From the same issue of New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine, January 1974. Seems like there was a plague of em in the early 70s, so where'd they all go?
And if you don't remember The Cleveland Express, you weren't really paying attention. This was my favourite as a teenager.
Jeremy, pretty sure Bills old one is blue now, and featured in the NZHRM, in the 2000s sometime. I do have the mag its in, but don't feel like digging through em right now. Its in very nice condition, or was when featured.
I remember it Jeff and that Hot Rod mag was my favourite issue of them all (except July 84, my 37 Willys was in that one) and I never liked the Model T C-Cab on the cover next to Bills. I was captivated by Mr Wards one, still am I have to say. Thanks for posting it JW
That's cool, I can dig through mine. The one I was going to build back in 76 was going to have a body the same as bills but with Prefect power (E93A !!) with a MkII diff etc as I had that stuff already. JW
Too right... and I even tried to take a model of it too out of sheet styrene. Cool to see that quarter elliptic in place, looking forward to seeing more. Glen.
Bill Ward's T: The reason it was so cool is that it was so damn simple, almost like a kid's drawing of a hot rod. Anyone remember Sandy Rees's (?) Main Trunk Brewery C cab? Pretty sure it's still around.
I don't remember some names but I do the cars, thats another cool one. I wonder how many others were on sold and maybe T Bucket bodies fitted over the years. this is all very interesting, it also shows how many years have passed JW
I think my initial question about being the first to build a Mack AC style C Cab has been well and truly answered; First that life size replica of the Beer Wagon model, and now this: http://www.inliners.org/rides/TJ Wheelman/tj_wheelman.htm It certainly looks better than the '76 Chev truck it was based on!
B/C centres. Ahhh, nostalgia! I wonder if they'd get past the Certification Police in this day & age? Used to turn up at swap meets occasionally, but haven't seen any for a few years now.
Just found this and had to post it: YEEEHAAA!! Sorry about the lack of progress pics on my rod, I'll download some soon. The rear suspension is in place and works, and after several false starts (procrastinating sellers, Trade Me auctions that went OTT on the $, engines that "ran when I pulled it out of the car") etc, I finally have the engine I wanted: 1275cc auto, courtesy of the good old blokes at the VCC parts shed. Why an auto? Saves all the fiddly shaft and linkages necessary to get a manual shift working in rear engine configuration. It can be done, and has been done, but why bother when you can hook up a cable to an auto shift? Pics coming soon
Hey Martin, have you seen this on Trade Me... http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/vintage-parts/other/auction-869497208.htm Bidding is at $156 and it ends tomorrow morning. I thought it would fit in here on your thread since you are a C-Cab fan. Glen.
Cool! Would make a great project start! Thanks Glen, let's hope some rodder or restorer with vision acquires it.
Been so busy working I haven't downloaded photos for a while, but I have been snapping while working! So, having acquired an engine, I needed to get it out of the back of my people mover/parts hauler, so I knocked up this engine lift using some castors, scrap metal and car jacks, and amazingly, it actually worked! So why are there two jacks attached to the base? Once the engine is lowered, it sits on those jacks, allowing me to slide it into place and position it at the correct height while I fabricate engine mounts etc. ...First, though, I needed to get this out of the way: "This" is the subframe that attaches to the original Triumph frame just behind the seat. It does dual duty as the rear body mount and more importantly, where the seatbelts attach (all done to NZ cert. spec using Code Of Construction manual as a guide). This will require some mods to clear the engine and new crossmember. I also needed to start cutting out the original rear frame elements, to a greater degree than originally envisaged. This engine being an auto, it needs more space.....back shortly!
Right, kids tucked in bed, where was I? Plan B. Easier to draw than explain: The crossmember in yellow on the above sketch is already done, so it's a matter of making the outriggers to fit what I've already made and slicing out the old frame horns (which weren't doing much anyhow). The sole purpose of these new members is to support the engine mounts, and therefore has to support a rather heavy little motor, hence I used 90mm square, 4mm wall thickness, and it's well tied in to the new crossmember and original frame elements, ensuring everything adds up to more strength and rigidity, which is especially important since I made a decision to mount the engine solid.......
Pics of engine mounts in progress: Yes, I know my welding's not as pretty as the masterworks I see on the welding thread and there's some spatter, but it should all hold together (opinions and constructive criticisms are welcome!). Why did I decide to go with solid mounts? Firstly, this is not a daily driver, it's built for fun. Secondly, it's a hot rod, not a street rod. Thirdly, why do the ladies like Harleys? Vibrations......!!
