Projects 1950's Tube Frame Sports Car

Yeah that's my daughter Clara. The stroller is the one Grandma used when my mom was little. We take it for a spin now and then. My wife says the hard rubber tires make too much noise on the sidewalk compared to her new stroller, but it's fun. I think Clara likes not having to be strapped in. Pre seatbelt law...

 

As always a lot of neat work. Cool stroller, blink of an eye and they are adults......

 

When I shortened the front end of the torque tube slightly I drove the bushing sleeve in the end back so that I could trim the tube but keep the sleeve. It moved relatively easily but it expanded the end of the tube about 0.010 where it slides into the torque ball. This obviously wouldn't allow me to slide it in the ball. This past weekend I took a break from digging up my parents hose hydrant and turned the tube down so it would slip in.

 

Was able to set the car back down on the spring now that the torque tube is back in. Shackle angle looks good I think.

 

The original spring perch under the rear cross member was wood which basically fell apart when I took the axle out. Working on making a new one out of channel that will get welded to the tube. I hadn't drill the center bolt clearance hole full size yet in these pics. That's why it's not sitting down on the spring all the way.

 

Sure is a cool thread to watch!

 

I think I finally figured out what those slave cylinders sold in the early Moon catalogs are. Took a chance and bought an old Lockheed counter book from the 30's. Decided if it wasn't in this book I'd never find out. Ends up they're rear wheel cylinders off a 1935-1936 IH semi truck. I have a 1937 International 1.5 ton truck so that's kinda ironic.

Here's the old Moon ad.

Here's my cylinder.

Here is the old counter book and the info on it.

 

Crazy!

 

I had almost given up hope of figuring it out. Bruce Lancaster rest his soul told me to stop watching TV and look thru Napa's website. I didn't even own a TV at that point but if he only knew how much effort I put into this over the past couple years I think he would have been impressed. Too bad he's not around to share the info with.

 

prob just heard it right then!

 

Very cool that you figured it out! Gary

 

Found another illustration of the cylinder

 

Just found this thread. One of the coolest cars ever to grace the HAMB. And you are doing all the right things.

 

Progress is slow but I have been making parts for the Kookie style 4 bar front suspension. I bought 4 pieces of 7/8 DOM tubing to make the links. Speedway sells the taps for the 11/16 Ford tie rod ends so I picked up a set of those. The small tabs for the frame end of the bars I bought but the batwings I drew up and cut out of 3/8 plate. The scribe lines on them show where the chunk will be cut out to allow the bracket to fit around the tube axle. Then the chunk will be welded back in. I'm copying that portion of the design from @Paul. I made the sides mirror imaged and put 7 deg of caster into the brackets so that the bracket will be close to vertical when the axle is leaned back 7 deg. Here are some pics. The hole on the front of the bracket will be used either for mounting a tow bar or tying the car down on a trailer.

Milling them out.


The lines to mark the section to be sawed out.



The 1" dia bosses will be welded on to increase the thickness of the bracket at the tapered hole.



Basic idea of how the parts will be on the car. In this pic you can see how the axle tube hole is leaned back.



Spring hangers that will get flipped backwards



I was also able to recently buy a Pirahna Iron worker. Was pretty stoked! Just need to finished swapping the wiring around to put in on low voltage 3 ph. They had it set up for 460V and I only have 220 3ph in my place.

 

Progress is slow some times, but it looks Fantastic! Gary

 

Another little project for the car this winter has been making a 4 spoke steering wheel that looks like the old Bell 4 spoke dirt track ones. The outer ring is an old shop stool foot ring and the spokes are stainless that I had cut out on a water jet. Bought a steering wheel adapter hub from Speedway. I think I'll either wrap the rim in leather or friction tape.

 

The brackets are killer and the wheel looks awesome!

 

I would wrap the wheel in leather, friction tape is utilitarian, we used it to wrap a steering wheel for our go kart, but it is sticky and will collect dust and will look like crap!

 

I'm leaning that way too. I also saw this picture where they wrapped a wire or cord around before putting the leather on. Created sort of finger grooves. I apologize if it is someones picture. Not sure where it came from. It's just one I saved.

 

This weekend I was able to get the perch pins out of the front axle. My next move is to press the kingpins out so I can rebush the spindles. I'll press the bushings in but will have to hit up the local chassis shop to see if they have an .812 kingpin reamer. I haven't decided yet whether I'll use the spindles that came on the axle or another undropped set of round backs I have. I'll probably use the undropped set and doing my own adjustments to the arms as necessary.

I even got the perch pins out without any damage.
Was happy about that. Would be a shame to wreck a good original set of Henry Ford A pins!

 

Looking great!

 

Pretty sure I have a kingpin reamer you can borrow.

 

Thanks, I might take you up on that. Going to stop by a buddy's shop in town and see if he is in the mood to run them on his Sunnen hone. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

@jebbesen This is what I have. It may not be what you want at .814.

 

.814 is the correct reamer for a 13/16" early Ford kingpin.

 

man i had that same machine in my bay at a shop i was at 14years ,, man i really miss that thing , the punch 3/4 hole in 1/2" like its nothin, nibbler .shear.press brake the stuff for plate work
fabricator john
miss you dad

 

An adjustable pilot reamer is the correct tool for fitting king pins if you want them tight. They are not all exactly the same size. They vary up to about .0005

 

I guess I would disagree with that statement. An adjustable piloted reamer is probably the best way to do the job at home, but I've always just spent the 20 bucks to have an automotive machine shop do the job on a Sunnen hone and had a perfect fit.

 

I have had two sets of them honed by different shops, screwed up badly both times!

 

Your adjustable setup looks slick. I'd be nervous running a fixed reamer thru. Kinda a one shot deal that way.