Going with a new frame??? What's the plan for the one you have? Jealous of the F1 box score. I've been looking for one.
Yup got a beauty ! It's been plated on the inside of the Channel (not boxed) It has a 4 bar rear link set up w/pan hard bar, plated and smoothed 4" more drop front axle, shock towers and the rear end is the kicker. Dana 44 out of an old Ty-Rods dragster from the early 50's He kept the F1 column but I got an F-100 column/box/pitman arm set up instead.
The reason I went with the new frame was partially because the more I looked the worse it was. Also I called the previous owner the other day and got the persons number he bought the car from. I spoke with him to get some history on the car and he said it was a started project from the 60's that was never finished. He bought the body separate from the chassis in the late 80's which came with the motor and trans in it. That also was a project that was started and never finished he said. He didn't know who built the chassis and front suspension either. So after realizing there was no history of the car as a driver I thought I might as well start of with a good frame and get the ball rolling. I didn't touch my frame besides pulling the front axle and spring last Sunday. I found the new frame Tuesday and put the axle and spring back on and rolled it back out of the garage. I think for now I'm going to put it to the side and possibly save it for a future project. However that may change when I'm looking for money to continue this car.
This is where it starts. They plated the frame from the inside of the channel and smoothed the frame. They did a beautiful job. I started sanding the filler last night. This process is going to take at least a few days. I'm going to have to drill as I mock up my build but what a way to start. In my opinion. It's the clean slate I had originally hoped for.
I know where you got that! Hellofa nice guy. I figured it out once you said what parts you got. I got the rear end I posted about from him a few weeks back. So, you're going to run that Dana instead of the banjo that's already there?
Since you are sanding filler, you are not gonna flatten the crossmember, or do the gentle sweap of the frame. Just the width of the frame on top. Was it a complete rolling frame, fully mocked up or just a frame and misc parts? Are you gonna run the 21 stud in your new frame?
Looks like you've now got a good frame and a good body. Onward! Nice to see another Mass. build. ...Not that mine can really be called a "build". More like "stagnant pile of parts." Pete
@Pete1930 , don't feel bad, I've got more of a pile than a car too right now. I think that might be cuz up this way A. we tend to grab parts whenever we find them and B. it's been too damn cold and snowy to get much done this year.
It doesn't look like the frame had been run w/ the 4 link. Appears that it was just mocked up. The frame had been played inside the rails for what I believe was to fill all the hole in the side rails then they welded the holes and ground them smooth. The person I bought it from started filling the frame w body filler to smooth it. He never sanded it. So I am starting there. There are only a few holes in the frame that weren't filled. It looks really good. Should be nice when it's done. The front axle was plated and smoothed also. They should look nice together
I am planning on running the 21 stud. I located a 49 3 spd which I think is an open drive but I know they use a side linkage. I read here I can swap internals to my transmission. So I may go that route or locate a linkage conversion kit. Which I see are very hard to come by
49 would be open & side-shift, yes. You can either go for 3 on the tree or rig up a floor shifter kit to it (I have one that I bought for one of my LaSalle side-shift boxes that I decided not to use on my build).
