1930s Era Champ Car - new project

I modified the bending dies so that they can be reversed and turned upside down. That way the workpiece can swing under the press bed as the bends increase. An unanticipated use for my nosepiece buck is I could use it for a checking station so that the flow of the square tubing will closely hug the inside of the nosepiece. This should provide a sturdy mounting location for the radiator.



The ends of the tubing will be roughly at the lower edge of the frame rail. I'll install two sleeves and weld tabs to hold the hoop on with four 3/8 bolts.

 

I placed the hoop on the body and lowered the rad into the frame. I want the top of the hoop to be about 1" lower than the top of the cowl to give the hood a slight rake, while still maintaining enough room for that huge six engine. The ends of the hoop will need to be trimmed a bit. The hoop clears the inside of the frame by a half inch, 1/4" per side. Good because I can weld in mounting tabs and the hoop will clear the weld fillets. The rad mounting tabs also will fit inside the hoop - just barely - and I'll position it up / down for the best fit.

I fabbed up the mounting tabs for the hoop and spotted in the hole locations for fastening the hoop.

 

Before I affix the radiator hoop I want to be sure it is as low as can be but still clear the DOHC Duesenberg head that covers the ugly Ford valve cover. I attached studs to the Ford cover and then drilled / tapped the spark plug mounting bar that will hold the DOHC in place. Now it is a matter of trimming down the DOHC cover to get it as low as possible so the hood will have a nice rake to it. I originally thought I was going to have to put a blister in the hood for engine clearance but now I think I can fit it in there and keep the hood line clean.

 

After further trimming it looks like the DOHC head will fit under the projected hood line.

Fun facts: The spark plug terminals are genuine Rahjah with old orange 7 mm solid core wire. The spark plugs were made using center electrodes I smashed out of old plugs then threaded into the bar, using bits of air freshener caps for the white porcelain and toilet tank washer seals for the well plugs. I hope to use all stainless steel acorn nuts on all the visible fasteners.

 

I know, I know. There are those who will have disdain for everything fake on a car. Like fake blower scoops, side pipes, wire wheel covers, and hemi valve covers on SBCs they don't compare to the real deal. But to plunk a real period correct exotic motor in there would be waaay beyond my means, and I would be running it with the fear of blowing it up and starting a quest for replacement parts. These Ford sixes are as common as toenails and easily - and cheaply - built to perform as well as an exotic Duesy or Miller. So it'll never be a million dollar museum piece but I bet the kids in the stands will appreciate it nonetheless when I open it up coming out of turn 4.

 

I will be taking a break in posting any updates on this project for a while. But I'll return. In the meantime here are a few little things I've been collecting I plan to incorporate in the build: A shifter handle, a stainless (spoon) gas pedal, a sight gauge and some oilers.

 

UNREAL!!!

 

I like the fake valve cover, though seeing two sets of spark plugs will be confusing! Actually, most will fixate on the head and not notice the "extra" distributor and plugs. People see the air filter adapter I made for my AMC/Jeep 4.0L in my Rambler and somehow don't see the fuel rail and regulator right below it (and in clear view) -- they assume it's a carb under there! Not REAL car people -- they take a closer look when they see something odd, but most people don't notice. Even some real car people don't, many just assume it's a standard AMC/Rambler six once they see the round air filter and don't take a closer look. It should have one of those sixes under the hood after all! By the way, the 4.0L is basically a 1964 AMC/Rambler 232 six with some minor mods and a new head -- many parts interchange. You can bolt the 4.0L head to the 64 232 block easily, and mix and match cranks and rods, but would need custom pin height pistons in some cases.

 

I like it. Most people would not notice a second distributor they would be looking at the valve/cam cover. I think it nicely done. How are you going to put oil in it when it nods a quart

 

farna, True. Each of my two boys had a car build project when they were teens. One helped me build a homemade tub with a faux tri-power 302 which actually had a 2V 2GC carb / manifold and two dummy carbs. They built the engine long block in Auto Shop and I drove the car in to their school to show the class the finished product. I knew we had "pulled it off" when the auto shop teacher asked me if it "was hard to get the tri-power carbs synchronized?"

1-SHOT, Thank you. I plan to cover the real spark plugs with a stainless awning shelf. I will either add oil by removing the four acorn nuts that hold the DOHC cover down to access the lowered oil filler cap (as shown on my post #513), or add oil through the dipstick tube. What I haven't resolved yet is crankcase ventilation. I'll probably vent the original fuel pump opening.

