Just wanted to make me a little build thread here. Im building a '29 RPU from a '29 Model A Sedan. The sedan may look really nice in the pics, but door jams and everything were way out of wack, and I dont have the skills to make everything (doors) functional from something like that. This is my first hotrod build to. Heres what I started out with. Heres where Im at right now. This is just a rough mockup to see how the visor would look and to see how the rear section of the cab would lineup with the doors...I think Ima keep that visor. As for the chassis/drivetrain. The frame will be kept stock. The axel's going soon to get dropped 4". The drivetrain is a Chevy 235 I-6 from a '53 Vette, the rear is out of a '54 chevy (complete with torque tube.) More to come!
Wow, a Vette 6? That's pretty damn cool. Did you get the intake with it too? Project looks like it's coming along nicely....slim
Thanks! The 6 banger has a little bit of history behind it to. It was dropped in a 1954 Chevy Bel-Air and raced on the dirt track in the 60s (My freind Preston has the car now, we're about to chop it I think next month, he pulled the 6 out and gave it to me, and dropped a hopped up 283 in the '54.) Anyone have the dimensions to a stock '28-'31 pickup bed? Thanks!
Thats gonna be a cool project. I'm kinda doing the same thing. I chopped up my 29' fordor and converted it to a rpu too. The back half of my fordor body was really rough too. Are you gonna use the rear doors as your rear quarter panels behind the doors? Keep your updated posted as you go, looks good Dan
Nah, Im welding it straight to the rear of the doors. I was thinking about using them as quarters, but the body wouldve ended up too long, and with the 6 going in it, Ima have to push the body back anyways. Plus Im pretty short, so itll work out pretty good! Can you post some pics of your rpu please? Thanks!
I understand. I made my body a little longer to give a little more room, and make the proportions work out for what I wanted. I left the doors working, though when the suspension is aired out it would be just as easy to climb in Heres a pic as it sits, if you need any specific pics let me know
Whoa that thing is knarly looking! I like that alot! Mine aint gonna be that low though. Itll be a door hopper to for the simplicity of it, which isn't a problem because I'm 18 with no bad back! haha Since my body is just about ready to weld up. I need to get to work on the chassis. Still gotta rip out the whole OG drivetrain and suspension. Ima get started on that probably this week. BTW, This is the stance/overall feel Im going for. Thanks!
Well today I got my visor all cleaned up, bitch looked so rusty I thought it was gonna flake apart haha. Tomorrow I gotta clean up everything and rechop it. Mocked the visor up tonight and its about 3" too high. My dads freind is comin over to help me with the welding. So hopefully my body should be together reeeeeeeeeeal soon! Thanks!
NO. THAT is an off road dune buggy stance ... sorry. i just like em low. or at least with a little rake. the front tires are too massive IMHO. i kinda dig the visor though. the whole body looks pretty neat so far.
Actually this is more the stance Im goin for...just found this pic...Perfection IMO But I still like the one I posted, although the front tires are lookin massive since you said something about them haha... Heres that pic... Im goin for a later '40s early '50s cheap jalopy look. Thanks!
My dad's freind Chad is comin over tomorrow to check out the body and tell me what to do to get it ready to weld up. Also got my visor done and cleaned up last night, pics are comin... BTW, the depth I came up with for the cab is around 36" from the dash rail to the back of the cab....does this sound about right? I need dimensions for a stock '28-'31 A bone PU bed, and possibly '30-'31 A bone RPU cab. Thanks everyone! Oh one more thing, anyone know where I can find some vintage wheels?
hahaha, well I got my back peice all cleaned up (cut off the rear roll pan, and what was left of the inner fenders) Time to do alot of mocking up and see how much I gotta shorten up the back peice to snub up against the doors to make this thing look better proportionate wise... Thanks all!
Stance... The rat rod era somehow brought the idea with it that hot rods should be impossibly low. In my opinion, this "trend" has resulted in a lot of really cool cars with no stance. Not to say that I don't like low cars - My '38 can't get any lower when aired out... and I actually like the RPU posted earlier in this thread, but only because it fits the build style he is doing... I guess what I am trying to say is that I believe most hot rods look better with a stance. I like 30's era cars to look athletic, not snailish... Course, I think I am most likely in the minority here as my passion really lies with the pre-55 style hot rod...
Yea, I like them both styles, but if I had to choose one, it would be a higher ride height...Now, I will channel the body over the chassis, but it will be a world from inches off the ground.
Well said. I couldn't agree more. There were a few really low great cars in the day -- the Dick Williams '53 AMBR comes to mind -- but a car like the Doane Spencer deuce looks more athletic, more capable.
Yep, the motor was pretty complete, and was running when Preston pulled it. It needs a 2 carb intake and fenton headers though hehe Squigy! How you been bro? Hows your assdraggin '36 comin???
I'll certainly agree with Ryan,a bitchin rake but not draggin like a snail is more traditional & driveable That corvette 6-banger would look better in my '29 chev though.HaHa
I doubt it! There's almost 22,000 members on here that would probably back that up. That's what you built this joint for isn't it? I'd be willing to bet we all would have loved to have been 18 back in 1948........down side is that would make us 76 Go with: Stance! Stance: A vehicles appearence; One that comes off as stand offish, as if to say "outta my way, I'm heading for the salt!"; this coupled with a ever so slight rake and high enough to be able to sleep under the car. For further definition please refer to this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145522&highlight=right+Stance It's 32 Ford specific but there's a lot of talk about stance in there.
Its a Model A Murray Bodied sedan, the murray and brigs bodies have a one peice cowl but still use the '28-29 firewall. I did some measurin yesterday and it looks like Ima have to inset the back of the motor about 6" into the cowl, otherwise itd have to push the body back almost hittin the rear crossmember. Plus maybe I can run a hood when its all said and done!
Cool build, just not sure I would have started with that car. I was pondering building one of these myself- http://www.lastrefugehotrod.com/roadster.html BTW, anyone had any experience with these bodies? Is the quality there?
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