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Hot Rods Instigator over the years

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Mick Coyne, Feb 17, 2021.

  1. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    I drew this up while in the Vietnam War, sent pictures home to the folks;
    built it when I got home.
    Here it is in 1969, still driving it today.
    Found/purchased the chopped cab at a barn down 3rd St S.F.
    Picked up the chassis on my Grandmother's block in SF.
    I initially installed a 301 Chevy with a single Holley and a 3-speed.
    Here's a few shots Hot rod in 1969.jpg HR 4.jpg HR 3.jpg from 1969 for starters,
    Mick
     
  2. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,177

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

  3. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member


  4. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Cool truck!
     
    mad mikey, loudbang and Mick Coyne like this.
  5. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    I made some rear wheels for it at work, welded some Chevy centers to barrel rims, balanced out perfect.
    Here's another shot of in Golden Gate Park SF on it's first outing.
    Fred Sanderson made the headers and collectors for me [out the back door/small cash].
    Glad you fellas like it so far, hard to believe I've been driving from March 15th 1969 to now, HR 1.jpg
    Mick
     
  6. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That's one fine looking truck, shows what having a plan and sticking to it does too.
     
  7. ramblin dan
    Joined: Apr 16, 2018
    Posts: 3,609

    ramblin dan

    Very Cool! It's got that perfect stance. Had a buddy of mine build one like that and mounted the bed a couple of inches higher in the back and gave it a raked look without raking the suspension.
     
    Mick Coyne, mad mikey and loudbang like this.
  8. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    What's not to love about that truck. It looks absolutely bitchin, stance is perfect. the history of you having it so long, and the origin of its idea out in the jungle. Glad you made it back to build it!
     
  9. Thanks for your service over there - glad you got home - and nice pick up there !
     
    48fordnut, F-ONE, Mick Coyne and 6 others like this.
  10. slim38
    Joined: Dec 27, 2015
    Posts: 619

    slim38
    Member
    from Sudan TX
    1. H.A.M.B. Chapel

    Heck yea! Let's see current pics.
     
    Mick Coyne and loudbang like this.
  11. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    Mick I'm gonna give you a like.
     
  12. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

  13. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,263

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    Cool build Mick.
    Could you provide a picture of it now?
     
    F-ONE, loudbang and Mick Coyne like this.
  14. I have admired your truck since the first pictures you posted of it when you joined us here Mick, but the pictures from when you built it are really cool. Glad you kept it all these years, great hot rod truck in all it's glory.:);)
     
    F-ONE, loudbang, VANDENPLAS and 5 others like this.
  15. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    Thanks for all the "likes" fellas and I really appreciate the "welcome home" that we didn't hear back then. I'd like to show the progress shots, all the changes I made to it before I post how it looks today
    but I will soon,
    Mick
     
  16. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    I used a PSI kit for the rear suspension, similar to solid radius rods from the Chevy rear end
    to the frame. 40 Ford steering box, Ford 40 front drum brakes, axle, tried a new intake manifold.
    Pretty funny seeing that old generator again, rear bench seat out of an old Jag,
    Mick
     
  17. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    HR 8.jpg HR 5.jpg HR 6.jpg HR 7.jpg
     
  18. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    I gt a call from a friend of mine saying that if we drove down to LA at midnight to get there at 8:00 am we could buy as many Cragar mags as we wanted for $15 each from the factory...off we went.
    I like Cragars! Hot rod in 1970.jpg Hot Rod on Valley St Daly City.jpg
     
  19. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    This was in 1970, my parent's driveway in Daly City [a couple miles south of SF].
    Very close to Champion Speed Shop, Gotelli's Speed Shop, the Daly City Auto Wreckers
    right up the street and a ga Hot Rod in the early years.jpg s station right next door where I hung out, perfect!
    I was 23 years old, jeez...
     
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  20. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Who doesn't like Cragars? And at that price my wallet and i are ready to buy a couple...hundred.
     