 

Perhaps a PCV valve in the back of the original valve cover and a vented fill cap on an elbow tube at the original fuel pump hole would work.

 

Thanks Fabber, I see if I have enough room.

 

Any updates?

 

I'm taking a winter sabbatical Retson. I'll be returning home in a couple of weeks to resume where I left off. Thanks and stay tuned.

 

My hauler. My crowded shop and some REAL QC's.

 

You have a nice collection there Frames. What make are those QCs? Is there any commonality of the change gears brand-to-brand? Or is each brand unique to the marque?

Those roadsters look like the ones Marty Strode has built and popularized.

 

I need help identifying what carbs these are. I am told they are SUs, but there is no part tag or numbers stamped in them. The only identifying mark is the logo cast into the tops of the bowls. If they are SUs the throttle bore size is 1.75 " which would make them HS-6s. Can anybody positively ID them? Thanks

 

I'm no expert, but they look upside down in the first picture. Other than that they look a lot like the HS-6 s on my HA/GR build. Other than the float bowls having four screws compared to mine having three. My carbs came off a Volvo.

 

I don't know which model they are, but that is the Hitachi logo. Hitachi made SUs under license, mostly for Datsun.

 

Maybe @97 can help. He's pretty sharp on those SU carbs. Mine are 1962 I believe HS-6, yours look to be later models if I had to guess.

 

Thank you 64 dodge 440,guitar guy, and SR100.

SR100, you nailed it. I received this response from a British carburetor rebuilder after sending him pics:

"...those are Hitachi SU's as used on Datsuns while they are similar to British SU's nothing is interchangeable and I only have British parts..."
He gave me two sources who deal in Datsun carbs and I will contact them to see if I can get additional help. guitarguy, I will also contact @97. Thanks.
I love the H.A.M.B.

 

guitarguy, I heard from @97 and he set me straight. These are Datsun 240 carbs - the early ones. I look forward to pimping them out. Thanks and thanks 97.

 

You are most welcome. The car community is full of great helpful people.

 

Yes indeed and they are often of great help, even if they are on the other side of the world as in this case.

 

I'm back on it!
@97 sent me specs for my carbs. They are model #VHJG46Ws. Thanks @97

Look what I got off the internet for about sixty bucks. A nice five gallon fuel tank. I took a chance buying it off the net because it was less than half the price of the major speed equipment suppliers. Same product as far as I can tell. 12" x 12" x 8". The welds look very nice and they did not skimp on material thickness. I also got a fuel gauge that is compatible with the sender that comes with the tank. But I do not want to mount the gas gauge in plain sight. I want it in case I license this ride for the street and to prevent overfilling. I will hide the gauge under the seat back upholstery where it will be easily accessible when filling the tank. My plans are to remove the black flip-up cap and fab a filler neck and tube that runs up to the remote fill cap. It will be mounted just below the bustle head rest on the left (pit) side. I have a locking flip-up cap on order. I need to fab mounting brackets before I route the filler tube.

 

I made a jig to accurately align and weld on the mounting brackets for the gas tank, without having to use the tank itself. It has the four mounting holes accurately placed on a flat plane. I will also be insulating the tank against vibration with rubber biscuits.


Next I made a new flange to attach the filler neck and filler tube to the tank. Since the gas cap will be located on the top of the rear body section and the tank will be affixed to the chassis crossmember I am not yet sure how I will attach the filler tube to both the tank and the remote cap. Yet.
I want to be able to remove the tail section with the gas tank left in place on the frame.
I will make a nipple when I get the cap and hose and weld it on then.

 

I mocked up the tank in cardboard, removed the seat back, and did a test fit under the body. Even the five gallon tank is going to be a snug fit. I'm a little concerned about the best way to route the filler. But at least it should be fairly easy to access the fill tube clamps for body removal. More on that when the cap arrives.

 

Made the gas tank mounting struts. Next: weld tabs to affix to Xmbr.

 

These tabs will get welded on to the gas tank mounts and then to the round rear crossmember.

 

Continuing with the tank install, the mounting tabs are located and tacked in place. Then the tank fixture was placed on the xmbr and tacked in place. Finally, the tank was mounted up. I canted the tank forward 1/4 inch to be sure every bit of gas gets to the sump pickup. The fasteners fell in place. For joy