1930s Era Champ Car - new project

Well, repairable ain't cheap...judging by the rest of the build, your idea will look awesome. I've wanted a track-style nose for my roadster, your approach has given me a new way to go. If you're not already aware of it ,there is a terrific metal shaping forum called metal meet, some incredible talent there and a gold mine of metal shaping info. Keep posting updates.........

 

Thanks! The greaseslapper was an old altered that got too brittle to go fast and we decided to let it end it's days as a hot rod.
Check out my album on my personal space.
I promise I'll post pics soon, I'm up to my gazots in swap meets and sprint cars right now.

 

More work on the faux quickie:

Milling the center section to fit the nine incher:



Fitt up and preliminary side plate patterns:

 

I see profit potential here.......

 

Hopefullly you'll be able to find an original end cap for the QC. If you end up milling one from billet, you may be able to give it a cast look by hitting it with a needle file loaded in an air chisel followed by glass beading.

 

He he he... everything I own is 'for sale'.

Anybody is welcome to borrow the ideas for anything I do - I post this stuff in part to inspire others.

 

A TRUE HotRodder - Thanks for sharing!!!!!

 

Here is the QC fitted up in the chassis:

 

Meanwhile, I did some more work on the nosepiece:

 

The rear end is mounted to the suspension; the quickie is welded to the Ford nine-inch; the chassis has been finish welded:

 

Lookin' good, too bad the crossflow head you have is unobtanium.

 

Lovely welding [I'm so jealous].did you weld the manifold with it bolted up to the head? I didn't and had warping problems. A thick flange & it can be milled flat again.
Compliments to your metal beating also [I use glass]. Good choice on your engine, rules required me to use a 4 [they are either antiquated or small and wrong sounding].

 

Thank you. Yes, I made sure to use every mounting bolt to secure it to the head before welding. Good luck with your project. Do you have a thread started on it?

 

Yes, on "yahoo groups" as "speedsterowners" and in that group's photos as "gwynn carrier special" lots of construction pictures there. A photo of it is in "grassroots motorsports reader's rides" in "vintage racecars" as "postoffice jeep". [because I used a postoffice jeep fame/suspension/steering/brakes]

 

You could mold copies of your new nose section for sale. Presently available noses are so small that they restrict radiator size severely.

 

Man, This is a very inspirational thread. It showcases the skills of a guy with great work ethics and a great way of making newer parts appear to be old . . . Looking forward to seeing this one in a full drift at the local dirt track !

41 Dave

 

Thanks 41 Dave. I hope to get some "in action" photos at a dusty dirt track somewhere - like it was back when. The guys that drove them were fearless men and I admire them for that. I plan to make some mystical graphics for my car, like imaginary speedways and garages based on names of locations from the pioneer days where I grew up in eastern Ohio - sort of a tribute to my roots.

dennis g,
Yup, that is a good idea, as there is enough "draft angle" to pop one out. I did that on a '64 Falcon front bumper for a drag car, using the original steel bumper as a mold for the glass one, except I had to slice it in two to get it out because of the wrap-around on the ends.

 

I've had to do that too. Sometimes it took water pressure, cutting and beating with a rubber hammer to get them apart. It was always much nicer to just build a dam on the plug to stop your layup along a line and make a mold flange. The parting line was so small that wax would either fill it in on the mold or the resulting flashing was easily sanded away.
You have already made the plug, the hardest part.

 

Using new parts for old is my philosophy also. There are great reasons for doing it: power and reliability and you save the old parts for guys doing restorations.

 

Here is the tow / push truck for the champ car going back together, hence, work on the champ car is slow:

 

FTF,
I've spent some time reading through your project, also the Roofus Special and CM325's project. Do you have anything new to show on this?
Thnx & Merry Christmas,
Mikey Bynum

 

Thanks Mikey. No real progress as of late. I did acquire a Winters QC cover from an ebay auction and a friend donated a nice gear shift lever I will use, but my shop time has been occupied in trying to reconstruct The Last Logghe altered drag car (see separate thread).





Between the '46 truck and the Logghe car and this one and a few commision jobs along the way to pay the bills none of my car projects move at record speed. Please be a little patient with me and I will update as warranted.

I will search out Roofus Special and CM325.

Happy New Year all and thanks for the encouraging comments. It helps me focus.

 

I know someone that has one Ford gave him back in the 70's for a 10sec Maverick. It's probably worth more than my house, but it sure would be cool to run on the 300ci I'm going to put in my '40.

 

Nice work on the nose and tail.

What tools are you using? Can you describe your shaping method?

Thanks,
Rich

 

Man, I am sure looking forward to seeing more progress on your Champ Car. Hope you will have time to get back to it.

41 Dave

 

rodster,
On the big pieces like the nose and tail sections I try to start out with large pieces of vintage metal that have some shape to them, lessening the amount of stretching and shrinking I will have to do. In the case of the nose the most contour is in the grille area so I used fender sections from a '46 pickup to get started. Then by beating with a hammer and shot bag, or a tree stump I add crown as required, or stretch by hammer and dolly. I also have a home-built English wheel (30"throat), a home built planishing hammer, and a Diacro punch press with home built shrinker/stretcher dies. I fasten it all together with a rather unique way of using Clecos - think temporary attachment barbs - I developed. I use very little heat. Mostly cold shrinling / stretching.
Purists may condem me for not starting out with new, flat stock. I learned to recycle compound curves to save money and time and have built several hot rod bodies this way.
For smaller pieces like instrument panels I do start with new flat stock.
Some of my favorite tools are a set of mold sweeps for measuring curvature. A DiAcro #2 Bender is also handy as are slip rolls.
Usually in the heat of fabricating something I neglect to take "how-to" photos. It is only after pieces get made that I remember to take a photo of my progress. I'll try to do better.
Hope this helps.

41 Dave, Thanks for your interest. For sure more progress will get done this year - maybe to the point of starting it.

 

Thanks for sharing. very inspirating!

 

Found you over on the SU thread, very neat project!

 

I haven't done much on the champ car lately - I am finishing off a '46 pickup that I will be using as a tow / push vehicle for my racers. The slots in the front end get stainless nerf bars which can be removed in exchange for a large push off board with the letters USAC and the USAC logo painted on it. After I paint the board I am going to take a hunk of logging chain and beat on the middle of the board to distress it as if it was used to push start the car.

P.S. I know USAC wasn't around until the early '50s, but the champ car is to be a long-time "survivor". That is why some of the details may look newer than its open frame rail construction belies. I may retrofit older looking radius rods in place of the existing "updated" hairpin style whishbones.

 

I started in on a few more pieces for the Speedracer. Here is the roll bar main hoop and the steering box hoop. It will be mounted inside the frame rails and wiring from the dash panel will be hidden inside the frame. It will look less cluttered that way. The roll bar gets mounted outside the body and will be removeable.







Also, the tow truck is on the road so I can spend more time on the Speedracer now.