Hot Rods Model A body on ‘32 chassis WITH FENDERS- Help!

And new chrome has to be polished regularly to keep it from rusting, so be proud to own it with the scars to show it's history! You can always replace these items if they bother you too much and decide you would prefer it not showing it's patina!

 

@RiffRaffRoadster...
Inspiration interlude













I am posting these to just apprieciate minimalism...

When I saw this my jaw dropped...a fair bit...this May even be a new build
Not sure...

The Body was it seemed pretty cherry which yours will be...

The engine had the balance of Shiny stuff...1-4 Barrel, note the headers...
Love the way the Nerf/Bumper support mounts into the frame...

Chassis was mostly paint but far less perfect than the body...but very complimentary and fitting...

It was Not eat off the frame perfect...
It was Just Perfect & Driven...

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Nice to see so many full-fendered hot rods. Where do you find these pics?


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I just image search and if its historical I investigate...amazing pic it is...

 

I do find most pics just randomly and generally find where it leads which Many times is here...and post a link as many times there is a story and I like giving a path for traffic to its source...its a form of thank you to the source...

The above pic was in a thread here on Period correct Hotrods from the 40's...

 

Riff one of the interesting things about differences between a 60's Hotrod from the late 40s for example might be just Hubcaps a couple of gauges and the Engine and Tranny and slotted chrome rims...

What I'm saying is I pegged that pic of the A's at 60-65 and I'm curious now what is the year on those plates.

 

That car coming the other way on the highway looks to be late ‘50s/early ‘60s


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Good Eye Sir...

I do feel that could fall into a range 59-65...add your Steel Slots 64-67...I'd like to know the true year those slots were offered...just to know...I hate BSing......I don't know heck it might be earlier...I was thinking about Tonka Toys at the time...

 

There quite a few threads on the history and variations of slot mags if you want to do some digging

I will add this to me earlier statement.

Yes, eventually if it Biggs you swap wheels or have them replated. But for now just get the car safe, together, and on the road.

It’s hard for some one who’s done it a dozen times to build a car to “perfect” before even driving it with out losing steam and it going on the way back burner.

It’s also way more traditional to change, polish and improve while driving it. Most of the time these were the persons only car.

There are plenty of examples here in The H.A.M.B. @Malcolm A roadster hit the road in bare metal and has since seen different kinds of tires, a different motor, at least one dash change, a windshield change, at least two different sets of headlights and as many grill shells.

@jho A coupe hit the road feeling pretty early and has morphed into a fucking monster of a hotrod all while staying on the road.

While not as cool my 46 hit the road with original black paint being baked off the roof and bed sheets over the original seats. Now just about everything g has been tweaked st least once or twice.

I think your on the the right path, just don’t let all the “finer details” get in your way.

- yes I’m also currently building a car that I’d like to just be done before it hits the road. It seems a little hypocritical to my advice but things are a little different with that car. 1: I have another old car to be cruising in 2: I’m purposely trying to take forever to get it done, soon as it’s done I’ll start another and I don’t know where I would park another so I’m drawing this one out lol 3: I’m under no illusions that I won’t change it all a year after driving it.

 

Man there are a lot of hot rodders in your area most of the street rodders are the one with the gold chains and enclosed trailers the real car guys will help you to preserve that car it takes dedication not golf or deer hunting lots of hours of doing something then backing up looking at and redoing it ! A car like that was built in a one car garage with a stick welder and a torch. Thing have improved since that car was built we now have mig rigs and tigs and plasma cutters some of us even have Mazak lasers to do our work 4 1/2'' grinders did not exist so they did the best they could . My old 32 was built in San Antonio in a Fina gas station from what I know so far and crashed street racing in New Braunfield in the early 70s it was a total mess it had oil field tank plate floor boards and the worse screwed up 32 frame I have ever seen channeled and chopped poorly but they tried so when I got it I removed the ugly first then the rest didn't look so bad there were plenty of nay Sayers that said it could not be saved but old car have a souls and this one needed to be saved .You are now the keeper of something very special enjoy it your dad was a cool guy he gave you part of him in this car he would want you to drive it and smile every time you crank it up . Please come to the Round Up and met some of us we are a little possessed with this old car thing I have about 10 but that may be obsession I don't care it makes me happy !! best of luck to you if you

 

Thanks Terry. I won’t make it to this year’s Roundup-I’ll be traveling, but I would like to see pics of your car(s)


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Riff, here is a picture of my 40 Pontiac. It has been driven with a 55 Pontiac v8 and a 4 speed that I put in and was driving it 8 months after I picked it up. The stock rear end had pretty low gears and a lot of slop in the pinion. I figured it was not long for this word ever time I rowed that 4 speed. The first update was a 9" rear end and s 10 pickup leaf springs it made the car a lot smoother. Then the next winter we changed the front suspension and put in a 1963 421 Pontiac super duty engine. So The point is get it safe and running then update as you go! I have all the trim for my Pontiac and it will be red to match the firewall, and You can not see the hood strip real well in this picture but it is somewhat pitted. I cleaned it as best as I could and cleared it. It will stay that way after the shinny paint. I am fine with that! Enjoy your car, Gary

 

Man, you guys did get after it, didn't you? Crap, you got the motor & even the rear axle torn down.

