I've been on here for awhile, and have become a real thread whore. I really do have a project going, and finally, my grand daughter got me to understand how to post pics. So here goes. This car is kind of OT for here, but it's what I have and I'm having a ball with it. I am learning a ton on this forum, the folks here are some of the sharpest I've ever met, and quick to help. Thanks to all. This little roadster started as an altered built somewhere around the late '60's early '70's. I've had no luck making contact with the owner even though I had his phone number at one time. He just doesn't seem interested in talking to me. I bought the car complete as you see it here, minus only the engine. Set up for SBC with a glide. 9" 'glass body (2 layers!!) disc brakes that almost wouln't stop the car, they were so poorly engineered. Ran the car for awhile, had very little luck with it, it was some sort of gremlin every time I went out with it. One day the tech guy at the NHRA came out, walked around the car, and said, " bring a new chassis next season, or get this one certified". I was seriously pissed! Went home and decided to take what I had and build a street legal hot rod out of the bones. Had to start by cutting out the cage, which went to wingnutz here on the HAMB for his car. The NHRA kid was right! found 6 of the 8 roll cage welds were cracked, and I'm wondering what some of the tubing was in the first place! Replaced the front axle from spring behind to spring on top to get some much needed ground clerance. Have the stance near where I want it now, and replaced the SBC with a 454, Saginaw 4 speed I had extra. Moved the Corvair box from center steer to left side. Ansen hanging pedals on a hoop a fabbing friend built for me. I may need to raise the 9" a bit more to get drive train geometry just right. '72 Chevy pickup steering column cut down. Next step is to start on the 'glass body. Doors are glued shut, and opening them will be a job as I'm going to try really hard to save the Ed Crawford hand lettered and striped paint job. Was going to use buckets, but I've since gotten a seat from a '29 R/PU that fits perfectly. If any one has ever relocated a Hurst forward, I'd love some hints. Tried the scoop on the cowl, didn't like it. I have an idea for that, later. 118" wheelbase, even at that with a long pump the motor is wayy back. I wanted it back some to center the weight more in the frame. I got lucky, the pump comes out dead in the center of the radiator, and my crank is in line with my main rails. All is good so far, things are waiting for another block of money that I can afford to put to this project. Besides, it's been too hot to work out in the garage anyway. After all the fab work comes the final assembly. That's where all the detail work starts! So this is basically where I am at this point in time. Hope I did this thread right. Thanks for all the help so far HAMBers!!! Mike
very good grandpa! this is taylor, mike's granddaughter; & i'm very proud of him apparentally i'm his hero & the bomb for teaching him how to do this haha. yay hokey ass message board!
Pretty good looking post for an old guy, just kidding. It looks like a pretty cool project to me. So what if it's a glass body, it is what you've got to work with and it's got more history than a lot of the steel cars out there. Good luck with it. Keep posting. I'm interested to see how it looks when you are done.
Looks great,keep us updated as progress continues.Kudos to your granddaughter for showing you how to post pics.I still don't know how,maybe my 13 y.o. son can show me.Good luck. Stony
Thanks all! I'll say this; this is my first and last 'glass body. If a new Brookville didn't cost more than what I have invested in the whole project, I'd have given up on this body long ago. There are folks here however, that have practical experience I have faith in that tell me I can make something out of this body. The part that scares me most is the doors. Apparently, the doors were loose when the body was bought, and the original builder glued them in by wetting the jambs with resin and clamping the flanges together. I think that I can trim the flanges away and carefully pull the doors apart without too much damage. First, however, the floor and rear bulkhead will have to be epoxied in place to make the body ridgid. When it cools down, the trans crossmember and sub flooring will be welded in so I can start epoxieing the floor in. If you look closely, you can see the registers that were molded into the doors to place the hinges. I'm going to build a 1x1 sq. frame back from the pedal hoop to locate the hinges. My friends here on the HAMB have convinced me that I can use "blue foam" and the West Marine epoxy system to strenghten up the body enough for street use. If it was a steel body I would have no qualms about building a working set of doors. I have built a few other cars, but I have never worked with 'glass, and I've never tried to make a dedecated race car into a street rod. Worst I can do is screw it up, and there is nothing here that can't be repaired. Thanks, Mike
I don't know if I'd go through all that to re-hinge the doors. I'd just climb in but thats just me. What do you have for crossmembers and reinforcement on the frame with the cage gone?
Very nice project! Don't sweat the doors. If you cut outside the "dotted line" so to speak, you just glass, resin, repeat. It seems that you are more than up to the task so just approach it like your gonna kick it's butt! I was wondering what you were doing for rear springs? Best of luck and thanks very much for sharing!!!
I'm using the coil-over, ladder bar set up that was in it when it was a race car. The few times I got to go fast the car was straight like a string, so I'm going with it. It's a bit stiff, but coil-over people tell me I can fix that with spring rate. As for the doors, if I wasn't so obsessed with saving the old school paint I'd just cut the doors out and replace them with new ones. If I screw up the paint, I'm going back with Washington Blue, and hopefully I'll be able to get Crawford to stripe it . I'm so used to not being able to post pics, I foget that I can take new pics! I'll get back with you guys in a few with some new pics.
Funny, I saw your avitar. I bought two 9" one legger rear ends the other day so I could replace the spool that's in the car. My race car friends are all telling me I need a posi-trac to do the car justice. I kind of think it would be cool to boil one tire just for old time's sake!
Take some real clear, close-up photos of the door paint just in case. Don't plan on ruining it, but just in case, a good artist can re-do it with some reference.
Thanks Jonny! I never thought about if I can't get Crawford to do it, someone else could replicate the work.
Sorry guys! I haven't posted any new pics. of the build because there aren't any! I went in for a simple cataract surgery, supposedly a three day walk in the park on the 7th of July. I'm STILL on my arse doing nothing because the retina in that eye tore, and we did three! surgeries in three weeks. Mending now, but my retina Dr. knows what I do for fun, and won't let me out of the house for probably another month! I know alot of you are saying to yourselves "so why is this important'? There are threads on here that start up and go nowhere. Sometimes it's because the person driving runs into problems. Thanks, Mike BTW, I'll be damned glad when I get my glasses back! All my life I've cursed these worn out eyes I was given at birth, now I realize how much worse it could have been.
Wow, Sorry to hear of the torn retina. I hope it heals well and you are back to work on your roadster for the street ! 41 Dave
The Jalopy Journal