Good work Martin. I love that engine lift... might have to make me one of those And your welding is masterful compared to mine Glen.
Thanks Blue One, you are a welding instructor so your opinion is valued. My welding is pretty inconsistent as I don't do it all the time and it's a casual hobby for me, not a profession. However, I'm sure nobody deliberately sets out to build an unsafe vehicle, and any advice is appreciated.
Exhaust system done. I'm looking forward to lots of "is it a VW?" comments from the general public...not. PS note to Blue One, I redid the weld on the engine mount!
Martin Harris, its just under nine months till the NZHRA National show here in Christchurch. So theres a deadline for you to work towards. I reckon my bucket (pikky on the left here) that got slightly damaged a couple of years back in a " tee bucket v dragstrip wall" episode might make the show as a C Cab (still with blown BBC and zoomies) if I pull finger. The "Tombstone C Cab" in Chch came from the North Island in an unfinished state and was finished by Carl Seaward from Rodbenders and certified. He sold it to another Rodbender member, Matt Lott who drives the wheels off it. It was a new steel body when Carl got it so I dont think it had ever been on a registered car back in the day. And Bill Wards C Cab (probably the best proportioned C Cab in NZ) is now owned by Doug Bell. At one stage it got a new stronger chassis and a blown BBC, and I have no idea what it will look like when it turns up again next.
Thanks GasserTodd, look forward to seeing your bucket revamped, especially if you "cab" it. My goal is to have mine running for the New Brighton Rockabilly Beach Hop this December, and possibly show it at Muscle Car Madness, which is the only event it attended in front engine guise. Been absent from the HAMB for a while, but I'll get my camera out soon for some progress updates. PS pretty amazing that Bill Ward's rod is still around after all these years. Guess it says a lot for the durability of plywood and fibreglass!
Here we go. It's been a while, but I haven't been idle. Much time has been spent on the boring-but-necessary stuff. Clutch pedal deleted from the pedal box. Brake lines re-routed and rough-plumbed, and the surprisingly mind boggling job of getting the handbrake cables to go around the engine without fouling. We're only talking a few mil. here and there, but a lot of work with chopped up sections of bike rims to create guides. I'll put up some pics of that soon. While we're on the handbrake/parkbrake subject, I decided I wanted an vintage upright lever this time around. Got one from the gents at the Vintage Car Club parts shed for ten bucks, and had to make a mounting bracket to bolt it firmly to a crossmember thru the floor. The other major headscratcher was the gear selector (shifter). I could have taken the easy route and got an Austin unit, but how boring is that? I found an interesting looking park brake unit with a kind of "pistol grip" look, and reconfigured it to mount vertically. I also had to calculate the "throw" so it synchronised with the gearchanges at the 'box. A quarter inch steel rod connects the shifter to the 'box, threaded with a clevis at the front and a heim joint at the back, with enough thread to allow adjustment. The fenders both front and rear are in the process of being modified (or should I say "re-modified"!) to remove 6 inches from the from the length of the fronts (to make a grand total of 14 inches less than stock), and fill in the weird vents I cut into them previously. Not sure what I was thinking back then..... The rear guards have also had some of the oddball styling of the previous incarnation remedied so they "flow" better and now have a reversed curve at the leading edge. The lever-arm shocks are now mounted, on "floating" brackets. I've obtained linkages also ($3 from the VCC guys again). To round things off for now, I've binned the wooden windscreen frame I made, as it didn't fit the overall look of the car, even though a genuine Mack AC has a chunky wooden item, I'm going more for something like a Gary Campesi or Ed Newton style, using the compact proportions of a traditional hot rod mixed with the "rocket ship" styling of the long, wide road-barges of the early 60's. The new steel window frame is made from the rear 'screen guard of a Mazda pickup truck cut 'n' shut, with a wooden section along the bottom edge. The shape echoes the new rear panel styling to keep a theme going, while still retaining the feel of a vintage truck to some degree. Enjoy the pics. (By the way, my garage was recipient of a trophy a few years back: "Messiest Garage in Club")
Onwards and upwards, one little thing today, then something bigger tomorrow. I've been busy myself, only thing holding me back is cash flow. Just brought a Landrover V8 discovery. One of those alloy V8s would go well in your Cab.
The Jalopy Journal
