<hr style="color:#e5e5e5; background-color:#e5e5e5" size="1"> I've searched high and low for intel on anyone building a '23 on '32 Ford frame rails. Early dry lakes roadsters were low (to get out of the air) and the ride was short, and comfort an afterthought. Having recently bought a '23 roadster body and turtle shell, I'm throwing stuff at the wall to see if it sticks. I have long admired Duffy Livingston's The Eliminator, as well as the Spaulding brother's track roadster, and want to build a driver along similar lines to both. As built by Henry Ford with a 'one door' you sit so high above the frame rails it's wonder the old folks didn't get nose bleed from the high altitude. Duffy solved this problem by crafting a boxed and lightened 'A' frame with the stock floor-pan removed and a box underneath the exposed drive train. This allowed him to sit lower and inside the rails. My current thinking is that if I use modified '32 frame rails and a belly pan I can achieve the same result. Any pictures, ideas, suggestions, and so on will be appreciated. __________________ One test result is worth one thousand expert opinions. Werner Von Braun
You stole my idea!!! Seriously, I've been following the thread with the guy who builds '32 frames and I'm eyeballing a lakester body that Wintech sells. I'm thinking of pinched rails with a nice taper. Chopping a bit off the rear and using an "A" rear spring. Then, setting the body on top of the frame and building a full belly pan. It's all in my head, but I'm collecting a few pieces as I go along. Here's a link to the lakester body. It's glass, so the traditional police will be coming out, but that's okay. I'm one too, so I'll keep posting to a minimum. http://shop.wintecfabrication.com/product.sc?productId=323&categoryId=6 Link to frame thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=795650 I'll be watching yours for ideas.
Mine's a '27 and still in progress, but yes... floor at the bottom of the framerails, transmission/torque tube in the passenger compartment, as long as you are pretty narrow.
Now, I remember studying the Anderson build. I completely forgot how well thought out the changeover he did is turning out. Wish I had a Tardel to shape my frame, as the only choice I have is one from American Stamping, about a two hour drive from here. I suppose, I was thinking about following another route, and using the 'A' frame at the time and edited out all memory of it.There is so much information on the net to absorb, and so few of my remaining brain cells that work optimally. I apologize if I seem a little doddy, at times. Nonetheless, I'm glad this style is being explored by others, and appreciate everyone's interest. Personally, I have never cared for suicide front ends, even though they certainly take up a lot of slack when it comes to getting the center of gravity down without zeed frames, notching, dropped axles, reverse spring eyes, fewer spring leaves and whatever other tricks were developed and perfected by savvy builders who, like Smokey Yunick, were mum when it came to sharing with the competition. Old School racers used them well. I just want to keep the front frame horns so I can use the aerodynamic shape you get by spanning the empty space with sheet metal to direct air into the radiator and, of course, the aesthetic thing that drives builds as much as the functional aspect, and other considerations too numerous to mention. I've spent a lot of time studying Hot Rods of the Forties by Don Montgomery, and want to build a roadster that wouldn't be out of place in the late thirties/early forties on the dry lakes. thunderbirdesq has the right idea with the floor pan attached to cross members. In his case, the closed drive shaft resolves containment issues. In mine, I have a 9" that will require a tunnel for safety's sake (Plus, I've filled my quota replacing Early Ford transmissions, drive shafts, axles and sheared axle keys.) Though, if I had a quick change I'd eat my words. My current thinking is to attach a pan with dzus fasteners, below the car, and use heavy perforated metal above it, like the old dirt-track, stock cars in the South did, when I was a kid. Y'all keep the contributions coming. I'll not forget what you send and suggest and intend to reverse engineer as much of what I see and read, as I can. Being in the proverbial 'middle of nowhere' after having lived for 25 years in SoCal this is as close to bench racing as I can get. Thanks for your continued support. When I scrounge up all my parts, I promise to do a build thread to let you all know how it turns out --- in my head, and on the floor of my shop.
Yea, if it wasn't closed drive I don't think I could fit my ass between the tunnel and the framerail... maybe but it wouldn't be comfy.
A kid I know wants to build a roadster with a 'B' banger, closed drive line and adapt a 5 speed to get decent highway speed out of it. For puttin' around. He slaves in a hot rod shop building stuff for George Poteet and knows his stuff, so I pay attention, even if I do roll my eyeballs a fit. From my perspective it would have to be with axles from a 9" to get my blessing. But, then and again, a lot of miles we driven 'back in the day' with closed drive lines and mechanical brakes.
They used reproduction rails as the base for the frame I started with. Just a bunch of pie cuts, looks like they were shortened too. You could do that easily.
American Stamping sells repair parts for Deuce rails. 49" of the front for is $245 & 48" of the rear for $220. I'm kinda like Lil' John Buttera about the reveal and can live without it. I have a downloaded print from Wescott, so I intend to use parts from a Forty frame I have to make up the difference. And, yes pie cuts and/or shrinking using a rosebud and water hose is part of my modus operendi. I'm supposed to pick up the body July 1, and I'll post pictures. I also scored some Kelsy-Hayes bent wires: two Ford 5 1/2 wide x 5 on 5 1/2" on 5 bolt pattern x 16", and a pair supposedly from an older Cadillac that are 15" with 5 on 5" (I haven't measured their width yet). I'm waffling about a power plant. I was offered a 21 stud motor but want to drive this one relentlessly like a good touring motor cycle, so I'm thinking of using a 2.5 four banger with the T5. An overdrive gear would make it a reacher.
Started back to work on mine this week, after having it lean against the wall for a long while. Have a 23 T body with a narrowed 29A cowl, and t turtle deck. Chromed dropped axle is done , and a wide five Highland quickchange is coming along as well. TH 350 trans, and a Pontiac super duty four cylinder engine ready too. We did the new spring perch setup yesterday, and will weld it up today, along with the fuel tank mounts, and a crossmember. Here's a couple of shots, will probably start a build thread if I can remember to bring the damn camera home.
After a long sleep it all came back to me. I opened this discussion thinking it would be an interesting read, and found out I had started it, by writing about a project I'm still working on, sporadically. Instead of deuce rails I used horns from a Model A along with sections of the frame from a mid-fifties GM pickup --- that measures 6" in height. Still a work in progress, it has taken a lot of welding and fabrication, splitting part of one and adding metal just to get it where it is. Once I finish the outer rails, and contour them to fit the body, I'll box the frame. I'll post pictures. As stated earlier, I want to sit inside the rails and intend to use a stepped floor pan. I have to say I'm very happy so many added suggestions and images of their own work, and have adapted some of the ideas for my own use.
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