Hey Jason, as per our conversation Saturday, this pic popped up. I was speculating with Jay as to the origin of you lower panel possibly being 'A' instead of 'T'. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App Sucka!!!
Mike, I never thought of that but in looking at that pic, you can really see how much taller that panel is versus the one on mine. I'll bet you're right in that mine must be from an A. It sure looks factory though!!!
So after fighting my Whippet radiator more late into Friday night and calling Jay to rant an rave, I once again, put the 29 radiator on so I could make it to Jay's place in the morning. I got up at about 4:00am and swapped the radiators out, I discovered 4, small holes in the bottom tank. This thing just came back from the shop (again) and I guess he forgot to fill them after moving the outlet. I wasn't happy but at least I discovered the source of the massive leaks!! Someday I will get that grille shell and radiator on! Anyway, I wired up the lights of my "new" trailer in the dark and loaded the roadster on it for the first time. Thankfully, she just fit!! Cruised out to Jay's place and snapped the first pic of the roadster sporting her new 17inch bent spokes and Excelsior rear tires! I even threw on some old caps and I'm real happy with how she looks!! The trailer was CL find that I traded a wore out utility trailer for on Thursday (just in time to go to Abilene!). She's a home built job but it's stout as shit and pulls like a dream! The roadster looks right at home! The drive from Jay's place to the festival was cold as hell like last year but we made it. Here's Jay's '57 Wagon and the Dust Bowl. When I rolled up to Jay's that morning, he threw on the 29 grille shell from his speedster and after looking at the Dust Bowl all day with the black shell, I think I decided that I will paint the Whippet shell and headlight buckets black. I kind of dig it but I'm going to have to get Kevin Lee to lay down some stripes on the shell like he did for Jay on the 29!! Jay, Cactus Mike and Brad all holding the roadster together! My favorite Chevy truck! Cactus1 really put this dude together well. Lot's of really cool details and excellent workmanship. Later in the afternoon, we all cruised back to Jay's place and BBQ-ed and shot the shit. Blacktopbuddah (Bill) brought over some King Salmon that he stole from somewhere and we ate like kings! Nate and Zack hung out as well and Zack taught his little girl to say "Rat Rod" while looking at my roadster! Thanks, Zack!!! Bringing her up right!! Thanks again to Jay for a great time in Abilene!! My next "traditional " project!! Event the tractors back in the day were Deco sexy!!!
Awesome! What a fun day. Thanks for nice words about my POS, haha! Go back a page in case you missed the pics of the DBS that Jay and I posted. She looks great sitting still and going down the road!
HA! Cool pic, Man! Good thing you were off to the side or your would have got a face full of anti-freeze and oil and I know you don't have wipers!!
Looks like you guys had fun! Really wanted to see the steam train but with all the cool stuff going on that weekend I sat at work all day Posted using My Dick Tracy watch and the full custom HAMB app
Tim...Missed you that weekend, Man! Now that you're down in the area, you need to put it on your calendar for next year!
So since I'm going to eventually get this Whippet radiator and shell on the car, I've been thinking about the headlights that I have on it. They are big, bullet shaped lights that I love but really are a bit large for the car. When I get the smaller radiator on it, they would seem even worse. So...I scored these old Guide 903's the other day for cheap. They were already sealed beam converted. I pounded out some dents and cleaned them up a bit. I had to repair one of the mounting bolts and picked the best two of the three. Wired them up and got them on last night. After running NoSurf's black, Model A grille shell the last few weeks, I've decided that I'm going to paint the Whippet shell black when I get it back on. These were even the right color and had the right amount of rust on them! I think they fit well and look a lot better than the big bullet lights did. They will look even better once I get the smaller radiator on it....
Bugsy, the roadster looks great. The new headlamp choice is spot on. I don't know...maybe I spent too much time at General Gow's place, but I keep picturing aprons on the Dust Bowl Spl.
Uncle Harry.... I agree. I like the way they look and loved them on the Silver City. I may have to round up another set and give them a whirl.
Hadn't checked on your build on in quite a while, and when I went through the progress I noticed that I copied you on something! BCCHOPIT posted a photo of the split manifolds on the Fordbarn site, and once I saw them, I knew I had to have my own for my RPU build.... Hope you don't mind Looks like your roadsters coming along great!
Very cool, Bro!!! You'll love them! Bill does some awesome work for sure and I'll do another set on my next banger project too!!
Woops! Think I phrased that wrong- I ended up making my own manifolds off of BCCHOPIT's photo... Judging from his photos though he definately makes some awsome creations (those intakes are like works of art!). An old racer told me how to weld cast iron using a MIG wire feed when I was working on a V8 intake, so I applied the same knowledge to those manifolds. I'm no expert for certain, but they seem rugged, and I did a "drop test" and nothing broke, so I think they'll hold up!
Thanks Bud... I Tig welded the ones I did. I popped them in the grill got them good and hot and let them cool. Some weld better then others. Some are made with shit casting. I would like to talk with that old timer about using a Mig nice job...
Thanks! The main point I got from him was to start the puddle on the steel, and then let it pool down to the cast, I guess it's a little more indirect weld, but it does hold. I only do about a 1/2" at a time, and let that area cool some, and then start on the opposite side and keep going back and forth. I haven't had the cast crack on me using this method, and I've done it to these manifolds and made a mock 3x2 flathead intake using steel pipe and welding it to the stock cast iron intake. Actually- now that I think about it, that homemade downdraft intake on my banger is the same method (or at least I assume stock A intakes are cast iron??), it definately looks like MIG welds to me..
Headlight change looks good. Fits the scale and character of your car well. Your doing a great job, drive its balls off.
The Jalopy Journal
