The body was the start of the build, found in a a barn a few miles from home. Kind of rough, but affordable. Started off by rebuilding the sub frame using surplus steel from electronic communication cabinets and made a new rear x-member out of 2 x 2 x.125 square tubing, shrinking one side to give it a curve. Made replacements for the wood framing over the doors by shaping 1 ½ x 1 ½" tube. This will be the foundation for the steel top framing. Put in some bracing from the rear body seam to the sub-rails and x-braced it, used it as a trunk hinge point as well. Also tied it around to the door posts that have been replaced with 1 x 1 x 125 steel. Trunk lid wasn't in too good shape. Ordered a new skin from a Brookville dealer and rebuilt the inner structure. By replacing all 4 sides and the centre dimple, as shown by the white lines. Just have to figure out the latch then can put it back together. Stopped working on the body at this point, decided I need a chassis and wheels to put it on. For a frame I started with 2 lengths of 2 x 5 x.125 tube. Marked them for pie cutting using a template taken off a 32 frame. Bottom of 1st rail cut, note the tension causing it too bend out. 2nd rail cut and bottom clamped in place. The 2 rails were clamped together with spacers between them at the apex of the pie cuts and welded together at the ends that were clamped together tightly first. This was to help control any distortion caused by welding. The rails were pointing in opposite directions to get maximum torsion rigidity. Welding was done approx. 1" long every 4" then every 2" then closed, alternating side to side and rail to rail. Joint was V'd out to enhance penetration. Same process was used at the rear of the rails to taper them. The step at the end is just surplus to be trimmed. Front frame horns from a scrapped A frame are welded on. The rails then had kerfs cut on the top and bottom rail and either the inside or outside to allow the rails to be bent to match the bends in the original frame, then clamped on top of an original 28 frame. 1" sq. tube was then tacked to the frame to keep it square. Front spreader bar installed to help hold it together and front and centre x-members tacked in place. A piece of .188 sq. tube was cut and re-welded into a "hat" shape as a start on a rear x-member. Kerfs were cut to allow a drop, to fit the 40 front spring and the ends trimmed. Spring notches were cut in the frame rails at the front and boxed. The kerfs in the sides of the rails were welded and reinforced with diamonds over the cuts (tacked in this shot). The 3 holes area a threaded plate rosette welded inside the frame to provide a running board mount. to be continued ------
Brackets were fabricated and tacked in place as pivot points for the rear radius rods. Made up a jig to mount the front spindles in to insure the steering arms are bent the same. Turned out quite nice and passed a Magnaflux inspection before any more work was done on them. Finished spindle Thought I would make a dust shield for the front brakes. Took a couple of 41 Merc backing plates and trimmed them to clear the calliper and mount. Welded a couple of pieces of strap around to hide the rotor and went a little crazy with the drill press. It's a roller, up on 4 wheels finally. Front radius arm mounts have to be redone, about a inch lower. Rear radius rods tacked in place. Still need upper torque arms from the top of the diff to the front of the arms and a panhard bar. Oh yeah, somehow we got a frame kick up installed over the rear axle to mount the rear x-member to and a extension to the frame, a couple of inches in from the rear of the body to give a bit of protection back there in case of getting rear ended. Also gives a better mount for rear nerf bars. Wheeled it outside to check rear fender fit and tire clearance. The frame is strapped down to desired ride height at this point. Was planning on using a SBC 350/TH350 that I had, not crazy about it but affordable, but this donor came and I couldn't pass it up. Body is badly rusted, interior is mint and runs good with only 80000 miles. Pulled the engine and tranny and gave the rest to a friend, Pete at DMK Customs for a custom he wants to build. Pulled the body off the frame to give better access and did a 1st fit of the engine. Who said a Nailhead is a small engine ---- Tacked a tranny mount in. I know that a drop out would have been better, but frame was set up for a SBC length and I didn't feel like changing it for the longer Nailhead/SP400. Frame mounts for the engine tacked in place. Frame sections hammerformed to give more of a factory look. Didn't like how it was going to look with part of the firewall recessed to clear the engine. Would have been recessed about 9", so I just cut it all out. After reversing the firewall, cut out a area to clear the engine and distributor. With a bit of hammer-forming and welding. Fills the hole up. Just not sure where the heater will go now !! This is Canada you know. Thanks to all the members of the HAMB who either directly or indirectly have been a great help on this build. This is my first attempt at building a car, have completed cars started by others and built up a nice 64 Malibu but never from scratch before. I couldn’t have done it with out you. Canuck
Great work, great photos! This is an example of what makes the HAMB what it is. Keep it up. I know there's a long line of HAMBers waiting for the next installment. Thanks for taking the time to photo and post your work.
Your project Keep up the Great Work looks like it is comming together very nicely and I'm sure impressed with the work you are doing. Keep posting your build pics Chico
Looking very nice. I like that you took the time to do the stuff that counts. I think some people, not people on here, would have just skipped the frame horns. I personally dont like the looks of a fenderless car without them. Nailheads ARE huge. I was running a 283 in my dodge sedan, even though I didnt want to use a sbc. Didnt have to recess my firewall or anything. Then I came across a guy on here with a 364, and snatched it up. Really had to recess the firewall then, but it was well worth it! Talk about torque, its my first nailhead, and I love it! trey
Very nice work. Looks like you have been doing your homework on this one. Great pics. What trunk hinges are those off of?
Wow. Really nice work. You should do a seperate post detailing how you shaped those motor mounts. Nice.
Nice work, nice documentation that is useful, cool dust covers for the front discs. A commendable job, well done. I am gonna do a quicko document on my 32 3w that has gone together and is going thru the second phase right now(as soon as I can figure how to do the "photo bucket thing" and get time away from working on the project!!!) Thanks again for sharing your build. Skot
awesome work. i can't wait to see that thing at car shows and cruises. it's just more motivation for me to get going on mine. get the car ready for end of june and drive it to BTT50's len
Very nice work. Wanna move out west here and work for me? Great article and like K-member said this is what its all about......Shiny
Beauty, eh? What great work! Iwould like to know about the ''hidden'' front disc brakes? Drums from what? Very nice fabrication skills!
If I read it right this is your first attempt. Looks like better work than some guys who are pros. Maybe you found a new calling. Anyhow if you need some info or parts on that nailhead drop me a line.
Anyone wanting to know about that old saying about turning a sows ear into a silk purse should read this thread. Frank
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