Hot Rods Spalding Bros Repro, for "Too Tall" Ganahl.

Terry, When I started learning the history of Track Roadsters in the mid-90's, and getting to know the men who built and raced them, they all raved about the Spalding Bros. The car was probably the most advanced, lightest of them all, and cast quite a profile ! With it's tube front axle, 4 torsion bars, and live axle quick change, it was truly a Sprint/Champ car with a roadster body. I have always been a Flathead fan, but a Chevy six with a Wayne head, 14 to 1 compression and Hilborn Injection, put the car in a different league. I have known Pat for 30 years, and he has done a lot of favors for me, I am honored to be the one chosen for this task, and I also appreciate everyone's interest in this project.

 

Yes, as many of you are now seeing, the reason we are duplicating the Spalding roadster is (1) because I happened to have the very rare, complete, identical Wayne 12-port early Chevy six engine sitting in my garage; but more importantly (2) because this was not only one of the best-looking and performing track roadsters ever, but also because it was an engineering and craftsmanship work of art. Besides the outstanding talent of the Spalding Brothers, Johnny Hartman had a lot to do with the chassis engineering and of course Art Engels added his tin-bending and fabrication expertise.
Thank goodness Marty is more than up to these tasks, and I love the way he approaches, and then carries them out. (Cutting torch? Surely you jest...surely.) Yes, he's got the right tools (or knows who has), but this is home-shop building at its best: knowing how--and caring--to do it the right way.
However...the one "however" I must add is that this is not a 100% accurate duplication or period-perfect piece. I've done (or at least attempted) a couple of those and, while much fun, can wear you out physically and financially. For instance, I'm not going to find a dash-full of curved-glass, smooth bezel, 1st series S-W gauges. I'll use very similar, but affordable, 2-5/8" black S-Ws from the '50s. We're putting new pistons and cam in the engine. Schroeder is making a new steering box (like the original). And we're putting a transmission in it so I can putt around some rod events, and hopefully drag race it, besides running with the WRA on circle tracks. One thing we're trying to figure out now is how to put a clutch pedal or handle in it.
But I'm sure it will look and run as good as the original, and certainly be as well-crafted. Big thanks to Marty.
Pat Ganahl

 

Pgan,"Surely!"

 

killer build, thanks for posting!!!

 

So... is the Dean Lowe/ Marty Strode Street Roadster Pickup going to be for racing or display purposes?
I'm hijacking this thread to do a shameless plug for our 60's Street Roadster group... albeit late 60's, I'm sure your RPU would fit right in!

Sam

Rules subject to change...

 

Marty, as you recall my interest concentrated on the piano-hinged cowl, and questions I had since the Spalding car was magazine featured back then have now been answered. (Whew! Sentence out-lengthed my train of thought!)
The detail you adhered to in just this part is amazing. Thanks for the in-close pics, just masterful.
Thanks for all the explanations and footnotes along the way, this has been a learning journey.
So glad it was you. So Pat can have this.

 

Sam, I applaud your efforts to bring back the Street Roadster class. My plan is to build it to resemble Dean's RP as close as possible, including using a quickchange rearend, and I don't see that in your rules. Mine will have a bolt in roll cage for racing, and the chrome roll bar for the street. Pat has informed me that I can't start on it, until I am done with his. Good luck with your endeavor. P.S. I haven't been in drag car for quite a while, been racing on dirt ovals. Here is one of my rides from 30 years ago.

 

A beautiful job indeed.

 

"DISCLAIMER: Anyone who asks if they can run bolt-on ET 12 spoke wheels in the front will be taken out behind the snack bar and beat with a red rope!"

ROFL! That's priceless!

 

I really like that feature too.

 

And make ya eat a week old Woodburn Dragstrip corndog.

 

Didn't they cover that under the eighth amendment??

 

One thing about rules like ours... and you know this... they are meant to pigeon-hole the cars into looking a certain way. Of course, quick change rears would be allowed. The way the are written is meant to keep the cars looking vintage, and not end up with a bunch of newstalgia stuff.
That said... you'll fit right in.
Sam

 

Just watched your video, Marty... that's awesome!

 

Sam, I know how tough it is to maintain the look and presentation of the cars, and at the same time build a stable of eager racers, I have pioneered a couple of classes in vintage drags and oval track racing. Something new always attracts guys who have never raced, or even followed the history of the racing division at hand. It sure looks like you have something great going, how many roadsters are under construction at this time ? Good luck ...... Marty

 

I know of a street roadster pick up that fits the rules perfectly. Only problem is, it's across the pond.

