•••BUILD THREAD: SUGAR CITY SPL 1933 Ford Comp Coupe ROAD To ROG•••

Last October a couple friends and I went up to New Jersey for a race that was being started, promoted and directed by my pal Mel aka Dirtiest Devil. Now unless you've been living under a rock, you know that event was THEE Race Of Gentlemen which was held on October 19th on the beach in Allenhurst.

I think like most people we were all pretty skeptical that it was actually going to take place since in Nazi New Jersey they won't even let to make left hand turns or pump your own gas let alone, race some old Jalopies on their beaches. When it was all said and done, I think me like most people just kinda stood back and were in awe of what had just went down. Even though I was behind the berm vending with Sugar City Speed Shop I was taking in all that energy and buzz that was floating in the air that day wishing I was in one of those cars ripping down the beach.

Well when I got word that there would in fact not only be another Race of Gentlemen but that preparations were being made to make it even better this year I started thinking "what the hell can I race on beach??!!". I had just acquired a '32 Phaeton body that would have been a cool choice however I am missing a bunch of parts and I knew this would have to be done on a budget since my wife and I just had a baby girl 5 weeks ago named Veda Rey. Well that's when the focus shifted towards a car I've had for almost 3 years and have never as much as sat in. That old '33 Ford coupe that I traded for just after my son was born was begging for attention.

The thing that makes this somewhat a logical choice AND somewhat feasable is that I have a ton of parts for this car. In fact I even had a running Flathead with Edebrock heads and a super dual intake however I sold all that so that's certainly a step in the wrong direction but I still have a bunch for the car to get the ball rolling and it needs to be rolling fast because I only have 7 months to get the car running and ready for the beach!!!!!

I hope that I'll be able to keep updating this thread with new progress each week but forgive me if it's sporadic since taking care of a five week old baby and a two and a half year old toddler doesn't really allow for me to plan well....but I have to try in order to get it done. I have friends helping out by donating time and lending me parts that I'm missing or that would strain me financially.

The plan is to build this car as a Class C Comp Coupe circa 1949 (just as SCTA was allowing coupes to run). Unchanneled, Stock 33-34 Grille, Stock wheelbase, Heavy Chop etc. Since this car will only be run on the beach for that race, I am able to do things (or not do) things that would be necessary for a street car. So No front brakes, just hubs, no head lights, no tail lights no passenger seat, no filler all killer. Obviously the trinity of Model 40's (Pierson, SoCal and Hartelt) will be of great influence but one car I really have been liking lately is the Ferguson coupe which was featured in TRJ a couple years ago. That's one that's not channeled, retains the stock grille shell and was really cool judging from the old images.

This car will essentially be built twice. This round will be pretty bare bones and will be indicative of cars that raced at Bonneville in 1949. Not going to get caught up in paint or polishing things this time. Once I get a chance to build it again with all my own parts, and more time to fine tune it all I'll build it more like the cars that were seen a few years later in 1952. It's crazy how nice race cars got in just those few years but if you look back to images of the Pierson Coupe in 1949 and then in 1951, you'll see what I mean.

What I do have is...

•1933 Ford Coupe (which is solid and needs zero rust repair so that's a plus).
•1933 Ford Frame with Stock Crossmembers (trans saddle is removed)
•Original 33-36 axle dropped back in the day.
•1939 Ford Spindles
•32-34 Ford Perch Bolts
•Model A Front Spring (I reversed main leaf last week)
•Model A Front Shackles
•New Rear shackles and U Bolts
•Unsplit 33-34 Wishbone
•1935 Ford banjo Rear with TT and wishbones
•Model A rear crossmember (will be spliced into existing like Pierson coupe)
•1933 Ford Drive Shaft
•1935 Ford Transmission (possible fill it with 40-48 gears)
•WWII Air Craft Seat (courtesy of Doodlerodz)
•2-16x4" Steelies
•2-17" 33-34 Wire Wheels
•33-34 Trans Saddle that was once removed (Thanks to Cory Swenson)
•F1 Steering Box (already modified for a Model 40 and turned down for early ford steering wheel)
•1939 Ford Rear Brakes and drums
•A single vintage aircraft type seat belt
•33 Ford Dash
•8-10 Vintage SW Guages (accessory gauges are 2-5/8")
•1933 Ford Radiator Original
•1933 Ford Grille Shell
•1933 Ford Hood (iffy condition)

Things I need...
•Brake and Clutch Pedals (33-34 or '39)
•Steering wheel (Bell 4 spoke type)
•Column Drop (going to have Jason Sheets make me one)
•Tires (plan on ordering them by months end 7.00x17's and 5.00x16")
•Gas Tank (WWII Oxygen tank)
•Hand operated pressure pump
•ODDS AND ENDS etc.

