Well here's a hoot from Houston. After endless bemoaning the fact that it was nearly impossible to find old stuff here in this megalopolis, on another thread here at HA/Gr, I clicked onto Craisgslist last night and plugged in "235 Chevrolet" as I often do. Up came the following..."235 Chevrolet, 3/4 race Iskenderian cam, new solid lifters. Runs good and is very clean, $100.00, call..." So after perforating my eardrum slamming the phone to my ear and breaking the pinkie finger on my left hand pulling my sox on I drove over to his house and found the following: This nice young man in his father collect 1960 El Caminos and only 1960 ElCaminos--they have a half a dozen of 'em and of course they pull the sixes out and put in V-8s. I gave them the $100.00 and bought the engine. So, you see, it does help to complain.
So does this mean you will be in Tulsa on May 29th? If you have a running engine and weld up some roll bars stick a little tin around it and race. Roy
It never ceases to amaze me how these cars seem to have a life of their own. If you just have a bit of patience, the parts seem to gravitate towards them.
Too true, I've often remarked that our car came together in a manner that seemed as if it genuinely WANTED to be built. A bit spooky but one hell of a lot of fun.
348: I will be in Tulsa on the 29th...as a spectator. Your suggestion that "I throw a roll bar and some tin" on it sounds like you want me to do some quick, shoddy work. It actually takes me a long time to do shoddy work. All seriousness aside, the car now has most of a roll cage tacked up and there should be pictures on this site tomorrow evening.
Update...update...update. I was just going out to the garage to take some pictures to post when the guy called that I bought the cheapo 235 from called. He has found a pair of Rochester one bbls.carbutettors in his stash of old stuff. I had been going to run a 400 cfm Holly, but I heard SDRA is going to ban them. As I have zero experience with these old Rochesters...are they a good buy at $20.00 each?..will they perform adequately?...are there rebuild kits available for them? Anybody?
Update...update...update. I was just going out to the garage to take some pictures to post when the guy called that I bought the cheapo 235 from called. He has found a pair of Rochester one bbl.carburetors in his stash of old stuff. I had been going to run a 400 cfm Holly, but I heard SDRA is going to ban them. As I have zero experience with these old Rochesters...are they a good buy at $20.00 each?..will they perform adequately?...are there rebuild kits available for them? Anybody?
I used the original "pig" Rochesters on the 235s quite effectively for several years. If you use'em on a short log you'll want to add some stacks to the top (6" should do it) to contain the standing wave the valves generate. The Pigs do OK with that mod.
Thats what most of your old Chev manifolds are designed for.. For $20.00 ea..Go for it..They are over $100.00 rebuilt..Speaking of Carbs.. Does anyone have a 94 that I could buy from them. I need one badly....
Looking good, nice balance. You have an artistic eye as well as an understanding of load & angle, nicely complimentary skills. The joint where the rails bend in is cut & welded? Planned fracture point or reinforced later?
"Six", Thanks for the compliment. As far as the joint goes I plan to: weld it full length on both sides and ends, back- plate it with a solid steel 3/16 inch plate, extend the overlap by adding gussets to both ends, then wrapping 40 oz, fiber glass around the whole joint, Elmer's gluing the entire area plus running "flying buttress" guy-wires to the stress points and painting it with the strongest paint I can find. Finally, I will install a caster-wheel on the oil pan. That should do it.
Butch, Check out inliners.org tech tips/ multiple rochesters. This will help a lot. Yes, kits are still on the shelves. Good luck with them.
The body is beginning to take shape. It is .040 aluminum. I was going to attach the body with dzus fasteners but that will take me a month. I think I'll just bolt it on with 1/4 20 pan head bolts. It'll look more old-timey that way, don't you think? Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my El Cheapo 1960 235 and the two Rochester carbs. Who makes rebuild kits for them? Do I modify them or just bolt 'em on?
Butch, I've got these 2 Rochesters on a homemade manifold on a stock 250 Chevy six. I asked at a carb shop about rejetting & he suggested starting with the original jets. I did and it runs real nice. Just had to turn the idle mixture screws out 3 turns instead of the typical 1 1/2 turns. I bought carb kits at a friend's store, a Parts Plus. Should be able to order them from most any real auto parts store. I asked about mounting body panels and at least a few guys are using 1/4" bolts (I am). Your aluminum looks really good. The view from the rear looking forward is so cool, with the frame taper. I like the hoops a lot too.
