I think I can save the firewall. I may buy a repop as a sacrifice, but I want to keep as much as the original metal as possible.
Very cool, I love that car channeled!!!! There are WAY too many guys running hiboy these days. And as for being built with a cutting torch, that is some of the BEST part of that car, because it is a truly untouched survivor and shows how it was really done. Most of the early cars were very crude, even the show cars of the day were butchered by today's standards and as for the t-5, i wouldnt, way too much work for very little gain, a hot flattie with a good set of gears will buzz along fine with the 39type 3spd. Flatheads have plenty of torque so when geared right they are fine. And as for the drivetrain, if propperly rebuilt using good condition gears they are no problem,
Love the pics back in the day,.... Any other related pictures would be great,... I wouldn't change a thing,.. just rebuild it as it is, and make it safe.
WOW! Awsome pics. One thing ill say is that im kinda tired of seeing 32s on top of their frame, i have a couple and thats the way they are going to be but to me you should build it to resemble what your dad had done, its bitchen!! So after im over that rant. Take and have your 32 heavy axle dropped (hamber 296 v8 does a great job on em) then reverse your eyes on the front main leaf and then take out every other spring or so, so your at about 5 or 6 ish, itll ride fine. that should get the front end down where you want it. But you should totally channel it, its awsome! jeff
In the upper picture you can see the car still as a highboy, with the cherry fenders just removed and laying on the scrap pile (used to pay for the acetylene needed to channel the body) <O</O <O</O This is the 48 that the current (big) engine came out of.
generally it was because they couldnt afford to buy the correct tires, if they had the money the right sizes tires would have been on it, it looks like they got 820s on the front! and if you look at the rest of the pics the tire size is good, he must have just been playing with it.
Thanks for posting the original build photos, you are so lucky to have the car and the photos. I'd go along with the others that think you should "restore" the car to how it looked in those photos. There are just aren't that many original Hot Rods out there, so glad this one is still here. Was it built in California?
By todays standards it's butchered, but at that time it was the normal hotrod. I lost my Dad too, and have his '40 Chevy. I have made improvments too and I understand that. If he built a channeled roadster and I had it today I would restore it and make it safe to drive, and make sure the body is mounted solid to the frame and keep it channeled..... Did I tell you I love the roadster? I wish my Dad didn't buy and sell so many of his cars. He had some good stuff!! Well just the sell part...
The car was built in Thief River Falls, Mn. It sat in the shed pictured in the lower right picture of Post #41 until the early 1970's, then moved out to California. You guys are killing me with this channeled thing... I'm not fond of the look (dont like the rear arch/tire missmatch), but it is unusual to see these days... I'll take it under advisement.
I fully understand the rear tire/wheel well fit, you can fuss with that and get it just right and keep the channel look. There will be a ton of photos added to this post with advice as to how is could look. Maybe a restoration isn't the proper term, "refinement" of what your Dad built is a better way of looking at things.
I know I know.... I'd fix it all if I found the car on e-bay and had no connection to the original builder.
WOW that looks killer channeled ........ but i am kinda biased I love it when they are channeled with the bottom bead lower than the rail!!! Sorry to be another one busting your chops over the channel!!! Did i mention you should channel it back to the way it was?
great car! the photos are awesome, it's nice to have such a historical record and the fact it was your father's car is a huge bonus. I agree with you on the firewall. I think it can be saved with donor pieces.
Look at street rods, 10 years ago, wheel wells had to match, and people went to a lot of trouble to make it that way, right now the fenders need to cover the top of your tire and people are putting a lot of effort in to make it that way now. it's all fads....
Way too cool! Whats even better you have all the history with the car. Dont change a thing get it running and drive as is.
WOW. LUCKY LUCKY MAN. What a great thing to have. Your old mans hot rod and such a good project. Two ways to go I guess. Rebuild it like you want it, but take your time to figure out your real desires. OR Build it like your dad had it. Sure was cool looking. I think I'd done it as the old man did. Nevertheless it's a very nice car you got there. Good luck. Paul
Awesome roadster! It is very, very cool that you have the pictures and even cooler that the original builder was your Dad! It is really a treasure and a time capsule that shows what the average guy did to get a hot rod, to express his ideas, or to mimic what he saw in the magazines! I would have to support the vote to put it back like it was in the pics, even though I prefer the bodies on top of the frame. Still can't deny the sinister look of a channeled car. Congrats to your Dad and the family for keeping it!
First off, thanks for all the responses - they are helping me get a sense of the hobby, and I'm starting to appreciate the crudeness of the original build. After all, there are plenty of "perfect" (not to mention brand new) Deuces running around... OK, so if I go back with channeled, should I add the dropped front axle or keep the stocker? I know dad was into the raked look, so I'm sure the stock axle was simply a (lack of) money thing. Anyway, looking at post #30, the grille shell seems pretty low - how much of a dump can I expect with a dropped axle, dearched, reverse eye spring? I know there are plenty of guys who don't know the meaning of "too low" (and I'm one of them), but I don't want to drag the grille. Thoughts?
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