I like looking at build threads so thought I'd share mine. This actually started a couple of years ago, and progress had been slow, but it's time has come. A little background....I owned this pickup about a dozen years ago, sold it, saw it for sale at a show/swapmeet about four years ago and bought it back. It was a bit of a sentimental/impulse buy but before I knew it this ugly duckling was back in my shed. At the time I was playing with another car, so this one waited it's turn. That gave plenty of time to think about build styles, and when a freind suggested a gasser style build, I was sold on it. I've always liked blowers and bigs and littles so it didn't take much selling . The pickup is a 1936 Chev, but built on a car platform. I don't know for sure how it started life, but have it's rego history from brand new in '36 in New Zealand and it's regoed as a two seater commercial vehicle. It also has unusual doors, with a beltine that ends in a spear, and no 1/4 windows. Anyway, follow along if you want.....and for any gasser haters, there are plenty of other threads for you to read on this wonderful website. The start...
This was a driver, but eventually I put an end to that... A little more dismantling, some parts collecting, and a good deal on some wheels and i was starting to mock things up...
The idea is to have a street legal vehicle, that sees a little strip time. It was never going to have all old parts, but I'm trying to keep an old time feeling and look without being too pedantic. It has to comply with our traffic regulations though, so disc brakes need to go on. I considered a Ford axle, and a fabricated straight axle, but decided I liked the idea of it's original axle. With a little milling and reaming of the kingpin bosses, EH Holden stub axles fit and they have the same wheel bearings as an HQ so that was a fairly easy disc adaption. A walk around Pik'a'Part and we had some callipers off a vehicle which shall remain nameless, and it was time for making mounts. That was vesion 1 which I decided I didn't like. Version 2 would pickup on all four factory holes in the stub axles and look much stronger...
The engine bay was looking empty, so a dummy SBC and glide were mocked up... I've got a blower I want to run on it, so sat that on to check height...
Got that sitting where I was happy, so started making things more permanent. Heres an engine mount... And some pix of my K member...
Me too haha. Photobucket has stopped responding to me, so I'll go build some pickup, and share some more later.
Back to the K member. It was built around two big mufflers and ladder bar mounting location. Heres what i came up with...
Her new life's going to be a tad more exiting than life on the farm! Looks like it's time to update the graffiti on the shed wall too...
Next was the rear end. An old 9" was narrowed and fitted with a new pair of Strange 31 spline axles. On a bit of a budget, and on the wrong side of the world to be building American cars, I was looking for a budget brake option. Also having picked up a bargain with the wheels, which are 5 on 4 & 3/4 PCD, standard Ford stuff wasn't going to work. In the end, I went with Falcon backing plates and internal hardware, and a new pair of HQ Holden drums. These are made to work together, with only a ring needing to be turned up which locates in the end of the axle and also the centre hole of the brake drum and holds it true. Too easy.....
Next I had to hang that diff. It was always going to be on ladder bars, and I considered making some, but by the time I got quality rod ends and adjusters, some off the shelf ones looked pretty cost effective. I went with a pair of 36" Alston Chassis Works ones, and one of the things that drew me to this brand is they come with a 1" shank on the front rod end. Here I feel, big is good. After a long slow journey via sea, I had them. Screw all the bits in and lets start mocking things up..... Time to cut out a few brackets and tack them in...
Damn Kel, you've done a bunch since I last saw it. FWIW: Kelzweld is a bloody fine fabricator, as you can see.
Got the rest of the rear suspension fabbed and tacked in today. With the springs removed, I put it through it full range of travel and there's no binding anywhere so I'm happy. I'll be even happier if it hooks hard. Hope you like pix... 20style%20build/IMG_0651.jpg[/IMG]
I have never seen a watts link mounted to the top of the axle. very intresting. Godspeed MrC. I love the gassers to.
Thanks. I'd like to see your build in a thread. Always good to see how other people do things, and I like the look of your pickup.
I got the idea from somewhere on the net. In my situation, there's no room to mount one off the rear of my diff, but it sits on top nicely. With no springs fitted, and a jack under the diff, I've put it through it's full range of suspension travel and it seems to work well.
Thanks Marty. Watching you put your A together (which looks bloody good) has been inspirational. I find build threads really good for that.
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