Hot Rods The "Whatever" project

I don't see the option to edit photo when I look for it. What am I doing wrong???

 

Yup, I'm an idiot when it comes to computers. Still can't figure out the rotate. Oh well...

 

Go to photos and see edit button in top right hand corner it will take you to the second screen push the little square button with the arrows around it and it will rotate the picture then go to the left top of screen and press the rotate button for 1/4 turn each press of the button then when you have the orientation correct press the save button in the top right hand corner. Hopes this helps. Frank

 

Yep, I remember seeing your east coast Pinto and Gremlin bodied cars in the magazines. Cool looking, but I never thought about body maintenance. All that sheet metal way out there in harms way must have needed quite a bit of fixing. I don't recall ever doing any body maintenance on mine, other than painting it annually. I would guess the body weighed about 20 or 30 pounds, similar for the hood. Much thicker than the drag car fiberglass bodies, but more severe duty.

 

Typically as the season wore on, all of our cars started to show the wear and tear. We were lucky with the Pinto body. It actually made it thru 3 seasons with only paint touch ups. Rub rails, bumpers and wheelstook a beating but Jim was good at finding holes and not crashing. At the time of his induction in the New York State Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame, he was Lebanon Valley's 2nd most winning driver with over 100 wins across the different classes he raced in, 2nd to Kenny Tremont jr. However, he had the record for the most 2nd place finishes at around 250. And was recognized as one of the cleanest drivers at the track.

That was the reason we didn't have to replace sheetmetal. Other teams cars not so much...

 

We started with a 6 cylinder flathead ford in a 32 body painted Yellow with #6non it in the early 50’s Mike got drafted and went to Germany came home an and we built this one in the picture #75 using a Crosley body with a 241 Red Ram with a 18in. Drive shaft between the engine and flywheel & transmission to get more rear wheel weight. Then I went drag racing with my good friend from high school high and wound back in the dirt him in these two

 

I love the Crosley. It's so homely its great! The sprinters today, what sanction and engines? If I were ever to even consider getting into a sprint car as an owner/mechanic, it would have to be the Racesaver group. I like the engine rule.

 

Open the photo on your computer just like you were just looking at the photo. Most places like that have the curved arrow to rotate the photo like this at the top.

 

Ok one more try: Not a lot done, the OLD back is still giving me fits. I'm only good for an hour or so in the shop depending on what the chore of the day is.

Some lower cage tubes cut and fish-mouthed. We'll see where this leads in a week or two. Hopefully I can spend more than an hour at a time by then.

 

Hot damn! I got it correct this time. Thanks for the help. It seems you can teach old dogs new technology when you cross the bear bridge.

 

Looks GOOD right side up.

 

Definitely got the race car heritage going on.

 

Needs more triangles! As someone who didn’t do well in physics, what’s the engineering behind putting the small vertical connections between the upper and lower frames plumb, rather than slanted?


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That's the same setup I had on my spring front car. A hairpin on one side and a single link on the other. That car also had single links on the rear, but they were short. Probably the same length as the torsion bar arm. It was kind of like a Watts link setup.

 

Dave, I shouldn't give medical advice, but if the pain is low back, try Thermacare Heat Wraps. They always give me support and relief.

 

I hate it when I do that! I had started a posting and clicked on something, and poof, it is gone! I really hate computers...

So again, Thanks for the positive comments. And Marty, thanks for the suggestion on the Thermawraps. I use a bead bag that gets nuked to heat it and put on my back when sitting here typing (obviously with some setbacks...). Next time I'm at the store I'm going to get one to try. BTW your projects have inspired me to get going again building something.

jaracer, a question: when you ran the spring front, did you have a so called Hollywood spring, the one with a second main leaf only to the right side? It was a partial leaf that started under the spring clamp, and ran to the spring eye, wrapping around it to make 2 differing rates on the front spring. Of course the main plate was reversed to make it work.

I did have intentions of running a watts link in the rear: It's seen here in an early mock up. But seeing the Unser car, like your setup, was so much simpler, I plaigerized, er that is I paid a compliment to both of your cars...That's my story, and I'm sticking with it!

Tomorrow some more welding and then some diagonals, as ratrodder asked about, but most of them will be left for later when more of the stuff that needs to clear other stuff gets put in place.

 

Hello neighbor from the #12831.
Awesome build info you are posting.
I am a stock car chasing kid going back to NASCAR Big Block Modifies at Alb/Saratoga.
Did Shed come from Versatile ?
Stretch .

 

As regards your request for body ideas..
one option is to buid a cool little lake modified style ride..

this belonged to HAMB member royalshifter many moons ago.. i would guess this is a sub 100" wheel base.. image search lakes modified roadster on google and you will find many hamb links to some sweet builds.

a member called marty Strode builds some cool, dirt track style t buckets. hes got a thread going now... very cool.

 

some more options to consider...

a cool boat tail speedster!



an alfa 158 looking thing


thinly disguised race car as hot rod pickup using low buck cast off t or a or non ford late twenties parts

 

ssffnomad; no the shed came from Gardentime. Got carried awaywith the "foundation". Its a 12x20 shed sitting on 12 helical screw peers. Once an engineer...

