History Making what you have work!

I long for the days of hot rodding/racing when people built cars and components using what they had at hand, something I do when every possible.

This has really fallen out of favor since the Trend Chasers have invaded and watered down the period correct hot rod movement.

I would like to see some examples both vintage and modern of people using what they had to build their racecars and hot rods.

Ford axle rear bumper


Torque tube roll bar, note a great idea.


Tow bar made from a lower A frame


Vintage tow hubs, for flat towing stock cars


6 Cylinder Chevy rocker cover hood scoops


I am using a by-pass oil filter as a coolant overflow tank, my dad's idea-


More of my own drag link turned shock mount.

 

Well if it wasn’t for Laywer’s we’d still be there.

 

This is no doubt counter to the theme of this thread but due to my more contemporary way of hot rodding I was never big on that whole "tin scavaging" deal, I've never been one of those guys that always proclaimed "I'm not going to pay for something new".
As far as raw materials, I was spoiled, I didn't realize it though until after retiring as a machinist of 30 years, I rarely needed to go to a steel yard/metal supply, I had one at work for the most part.
Over the years, I machined a lot of small parts for my (and friends') various projects by just asking the saw guy to "cut me a piece of scrap metal" (wink wink), I had pretty good access to machinery on top of it.
We could buy metal at scrap price, by the pound, many times if it was small enough to fit in a lunch pail it was free.
After retiring I really had to get creative with materials and the lack of machinery, had to use a friends lathe or milling machine occasionally, I'm pretty sure I coined it WLA.
That's short for "Whatever's Laying Around".

 

Spreader bar from stainless exhaust tubing.

nerfs from hospital bed rails.

 

Like yours, used an old 50's Optikleen washer bottle, that had layin around in the shop for years, for a puke tank.

 

My signature line.

 

There’s no telling how many parts over the years I’ve reallocated to another use. Not only auto parts, but parts from appliances and other machinery. Pulleys, brackets, sheet metal, used a little of all of it. Made pieces with grinders and hand drills. Made air cleaners out of stainless kitchen pans. A buddy of mine is always amazed when I can look at a piece of scrap and build a working part out of it. Not always successful, but are more times than not.

 

When I was about 10 years old, I was visiting my friend Tim. He was building a wooden go-kart. Cool... I'll help. Where are the nails? No nails. At least, not good ones LOL. Before we could start any assembly, we had to straighten a pile of rusty and bent old nails that he had there. Took me a few seconds to wrap my mind around what Tim was asking me to help him do. I mean, if I ever wanted to build something, I usually had access to new nails, at least. We straightened the pile of rusty bent nails. But it was curious enough to me, that I remember my little young mind giving it thought for some time afterward.
It was just a good little lesson.

 

I told my Dad I was bored one day around age eight. He said it was about time that I should use his personal hammer. Brought out about ten bent and rusty nails and showed me how to straighten them. Praised me at how well I’d done. I asked for more and he brought out large soup tin full of them and it kept me busy for most of the afternoon. I still straighten nails occasionally (nails seem to be made out of aluminum these days! LOL).

 

Im always looking at what's available in the garage first, a transmission tunnel out of a pontiac oil pan, that little piece in the middle is the only thing not used



Shifter cover out of a $20 dollar quick change wall hanger



Most recently a lower radiator hose out of a stainless in-ground pool ladder



Then made a dye out of a nut and a couple of washers for the bead roller to roll a lip on the ends.

 

I know I'm not unique in this and it's probably common to most of us but I save all the nuts, bolts, screws, washers, springs, fittings, hose clamps, plugs, clips, etc., etc., from any and all broke down devices before they get thrown out. I sort them into various like-kind categories. As a kid, I was exposed to my dad's coffee cans that took me 2 hands to pick up. The "cans" are plastic jugs these days but tossing in the "previously used" hardware became second nature to me, too.
Now it's a very rare day that I have to buy a 10-pack of washers at the hardware store. When I paw through my stash, it seems like I can always find enough to do the task without having mismatched pieces. I can't count the number of times something in my 'odd widget' stash was a perfect solution for a peculiar situation.
It seems like the big "repurpose" items people notice right away and they will give you smiles and comments. But the hundred little fixes that blend in seamlessly people don't notice....... but they still always make you smile privately just to yourself.

 

Very cool ideas especially the bead roller die. I think tomorrow I’ll go and straighten a bunch of nails...sigh.

 

"Necessity is the mother of invention!" I've been a scrounger and a cheapskate all my life. I'm always on the look out for a way to keep from having to pay retail. Repurposing stuff out of a dead refrigerator or an old garage door opener is "normal" to me. That being said, it takes a certain level of stubbornness or stupidity to spend countless hours making something that is readily available cheap over the counter. Not that I have been guilty of either. (ahem).

