Projects Straight 8 RPU build thread

Mine, only done with astraight six.

 

Cool project. I remember maybe 10-12 years ago this roadster popped up for sale here in so cal. By the time I scraped up the cash it was gone. A Buick I know but still a straight eight. By the way, Mel Tull has held the record in the unblown street roadster XXO class at B'ville since '91 running a st. 8 Buick, 169 mph.

 

Thanks for those pics guys! Good inspiration.
That straight 6 roadster looks like its pretty mean! WOW!
I've always wanted a straight 8 Buick. That little roadster looks pretty cool, sorry you missed out on owning it.
Bobby

 

WOOOHOOO!!!
What a great day! I met a buddy for breakfast and then we loaded up my chassis and ran it across town to my friends shop to get the heavy welding done. We dropped the loaded trailer off, visited another buddy's hot rod shop, and grabbed a cold beer and a burger at Twin Peaks so we could ogle the scenery before going back and picking up my roadster. My rear suspension is done!!! A major milestone has been achieved. I know have a rolling chassis!!!
So when I got back home I couldn't resist setting the body and windshield frame on the thing.
This is awesome!!! I'm really stoked now and ready to tackle the next item(s); open drive conversion for the banjo rear, and steering.

 

Congrats Bobby! Looking better on 4 wheels!

 

Love the looks of that long nosed beast.

 

Looking good there buddy....oh wait a minute, that's the other guy

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Thanks guys
Hopefully I'm back on track now that I'm passed this roadblock. I think I'll focus on the open drive conversion next. I've already lined up a lathe that I can borrow. Now I just need to gather a few more pieces and then get to work.

Here's another pic of the car. I'm hoping I can make this windshield frame work. I think it might be from a Dodge. I'm thinking I can splice in the bottom frame piece from a Model T to make it work.

 

To me, it might look nicer if the windshield is raked backwards. Don't rule out the possibility of making one to fit. Its really not that difficult.
Like the one on my tub...

 

With the rear suspension finally out of the way I decided to move onto steering.
I've mounted the 38 Ford box on the frame (maybe). I have to recheck some geometry and might have to move it a bit. I'm planning on running a stock Model T steering column. I started mocking things up today. The steering column will have to be shortened quite a bit and I'll have to fab a steering shaft to connect it to the box but overall I like the look.

 

Moving right along....
I have the steering box mounted. After a bit more figuring and head scratching I decided that the holes I drilled in the frame were no good. I repositioned the box and made some brackets. I have the brackets welded to the frame and have filled in the holes I drilled in the frame. I still need to drill one hole through the frame for the center box mounting bolt and I need to finish welding the mounting tabs but the steering box is mounted and in place.

I also pulled the box apart so I can clean it up and splice on some material to extend the steering shaft that was cut off too short. The box looks pretty good on the inside, I think it will clean up just fine. Now I can start looking at the steering column and try to figure out how to shorten it, etc.

 

Hi Bobby, congratulations on your progress,i wanted to share this with you.

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Jorge,
Thanks for sharing that. Wow! that's a lot of money!
Probably reasonable considering that its a fresh rebuild. And I think that transmission adapter costs right about $1000.

If I were only born rich instead of good looking....
Bobby

 

Bob, Your project is taking shape. Going to be cool as hell!

 

Thanks!!
I manager to strip the steering box down and get the guts cleaned up. While searching around the garage I managed to find a piece of steering shaft approx. 35" long that I can use to splice onto my current shaft. I have no idea where this piece of shaft came from but I'll gladly use it. I just need to decide how long to make my input shaft and I can make the splice. The new gaskets and seals should be here by next weekend.

I didn't take any pics, but I did make a bit of progress
Bobby

 

Hi Bobby,
I have been watching your post very carefully as I am attempting a similar project.

 

Awesome start!!!!
Do you have a build thread started? I'd like to follow along

Bobby

 

I've managed a few more baby steps.
I have the steering box torn apart and all cleaned up. I think it will live. I ordered a new gasket set and sector shaft seal. I just need to decide how long the input shaft needs to be and make the splice and then I can put it all back together.
Of course, before I do that I have to decide where the steering column will mount so I can figure out the intermediate shaft and U joints.
I'm going to run a Model T column but I'll have to shorten it up quite a bit and change the mounting angle of it a little bit. I tried getting the lower firewall mount off of the T column but I think it "sweated" on. I drilled the rivets out and can't get it to budge. I'll put some heat to it tomorrow and see what happens.
I started mocking things up and the steering column U joints were a bit close to my engine mounts. So I pulled the mount and trimmed it up a bit. Hopefully tomorrow I can get some more garage time.

