Projects ...And another 29 roadster on deuce rails project

Seems like everyone is building A's on Deuce rails, let's add another one to the pile.

Last year when I traded my 34 project for the 40 coupe I got set of deuce rails in trade, that set off a series of events of selling a 32 roadster, buying a 32 sedan, and finding a 29 roadster body, and pieces to build a roadster of my own.

This will be a traditional inspire build with some concessions, as I want it to have some performance, bullet proof drivetrain. Similar in spirit to Malcom's Roadster.

Motor - The 410 Motown small block in my 40 (so it can get the hemi). It's has Eagle crank and rods, Arias pistons, Clay Smith hydraulic flat tappet cam, Edelbrock aluminum heads, Quick fuel carb. I may do some freshening and a few more updates before transplanting it.
Trans - TKO 5 speed or 6 speed
Rear - Bronco 9" rear, 31 spline axles, 4:11 traction lock

Front suspension - Early Chassis Engineering forged 4" axle, Dropped model A crossmember, 40 split bones, Posies super low spring.

Rear suspension - Considered a truck arm design but decided on a 4 link with panhard incorporating the Posies 1/4 elliptic as the bottom bar. A variation of what Malcolm used, as I've always thought this would be neat to try.

Steering - Mopar or BMW cowl, or Vega....I haven't decided yet.

Grille sure. Maybe Deuce, but also haven't ruled out a track nose using the rears of 49-54 Chevrolet pickup fenders...

Along with a frame I also had a few parts that my brother Steve had purchased for a 29 tub build. This included CE axle, and forged spindles, and a few other bits and pieces. At the Twin cities Roadster swap I found a cowl and windshield and posts, and my initial thoughts were to buy Brookville pieces to assemble the rest.

I found some bodies and pieces somewhat local, So last February I did a 650 mile single day round trip with half of that in a snow storm. I made two stops. The first stop was to pick up a back half of a Roaster body that appeared would have a decent left rear quarter to help save the Roadster body I was picking up at the second stop.

Here's a few pictures of the body. Overall very nice...but the left rear quarter has some bad areas that I will post later.

 

Can I see it when I come down for the next brewery tour?

 

A bodies on `32 frames are hot right now

i think we have the same shear

 

Love these cars,the '29 on Deuce rails is the quintessential traditional hot rod. HRP

 

Looking forward to seeing the progress on this one!

 

I hadn't really decided to start the build until I was tired of tripping over the frame rails and decided set them on the work table. During the Holidays it just kind of happened.
I started with the chassis on the work table. It's nice and square and has a Blanchard ground top. Rather than re-contouring the rails I decided to pinch the front rails, pull in the rear rails until they clear the width at the wheel opening and target the cowl width. Researched the HAMB, referenced the Bishop Tardel Book, and the Wescott drawings for 32 chassis.
This was close to stock deuce dimenesions


Here a pic. of the left side of the body. Cowl, subframe, and doors are excellent. This quarter has some pin-holes and has been zippered together. The welds are all gas weld or tig, so it should be easier to work with.
I wanted to get a few key dimensions. Centerline of the rear wheel opening to the front of the cowl, and centerline of the wheel opening to the front of the wheel opening and measure the widest width of the subrails



Right at about 76" from the Axle C/L to the front of the cowl


I have the frame roughly marked with the axle centerline. Just getting rough dimensions at this point. Depending on the source the rear axle centerline is 28 inches from the rear of the frame rail. I have seen other dimensions and literature showing 27" (perhaps on full fendered cars to get the rear centered in the fender.)


Had the tape on clamped on the 4" plus the 76" gave 80" dimension to the cowl front.


Marking the axle centerlines from the Wescott drawing, a lot of tapping and knudging the rails around I got it really square... Better than I thought it would be.

 

Wow, some nice parts to start what sounds like a great project!

 

Left my notebook down at the shop and the marked up Wescott drawing with the dimensions I used instead of there stock dimensions. I know I used a pinch width that Krylon32 recommended at the front of rails....I'll add this information later.

I cut the front crossmember.





Got the front crossmember tacked, front spreader tack, rear tacked and a x tacked in place to hold things together.
I did this as I thought I better raise the frame off the table so I could gain more access.


