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Projects **Malcolm Model A Roadster Build**

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Malcolm, Mar 5, 2011.

  1. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Darren, it was great to meet you and the ND crew at the GNRS....
    and thanks for the feedback guys, I appreciate it!




    I've been working on body bracing and structure.
    In this photo you can see the 3/4" square tubing I shaped (with pie cuts and welding) to match the upper rail of the quarters. I drilled the upper rail every couple inches and spot welded it to the tubing. Also did a continuous weld where the tubing meets the sheet metal. You can see the vertical and X-bracing I've installed to keep the body rigid and square. Still some work to do, but this is a good progress shot....

    [​IMG]


    At this point, I also worked on fitting the bench seat. Started with a Chrysler minivan 3rd row seat and narrowed it 5-1/2".

    [​IMG]
     
  2. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,252

    brady1929
    Member

  3. lowtruck
    Joined: Aug 26, 2009
    Posts: 259

    lowtruck
    Member
    from Omaha

    Looks good man. I plan to make a steel support structure like that for mine. I'll hit you up for some advice when I get to that point.

    Keep up the good work.
     
  4. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    Wow!! looking good malcolm!!
     
  5. couverkid
    Joined: Mar 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,132

    couverkid
    Member

    After looking back at pictures I like your subrail idea. I may have to steal that one for myself. Car looks great keep it up.
     
  6. hechtspeed
    Joined: Nov 24, 2009
    Posts: 101

    hechtspeed
    Member

    Dang Nick! I'm hooked bad by your build. I just went through your first thread and then this one again. Saved As some of the pics. Makes me wanna build one so bad! That's what I said after seeing your Galaxie too. LOL
    Keep it up! Can't wait to watch the rest of the Malcolm Roadster come together.
     
  7. hechtspeed
    Joined: Nov 24, 2009
    Posts: 101

    hechtspeed
    Member

    So..., just walking from one building to another here at work (enter comment "Workin' hard or hardly workin' HERE) and was thinking about your roadster Nick. I was wondering what kind of shifter you're going to use. I noticed in your pics the smaller shifter on the T5. Was wondering if you're gonna buy/or have made a custom longer, more old school shifter? Not a crazy skull topped "rat rod" shifter, but something classy and cool lookin'.
     
  8. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Lookin' really good, Nick!
     
  9. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Thanks, everyone!
    Progress is slowing a little right now with working getting busy again and life, in general, keeping me busy.


    Chris, thanks alot for the comments, input, and questions...
    After I bought the 302/T5 that's sitting in the chassis, I noticed that is actually a Hurst shifter. The engine/trans are out of an '85 Mustang and that's why it still has the short shift-handle.
    It will end up being replaced with a taller handle, whether it be one I find at a swap meet, or something I make.
     
  10. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Got a little more done during the past few days.

    Before welding in subrail crossmembers and seat mounts, I needed to check for driveshaft clearance. I cut the driveshaft that came with the engine/trans for mock-up.

    Sure enough, it was very close to the frame crossmember.

    [​IMG]


    So I decided to build a driveshaft loop out of 1-1/4" metal strap. I wanted it to have a nice radius and be pleasing to the eye. Looked around the garage for a bit and this flathead starter looked like the perfect radius to bend the strap around.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    Took the final product, cut it down to the correct height and weld it in.
    (poor quality photo from my cell phone)

    [​IMG]



    You can also see in a couple of the photos above where I relocated the "feet" that hold the lower part of the quarters (at the door opening) to the subrails. I moved them down about 1" from the stock location to set on top of the new subrails.
     
  11. stlcrzn
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 82

    stlcrzn
    Member

    Looks good Nick, hope to see it in person sometime.
     
  12. Nice Ride man, looking awesome!
     
  13. 1/2done
    Joined: Oct 29, 2006
    Posts: 628

    1/2done
    Member
    from Ohio

    Great job so far, Nick!
     
  14. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Thanks alot, guys...
    I know my work isn't as nice as many of the builders on here, but hey, it's just a home-built Hot Rod out of my single-car garage.


    A quick update from the past weekend. Need to get more photos tonight and post them, too.

    I made seat and fuel tank mounts and welded them in, as well as some subrail crossmembers to tie it all together.

    After narrowing the seat, the bolt locations weren't the same, side-to-side, so I relocated them.

    [​IMG]


    Bolted the new seat mounts to the seat frame, before setting it in place to weld them in permanently.

    [​IMG]



    The rest of the photos are from yesterday. Decided to mock the hood, grille shell, and headlights up again to see where I was at.....

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  15. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    As you can see, the grille shell will need to move down slightly.
     
  16. chopt top kid
    Joined: Oct 13, 2009
    Posts: 959

    chopt top kid
    Member

    Nice job!!! Keep up the good work!!! It's hard to beat a Model A on deuce rails...
     
  17. Jeem
    Joined: Sep 12, 2002
    Posts: 5,882

    Jeem
    Alliance Vendor

    Sits really, really good!
     
  18. ToddJ
    Joined: Jul 11, 2008
    Posts: 1,408

    ToddJ
    Member
    from Marion, IA

    Looking great, Nick!
     
  19. sodbuster
    Joined: Oct 15, 2001
    Posts: 5,040

    sodbuster
    Member
    from Kansas

    Looks good! It has a "Nimrod/Jeff" (sorta') look to it.

    Chris
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Hot Rod Bob
    Joined: Mar 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,146

    Hot Rod Bob
    Member
    from T-ville Ky

    Very cool Malcolm!!! How long till your rollin?
     
  21. Looks really good Nick. I can't believe I had missed this build until now will definitley be following along.
     
  22. Lookin' good Nick,I am sure you can't wait to get the roadster on the road.
     
  23. logride
    Joined: Nov 29, 2009
    Posts: 285

    logride
    Member
    from CB IA

    Love the look nick, it couldn't sit any better! It'll look good in des moines in july
     
  24. captainjunk#2
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,420

    captainjunk#2
    Member

    dont know why but i really dig the side shot of your car it looks great nice work , way cool
     
  25. Looks great with the hood on. Nice stance, and im glad your going with the A grill.
    Homebuilt hot rods are the best.
     
  26. That's one killa looking Jalopy you got there Malcolm.
     
  27. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Chris, you got it! Nimrod's old Roadster is a HUGE inspiration for me building this car. I collected a bunch of photos of it and studied them at length. When he had it for sale I crunched numbers to see if there was any way I could buy it, and it just wasn't going to happen.....
    BUT I've still pieced one together and someday I hope for this car to be as nice and cool as his was/is.



    I really want to drive it to the Des Moines Goodguys event at the beginning of July. It certainly won't be finished, but safely driveable. We'll see if I make it!
     
  28. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Took a few photos tonight with my real camera.
    Just showing some of the seat mounts, fuel tank mount, bracing, etc.


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  29. Malcolm, super cool build!
     
  30. Royalshifter
    Joined: May 29, 2005
    Posts: 15,586

    Royalshifter
    Moderator
    from California

    car looks great Nick.
     

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