Projects My Dream 34 ford coupe.. a reality?? its has begun

Well I finally have some time while I am on vacation to write a little about my past year of projects. I cannot go on the hamb anymore at work.. In the past year gained two of my dream cars. Moved from my house after 5 years.. I am a huge junk collector. So It takes me forever just to sort through what I aquire..

I wish I could post photos of the insane projects I do and build at my work. Those of you who know me. know I would in a Design studio. But what we do is mostly secret until it hits the public...

I get to work on some amazing things, Building hot rod and parts is something I really love to do on the side. Mainly finding odd parts. reasearching their history and tyring to make them work..

IT has been my dream for years to do a 34 ford coupe. I have been looking for one for years. Passed them over and over because of price. I have thought of selling my other cars to fund one. But I have decided it would do my best to keep the cars I already have on the road. there are many other things I would rather sacrifice besides my cars..

I like the style of cars with a bit of patina and use. I work on million dollar show cars all the time. I see that after a while. . Just enjoying somethings and learing about it is what I like Especially for a hobby.

I took over a 4,000 sq ft shop this past year. ITs a ton of work. just keeping up with it. . Plus its a hard hit on my budget.
but I will keep pushing on. .

In the next pages I will tell a little more about my baby.. I am juggling this with my 49 merc at the moment. . Also trying to keep my coupe and truck running. . Its a never ending circle.. taking care of customers. going to work, Trying to be creative.. But its what life is all about!!!

 

Well Here it is.. .

I followed up an add on 1934 ford coupe parts..

I was not the first person in line.. But I was lucky to be patient

There were other more wealthy people pushing its previous owner (since the 60) to just sell them everything. Big package lump sum deal.

I did not even know what to do when I got there and saw it..

I told the owner. I will buy all your junk parts.. extras you do not want or need for your other projects...

He saw my enthusiasm and decided. I should get a coupe body. .

it was not free. . But. I feel it was a great deal for how insanely clean it was...

I did what I could. did whatever I could to get some funds together. I did not want to leave without that coupe body...

What would I do with it.,... How would I build it., Its such a nice car....

I already had a 34 chassis.. I figured I would hang onto.,, just in case I could piece enough junk together to make a 34..

 

Well I decided I would run the crazy flathead cadillac engine I bought from a dry lakes racer

its got some insane machine work done it. Its nearly 400 cid..

I have had a great time researching the history of the engine.. I will try to write more about that another time

I have got the chance to talk to and meet some really coool old racers and hear about their experiences of racing at the lakes. back in the 40s and early 50s. some have already passed away..

I am happy I have got to learn so much from them over the past few years..

I do not plan to run it supercharged for now.. I was originally setup for a front drive blower. . Another one or my favorite setups..

I have been very lucky to find so many cool pieces. I really want to try to utilize these items and leave them unchanged

The dash is out of a 1936 Chevy school bus. It was donated to a christian school to scrap for an event. someone saved the very cool dash

The old AC guages are concave and the 100 mph speed says DRIVE SAFELY
I have a cool old 8 grand tach that is an AC brand I got from on old dry lakes racer. dated 1952 on it..

So Not everything was always Stewart Warner back in the day~~~

 

Here,s my dream 34, it,s more of a nightmare at the moment.Hoping to get started on it later this year.Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Couldn't you have done some creative fabrication work instead of taking that origional firewall out? I know it's yours and your free to do as you please but from your posts on respecting the old guys and ways of doing things it made me cringe to see the cut out firewall. Carry on.

Frank

 

I do not plan to chop the car. It did really hurt me to cut the firewall to get the monster cad engine into it..

I have another crazy cad with cool speed goodies set aside for the 29 roadster still

there are just so many 1 off parts for the roadster. I needed something I could piece together a little faster..

We spend many nights down at the shop talking about all the parts sitting there we could easily piece some cool stuff together.. Its so hard for me to leave stuff alone..

But this car will just have my favorite goodies of what comes along

Boddy Green loaned me some 18" wide 5 wheels for the rear until My own come along..
He also gave me a deal on a Lasalle Top loader that is converted to early ford drive line.

Lasalle top loaders were only made 1 year.. Even back in the 50s they were hard to find because they were so desireable for strength.

I am going to try a Columbia rearend out in it. I have learned you need to be very easy on early ford drivelines.

I have broke the tranny and rearend in my truck MULTIPLE times!!!

So we will try this out.

We have been busy reworking the cross members.. The chassis was decent but the cross members had been pretty hacked up over the years from diffenent engine combos..