The chassis came with laser cut boxing plates. Not sure who or where they came.....they fit pretty decent. I haven't decided if I'm going to recess the plates or not.
I'm not going to box the frame full length. Just the front, rear, and a section in the middle where a crossmember will attach to.

I also decided against building a sophisticated jig to bolt the chassis to the table, just using some strong tacks.



I've always thought it would be cool to build a uni-body chassis, especially for a 26-27 build where space is really at a premium. In the end I decided I will run a K-X member. I had a 5 1/2 X 1 3/4 channel formed for the main cross beam from 10ga, and 4" X 1 3/4 channels. The fronts will intersect the beam at a right angle 12" apart for 12" and then tie into the front rails.

I'm using a little "Visual Cad 2.0" to eyeball how things might lay. From studying a bunch of chassis I think I want to run the main crossmember beam a few inches behind the body mounting hole pictured.

 

Again, Still visualizing a few things.....
I received the rear springs from Posies, and I bought some pieces from Horton Welder Series. Nice pieces.



I decided I to window the crossmember and was playing with a few ideas...A little more "Visual Cad" here to come up with a design
Sharpie for layout die...



Here's my handy tip for the day....I needed a large radius. a 16" rim was too small, so I decided to use a steel rule. But I couldn't hold the arc and mark it at the same time. The clamp worked well.

 

Got all the corner holes cut with a Unibit. and then used a scroll saw to cut the windows out.







After a little a little clean up it looks like this....



So then it was on the 4" channel legs. I decided to poke some 2" holes in these. Three holes in the fronts, four in the rears.


So then I went over to the forming dept. ha ha....
I bought a dimple die off Ebay. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good. I space my holes 3-1/2 inches apart for visual purposes, on the 4 outside channel without double checking the overall diameter of the die. Lucky its 3.5"






That worked out pretty well. I plan to put a few in the boxing plates....only where their really needed to gain fastener access, or to enter and exit fuel and brake lines.




So this is where I am at, still in the mock up stage getting a bunch of the parts prepped for final fitting, cutting, bending, and then sticking it all together. I've got a new Miller Multiprocess machine on the way and I want to TIG some or all of the chassis.

 

Yeah, that was a $100 Craigslist find. It had a huge cast foot pedal that was cracked in several pieces, so I made a new pedal and it works pretty good...I haven't tried 18ga more than 24 inches...seems to be the limit.

 

Absolutely...!

Sold my Deuce Roadster because everyone has one, and it does seem like there are a lot of these going together. 30/31's too and I never used to like them much, but they sure look right today.....

If I get mine sitting like yours I'll be happy...!

 

Tag.

 

that is some real nice work

 

Awesome skills on a cool hot rod.

 

Love it so far!

 

Nice work!

 

Glued to this !

 

Thank you guys..... might not get too much shop time this weekend , but I'll keep the updates coming.


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Awesome build! Can't wait to see more.

 

Didn't get much shop time last weekend but I had a few hours yesterday and today.

I've been thinking about different ways to secure the 1/4 elliptic spring pockets, think I came up with a robust way. I plan on tying into the frame with 2x4 tube, notching the spring brackets into the tube, with 4 bar brackets welded to top. I'll box around the crossmember.


The cross member channel will cap the tubing, and I think I'll run a 2x2 tube across , as I want something in this area for a drive shaft hoop. I'll not that cross tube about 1" to drop it down. The trunk floor will be stepped to clear everything.

Here's a few pics.








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nice work!

 

doing a great job!

 

Thanks guys, hope to get some time in this weekend!

 

Dang, looks like you have a great project in the works. Can't wait to see this one come along. Man I love A's on 32 frames. Bob

 

Hoping I can put as many miles on mine that you've racked up on your little roadster.

 

You have many skills accompanied by many tools! Very nice.


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I've been reading some vintage government issue pamphlets that have really changed my thinking!

 

Awesome. I like where this is headed!
Definitely looking forward to following along.

Sounds like we need to line our roadsters up at the drag strip when you're finished. ... Especially since I didn't make it up to the October event.

 

I took the 40 to Humboldt. I had brought two pairs of borrowed slicks. One set was just a little too big to clear the fender. The other set were 14" and wouldn't clear the rear disc brakes (shhhh). I made 8 passes on street tires and not one of them was good. Frustrating, but you could pretty much hot lap. Hopefully will have time to make changes this summer (gear, tire, bellhousing!)