 

Thanks for the reply and the background info. 14 to 1 compression, eh? Wow. Do you know if the engine Pat has is built to those specs? Maybe he will chime in, or maybe already has and I missed it? I'd be curious to know. Regardless, I sure look forward to seeing the finished car. Yes, I have read that it will not be an "exact" clone but it will be close enough for me!
Again, great thread and I hope Pat continues to keep us updated once it leaves your shop.

 

Terry,
I'm known here as "pgan," and if you scroll up this page you'll see I chimed in recently. Go back a couple pages and you'll see the engine parts I had collected at that point, including a new forged billet Isky cam. Yes, the new (from '48) JE pistons were in the 14:1 range. But Bob McKray and I decided to go with new, forged, lighter Ross pistons with better Moly rings; these have a custom dome similar to the originals that should give about 12:1 compression. The engine will run on methanol. Bob McKray is currently balancing and assembling the short block at his shop in Mission Viejo. He'll check exact CR, then install the head to check valve-piston clearance . I'll keep you informed with updates.

Pat Ganahl

 

Pat,

Cool. I had scanned through the thread but I guess I missed the post about engine details. This will be a fun one to follow. I hope you post a video somewhere when you do get it fired up!
Thanks for the update, very much appreciated.

Terry

 

We have three more cars going together...
The chassis are basically the same... all three are being built by Steve Pattee, Simeon Kennedy and myself.
Two are SBC powered... one with Hilborns, one Crower injected... the other is a stroked 392 with injection.

All four speeds!

Sam

 

Pat convinced me to take some time off his project and work on my COE delivery truck, and it paid off. We got it running for the first time yesterday, the 460 runs great, transmission shifts, and the brakes are bled, long awaited progress. On the Spalding, I procured all of the bearings and seals needed to complete the job. A machinist friend, sweated a ring and a flange on a shaft to use as a setup aid, to set the gear backlash and bearing pre-load on the Pat Warren center section. He left us some material to machine off, to achieve the proper tolerances, using minimal shims in the process. He will make the ring gear spool from those dimensions, it's a long way around, but the side plates we are using, have different dimensions than Halibrand parts. Another anomaly of this center section is the rear cover uses needle bearings, instead of ball bearings. The pinion requires some machine work, with an inner race pressed on, to increase the pinion size to 7/8". The steering gear should return from Schroeder later this week, so I can complete the installation and profile the arm, and setup the drag link.

 

Marty, Just a little heads-up on the 460 truck - I have one in a '46 pickup and its given me lots of vapor lock problems on restarts. I ended up with a fuel return line (.080" restriction) and blocked off the heat crossover riser on the intake manifold. Cured 95% of the problem.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I am hoping the large open area directly behind the engine, along with plenty of ventilation in that area, will prevent a vapor lock problem. I have a large multi blade clutch fan that matches a 460 pickup radiator, along with a purpose built shroud that will evacuate the hot air in the engine compartment. We will see how it works.

 

Pat, do you think that Bob McKray could work his magic on this head - it's mine?

 

Stovebolt,
I'm not very good at operating this site. I hope this is a personal message. But I called Bob McKray this morning and described your head casting to him. His reply was "Only if he has open-ended expense and time." Bob is a pretty good machinist. But he's an engine builder. And what you need with this very bare casting is a very good machinist. The one possibility I can think of might be Mike Kirby at Kay Sissel's. But I really don't know if he can do this sort of thing. I would strongly suggest that you find a good machinist near you. But I've never seen this type of head layout for a 235/261 Chev. What is it? Who made it? Has anyone machined a finished head from one of these castings? The machinist needs to know things like where exactly the water jacket is, and where the spark plug holes need to go.
Good luck!
Pat Ganahl

 

A friend of mine brought his scales to check corner weights, so I can order the 4 torsion bars from Schroeder. Using a combination of a chain hoist from the ceiling, and a come-along supported by my A-Frame, we lifted the frame and installed some riser blocks between the frame and scales. Doing it this way, it eliminates the un-sprung weight of the axles, wheels and tires from the process. Without having the completed car, I could only simulate the weight of the parts to be added. I had a total of 167 lbs of lead shot in bags, we distributed it using the "SWAG" method. Now I can place the order on Monday, and when they arrive, I can complete the suspension.

 

She's pretty light, eh?

 

The number looks real light, but adding the un-sprung weight, my estimate of the car's total weight will be in the neighborhood of 1400 lbs. Many parts to be installed yet. Dean, you have plenty of experience in this field, what is your guess ?

 

One of our Kurtis V8 60's weighed around 900lbs. I don't see this car going over your 1400lb estimate.

 

I built an IMCA modified several years ago that weighed 1600# with gas. It flat flew! Pgan is in for a real ride @ 1400.