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

When revisiting this thread , the moniker "Mr. Bracket" comes to mind.Your fab skills always remind me of the late,great, Doanne Spencer.Such art broken down for our feeble minds to grasp...

 

Wow Marty, I'm not sure what rock i was hiding under but i had totally missed this thread....wow again!

The good part was i got to binge read it in the last couple of days. Your work it impressive as usual, and the documentation has been very entertaining for sure.

 

Rod, You are entirely too kind, now PM me an address to send the check ! Seriously, the art of bracket making has gotten so much easier for all of us, with the advent of plasma and laser cutting services. It's pretty easy to lay something out on poster board, with a compass and ruler, and let the machine do the work. I am also fortunate to have the luxury of pouring over the outstanding work of men like Doane, Art Chrisman, Jackie Howerton and other giants of our hobby/craft. Over the last 40 years I have had cars in the shop, built by Don Long, Fuller,Logghe, SPE, Scotty Fenn, Chuck Finders and many more, perhaps some of their skill has rubbed off on me.

 

Well my friend, maybe you can pay me a visit around swap meet time, I would enjoy your company. Just bring some of the delicious food you always tease us with !

 

Yes lets do that, I'll be over on Wednesday threw Sunday or Monday.

 

Thank you for the mention of Howerton.

 

I have fond memories of when Jackie showed up at the 50th GNRS with the rolling chassis of his roadster (on his way to Moal's for the body). The west coast guys were shell shocked, stunned, amazed etc.

Roo

 

I displayed my #7 Track Roadster in that show, I can still see Boyd looking it over !

 

Roo & Marty,
I was at that show too, I was standing with Greg Sharp, Looking at Jackie's workmanship and I told Greg I was going to go home & throw away my tools & find something else to do !

 

That's funny Pete, I say the same thing when I look at the stuff you and Roo build ! On Jackie, he is not only a very gifted fabricator, he could "Wheel" a race car pretty well, ala Don Edmunds !

 

Awesome video Marty. I love seeing those big cars on the big dirt tracks. Duquoin was and still is my absolute favorite when I was doing that USAC thing.

Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I was lucky to be able to stop at Jackie's shop on the way home from work and watched the roadster build from a bare jig to a roller and then to near completion. The original plan was to build three cars, one for Jackie, one for Steve and a third one to sell to cover the cost of the other two. We know how that worked out.
One afternoon Jackie was working on the door latch mechanism when I stopped in and he explained how he had made it adjustable to compensate for wear and he did not really have an answer when I asked him if he thought that he would ever open and close the door enough to induce any wear. His boys Jeff and Ricky are also very talented with Ricky winning the 2016 AMA Grand National Championship with rider Bryan Smith.

Roo

 

Great video Marty. Thanks.
One thing that I noticed watching that grainy movie and made a "note-to-self": Don't paint a roll bar / cage white. It will make my car look top-heavy.

 

To complete the rear bumper installation, I boxed the rear section of the frame rails, added gussets along with the tabs at the rear of the turtle deck. Now I can remove the deck and weld everything up.

 

It was time to bend and fit the steering arm, along with making a quickie set-up drag link. The arm is from Speedway, and is extra heavy duty, the same as I use on all of the Track Roadsters that I build. It requires a big tip for the heating process, I have a large rosebud for times like this. After it's hot, the setup in the press produces nice even bends. The arm requires some belt sanding, and sand blasting, to remove the zinc plating. I will be starting on the fuel tank, later today.

 

Steering arm looks nice Marty - amazing how a little extra effort can turn a mass-produced part into a much cleaner, handcrafted looking piece.

Steve

 

Hi Marty.Like the bending set up that you have there.Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh,by the by,I think you swiped my Channel Locks.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Leo, I have a few different bottom and top dies that I built out of scrap, easy way to bend parts.

 

Using .090 - 5052 aluminum, I sheared 2 panels and took a trip to see my Brother. He has a large press brake and it's easier to form up tanks, than with my leaf/finger brake. We formed (2) interlocking "C" shapes, with 3/4" flanges on the long dimensions. When welded, it will make stronger weld joints. Now that I have it mocked-up in place, I can locate the filler neck, and tip-over valve along with the sender and exit bung. Note, for now it's not even tack welded together.

 

Yep,the BIY option is a great way to get what you need in a hurry.Cheap too when you can make it out of left overs from the scrap bin.Especially,if it is not made commercially.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Jeez you make that look easy, Marty. Perfect.
Pat

 

Pat and I have been thinking about a radiator for the project. I mocked up the approximate hood angle and height, to determine the size we will need. A buddy brought by this cool little radiator, it's 16" wide, with a 2" core and 25" from the top of the fill cap, to the bottom of the lower tank. I think it would work, if the core was shortened about 2 inches. When we get the nose and grille insert from Dennis Webb, I can mount get it mounted and then finalize the radiator.

 

I received the fuel filler neck and roll-over valve, now I can proceed on the tank. The COE Transporter garnered my attention last weekend. I had insulated the back of the cab, and decided on what material to cover it with, and used ABS plastic, grained on one side. Dean, I needed a stock Model A frame, to assemble the 29 RPU body on. My old friend Mitch Kim (Pinstriper Extraordinaire) traded me this roller, so we can get the body assembled.

 

Hi Marty

Mitch did you good

 

That'll work Marty. My first RPU looked like that once. Then the frame went to Kurtis Kraft.

 

I worked on the fuel tank today. After laying out the holes for the fill neck, sender, roll-over valve and outlet bung, the Di-Acro punch came in handy. The only fitting that will require welding, is the fuel outlet. I left it un-welded for the final fit, now I can install a baffle and weld it up !

 

I have been busy with lots of different projects, but the tank is coming along.

 

Nice to see you posting again, the "Marty low level light" has been glowing brightly! Gary

 

After pulling the body, I spent some time on the belly pan today. With the mounting holes laid out and center punched, I drilled the holes with a #21 drill (tap size for 10/32 screws), and used clecos to hold it firmly in place. The cutouts around the radius rod and torsion bar mountings needed to be enlarged, so I got it marked and pulled the belly pan for the final trim and radius of the corners. Using a reversible air drill with a 10/32 tap, it made quick work of the holes. With it back in place, filling in the front corners will be the next task, then on to the pedals, and more welding at the rear section of the car. Now I will return the voluminous wiring on the COE !