Projects My Build Journal by KiwiGlen

I've decided to start this build journal as a place to gather ideas, inspiration, input, advice and direction before and during the build up of my project.

A while back, I purchased some old 1936 Chev bits. It was mainly the wheels that I liked, thinking that they would be perfect on an early lakes roadster style of thing. Here is all the stuff sort of mocked up in position with a 1938 Hillman grill...





I've also thought of a roadster pickup or closed cab pickup as possibilities.

I'm not sure I'll be using the '36 Chev running gear after all as apparently the '36 Chev engine is not the best and the gearbox is a bit naff too. And I believe the rear end gearing also sucks... not that I know anything about gearing. However, I do like the idea of an old six, so we'll see. Perhaps I'll use what I have for mocking it all up then try to get a '37 or '38 drive train to replace it. Or maybe old Holden running gear... 186 and three on the tree. Early Holden is the correct stud pattern too I believe?

I am fairly certain I'll use the '36 front axle and am tossing up between original style semi elliptic springs and quarter elliptic springs. Currently leaning towards the original style semi elliptic in the front and quarters in the back... kind of a three springer... only not... unless I go transverse in the rear... then it would be a three springer... which I kind of really like.

Now might be a good time to let you know that I am severely lacking in available finances, so progress might... will... be painfully slow. I just hope I don't loose interest completely and that this thread doesn't become one of those ones that just stops all of a sudden...

 

...never to be updated again.

Here is my main inspiration at the moment in no particular order...








Glen.

 

That's some good inspiration for sure.

 

I contacted AC Fibreglass in Auckland for a price on their “Ford Model T (1927) Roadster” body. Not too bad at NZ$ 1,050.00 for “Body (fixed doors, no firewall)”. Might have to save for one of these. Do any kiwi members have any experience with AC Fibreglass products? Is the quality ok?

I think what I would actually prefer though is an old 1925 Chev roadster body. I might end up constructing something myself to emulate that shape. I have no sheet metal working skills though, so it could go quite pear shaped... which would be fine if I wanted, say, a pear shaped nose cone, but I don't... so pear shaped is not the goal. Anyone in NZ know of a 1925 Chev roadster lying about getting in the way? Cowl section maybe?

Anyway, this little bastard (that's it's name, it's painted on the hood) is also quite inspiring, but confirms to me that I will definitely be having a belly pan...








Glen.

 

I'll be following with interest Glen. Looks like you're off to a good start with inspiration and ideas.

 

I'd like to see quarter elliptics holding up the front Glen. The spring mount pads on that front axle look like the ideal place to put a mounting shackle.

 

While I'm thinking....
Do you have a Vintage Car Club branch anywhere near Kerikeri Glen?
I'm on friendly terms with the old fellas who run the Canterbury Vintage Car Club Parts shed, and they have a massive treasure trove of vintage goodies at some very reasonable prices. Good place to find a 20's to 30's era cowl or body panels, as well as headlight shells and whatever. They're open on every Wednesday if you're ever in the Chch area.
No guesses where all the bits on my C Cab came from!

 

Go Glen, go!
That's a cool start.
Finding a good cowl would get the body started.
I brought a 39 Terraplane hood for the boat tail rear section of my 28 Hudson Speedster from a guy in Tauranga at Christmas, I'm still waiting on. Another good way to get a good shape for a body. I've got a near mint cowl.
I also have a 28 Cadillac cowl thats cool, but I'm not allowed to part with, unless its to guy I brought it from....
Point there is kinda that cowls are about to be had, just gotter find em
Martin, I'd love to get my foot in the door of the VCC shed, heard about it from a mate, and I'm after 28 Hudson stuff.
I have some stuff I'd like to donate to the shed to. I'll get over one day.

 

Well I'll play, no chance of this thread dieing Glen.......its too cool. I found a 20s Chev roadster/ tourer cowl in a paddock back in the late 70s, sorry I left it there as it only had one door , I got the 29 Essex bits for my C-cab type truck.
Keep posting inspiration shots, there are some very cool rides so far. JW

 

Nice plans. What's the mill out of? Holden or Chevy?

Detachable bell says Holden. But I'm not an expert.

5x108 wheels pattern? 5x4.25 is the same as Volvo.

Like the dry lake look too. The first motivation pics is also from down under, or kiwi land.
Non the less it's Jimmy B's build.
Nice car!

 

Jimmy B is Australian.

 

Chev 206 cid, its too tall for a Holden. JW

 

I knew he was upside down, just forgot where.

Keep at it, lad.

 

Another C Cab ? 29 Essex? Gonna do a thread on it RPU?

 

I sold it 5 years ago, kept the motor and box I had in it and that's in my T now. I put a pic of it on your Mack thread. JW

 

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement guys.

Yeah, quarter ellips are cool and they were at the top of my list until I read through the plethora of threads on here about them and the "differences of opinion" over whether or not they do or do not need shackles and panhard bars and blah blah blah... leading to me being confused. Which in itself is not hard to do.

About the VCC, don't think so, but then again I haven't asked. I should probably get out more. I really don't know when I'll be in ChCh again. Let me know if you spot anything exciting though.

Yep, agreed... finding a cowl would be great... especially a cheap cowl.

