Lakster or Dirt Track ???

Going back to the original intent of this thread... I took some detail interior shots yesterday... the one that amazes me was spliting and caping the vertical tube like a bananna to seal out moisture (something I'm sure every west coast builder back in the day was concerned with)... the way the inner door skins were split and welded to the door jams and subrail for extra reinforcement... and they worked the tubing through the door frames (there is no visual break in the tube from the firewall mount through and around the body to the opposite firewall mount...

 

I'm really surprised at the fact that nobody can seem to nail down a time frame for when this baby was built.

My gut feel tells me that it was fabbed pre-WW2, which seems to fit the body mods that would have been doe for out on the dry lakes. (I'm no expert, but the welding loooks too professional for a typical dirt track car)

 

Me too.

Even too pro for a lakes car.

 

I dug these shots out to respond to another thread and thought I might as well post them here to since it is part of the build... Halibrand 102M is a no-change or sometime reffered to as a non-quick change magnesium center section... they are not a direct factory replacement... they were a purpose built racing part that FED (front engine rails) and sprint car guys used... the flang area is a half inch thicker to withstand torque in what must have been a weak area when using serious HP... Chassis Research sold FED frames utilizing this rear until 63/64 and many were in competitive use in the mid-60's

 

Then they stopped making the mag or alum pieces, so the prices for used ones went thru the roof.

I talked to the Halibrand folks @ SEMA a couple of years ago & they were considering making them again, but apparently not anytime soon.

 

Well I guess I shouldn't complain about $5 for the banjo center section... a good deal for them because it was an obsolete part and I was too dumb to know I would have to shorten my torque tube a 1/5" to use it as a factory replacement... It almost didn't make it on the roadster when an aluminum one went for $2,500 on eBay... but after a reality check - I realized the only way I would ever own one was to keep it... anyways, Don Orosco is reproducing them to Ford spec's (no beefy flange) for $1,500 and I still can't afford one for my 33

 

Is that a V8 or Champ sized rear? Winters still makes a non-quick change Champ-sized center...some guys run them in NASCAR modifieds and late models to move the fuel cell forward.

 

Just a standard Ford size banjo that is reinforced and half meatier yoke area (1/5 was a typo)

 

I have had multiple responses about the body welds referancing quality to the type of competitive racing... and careyohio had a good point in that a true craftsman takes his work to highest level of his capability and it doesn't matter what application it would be used for... I took close-ups of the welds since they my provide yet another clue... to apply that much heat without reguard to the sheet metal warpage meant they weren't concern about appearance which in my mind definately rules out street applications

the first picture show weld along the double tubes along the back... the lower one goes throug the body to the firewall mount and the upper lays in the flange area where the turtle deck would attach

 

Making progress on the steering

 

very nice work

 

Not the best pixs... but I'm glad to see a motor back in even when though its only temporary... finishing the drag link and firewall next

 

I will be running the same color combination on the 27 as the 33 which is Washington Blue... I'll have to tone the paint though since the weldsand hammer marks won't be smoothed out... so what you see now is as good as the body will get and hopefully it will look decent at 10 feet

 

Thom, That is one really neat center section for a rear axle. I would buy a couple of those for $5 each ! That was a great deal you got.

41 Dave

 

More pixs

 

More Pixs

 

Thom, The car is looking great ! Looking forward to more progress updates.

41 Dave

 

I'm only a month away from Detroit Autorama

 

Looks like some form of dirt track rod to me. Which one?

 

more pixs

 

l would like to share a portion of one response:

Prior to WW II the '27 T roadster bodies were not especially popular except
when used as a Modified ( without the turtleneck ). Starting in 1946 the '27
T roadster bodies became the popular body to run at the Lakes because of
the reduced frontal area. In the late 1940s most of the Roadster class
records were set using '27 T bodies with full turtledecks. Their advantage
was so much that the classes were changed to move them out of the
traditional Roadster classes and into Modified Roadster classes ( also
called Lakester classes for a short time ). Your body appears to have been
channeled over a T or custom built narrow frame. In general the competitors
at the Lakes were trying to reduce the frontal area of their roadsters, so
channeling would often be done on a Lakes Modified Roadster. Most of the
Lakes T roadsters used the full turtledeck except for the guys who had built
a Modified which was used for street driving. The possible Lakes use is one
possible area that you may investigate.

The Prewar hot rods mostly used Ford 4 cylinder and Ford V-8 engines, plus a
few Chevy 4 cylinder engines. Chevy 6 were very rarely popular and GMC 6
engines almost never seen.

As for street use in the 1940s, the '27 T roadster body was not as popular
as the '28 to '34 roadster bodies because the cockpit area was small, giving
minimal leg room and seat area. Because of the limited space I do not recall
many channeled '27 T street roadsters back then.

 

This car may have done by someone who worked in the aircraft industry. In the 20's thru 40's, gas welding was employed extensively. These guys could torch weld like nobodys business. Your welds look mighty fine. The car is a very interesting build.

 

Oh what a differance a hood will make... looks sorta uninteresting without louvers or exhaust... it will look better in metal but that will be after Detroit Autorama... if it only reminds someone of Barney Navarro's Streamliner then I'll be happy

 

I couldn't help but remember my last Photoshop effort when I started this project in June of 07... kinda gives you an idea to work from but the final result always changes when you do it for real

 

Floor is louvered and fit in place... supports drilled and threaded... holes drilled after photo was taken... small butten head allens will hold everthing in place

 

Thom. Car is looking great. The fab work is looking simple but very clean. I would like to see this one whenyou get it done.

41 Dave

 

Lose a Duece and hang a Whippet

 

Do you think that is enough clearance to keep from smacking the radiator?

 

That Whippet grill looks good!

 

I do have two leaves that could be put back in... so when everything is mounted permanently I'll just have to jack it up from the side and and bounce test it... I look at the Rolling bones stuff and wonder the same thing... is two inches enough?

Anyways... when I started this project the car was rolling on Chyrsler Imperial wires... they are 6.5 inches wide which was great for the rear Firestone Indy/dirt track tires... but, to wide for the fronts... I didn't get the 4.5 fronts done in time for Chopper's last year so I put the Lincolns on... everyone seems to think they look more period correct... opinions please