Projects Giant speedster project

Remember that apprentice I needed?

Hey, I found an apprentice. Well, a worker. Okay, a kid to help me out. Trevor, a friend of Alex. I put him on the lathe making fender bolts. Did pretty good too. He finished all 37. I also found some activator at the Slacks, the local independent parts store. I also remembered Don, the Morgan guy, has a paint booth I can use when I'm ready to do some serious painting this winter. Things are looking up. Maybe I will finish this project by spring--at least enough to drive to a car show.

Jerry

 

Oh yeah, Alex got back from the Okeefenokee today. I noticed he brought back a considerable amount of it under his fingernails. He said they had to canoe through a several miles of lily pads. Cool! Said the mosquitoes were so big they felt like parakeets landing on your arm. Mmmm! Said a snake almost dropped into their canoe. Also cool! Said a gator tried to tip over his canoe. Double Cool! Here's a photo of the platform they slept on.

Jerry

 

Good to see you have a lackey - or is it a minion? (Or a flunkey? I get them confused...) Anyway, get him some eye protection while on the power tools.

 

The correct term is "swamper", a term I heard during my childhood in the West Texas oil fields being applied to the most inexperienced members of the roust-a-bout crews as in "swamper", one who works in the swamp (or any undesirable conditions and place as West Texas has no swamps). For Alex, unfortunately, it applies literally and figuratively.

 

gogogoogoogo

 

Hmm, using the lathe with no safety glasses. When I was a first year apprentice I would have had to sweep the work shop floor for a first offence!
Brendan

 

Glad to see you guys are safety minded. Actually the work was over and Trevor was just standing there for the photo. Next time he'll have goggles, earplugs, respirator and a hazmat suit. Hey, I primed the fenders today but I left the camera at the shop. I forgot who said I needed some fender aprons but as I look at the fenders I'm thinking he's right. I'm going to mock some up and see what they would look like.

Jerry

 

Hey, check out the the speedster on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CONV...9930710?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item416ce6ab56

 

Its very neat looking, but it looks like its a little stubby, the wheel base seams to short.

 

Aprons?

I first put the fenders out in the sun thinking it was kind of cool out but in about a minute they reached 90 degrees so I moved them to the shade. The painting went smoothly. Now check out the apron mock up and tell me what you think. The design is by no means decided. It should be pretty quick to build the aprons as they are just flat with a bead around them.

Jerry

 

Yes, aprons! Looking good

 

2nd on the aprons! Love those rivets on the hood.

 

Jerry,
Are you thinking steel, fabric, or leather aprons?

 

I'm only qualified to work with steel. Did I say qualified? I meant they won't let me have scissors or knives so I have to use steel. Hey, nice rod you're building ezdusit.

Jerry

 

I like the aprons, but start working on the side with the pipes. That way you get the tough one done first, and make any compromises there...then do the easy side to match. If you do the easy side first, you might have to go back and re-do it if you have to change something to make it work on the LH side.

 

What he said ^^^^^^

 

aprons are for grannys and french maids asking either to dust your stuff will endup with way different results.....oh the car ... only if brass

 

Hood sides

I'm trying to get all the sheet metal done and this means finishing up the hood sides. Alex, back from the swamp and eager to earn money, bead blasted all my fender supports. I, meanwhile, fashioned the framework for the right hood side. This is a complicated affair that has to give the side stiffness and also lock onto the an angle screwed to the wood below the hood lest it flog and waggle in the breeze. The rivet holes have to align with the rivet holes along the hinge as well. I got everything done except the actual drilling and riveting of the sheet metal.

Jerry

 

is there no peekie hole on the hood side to show the intakus namus ? center post dost interuptus said view flog or wagalle not ye

 

Whatever he said.

Ya need to at least have a screened window on that hood side panel.

 

Peekie Hole

Sounds a little nasty. I like it! Well, I've laid a out a few peekie holes--on the hood, that is--and it's not that easy. The Seagrave Special on the intake is very low, too low to be seen with a peekie hole unless you eliminate the bottom of the hood side, which is near impossible. And if you put the hole in about the same place as the exhaust holes are on the other side there isn't really anything to see much. I'll play with it. I've spent the last few days welding supports, drilling rivet holes and locating hood hold downs and handles. When everything is right--probably tomorrow--I'll take it all apart, prime everything and reassemble with rivets.

Jerry

 

Just out of curiosity, how long is that hood?

 

How about replicating the Seagrave Special on the side of the hood, exactly where it is on the inside? See the graphic? Let me open the hood and see the real thing!

 

I suggested something like this earlier and still agree. That is a great logo and deserves more exposure.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

If the peekie holes get put in the hood side a small sign inside like
'"what are you lookin in here for ?"
or a mirror so they see eye balls staring right back

 

I know it is oversized but thought it might help if someone was looking to duplicate it.

 

I'm thinking! Old school lettering? BTW I keep forgetting to measure the hood. I think it's about 56 inches.

Jerry

 

Measured the hood. It's 65 inches. I started riveting. Pics tomorrow.

Jerry

 

I've been quietly following this one, but I have to chime in here. I agree with this suggestion as well. amazing build by the way.

 

Riveting

I calculated about 300 rivets in the hood of which I hammered about 100 in the last two days. But they're all DONE! So I guess I've got no more excuses not to do bodywork. I'm still thinking about the hood logo. Keep those suggestions coming.

Jerry