little room for exhaust. Still a very cool car. I like the dash above. I want to see how much of this I can fit into my roadster.
No, But I'll try and get one. I haven't been to where the cowl and dash are in weeks. It'a a '55 Studebaker Speedster. All Stewart Warner.
The Jalopy Journal
