Projects Building My First Roadster in San Francisco

I recall as a kid in the late 60s or early 70s riding through SF with my parents and seeing a big billboard sign advertising her.

 

Lost to us now. Owner is likely on his way to prison, and the pandemic did it the rest of the way in.

 

Great card, great plates, and a great Christmas!
I think you all have soled me on YOM pates for my '26. I'm trying to sort out the meaning of the prefix letters on old Nevada plates. For a while they represented the county of residence but I don't know when they started that. I have some but they would need to be restored and I would rather have a set of good survivors.

 

Easy to get those plates yom at a dmv at like Dixon or west sac etc. Or guarantee when you hit the walk in DMV right before they close at 430 they rush to close and you skate the grief of getting your plates for your roadster or talk to grumpy
That boat front was in Oakland jack London square called the Bow and Bell
Owned by Jackie Jensen a MLB pitcher I was dating his daughter whom had the same name.

 

The last time I was in Jack London Square I hardly recognized the place. I was much seedier when I was going to college in Oakland in the '60s. I think there was a ship front place in SF too but I was pretty young when I was there.
I was the last one in line at the bank today and they just handed over the $6,500 in cash. Easiest withdrawal I ever made.
Here's the place I was thinking of. Looks like it closed in '81. I was thinking Powell because we walked from the cable car.
https://www.artandarchitecture-sf.com/bernsteins-fish-grotto.html

 

Even better than just the backing plates, I found a set of original Ford brake shoes!

The appear to have been relined, and will likely need to be relined again, but they can be used as cores.

It is all in the vinegar bath now, having a good swim.

 

This is such a great thread....Really enjoying it....

 

In the '50s I believe, Detroit was considered the richest city in the world.
Wish it could return to it's former glory!
Joey, thanks for the interesting tour!

 

I love the "industrial" art from the depression era. Tough art for tough people. There isn't enough pink pigment on the planet to paint us today. Great pictures. Thanks!

Great video! I wish Chevy roadsters came in pieces that big! First I have to learn to build a wooden boat and then nail a Chevy roadster to it. It was originally built in Oakland but I doubt if any of those guys still around to show me how to do it.

 

Joey, great vid!
You are livin' the life!
Keep on! Keep on!

 

You're killing me! I gotta get moving... Your progress motivates me and reminds me I can do it. Keep it up!

 

Joey,
Great video !
I have been following your build on the H.A.M.B and think it is great ! I will subscribe to YouTube so I can watch all of your videos. This reminds me of my 29 A Roadster that My son and I built out of pieces over a period of years (would you believe ‘68 to ‘99 ! ? )
I was young, married and didn’t have much extra money for quite awhile but it did get done as a full fendered roadster with a 289 V 8. It isn’t fancy but it is always fun !
Keep up the good work !
Wheelie Dave


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

Wowsers, my dude !!!

Great stuff. Even dig the "Morrissey" vibes. Or whoever that knockoff may be.

 

Wheeliedave, "'68to '99" thanks for posting that. I may make it yet.

 

Too cool!

 

This is a great story and the video helps bring it home. My uncle’s Model A when I was a kid was the first classic car I was exposed to and I still love them!


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I've been getting a whining from my engine and now I gotta check the tension to see if that's it! I recently just replaced the light switch on my little Falcon and it's amazing how much brighter the bulbs are! Can't wait to see where this build goes!

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Yep they get under your skin , as a kid , I taught myself to drive around the yard, in my Dad's A Tudor, which was actually his "work truck".
Watched him drive for a few weeks, and took the first opportunity when he was "out" in the other car... I was eight and yes I got caught. Didn't stop me , I was behind the wheel at every opportunity. Dad's friend Ivan had a 29 RPU, which I was totally enamored by, and 5 years later I owned a 1928 example ....it is still here 50 something years later. Many other Model As ( and other early Fords) have come and some have gone but the RPU will never leave. I only wish I knew where the Tudor went. I came home from school one day and it was gone, replaced with a new Bedford truck.

 

It's always good to go after the bizaro number/letter plates for that fact if you can. I couldn't find any clean '28 plates years ago since most numbers I was finding was being used by state vehicles and on the other side I had a set of '47 car plates for about 5 years and they were still clear so I could use them.

 

Carb linkages!
I just make my own, I have a 40 +year collection of linkage parts from all sorts of cars and carbs to pick from , but mostly I just cut up bits of 1/4 x 1/2 or 3/4 aluminum or brass bar and 5/16 stainless or brass rod . A lot of filing, drilling and little bit of lathe work and a heap of satisfaction when it's done. Only thing that isn't in the mix is impatience...it takes time .
There are lots of places which make new linkages , they look too perfect for me.


http://dickshotrodcarbs.com/home.html
https://www.stromberg-97.com/product-index/parts/?cat=linkage-parts or
get them from Uncle Max
http://97-express.com/
I think Redline the Weber importers in the USA still have some quite old time looking linkage parts , but you know I still think they all look too mass produced and somehow the easy way out.
If I didn't want to make them I think I would look at swap meets for old Moon, Eelco or other old used parts.

Dan Marvin at Exeter Auto supply sells all the old Offenhauser parts , dunno if they still make the linkages..or maybe Tim McMaster at Hanford Auto Supply , they are both right here on HAMB...

Here's another place which makes and sells great parts for cars like ours. I don't think they have linkages though!
https://restorationstuff.com/shop.

Nah forget all that,
Just look at what's out there and make some , it's not that hard!

 

Not sure where you'd mount our linkage with that manifold, it might be helpful to start with this part that would give you a mounting location. You can find it here-

https://www.stromberg-97.com/product-index/parts/?cat=linkage-parts



Then you'd have to fab a linkage arm which should be pretty easy. I'm running a scalded dog intake and they had an instruction sheet for a linkage arm. The measurements will be all wrong for your set up but it might be a helpful starting place-

https://storage.snappages.site/0v47f38nxg/assets/files/linkage drw.pdf

For throttle rods I just cut and welded stock throttle rods to length and used a couple of these for the linkage arm-



It was a little hard to adjust so I switched to these, which are more adjustable for fine tuning and can also be found on the secrets of speed website-

https://www.secretsofspeed.com/



Here's my current set up