 

Mentioned about these vintage tow hubs being made and used years ago when the recovery guy came to recover my 4x4 and used a modern set too tow it away. Think the overflow can is a neat idea.

 

" Swade41 " like the shift cover.

 

Spreader bar made from a old chrome bar bell bar. Moon tank mounting brackets made from scrap steel with aluminum fins on top cut from a old finned oil pan. My radiator catch can is a old stainless military canteen.

 

Scrap metal is like gold now.

To some degree, farms usually have a supply of scrap metal. No different here. I need to build a simple cheap test stand, but I can see that most of what I have here is too light. Too small, not enough wall thickness.

But then I remembered... a million toothpicks can hold up a house. If I double or triple the runs of what I have, I think I can use it. Like a space frame. It'll be a race test stand.

 

You can't see the back of my roadster in my avatar. My rear bumper / nerf bar is made from 2 legs from an old Formica topped kitchen table. The loops are the bottoms, and the brackets that attached the legs to the table are where my rear license plate goes.

 

When I was young I remember straightening old nails so I could take some wood scraps and build stuff. Dad kept a can of them in the old shed and it was my go-to.

Bed frames, bed frames are my "buy it" at garage sales etc. I have probably close to 20 sets setting in my corner. They are high carbon so they can be a pain to try and bend or work but I used them to build my mini-mill bench, my shrinker/stretcher stand, shelf brackets etc. I usually pick them up for about 5 bucks a set so they make cheap angle iron alternatives.

Probably build my battery tray out of a bed frame for my 31 tudor.

If I find anything of metal that I can re-purpose I buy it. Used old drive shafts for large round tube. Back board off of a basket ball goal for the square tube etc. I like metal.

I wanted to see about a stainless round rod for a grille for my 31' and the customized grille opening but the price of stainless, my lack of welding stainless, and the hassle of laying it out I started to look for a solution.....

I found a replacement 304 stainless BBQ grill that would work perfect for making a grille for my radiator shell. So from BBQ grill to 31' tudor grille !

.

 

Cheap-ass geniuses, you guys are.

One of Sandy's nicknames for me was "Genius Penius".

Kinda proud of that.
Hahahaha...

 

When I was building my tube frame sports car there was no room for a trunk, glove compartment or any dry storage. When I entered the USMC in 1965 one of the first things they gave me was an ammunition box to store rifle cleaning (solvent, oil, patches, etc.) and for whatever reason I kept it over the years. I cut off the bail handle cleaned it up and painted it and mounted it to the frame next to the fuel cell. So I now have a waterproof compartment to store registration, insurance papers, sunglasses or whatever I want to keep dry or out of sight for security.

 

Two chain link fence finials and a piece of
2.25" exhaust pipe:

 

I cut up an old derelict Fordor, and re-used most of what I removed to create the Fordor Convertible Sedan. I just relocated the sections to fit my needs. for instance = the Rear Pkg. Shelf was the sheetmetal above the rear window, it is now inverted and woodgrained,with a Motorcycle clutch handle to open the trunklid. Etc. Etc. Build pics = Projects - One of a kind 1933 Ford | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

 

I get a lot of my metal from garage or estate sales. A lot I get for free. Last year at an estate sale they were cleaning the place out the guy had been a machinist, had a big pile of scrap, take what you want. Whole bunch of round stock cut offs, aluminum plate etc.

 

Broken model A front fender braces into headlight stands

 

I am in the same boat, and have a homemade pipe boat trailer sitting on my dad's property. I,m thinking I can shorten it, and use the cross member I cut out for the mounts.

 

If you think you can, you can.

 

Reading through this thread so far, I have to say, us hot rodders are a extremely crafty bunch. What most people would just discard we are making something great from what is thought of as trash or useless. Here is to us, as I take a drink from my beer. Pat yourselves on the back brothers. This is great stuff , keep it coming.

 

Great ingenuity here....mine are piddlin compared to the above cool ass projects. When I replaced my dash and rewired, I wanted to mount my ignition, lights and turn signals under-dash. I found a 50's Chrysler radio delete plate for a face plate but needed something to stiffen it up and hide the wiring. I've been restoring a cabin and had to tear out some obsolete wiring - with two exterior lighting junction boxes. Had them in the junk pile but happened to take a tape measure the one in the best shape.....and perfect dimensions for what I was needing. Removed the cover and cut out one of the longer sides. Flipped it upside down and drilled out holes for my switches with the delete plate clamped to it. Painted it up, bolted it on, hooked up the switches and attached a USB phone charger to the driver's side rear (where you can't see it). Nice and sturdy and wiring hidden.....from the front and sides.