My friend Chris is loaning me a 59a Flathead that's been built up a bit. I might use my Weiand 2x2 on top if I can't scrape up an another intake for the car. I'm super grateful for him loaning me the engine as it would have broke me to build one right now. Now I just have to figure out how NOT to get Sand inside of it.




As you can see in this pic, the roof started to reveal less then satisfactory work under a 3/8" of bondo in some places. Plans are to rechop the car in June if all goes well. Taking another inch out of front and 2 out of back with leaning the a pillars back a few degrees.




Cool old original axle I got from one of my Besties Chris. It's going to work out perfect once under the car. I switched the perch bolts out for original 32-34 after realizing that these pictured didn't have tapered shoulders. Also swapped out shackles for Model A units after rebushing the perch bolts to fit them.





So hopefully I'll be able to snap some more progress pics this weekend. Currently the whole front end is assembled minus hubs and rear end is going to be cleaned and set up tomorrow. I need to get the body off so we can set the entire suspension up in the next month or two and go from there.

Until then, enjoy a clip from last years race....

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/52123950" width="800" height="450" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/52123950">2012 Race of Gentlemen</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jpsykes">Jon Sykes</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

 

You know I'm subscribing to this..

Good luck!

 

Yes it's good one

 

Epic thread warning
Subscribed!

 

Just shut up and make it happen! Haha!

I'll be following this for sure!

 

yes!!!!!

 

Strong yet sensative.. Love it!

 

Always

 

I'm following it!

 

Did I mention I only have 7 months?!! . I appreciate you all following, I'll try and get some updates ASAP.


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Great hot rod

 

Subscribed,

Looking forward to seeing Jeffrey James juggling cars & kids! HRP

 

Me too!! I think by the deuce run I should have a full head of grey hair because of it.








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Signed up for the ride on this one Jeff. But I can't belive you have had this cool car for 3 years and never even sat in it. I really like those 33, three windows. I would have had to start on it the day I got it home.
Now get out in the garage and get some work done on it....

 

Damn, this is going to be cool! I can lend a helping hand if needed, I am only a few miles away. I also have an oxygen tank if you need one to borrow, buy, whatever. Let me know. I plan on being in NJ, so looking forward to seeing this run.
SUBSCRIBED!

 

I made a promise to myself that I would see through and finish my 35 before giving this or any other car attention. I knew if I sat in it or started tinkering I would shift focus and lose interest. So I basically piled the inside of the car full of spare parts so it wouldn't tempt me. Now that the 35 is on the road, it'll get the attention it deserves. I sat in it last Friday after a hard week of family crisis and all I could do was giggles. Was a good therapy for me to get out there and envision the car how it'll be. Lots of room in there!!!

I'm planning on getting out there as soon as I'm relieve of my Daddy Duties today. Right now I'm elbow deep in yellow seedy poop.


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Took me 2.5 years from start to finish on my 35. That's also during a time my first son was born and got sick so not too bad considering how much was going on including 65-70 hr work weeks. This car will be much easier as I don't have to lay on my back to work on most of it AND I work for myself now so I'm home all week.


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No pressure or anything. Simply announce to the world that you'll pull this off in 7 mos with a new baby! Gonna take a village, but you have that, brother. This is going to be like my new favorite TV show for the next few months! Very cool.

 

Awesome!

 

Or just Andy Kohler.

I didn't think about that much last night since I was dozing off. 7 months to do that much work? If you make it, you're my hero.


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Well if I had Andy Kohler I could have it running for the Round Up. But since I don't have him close, I'll try my best along with the support from Family friends and my club members.

The good thing about building 32+ fords is that you use a lot of the parts that were manufactured by Henry FOR THAT PARTICULAR CAR from the get go so things tend to line up a little better then say a Model A on 32 rails. Some of the battles you fight there kind of just bolt up with Early V8 cars. Now that's not to say that I'm not going to find some serious battles, it's just that a lot of the guess work is taken out of the equation. It also helps when you are taking things out of the build like headlights, tail lights, front brakes etc. And even further more it helps that this car needs absolutely no rust repair. Just some welds to address and a rechop. Now the rechop is going to be a real MF'er but if it get's close I'll 86 the idea.


Stay tuned.

 

Gonna be one hell of a hot rod. Cannot wait to go back to Joy-zee!

 

Awesome....I'll be watching!

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Two Pizzas, 3 Hoagies and a Cannoli....it's bout to go down son.

 

Hurry up Buttercup!

 

You WILL rechop that thing! Hell, it almost looks like a stocker.

And you're right, if you keep it simple, these chassis go together pretty easily. I think you can do it, now quit fucking around and get to work!

 

subscribed!

 

Sweet!