1. on your cage, as you're aware, don't forget to add a hoop to cover your legs, I know it's only strapped in place at the moment, but just thought I'd mention it 2. Whilst I think it will be a headache getting everything to fit gracefully in the tight & tappered chassis, looks great. 3. my 2c perspective - I regret making my wheelbase as long as I did (115") as, whilst it definately assists with stability at speed, not happy with the 'look', nor do I feel its overly reflective of the period these cars are highlighting.....none the less, for me, I'd take mine back to 108-110" if I were to do it again. What is your wheelbase, as I look at that front view, and my 'heart' say's you need to loose 12" (Note: I appreciate the skinny/tapering width multiply's the perception). Also, if nothing else, I don't like that oversize front spring and mega-long perch, just wreeks "I screwed up and can't be bothered fixing the problem so I'll just make it work..". Again, only my perspective, and not really a constructive critisism, but curious to why you did it that way, if that's how you like it, then cool, but thought I'd enquire. Cheers, great to see you're jumping in with both feet, Drewfus
Drewfus, Thanks for your thoughts. I do think the car looks a little long, but I'll wait 'till I get it outside for the final viewing before the weld up. It is fairly easy to shorten it. I have likened the front perch to a Comoran swallowing a fish...but I was led down this path by the rules. The narrowest non-narrowed (narrowing is prohibited by the rules) axle I could buy to go with my 50" rear end was a Speedway Motors 44' straight axle, The combination of a low slung chassis and a straight axle inevitably means a tall spring perch Ah well, you can't have everything. Please note that I have, in my most subversive moments, thought of narrowing a dropped axle and then just claiming something like "I, ah, er, duh, found it at a swap meet".
Drewfus, Thanks for your thoughts. I do think the car looks a little long, but I'll wait 'till I get it outside for the final viewing before the weld up. It is fairly easy to shorten it. I have likened the front perch to a Comoran swallowing a fish...but I was led down this path by the rules. The narrowest non-narrowed (narrowing is prohibited by the rules) axle I could buy to go with my 50" rear end was a Speedway Motors 44' straight axle, The combination of a low slung chassis and a straight axle inevitably means a tall spring perch Ah well, you can't have everything. Please note that I have, in my most subversive moments, thought of narrowing a dropped axle and then just claiming something like "I, ah, er, duh, found it at a swap meet".
See above (double reply)...it's happened before. I hit the "submit button and nothing happens. Then I hit it again and get two postings. Do I get double credit? I went out in the garage and looked at the car. The wheelbase is 120". I think the 3/4 rear shots add "elongation" to the image. Aren't most guys running about 120" cars?
I know alot of you guys on 'the mainland' are in that kinda wheelbase, most of the oz cars wheelbase range from 108" to 117", with the bulk of them being in the 113-115" spacing. Again, not trying to be negative with your build, just curious as I appreciate that whilst a photo may tell 1000 words, those words don't necessarily represent the full story. Re the front perch/spring, point taken, but by the same token, can't you find a flatter spring (3 leaf from a box trailer, come in numerous lengths and profiles) that will allow for a less prominant perch? Again, respect that you're doing it your way, and if that's what you want then fine, and can apreciate your reasoning, just thinking of way's around the problem (albeit purely a petty asthetic thing). Keep chipping away, great to see your progress. Cheers, Drewfus
Butch, I think if you narrowed a front axle to look "1950's right" nobody will say a word. I'm pretty sure the rules were meant to keep the front end from being too narrow..... and keep it representative of the 50's time period. I know my tape measure doesn't make it to the drag strip. By the way, our car is 119 1/2". Ron
Well, I guess your right about the front axle. I think I'll press ahead with the straight axle for the initial build. An axle can always be changed later.
The bodywork marches on. At some point I'll continue to install the six-point cage, but I realize that the bodywork should be done while I have all the aluminum bending, beating and hammering crap hauled out and laying all over the garage. Feedback solicited and welcome. More later
"Rakish" is the first word that comes to mind. I guess "attitude" might be the second. Another one-of-a-kind, sir ....... and a beautiful one at that.
Love the body work.......and the radiator shell is cool. Too bad it has to sit so far above the ground. Maybe you could lower the nose six inches or so.
Thanks for the advice about getting in and out of the car. I haven't done it yet because although the pictures make it look like it is rather complete it is actually just a tacked-welded sandcastle. My big fear is that if I try to get in and the whole thing collapses inward on me and I''ll be trapped in a pile if tubing, fiberglass and aluminum shards. I'd have my wife watch me and be able to go for help, but she gets so nervous around cars she may collapse herself. I hope to get a Life Alert for my birthday so I can notify the outside world if this calamity occurs. And they think Top Fuel is dangerous.
Your aluminum looks great as does the overall stance. It looks fast standing still. Regarding getting out, I've been practicing! At my age, the arm strength is on the decline. Actually thinking of adding grab handles to make it easier to get out. Maybe we can get an HA/GR, SDRA group buy on Life Alert???
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