 

Work continues.....

Wow! they really put Model T steering columns together. I needed to remove the lower mounting bracket and move it up the column about 8". Not only was the bracket swaged and/or crimped to the column but it was also brazed. I ended up making some relief cuts and slowly prying it off while keeping it red hot...sheesh. With a little fiddling I was able to reuse the lower part of the bracket by flipping it over and rewelding it to the top side of the column. So now I have most of the column to firewall bracket situation.
After that I cut off the lower part of the steering shaft and rods. I'll need to cut them back a bit more once I know for sure what length the column will need to be. My plan is to have the intermediate shaft parallel with the casting marks on the engine.

I then moved on to the steering box. My box had the input shaft cut off right at the shoulder of the box. I did some measuring and decided I needed about 4 1/2" of shaft above the shoulder. I had the upper section of an old steering shaft with the splined end so I cut off the length I needed, cut off a hunk of 7/16" round stock to fit inside the shaft, cross drilled the shaft and then welded the hole thing together. I might even go a bit overkill and drill and pin both sides of the splice.

Now I need to put my steering box back together, drill the other mounting hole for the box in the frame, bolt the box down, decide on the final length of the steering column shave and install the intermediate shaft and "U" joints.

 

OK, so I have steering.......mostly.
I reassembled the steering box. I'm going to have to replace the rear bearing as the race is pretty galled up. For now, its in place and allows me to finish the steering linkage.
I got the steering column mounted to the dash and then measured and cut the steering shaft so that I could fab the intermediate shaft with the "U" joints. After I got the done I realized that the drag link is too long by about 2 1/2". My original plan was to take apart the threaded end, cut off 2 1/2" and re-thread it. But, none of my buddies have a die that size. My next plan is to just pony up and order one of the "order to length" drag link kits from Speedway Motors. Heck, they are only &60 and will give me new tie rod ends.
But for now I'm going to make a farm splice on the drag link. I'll cut it apart, cut 2 1/2" out of it and then splice it back together with a pipe sleeve. This will at least allow me to have the steering working so I can continue working on other aspects. Hopefully tomorrow after I get done working on the wife's daily driver I can get some time to splice the drag link together.

 

Perhaps they are in your plans, but it seems to me you need support bearings for your intermediate shaft......

Ray

 

Ray,
actually, with only 2 "U"joints you don't need a support bearing. If you have 3 "U" joints then you need the support bearing. (I had initially thought I'd need the support bearing and I spent weeks scrounging through my garage and shed trying to find the heim joint that I left over from a different project. Research shows that it won't be needed)

Thanks

 

Do you have a lower column support near the first joint(can't tell from the pic)
Lotta torque on the column there....

 

I'd be more inclined to agree with you IF your first U-joint were at or very near the firewall support for the column. I think there will be quite a bit of flex in that extended lower column.

Ray

 

I hear what your'e saying.
Right now, where the column comes through the firewall there isn't a lot of support and the column only has a bracket on the upper side. Once I start working on the brake/clutch pedal assy I'll be able to fabricate the floor plate that goes below the steering column and it will all tie in together.
Once I get the thing where its rolling around I can assess it. If a center support is needed it should be easy to add.

Thanks for the suggestions
Bobby

 

OK, suspension and steering are basically done. Will need a bit of tweaking and fine tuning but its all there and it all works.
Now, onto the next major hurdles; clutch/brake pedal assy and linkages and open drive line conversion. I'm going to try my hand at the open drive conversion first. I've read several threads and I think I'll follow the direction of the Strawshop Opendrive Banjo Conversion https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/strawshop-opendrive-banjo-conversion-diy.324073/
If I screw it all up then I can always buy the ready made kit.

I rolled it out today and set the bed on so could get a look at things. I'm pretty ticked with how its looking so far;

 

Gonna be a great looking hotrod. It's fun watching it come together.

 

A different perspective;

 

For anyone who thinks straight 8's have no place in an "authentic" hot rod , I submit this picture.

 

Man, that's a long wheelbase! Gonna be a handful in a tight parking lot