Projects Well, this is the coolest thing I've ever seen...if I do say so myself...

Thom Taylor DID draw it. It only takes him a few minutes to draw one, took me a little over two years to build. I'd like a signed original of that art, or have him sign the dash...

Brian

 

The hump-back goes along with the vintage luxury rod look it has going on.

 

Very cool! one of a kind, thanks to your vision and commitment to build it! Congrats!

 

I still don't know how to link this confused to the "youtube" video, being computer retarded, but here's the url; http://www.youtube.com/watch?tv=7HtNGVb2R18. Otherwise, the title is "Fordillac comes out". I'd drive it to work to day, but it ran out of gas (AGAIN) pulling into the garage after that short ride. That two gallons of gas didn't go far!

 

try this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HtNGVb2R18&feature=channel_page

 

bad ass !

 

Wow! Great color also.

 

that is a beautiful car. great work. I belong to another automotive site and a pic of your car was put in a post call " cool cars i saw today" I would have to agree

 

Wow! It looks even better moving. Nice job.

 

Thanks Stevie G for getting the link posted to the youtube video. I'll figure that out someday...

 

Road test impressions, first 20 miles.

1. Make sure important, but seemingly minor things are done, like actually TIGHTENING the bolts which hold the electric fuel pump, and, more importantly, the ground wire to said pump, securely. When electricity stops, so does the car.

2. Carry at least a crecent wrench, pliers and a screwdriver, or, preferably, a tool roll, with you when you're farther than comfortable walking distance from home. Or, a cell phone if you're a pussy.

3. Order overflow recovery tank for radiator and install. See above, and the thing about walking.

4. Guys who drive cars with no floors, or floors that don't keep little things like, oh, I don't know, hot exhuast gases from rushing in at supersonic speeds thru the little opening around the shifter, and singing all hair off ones calf, which is quite close to said opening, must have severe peripheral nueropathy, or are retarded. Option 2, buy asbestos pants.

5. Don't ignore suspicion that the forward bolts holding the rear fenders to the brackets are dangerously close to the body, or, when above bolts are discovered to have gouged divets in fresh paint and body work, say to ones-self, "It's gonna get scratched up anyway!" and just remove offending bolts. Touch up work is fun, right?

6. Despite above gliches, THIS THING IS A BLAST!!!! It actually handles really, really well, like an insanely overpowered go cart. It tracks well, steering is light and surpisingly responsive, given the advanced, 1935 Dodge technology. It doesn't shimmy, wander, and the motorsickle front tires seem to stick well enough. It's easy to steer with the throttle, tail end hangs out nicely. I was pretty surpised at how well it hooks up, although I admit I'm a little hesitant at this point to bury my foot in it. Even so, it's almost scary fast, even at about 1/3 throttle.

It did puke out some coolant, (see recovery tank observation) but doesn't seem to overheat. The original Ford temp gauge I don't think is accurate at all, as it sometimes sets at about 100-140 at room temp. I think I'll use the aftermarket gauge I have, and mount it down low somewhere, maybe on the body brace behind the dash, and an oil pressure gauge is on the to do list as well. If it really is running hot, I'm not sure what to do, as I have a big fan, the radiator (66 Mustang V8) is all there's room for behind the sectioned grill. Maybe a couple of heater cores with fans under the floor at the rear?

Overall, I'm still giving it a "Cool McCool" 4 stars out of 5 rating!

 

Double boots on the shifter.
One that is a bit more durable close to the floor (Like DEI mylar covered glass cloth), then the good looking leather one that extends up closer to the handle.

 

wow!!!! that sounds like a blast to drive!

 

Excellent video - looks great, sounds great - what more do you need?
Two thumbs up!

 

That is the most awesome thing i've ever seen!

 

Now I know why they're called "Hot Rods"... It overheats. Really. It's not just the gauge. I made a cool little catch can from an old brass carbon tet fire extinquisher, and figured my problems were solved. Drove 6 miles into town to get some little things, and when I pulled back into the drive, it was urping coolant from the catch can and the temp gauge was pegged, past 212, as far as it reads.

I checked the electric fan to see if it was running, and yes, that works. Since it only runs with the ignition on, I decided to unplug it and run it off a battery charger, and in about 5 minutes, the temp gauge had come back down to around 180, and I was able to open the radiator cap. It had sucked the coolant back in, and I added maybe a pint more, topped it off. Fired it back up, and it'll set and idle without overheating, but as soon as it's in gear and moving, it gets hot. According to another manual gauge I just dropped in the upper tank after trip #2, it's was boiling and the gauge read 220. Of course that was without the cap on and no pressure, but it had set long enough to pull the cap by then.

New pressure cap, new Mustang '66 V8 radiator, 16" elec. fan, supposedly 1800 cfm with a 180 degree thermostat and 180 fan. It's as big a radiator as I can get behind the grill shell. New water pump too on the engine, and the timing I set by advancing it till it kicked back against the starter, then backed it off till it didn't. Very high tech...