Re the intake, multiple carbs blows away single 4 barrel in the looks dept, though probably not any better performing. But it's a hot rod, and multiple carbs look the part. Dual 4's are cool, and would be period correct, but good luck finding a period correct dual 4 set up that won't break the bank. The carbs would be Carter WCFB small base 4's, and the Corvette guys have pushed the price on those through the roof, several grand at least. You could also go with dual Rochester 4G carbs, but they are harder to locate. Either way there will be some tuning issues. Sticking a modern dual 4 intake with a pair of Eldelbrock carbs will NOT be period correct, not even close. A 283 doesn't need the flow of dual 4's anyway, just not enough cubic inches. I went with dual Rochester 2G's and adapted them to a 2 x 4 intake, gives me a more unique intake system that draws a lot of looks, because dual 2's are just not a common arrangement. Dual 2's flow plenty of air/fuel for a little ol' 283, it runs very nice. But probably not strictly period correct. Looks better than dual Edelbrocks, IMO. The easiest multi-carb setup would be triple dueces, than you can be just like everybody else. Shop around and you can find a triple deuce setup for less than dual WCFB's. I'd check in with @dickster27 if I were you; he runs Dicks Hot Rod Carbs, he can offer excellent advice and set you up with a complete system, excellent workmanship too. He's somewhere in TX too, but it's a big state, I don't recall where he is.

Here is a shot from his website of the same system I have, this is not mine, but it's close:

Check out his webpage: http://dickshotrodcarbs.com/home.html

Re the rear suspension. Part of the problem you have with handling is the split wishbones. That style of suspension is totally period correct, but it does not offer individual real wheel movement without suspension binding. There's lot's of info on this here on the HAMB, you can do a search and find lot's of threads and discussion. Also, the wishbones are prone to failure because they are being loaded with forces they were never designed to cope with. Some guys add some bracing to prevent failure at the worst possible moment, which could be catastrophic. Some guys add a torque arm to take the stress under acceleration. At the least you should consider relocating the leading pivot points inboard of the frame rails as far as possible. The original design allowed total free movement of the suspension, so you want to try to get the split wishbones as close together where they mount to the chassis as you can, that will get you back some free movement. Together with a torque arm you'll be good to go. Or plan on bracing those split wishbones. They already have who knows how many miles on them, all inducing stresses, there may already be cracks forming in the grain structure of the steel. This is a safety item.

 

Nice looking ride Gary!


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Very good advice Blues4u. I'll just add that if your going to stay with the Heim's on the rear rods add a pair of Jamb Nuts to them. Threads alone aren't designed to take constant thrust. Sooner or latter the threads are going to fail.

 

Riff, all of my suspension is painted and It started out rougher than yours. Nothing done except a lot of labor. The only thing I had plated was the windshield frame and there are some pits and welds but it looks pretty good from 10 feet or so. I think your going in the perfect direction with your build. Keep it up.

 

I don’t know Jim-I don’t see any lumpy welds in your rig. That looks perfect.


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Thanks Blues. I definitely want it to be safe, so when the parts and frame have been cleaned up and primed we’ll put everything together and I’ll post some chassis-only pics so y’all can comment on the set up.
When you say reposition the pivot points of the wishbones as far inboard as possible, is that both front and rear bones? Also, since we cant change where they connect to the axles, does that mean we may have to lengthen them on the other end to change frame pivot points? Will we need new, longer ones? Sorry-I’m still figuring out how all of this works.


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The Rear Wishbones/Ladder Bars are mounted inward at forward end. The front Split wishbones mount just under the frame at or near the lower cowl area.










https://www.hotrod.com/articles/install-ladder-bars-ford-9-inch/​

 

Blues-look at this photo of the split wishbones with the body off. Can you comment on the leading pivot point location?




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This is a nice valve cover/carb/intake/air cleaner set up...



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Maybe a single 4 barrel is sufficient...


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Advice on refinishing cast iron rams horns exhaust manifolds? Ceramic coat? Paint?


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I think I understand what you mean now when you say mount them inboard. You mean connect them to something closer to the centerline of chassis instead of frame rails?


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Of course...I have 6 x 2 and am running on 2 = 4 and I'm happy... That 34 Cabriolet has 4 only...thats plenty of gas to lose your license...

 

What is the deal with this rearend?
Shackle angle looks a little off and does not appear to be running rear shocks...

 

I am posting this for one reason...to show you that what your Hotrod had done to it was typical in the Bones department...By the way this is a Very Famous Hotrod

This car Raced a Lot...

Note the Rear suspension was changed at some point probably due to recognizing that it could be bettered...
He went to 1/4 elliptical which is different than what your going to do but what I am highlighting is what you are modifying was not uncommon back in the day and I think the consensus is angling the bones or bars in towards the center on the rear much like the original setup is preferred nowadays.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/the-american-hot-rod/

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Hi Fifty...You know I only saw this Hotrod once and I oggled over it for quite some time...Now I know he was running lever shocks up front...at the back I really didn't overly study it...So I can't elaborate any more than what you can see...

I just looked at my additional pics and you are probably correct its missing the shocks...again it was potentially waiting on rebuilds...the shackle angle...lots of Hotrodding and possibly older mods and sometimes it lands where she may...

I believe I saw it for sale on the net and the fella that had it at the show is a Dealer in Fitzroy Harbour Ontario...and has a pretty good handle on vintage Hotrods...

 

I was just looking at your chassis photo as well as the parts pile from the tear down. How was your pre 58 283 vented? I notice the intake don't have a fill tube and looks like early valve covers and no road draft tube. Is it just camera shots not showing things?

 

PNB-that’s not the original intake-here’s a photo of the original intake and Carter AFB from the ‘57 Chevy...





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