Well, I've been meaning to do this for a while.....guess I just have to make the time. I'm sharing this not so much because I'm proud of my skills (I've seen some TRULY AMAZING craftsmanship on this forum) but to share my experiences and maybe save someone from repeating my mistakes. The genesis of this build is a car I saw when I was 17. It was parked at an abandoned gas station. It was a typical eastern build for the time - channelled and un-chopped. It was in primer and running a tri-power 348 and 4 speed. The 4 sale sign said $400. I wanted it badly but it might as well have been 40,000. So, 40 years later I start browsing CL. I turned up a boxed 31 frame I got for $200and we were off. That was my first mistake - more on that later. I'm going to try to keep as much as possible with what would have been available in the 60's. I may have to use what I have available at times to advance the build - but will replace components with more period correct pieces as I find them. My goal at present is to get it running and driving. I'll take it apart this Winter and get it ready for paint in the Spring. Anyway, that's the plan....
The first body I acquired was really scarey..... I bought it mostly because I'd been having trouble finding anything nearby and affordable (both bad reasons). The only good thing was it was really cheap, really close and included a lot of useful parts.
I initially tried to use as much of the stuff I had lying around as possible - so I incorporated a 63 chevy rear that was left over from my Biscayne build (3.36 posi). I also decided not to reinvent the wheel so I used most of the factory brackets.
I originally started putting this thing togetherjust like everthing else the last 40 years: simple, cheap, reliable (SBC Chevy). Fuck it.... I'm doing this right one time. I already had the Rochesters ready for the trips....just needed a different motor. Craigs list Columbus, totally locked 60 348 + tripower intake $600. Rollin the dice
I pried the stuck 348 apart (took 2 weeks) and took it to the best shop anywhere for cool hipo motors, Ross Racing Engines, right down the street from my shop in Niles, Ohio.
You guys know Tony (Goatroper) and I don't need to tell you of his prowess and expertise.Please let him know he's okay keeping his enterprise in Niles.
I'm building a 30' coupe aswell. I should have the body off this weekend. I picked up a seized 50' flatty w/3-speed trans this past weekend. I attempted to get the trans separated from the engine today, but had no luck. I will hopefully have the engine on the stand and soaking before the weekend is over. Streetrods maybe driven by Chevy, but hotrods are powered by FORD!
Hey, I soaked for 2 weeks with my "special mix" of PB Blaster, Marvel Mystery Oil and ATF and I still ended up beating the pistons out from the bottom
I'm kinda lucky.....you'd think being in Warren, Ohio may not be the center of the hot rod universe but consider this: I'm 45 minutes from Summit Racing main warehouse in Tallmadge, Ohio - 45 minutes from Snyder's Model A Parts in New Springfield, Ohio - 15 minutes from Kenny's Rod & Custom (check out their prices on Ebay) in Newton Falls, Ohio - and as I said Ross Racing Engines (Goatroper) is right down the street from my print shop in Niles, Ohio. Maybe this is the apex of the Model A Hot Rod universe?
This is the current body - purchased from a fellow Hamber in NJ. For all of those people saying "start with the best body you can find, you'll be way ahead in the long run" \ yes, you're right, I'm now in total agreement.
Motor's looking good too, Tony! Got the exhaust hooked up today...just need some wiring and plumbing and we should hear this sucker run in a day or 2.
Said many times but is great advice. Unless you have some mad fab skills, you'll end up getting over whelmed and paying way more in the long run to have someone finish and/or fix your fuck ups...
As I said in the intro, I used a 63 Chevy rear that I had leftover from another project. I used the factory 3 link setup and added brackets for the coil overs. I had t narrow the trailing arm brackets to the width of my rod ends. The kick-up was courtesy of a previous owner. I ended up cutting it apart and fixing some issues. It's strong if not particularly elegant. I should have just bought/built a new frame. That was lesson #2.
The first picture is the tranny mount in the frame when I got it. Was fine for an automatic but the tubing made installing the shifter impossible on the 4 speed. I ended up cutting it out and replacing it with the one in the next 2 pictures. (Note the dual quad small block - that was motor mock-up #1)
I like it! Not a big fan of SBCs but the W motor is a great choice. Keep it up, body looks pretty good.
The Jalopy Journal