I am using an original 34 front spring from my buddy KIWIKEV..

Luke and drew have been helping me alot cleaning up parts and doing chassis work. I am trying to have it driving to bonneville

the motor mounts were done the night before I went on vacation. . I want to keep going on it. It hard for me to get a good days work in on the car~~

 

I cant believe you cut the firewall out like that...

 

Im not a old guy.. Im 23 and it hurt me to see that =( Heres how i recessed my firewall.

 

I am not worried. it will get set back in there clean.. It will all flow back together naturally..

I wanted it to follow the lines of the side of the car. I wanted you to be able to see the whole engine in there from the side of the car. especially since the exaust has to all go together with this setup

I know it looks crazy right now. . I spent quite a while thinking about how I wanted to do it before giving her the knife..

I have an image of design and proportion in my mind. . That is very important in putting a car together also.

I may be a mad man. But I do have a bit of method to my madness most of the time!!!

Aaron Von Minden

 

Savage,

Looking good...

glad your hard work and persistance has made your dreams come true....


poop

 

Hey ... a 34 5w with Cad flathead... That's MY dream. My plan even include 18" rear wheels. Dont have a 34 5w nor a Cad flathead yet though. Real nice, I hope you will post progress pics and updates often. I'll be following this build close.

Regards,
Magnus

 

very cool project, congrats. Hey I know where there are a couple 41 cad flat head engines in good shape if you need them or some more parts. Looking forward to the outcome. Jeez - talk about some firewall NAZIS - let the guy finish before you lay down what he should ahve done.

 

Aaron,

Nice progress. I understand why you trimmed the firewall. That is one of the weak areas of the 34 when the hood is off, that section does not flow with the rest of the angles. Knowing your skills it will turn out like it was supposed to be done from the beginning. Keep up the great work.

 

I feel the way that I have chose to cut it.. will benefit the look of the car.
You are right. with the hood off. that is a weak area. .

I guess if we did all our cars the same. We would not have very much fun here would we..

I think I have a good eye for design and can execute it well on my cars. you can see the lines I followed in this side shot.. I think it will turn out better than it did from the factory. Especially by adding a much larger engine. The proportions would be thrown off other wise.

 

Savage, Randy Gribble out of watertown SD, built a hemi Powered 34 with a columbia in it, but converted it to Quickchange. so he had a 2 speed with a quick change. right after he sold it, the new owner stuck his foot in it and scattered the Columbia all over the ground. They are not strong at all.

His SOn posts on here under, Dakota Kid. if ya need info ya might consider giving them a ring.

i think Randys shop is Lake Area Rod and custom?

 

Good job Savage. Stick to your guns.

Charlie

 

Anyone that knows Aaron knows his work is amazing..so if he cut something, hes got it planned first...Can't wait to see it man...hope you make your Bville deadline,so I can see it first hand...

 

thank you for the info. . I am learning as I go. I figured I will never learn about it if I don't try. I spoke to Don Garlits and he told me to send him my planetary and he will weld it up to make it stronger.. I know I wil not be able to launch this car hard..

I appreciate your help. I will try to get as much info so I don't dump alot into it and tear it all up

 

Awesome project, Aaron !
I know you´re doing the right thing, stick to it !
This is gonna be one helluva ride someday ! ..love the cad engine...

Keep us updated, Dude !
Chris

 

Good score Aaron. Can't wait to see how she comes together.

Doc.

 

aaron your still alive?...what happend to the roadster?
lets see some progress pics of it if you still have it.
i'll keep in touch, i might have some news to.
have a nice vacation
palle

 

Thats a fine looking car for a fine looking man!

 

Twisted Sister: BURN IN HELL... haha.

I like the firewall treat- very nice.

very very very very cool dude... I'm glad you got that car and found that caddy motor... think of what couldve happened to all those rad parts???

Tuck

 

Hey Aaron, Just A Lil Note .........

Why You Got 2 Threads Goin With The Same Title ?

I Guess A Lil Over Self~promoting Dont Hurt The Image :d

 

That is a damn KOOL '34, I can barely wait to see it done! I think '34s are the best looking Hot Rod Coupes on the planet! Now stop reading this and get back out there to get some more done on her!

 

aaron,
thats a real cool find, do you know much about its history, it would be nice to hear about that. and i like the progress so far.
Al.

 

The Savage is a true artist. That shop is AWSOME.

 

Any updates on the caddy flathead powered roadster??

 

Congratulations Aaron. Hope you get this project humming along just as well as your others.....and, yeah, lookin' forward to seeing more progress on the Cad-powered A.