Now this is the kind of cheap I was talking about above. Found in a paddock cheap. Yes I will indeed post more inspiration pictures... patience.

Yes, as mentioned, it's a 206 Chev. Actually, I thought it was a 207, but I stand corrected. And as for Jimmy B's roadster... that is some serious inspiration. I have to admit, my eyes have passed across his threads more than once.

And on that note, some more inspiration...



Glen.

 

Since these are all 26-27 T's I think you have chosen the body for your build. I think Magoos down here does a 27 glass body also, I will check. JW

 

That first grouping of six inspiration photos has three '26/'27 T's and the others are '25 Chev. The first one is Jimmy B's Spurgin inspired piece of coolness, while the other two are the real deal from back in the day. The other photos are T's though, so it is looking suspiciously like I am leaning that way.

As far as Magoo's '27 is concerned, I do have an old catalogue from quite a few years ago and the price is listed at $4000, which is way too expensive for me at the moment, even if the price hasn't gone up. Even the AC Fibreglass one at $1050 is out of reach... especially when you consider GST and shipping will bump it up to about $1500 I suspect.

It's looking more and more like I'll be bending some metal framework and skinning it with some steel sheetmetal from old car bonnets, boot lids and doors.

But I'm in no big hurry, so we'll see what eventuates.

Glen.

 

No big hurry !! can we wait ?????? I guess so. JW

 

Ok, I have been thinking about the fibreglass body scenario, and realise that it would need to be “steeled out”, which I understand is the term used to describe the process of adding a tubular steel strengthening framework to the inside of the body.

I have some questions for those that have done this before...

1. How close a fit to the interior of the body should the steel be ?
2. What size tubing would be best (dimensions, wall thickness) ?
3. Square or round tubing ?
4. Does it need to be completely 'glassed in ? (I have seen differing recommendations on the web such as on the Westcott site where they say “The self-supporting steel cage attaches to the fiberglass shell only in a few critical places. This allows the fiberglass panels to expand and contract with temperature changes, without "mirror-through" warping.” http://www.wescottsauto.com/Body/body-steel/p-steel-1.htm)
5. Is “wooding” a body still ok ? (I would like to hear from other Kiwis especially for this as our laws might mean it has to be steel)

So now I'm thinking, since steel framework will most likely need to be made anyway, why not just go ahead and use panel steel to form the body shape over the framework. But then I remembered the pear shapes that would most likely result... and I don't like pears. So my next question is... can I do it ? (this question is to myself and is being repeated over and over in my head, so don't feel obligated to answer)

Another topic that other Kiwis might be able to enlighten me on is about my old original copy of the Code Of Construction Manual from 1992. Is it ok to build using that as a guide so I don't have to buy the new Hobby Car Technical Manual just yet?

Here's a bit more inspiration while pondering the above...




Glen.

 

Check out @woodbox build, a modified to the end, or something like that. It's great.

Maybe you should being a case of good beers and go and se him carrying a Mobil
Phone/camera and a notebook. Maybe it would be the friendship of a life time!

I don't know if he is on the north or South Island, or somewhere else. But it's a long town name, and he talks about the land of the long white cloud. So he is a ozzy or a kiwi. And he build a damn fine modified!

 

Oh believe me Brynk, I've definately seen woodbox's modified build thread... fantastic.

His name is Wade and he is in Whangarei, about one and a bit hours drive from me in Kerikeri. He is the NZHRA zone 1 director... which of course means absolutely nothing to you. But yeah, his modified is so cool you need thermal underwear just looking at it.

Glen.

 

Yeah it's a damn fine build. But nothing beats seeing it in person, touching and asking!

And yes its Wade, I forgot that.

I don't get the NZHRA officer thing. I don't get the thermal underwear, but I might need clean underwear if I was too se it in person!

 

Woodbox (Wade) is in the Whangarei area in the North Island, I met him along with his oh so cool modified last year. Glen, that puts him fairly close to you. I cant answer any of your questions as I don't have any experience on that matter, but I would do both if it was me doing it. Magoo's 27 Bodies are still $4000 but his are the best glass bodies made in NZ. JW

 

The new Certification manual is quite a bit more comprehensive than the old one Glen. Still, a lot of is "guidelines" rather than hard and fast rules. I'd get hold of a certifier and have a chat as early in the piece as possible and bounce your ideas/questions off him.
My body uses both steel and wood as reinforcement. Steel contracts and expands at a different rate to 'glass, where wood is more or less the same expansion rate. I do believe however, if your machine has doors, some sort of side impact beam is required. (My rod isn't certed btw, but it is still built within cert guidelines and has all the safety gear done right.)
About quarter elliptics: I've read all the old threads too. Keep it simple is the key. Works like a 4-bar, with the spring replacing one of the bars. I'll show you some photos of mine in place shortly. You don't need panhard bars or anything.

 

This is some way to do the springs




It's do able if you wants it!

 

The day I met Wade and that Cool Modified of his. Im on the left if anyone cares JW

 

Brynk, I like the front ends but that rear set up has issues as when the axle move up the spring straightens out and lengthens, that will change the pinion angle quit a bit at the rear universal joint. JW

 

I like this one. JW

 

And here's the rest of it. It use to be orange and white, I like it better now, super cool modified. JW