My first thought is I don't have enough fan, since it gets hot under way. I have room for an 18" dia. one, as long as it's less than 2 5/8" deep. The Caddy 472 has only one port in the block for a heater hose, or I'd simply plumb in a big heater core somewhere under the floor at the rear with it's own fan, or two, as aux. radiators. Any other ideas?

 

Run a 195 thermostat in it to give the coolant more time in the radiator to actually "get cool" before heading back to the engine. That will make a big difference.

Remember that you're trying to cool a 472ci engine with a radiator that was marginal for 289 applications. Everything will need to be in top shape for it to work reliably.

One other thing, have you considered how the air is supposed to flow OUT of the engine compartment? You might try running it without a hood/hood sides to see how it does.

 

that thing is badass NICE WORK

 

I KNEW somebody would suggest no hood sides, but DAMN, it just doesn't look right without 'em! I wondered if the fact the the exhaust all exits IN the engine compartment now, since it's just manifolds this time, if that might be keeping the under hood temps high enough, or somehow preventing air from flowing past that huge engine, to make some difference? Getting it TO the muffler shop is somewhat problematic at this time, unless I stop every 10 minutes to let it cool down...

I know the little radiator is dealing with essentially two engines, displacement wise, and I'd like to be able to just get a slightly larger radiator, but that's not an option. I already added some of the "water wetter" hoping that would help, but obviously, the problems are more involved...

 

Brian,
You did one hell of a job on your car!!! I really like the color, keep the pics and update's coming.

 

You have the exhaust dumping in a closed-up engine compartment and wondering why it's running hot?

 

In my defense, it's not finished! Besides, look at all those louvers! LOL, I have to GET to the muffler shop, right, and without a trailer, it has to be driven!

Actually, I think I just got it figured out. A suggestion to put a timing light on it was made, as I'd timed it by firing it, advancing the dizzy 'till it ran good and kicked back just a little, then retarded it a bit till it didn't kick. Since it's got a pretty lumpy cam, I didn't think my timing marks would be much help...

So, I just came in from a doing just that. The timing was right in the middle, straight up. Just for fun, I advanced the dizzy, and what do you know, it smoothed right out with the marks WAY up off the peg. What the...? Shut it off, kicked back so hard it wouldn't turn over. Backed up the dizzy, fired right up, runs like it's way retarded, advance it, smooths out. Hook up the vacume line, no difference...have to advance the distributor to get it to run nicely.

I think the vacume advance is shot, to advance the timing to get it to run well, I have to rotate the dist. To get it to start, I (unknowingly) retarded it so much, with no vacume advance, that it overheats. It idled in the shop for half an hour, no problem, ran down the road 5 miles, no boil over (although the temp gauge is pegged, it only reads to 212, and I'm figuring as long as it's less than 220 0r 230, it's AOK). I let it set and idle some more after the short drive, no boil over.

So, I THINK that's it. I'll order a new vacume advance can tommorow, and we'll see if that fixes it. Then, off to the muffler shop to get that exhuast out from under the hood!

 

Where is the water neck on the engine in relation to the upper tank on the radiator?
Sounds like you found the cause, but...just wondering. Cumulative effect of multiple problems can be a real pain to fix.

 

The radiator tank is above the water neck by about 4 inches, and the surge tank is connected and working, so I don't think it's (other than the too small radiator) a problem with the cooling system and air entrapment or the like.

As I found last evening, with the distributer advanced, it didn't overheat, but won't start when warm without retarding it, so I'm fairly confident it's the vac. advance. This happened to my 455 powered Catalina, and to a 327 in our old '48 Chev convert, the diaphram I guess leaks and doesn't retard the timing? That's what it seems like at this time. I'm gonna work on it today if I can get the parts.

 

Still waiting for the vac advance unit, but I did get the top bows painted, the solid cherry front top bow/windshield header finished and varnished and mounted all that stuff. On a related note, with the timing advanced to where it SHOULD be, it doesn't overheat and runs like a scalded ape, whatever that is.

With the top up, my wife says she absolutely won't be able to drive it, something about her head hitting the tops side frame makes her claustrophobic, and afraid of a serious head injury. I told here I intend to pad the side rails, she remains unconvinced. So, I guess the top won't be up much...

 

Is there any room to move the seats toward the center just a little?
Half an inch could make all the difference.
In that 3/4 tshot, it looks like you are part of the door.
I have moved the seat and steering wheel on several vehicles to fix little things like...not liking the bruise on my elbow.
Just another 2c. Am I up to a nickle yet?

 

That is one sweet ride!

 

I think you have some change coming!

Sigh, if only I could...They're already jammed up against the trans tunnel enough to drag the seat belt mount against the pickup bed liner paint on the floor. The problem (I don't think of it as a problem, it is what it is ) is that the Chrysler Sebring top irons have WAY more tumblehome (there's that nautical term) than a a '36 Ford roof, the driving position is so far back in the cockpit, and the top is so low, that my head and the top bows seem to want to occupy the same space.

So, some high density foam (or full face helmets ) ought to take care of it! At least the car has a nuetral safety switch... .

Brian

 

That is just so neat. Nice to see someone thinking outside the norm. Great stance, great color and I love the fenders. Park that next to a row of those belly button '32 Fords and see what people want to look at.