Projects Drug home this Henry J project.....

Nice, looking forward to seeing you whip her into shape.

 

What a great place to start! I'm jealous too!

 

Man, that's a pretty big car from what you are probably used to. Hope you can reach the pedals. lol
Great find, I know you will make it beautiful.

 

I first cut out the engine saddle crossmember that had the engine mounts built into it....the body shop the guy had the car at modified them for the last owner since he sold the blown Nailhead and had them convert the mount to sbc.......but they did them crooked....I could see it was out by eye......so that had to go.....I then removed the very front frame crossmember.......The frame rails had a 1/4'' difference between the two.....after a few cuts.....I had it back to level.

I bolted the new Abruzzi Turbo 400 trans w/ a trans brake I picked up this weekend onto the engine...and slid in the 5,200 stall converter I was also using in the Truck.....I moved the engine into position bolting the trans into its crossmember.....just to see were the engine position would land......It places #1 sparkplug about 6'' in front of the axles centerline.....which stinks.....I can use the 10% set back rule.....But that was the problem w/ racing The J's back in the day and class......They were a favorite because they are so light....They have a 100'' wheelbase which allows 10'' from the centerline of the axle to back to #1 sparkplug ..that puts the engine real far back into the car...and that is why most did not like them..........engine was in their lap.......

I need to decide if I am going to move the engine back......I don't need to move it the whole 16'' I can per the rule.......not sure of the E.T. gain by moving it at all ?...sure the weight transfer would be much better....Just not sure how much of a difference it all would make.....I think it would handle better on the street moving the weight back some.....but not only are you having to alter the firewall, that affects the brake pedal and master cylinder, and the steering column as well.....I bet it would make more wicked thou.But I was not planning on all this..It looks like I can move it back another 3'' and not hit the dizzy........Littleman



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Isn't that Jon's (superchargednailhead) old car he built here on the east coast? Was always a cool car!

What a great start for a rebirth of the Henry J!

 

That's badass!
What's the story, previous owner just gave up?

 

Love me the Henry J's

 

awesome

 

I know you are cool with building your own headers but maybe grab an off the shelf set and use those to determine your engine set back ????

 

Yes, this was Jon's car...three owners ago now......he is the one that saved it and brought it home after he found it in California....was found as an older dragcar.....He owned and drove it for a long time before letting it go..........Dave

 

Jon saved an old dragcar and rebuilt it......had it many years.....sold to a guy in Ohio, which I think was scared of it......sold it to another Ohio guy, he tagged the guardrail @ the Gasser Thompson meet earlier this year, he had the car at a bodyshop and got frustrated w/ the guy.He pulled the car and decided he wanted out........I am fixing and plan on running it hard......Dave

 

I squared up the front rails and tacted in the front crossmember tonight.......need to plate the area I cut on the rear of the front rails by the firewall........I really just want to build a new chassis...but am trying to refrain...and fix it....sucks...I just would rather do the whole thing....trying to treat it as if a customer brought in and said fix it..if I had a shop...I even used my mig welder tonight.....I bet its been a few yrs. since I fired that thing up...Dave



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Pic taken by Bob after the Henry met the guardrail....



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Do you ever finish a project ?? (He asked knowingly)

I'm waiting for Death's Doorstep to turn a tire in anger and you build the truck. You run that thing until you start to bend it... then you freak us all out with Bad Donkey/Half Evil and now the J ... Geez man... you're killing us here...

Do I even mention the Divco ?

 

Can one ever have enough projects ?

 

So.......I need medication.................agreed..........Dave

 

Pretty sick I like it!!

 

I didn't say it was wrong ...

The problem here isn't too many projects... it's too many kick-ass, uber gnarly projects that we all drool over...

Like I said... not wrong

 

Well said Brother!


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Did I say I'm jealous? Yeah, I'm still jealous of what a cool Henry J that is, and will be!

 

I think the car that it's GOING to be is the really scary part..

Scott


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First I needed to square up the front frame rails and get them level...Had to make some cuts to do it....I also removed the engine crossmember and front frame small square tube crossmember and replaced it w/ a tube.



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This is the original graph job....I was not sure exactly how it was all done, but due to some of my cuts...I decided to re-plate this area....to ensure it could withstand a wheelie landing or two.....




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Next I started to cut and shape the new plates, the outer frame rail plates are 1/4'' thick, bent and shaped them to the frame rear contour ect. for a tight fit.......tacked them into place.


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Then I made the pattern for the top plate and cut it out on the bandsaw and shaped it and tacked it into place on both sides..



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Starting to weld everything in now......Kinda rushing this ....I really should be working on the mid-engine car...Littleman



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Looks good. Quick question, when welding the plates on is there any advantage to doing plug welds in the center in addition to the perimeter welds?

 

I think it is stronger........I still need to tig the inside perimeter of my larger holes....and have made a special drill mill for smaller ones...so I can add more solid plugs if I want...Dave

 

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

looks tough and very smart!! weldin the holes increases weld surface area, will definatly increase stiffness,

 

Thats gonna be one sick ride Littleman! I'm glad someone who will fix it got it. Cant wait to see the final outcome!

 

Nice work.

 

Looking good! Looks fast already!

 

damn I like that . would love to drag something like that home.