  21. studebaker46
    Joined: Nov 14, 2007
    Posts: 715

    studebaker46
    Member

    Mick from one viet nam vet to another welcome home brother. what unit were you in? Do you still have the drawings from nam
     
  22. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    WELCOME HOME to you as well bother, I didn't have it nearly as bad as you did.
    I was a welder on an ammunition ship over there, USS Mauna Loa AE8, that was scary enough for me.
    I've got some friends that weren't so fortunate.
    Drawings, nah, my folks passed away 10 years ago and the drawings got lost in the shuffle,
    Mick Nam 1968.jpg Nam.jpg
    Thanks Mike, enjoying another thread.
     
  23. SEAAIRE354
    Joined: Sep 7, 2015
    Posts: 537

    SEAAIRE354
    Member

    Great story and awesome truck. Thank you for sharing. And more importantly thank you for your service.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  24. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    Thanks much SEAAIRE 354, I'm getting a kick out of doing this after all these years.
     
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  25. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    Then I installed a new motor, a 1965 365 hp 327 now with tunnel ram and sold the 301.
    Also picked up a 4-speed out of an older Corvette.
    The PSI kit on the rear end was OK for cruisin' but I was more into street racing and drag racing.
    So...with the help of Dave Adams [Mr. Blue Thunderbolt clone] and Donny from Narlock and Worthy
    [Lil Hearse] we were able to install a 69 Mustang rear end and suspension that I picked up at the wreckers for $100...wheel to wheel.
    We cut the frame off behind the cab, extended it for the leaf springs, used Maverick shocks.
    We copied the lift bars from Mr. Blue because they worked so well.
    427 Ford, 4-speed top loader, 457 gears; drag car.
    In fact I ran it at Fremont in 1971 10.35 at 135mph. What a blast, low et for those days.

    Ramlin Dan said his buddy raised the bed...I did too at this point.
    Had Bill Joyce make new sheet metal below the bed and a spacer between the cab and bed for the new suspension.
    Notice leaf springs out back. Now the little pickup launches!
    img382.jpg Mr Blue.jpg Narlock and Worthy Lil Hearse.jpg
     
  26. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    So I bought my own house in 1972 in San Mateo, Ca.
    Now I had my own garage so time to pull the body off , get it painted, chrome a ton of parts,
    clean the chassis up, try a tricked TH400, pull the motor and have Al Baca [behind Champion Speed Shop] do some fancy head work, new Engle cam 500 lift/305 duration...can't believe I remembered that, have it balanced and whatever else.
    So, went blue to purple with gold leaf flames, I know...sign of the times. Hot rod body off 8.jpg Hot rod body off 1 - Copy.jpg Hot rod body off 2 - Copy.jpg Hot rod body off 3 - Copy.jpg Hot rod body off 4.jpg Hot rod body off 5.jpg Hot rod body off 6.jpg Hot rod body off 7.jpg
    A friend of mine upholstered it in black spider webs,
    Mick
     
  27. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    Here's a few shots of the lift bars I had mentioned, similar to a Thunderbolt suspension.
    The TH400 trial lasted a week, back to a 4-speed, glad I kept the pedal assembly.
    Tried some monster slicks after purchasing 543 gears with a spool just for kicks.
    Went through two pair of wheelie bars, would have been a great photo-op had I thought
    of it at the time. Can't believe the 4-speed stood up to this but because the car is so light it did well.
    Eventually I went through two cluster gears so had to rebuild it twice though.
    Also dumped the front 40 Ford drums brakes to disc brakes.
    Hard to see the lift bars in these shots,
    Mick Hot Rod slicks 2.jpg Hot rod suspension.jpg Hot rod suspension 2.jpg Hot rod suspension 3.jpg Hot rod suspension 4.jpg
     
  28. Mick Coyne
    Joined: Aug 12, 2008
    Posts: 705

    Mick Coyne
    Member

    Then my neighbor/friend Mike D. made a cool three piece firewall for me,
    I had mentioned the distributor clearance issue so the next day he hands me this.
    I had it chromed of course [that makes it go a lot faster, right].
    I've got some good friends,
    Mick img387.jpg
     
  29. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
    Member

    Great story. Thanks for sharing it. That chrome rear end has held up nicely.
    I'll bet running around Daly City in a hot rod or on a motorcycle you'd meet some pretty wild characters, especially in 1970.
     
    Mick Coyne, loudbang and mad mikey like this.

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