You know when the planets align and things just fall into place ... Today has been one of those days. My search for 50's nostalgia parts, lead me to Greatwoods this am for the swap meet where I scored an old dagger handle dipstick, a set of cal customs scoops for a 2X2 setup which I will find, a set of 39 teardrop tail lights, and a super clean 30 rad shell. I got two personal invites to people's homes for reference and help w/ my build. That was a great beginning to my day and if it ended there if be a happy guy. But ... I left there and drove 2.5 hrs south to meet an old hot rodder who had the 49 side loader / open drive I was looking for. Then the fun began ... He said " tell me what you don't have" I listed a whole bunch of things I needed and probably (definitely) couldn't afford ! He said "You remind me of me when I started my first build, I'm gonna get you on the road faster.... Back your truck up to my garage. I'll get some boxes" As you can imagine my heart started beating out of my chest... Ran to my truck and did as the man had asked. He proceeded to rummage through his collection of 50+ years and starting filling a large box w/ gauges, nos switches ignition, peep mirrors nos brake parts and linkage, rear view mirrors, wiper motors and all the parts I need, door handles emergency brake levers, headers, halogen bulb kit for my car, plus more. After I paid him for the transmission and 3 on the tree w/ an old school 8 ball shift knob and was getting ready for my 2.5 hour drive home he said "Wait a minute, I have one more thing I want you to have"! He went into a small room of his main garage and came out with a steering wheel and column he bought from a guy from California in the 50's that was in his 32 3 window for 30 years... (He kept it when he traded the car for a 36 delivery sedan) and said he couldn't part w it then. It's an old Chris-Craft wheel mounted on a custom column he made and is bad ass ! My short hot rodding experience has led me to meet the most amazing people in the last few weeks and has wished I started my first build 20 years ago when I first got hooked on hotrods. Then he handed me this and said "This is how we did it back in the day ... I know you'll enjoy it, I did"
Well I know how much you guys like pics so here ya go .... And I'm not boasting, I'm just so excited and a very happy, fortunate guy at the moment!! Here's today's haul !!! I still can't believe I was given most of these items. Magoo's street rods Brake saver kit (never opened) 1957 drag racing pictorial 1936 wiper system w spare motor halogen bulb kit for 28-32 $50 at the swap meet 38-39 teardrop lights swap meet $25 12v coil $10 cool plate from the 50's he gave me this too his custom wheel /column he gave me 3 on the tree shift/ 8 ball My swap meet radiator shell for $65 SBC to ford 3 spd steel adapter plate (early non cast) $150.00 from my new best friend ! free SBC things he had no use for that I may use down the road. Motor mounts bolts and pads and 3 center dump headers w a backfire valve. (Never seen one) some garage art he gave me and the reason I drove 2.5 hrs to begin with ... My 49 ford trans. Holy smoke it's going to be yet another sleepless night for this guy !
"Backfire valve" is a heat riser. It creates back pressure at idle, to send exhaust through the intake, to run better in warmups Trans is what.....? .... I am pretty sure 49 was the first year of a 4 bolt trans face, bolting up to a bell...not a trans with bell cast on it. Busy day Now where to store it all.
Ya I had no clue what the "backfire valve" was. He was an old timer so maybe that's what he called it way back when. I'm not familiar w all these old parts. I was told it was a 49 due to the side loader linkage an open drive.
The trans below is what I meant about not having a bell. The trans you bought should be just what you need for the motor you have. You can use a floor shifter, like an old Hurst, or a swapmeet find, or use column shift.
Thank you for putting my mind at ease. I hopefully will be picking up a hurst floor shift conversion tomorrow.
So what exactly did I buy today ? I told the gentleman what I was looking to do and he assured me he had what I needed, so I'm thankful that is the case. He, like many of you was on point with everything and a wealth of knowledge for me.
Could it be something someone converted to open drive with a different output shaft ? I believe he said he did run the transmission with the column shift in a lesalle he built back in the day.
Is it possible it's a 48 and I just screwed up the year in my head. (Most likely the case) I've been cramming so much in my damn brain the past two weeks I can't even sleep.
Yes, it can be done with certain year truck parts to make it open drive. Depending on what year of trans case is on your first transmission with top shift.... you should be able to switch pieces to make a top shifted, open drive. Some of the Ford flathead guys here, can advise on the differences in transmission case "room" for the larger beefier gears in the later flathead transmissions. If your case was earlier, you might not have room for the later gears, but I believe you still can fit the open drive to it. Now, on what he said about LaSalle.... he was more likely saying he used a LaSalle transmission, as that was the big upgrade back then. LaSalles were used behind most every early brand of hot rod motors. Many adapters were made.
Ahh. Okay. Thank you for the clarification. I am picking up the conversion kit tomorrow am so I should be okay with that. I did read on here you could swap internals and was going to look into it but I already located what I need. So onward and upward ! I'm getting closer to the start every day. I won't say end because I have a feeling this will never "end."
Let's fix the confusing way I responded: QUOTE:Could it be something someone converted to open drive with a different output shaft ? Answer: Yes, it can be done with certain year truck parts to make it open drive. ...Ok, the trans you bought today; someone has done the open drive swap already. You even have the rear mount ears to hook to a center X-member, or those ears can work with a straight crossmember. QUOTE:I am picking up the conversion kit tomorrow am What are you picking up? .
The side linkage conversion kit from hurst to run a floor shifter, instead of the column shift. I took the column shift because in the event I ever need/wanted one I have it and he had no use for it without the transmission.
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