Only went to Malta as dirt. The old way, when it was dirt on top of the old asphalt. The Valley was only 15 miles from home, so it was Saturday Night, from 6 years old until I went to school for my degree (kids don't try this at home, starting college at 27 is hard...).

Garth, I like those pictures, especially the race truck. What say you ratrodder, some ideas for LeMons?

 

Well, that OT Alfa is an idea for another project, akin to that '60s-inspired Lotus/Boxster build we've discussed elsewhere...

Yes, that truck or something like it could be fun. Adding lightness in the form of holes, plus living life by the bottle... some ideas there for sure. Does LeMons allow fully homebuilt vehicles?

 

Why would THAT Alfa considered "off topic" ????? or are "Furriner" Indy winners a "problem"??

 

So the cage out of the (not liked here) 67 Mini on an S10 2wd chassis with an older pickup and bed, running with a sbc and a t5 5 speed from a Camaro. Sounds like a HAMB friendly LeMons racer that could be assembled cheap. What say HAMBers, anybody want to donate stuff to ratrodder's dream LeMons racer? I have the cage. Its a start.

 

Hey, I like the car. I just figured it didn't fit with the whole atmosphere of the HAMB, that's all Believe me, I'd drive it if asked, and then try not to brag about it to every other gearhead / car freak I know.

As for a cobbled-together OT Mini/S10/Camaro smorgasbord of a LeMons racer, I'll even throw in pizza and beer! Plus bragging rights, and sponsorship space right there on the fender. Think of the stories we can tell our loved ones!

 

Technically, you are correct - Somehow, I am beginning to feel like I should hang out some where else...

Russ

 

That Alfa is OT? So screw it : keep the hood & your mouth shut & drive the HELL out of it!! It looks "Right", or are you going to start checking SBC blocks in everybody's Deuce for post '65 casting dates??? There's got to be a bit of slack in the rules, or we'd all get "bounced" because we didn't have pre '65 air in our tires(to say nothing the 'horror' of having post '65 gasoline in our tanks!!!)

 

Hey, I'm not making it up, nor do I make up the rules around here, but you asked:

Here are the rules for reference:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-h-a-m-b-rules-guidelines.44274/

 

I have always like the style of the Peat "Bros Supers".

 

I agree Marty. And I remember a similar car on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine back too many years ago. That's all I remember about it. You know what they say as you age: There are 3 things you loose as you age. The first thing you loose is yout memory. I forget what the other 2 things are...

BTW Marty, what is the flange to flange dimension for your QC on your track t build? I'm trying to determine if my QC is too narrow for a t body, now that you've sparked another idea for a body. Right now measurements and drawings are easy on the body... Making a roof like that would be sooooo easy!

I was able to do some stuff in the shop yesterday, and am paying for it this morning. I worked on a different sort of rod yesterday: It mightbe OT but I was channeling the Beach Boys song "Little St. Nick". Made the frame for a sled for the next door neighbors' (NDN) granddaughters. Bob ( Mr. NDN) had an old day bed, and with a little imagination we have the main part of the sled. Next a couple of traces, 2 runners, some Xmas lights, and a sack full of packages, and viola, we have Santa's sled.

Today, back to the whatever, as Bob is the carpenter and is making the runners. We have to sort thru his stash of NOS (neat old stuff) to find something to make the traces out of, but that can wait for the weekend.

 

Finally got back in the garage for a little bit today. I'm so embarased by allthe other builds here and how fast some people are at getting a complete vehicle done. But at least my back cooperated a little bit, and I got the cage mostly roughed in and attempted to establish seat height relative to the top of the cage and where a drive shaft will be inches from the family jewels...

Here's a look at the pitiful progress froma poor procrastinator professing pain and poverty... Yeah old ugly is back in the chassis.

I have 4 1/2 + inches from my head to the bottom of the rear hoop (6+ inches to the top of the hoop), and over 4 inches below the seat at the height of a 2x4 (3 1/2 inches). So wanting 3 inches from the top of the cage to the top of a helmet on the old gord (add 1 inch to my head or assume 3 1/2 inches to the bottom of the rear hoop, 5 inches to the top) I can raise the seat another 2 inches to gain even more jewel relief if needed. As the rear axle is not at the correct ride height yet (the rear is sitting about 1 inch lowerthan ride height) and there is only a total of 3 inches in compression when at the correct ride height, I think I am safe.

Oh BTW there will be a steel plate under the seat just in case welded to the seat frame, yet to be bent from 1 1/4x 0.120 DOM tubing attached to the frame and or/roll cage structure. Also a 1/8 inch drive shaft tunnel bolted in with numerous 3/8 bolts to keep the drive shaft from being able to get me. I expect it to extend from a couple inches in front of the front u-joint to under the seat plate. I'm too old to have a drive shaft alter my anatomy.

That's all for now, more next week.