Technical Springs outside of frame help please.

Next I cut off the top of the cowl frame and moved it forward 4".

I measured for and cut a new hole for the header tank neck, put the ally back on then did a rough trim back close to the firewall. Should've triple checked (insert cuss word here) cos another 3/4" off the final trim would've meant the countersunk center screw would have gone back in!

Trimmed the bottom of the ally a tad, and cut out for the drop arm shaft and a re drilled few holes and the whole car now looks more balanced, hood longer than cowl.

Steering wheel is a bit higher now, it's mostly luck but even with less leg room it feels like I fit in better now.











^^ Just the rough cut here, trimmed back to firewall later.

 

Thanks guys, I do tend to be a bit reckless to get things done, but I've had a lot of fun with it already, which wouldn't have happened if I'd spent more time thinking about and making these changes when I built it. Anyhow what else is there to do out of the beach racing season?

 

Cured the miss matched spring eye problem by putting together some springs using the top leaves from a pair of rough '28 springs acquired from @Mosquito, and some from the '47. the front eyes now fit the spring perches properly.
Used the '28 damper springs (had to drill a pair of good '47 leaves for this) they actually do work quite well and look proper being period Chevy.
Springs feel quite stiff when jumping on the horns, but as they are so close together I reckon there will be more movement out at the wheels.





Didn't much like the look of the tail with the shortened frame horns. Waving the previously fitted trim panel about, I twigged a way to cut it in half and re-use it.
I'm rather pleased with the look of it, and the hooky bits will come in useful if I ever have to do a carrier landing.....

 

Yes, It does look quite well! What did you use for the axle to spring blocks?

 

Glad you approve!

They're just 1/4" steel under the axle tacked to the tube, with sheet metal sides. As there is a torque tube I didn't want them too strong in case there was a binding problem. They worked fine with the long flexy springs, but these shorter ones might not be so compliant, time will tell.

 

Please be careful using button head (and countersunk) cap screws for heavily loaded parts.
I've had several break the heads off because the hex wrench hole goes as deep or even deeper than the bolt head thickness only leaving a narrow band of metal under the head, especially if the thread goes right up to the head because then the thread root diameter is all that's left there.

 

Wise words there, I've had small sheet metal button head screws break like that but not these heavier ones. I'll be keeping an eye and maybe change them, thanks.

 

Well folks here it is done, I took 4" off the cowl, 4" out of the frame rails, moved the body forward 4", took 13" out of the rear frame horns and put front springs on the rear, all of which takes 10" out of the wheelbase.

I reckon it's more balanced now and looks much better, wadya'll reckon?

First pic is as it was.



Shorty version.

 

Looks like a lot of fun!

 

Like the Shorty Version. Hoping to get up to Race the Waves this year

 

looks much better! Does it handle differently? Be safe and have fun!

 

It has been so far, hoping for a lot more to come, it'll be beach racing again this year for sure.

 

Glad you like it! Be sure to say high at RTW, it's earlier this time, I just hope it'll be warm enough on the north Yorks beaches!

 

Thanks grumpy, no idea yet about the handling as it's only rolled along those planks so far, hoping to get it out in a field soon.

 

Ya would be nice to meet up with you.

 

What a cool Jigger! I think your thread title is a case of don't judge a book by the cover! So much more than a question!

 

Thanks for the compliment, it started with a question, maybe I should change the title or it should be moved to the projects area, no idea how that could be done though.

 

Hey! Don't call me Shorty

 

Hay that is looking good! Have you had a chance to take it for a spin yet?

 

Took it away from home for the first time so I could step back and get a good look at it since the shortening.

I'm rather pleased with how it's turned out, it looks more purposeful and less gangly now.

Everyone's fields were all too wet to play in, so I ran up and down a not much drier green lane and around the woods a few times to see if all the cooling system mods I've done cured the overheating problems, all seem good so far.

Ignore the battered belly pan, the car mischievously rolled off the trailer when I wasn't looking with no ramps fitted, I crudely bashed it into shape for next weekends Beach Racing!








Took some video of me just about managing potter about in a racer well out of it's comfort zone, for anyone who's interested in such silliness.

 

Found some competition on Bridlington beach last weekend, a really nice man with a genuine Stinson special, Riley head 4 banger race car.

Somehow car 77 managed to win best of three!

 

From 2:00 folks

 

Allright!!! C4's The little engine that COULD still has it!!!! Congrat's.

 

Cars with wider tyres often sat spinning and couldn't get away. Heavy flywheel, low revving tourque and skinny tyres to keep me going straight does seem to work quite well....until the time it doesn't of course!

 

Love the thread and the videos!

Not trying to be picky here but you say Clive recommended a “81” but the pic shows a “97”...?

 

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
You're right to question that, the 81 Venturi's are fitted into 97 bowl castings, but the base castings are new to the 81.

https://www.stromberg-97.com/information/81-learn-more-about-less/

 

Liquefaction in action..



https://scontent-lcy1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...Ov79ZzvzR90YZYLVJSNylXI6y1CYwolmg&oe=6453E72A

 

Wow! You have built a awesome car! Cool to see it kicking ass! Do you think the water heated manifold helped, or just the carb? I saw the Florida beach racer several years ago. Also a awesome car! Took a bunch of closeup pics.
Kustomrooster

 

Thanks rooster, the carb seems perfect, although it's hard to check the mixture under the conditions, but it works fine.

Without the heated manifold it would almost certainly suffer heavy condensation and icing, in pre staging tick over as it did before I fitted the heating.

A cooler charge may be denser but there are too many other variables on the sand to worry about that, and you know what worry does to fun!

 

Do you mean the Bert 'Deacon' Moyers car? If so I'd like to see some pics of the interior, especially the pedal arrangements if possible..