Projects The Brooks Special - louisb’s 29 lakes roadster build

Spent some time shortening the 32 pedals 1” to fit the 29 body.






Clutch pedal is a little off so I will adjust it with the heat wrench later. Still need to weld on the brake arm. Making progress one step at a time.

Thanks,

—louis

 

Also got the front brake drums bolted on. I would have done the rears too but apparently I ordered the wrong bearings. The right ones, and the left one , are on the way.



Original 40 juice brakes all the way around. Took a while to find a full set of original drums that would turn within specs.

Thanks,

—louis

 

Nice man. It's coming together nicely.

 

Subscribed.


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Got the wheels sandblasted and painted. Turns out one of the 16x4s was heavily pitted so I am hunting for a good replacement.



Thanks,

—louis

 

I has originally planned to use a late 40’s solid drive shaft but scored this ‘34 shaft last week from a fellow HAMBer. This is actually the second ‘34 drive shaft I have bought for this project. The first one is lost some where in a FedEx sorting facility in Utah. Probably sitting next to the Ark of the Covenant.



I need to find a place to have it shortened. None of the shops within a 3 hour drive will touch it.

Thanks,

—louis

 

@NealinCA sent me a few pics of my finished F100 column. Looks really good but that is to be expected of his work.



I currently have an F3 column jacket but I am keeping an eye out for a good ‘39 jacket. If you have one, PM me.

Thanks,

—louis

 

Got a hurricane heading this way so I needed to make some room in the garage for the wife’s late model Fordor. This required moving the hot rod which was the perfect excuse to get her rolling.





We are all hunkered down for the storm. To everyone in the path of the storm, be safe.

Thank,

—louis

 

Very nice project! Be safe for the storm, all the best for yours.

 

I live just south of Marianna Fl. , so the storm is suppose to come right over top of us .

 

You are in my thoughts and prayers. It looks like a Cat4 now

 

Good luck brother and make sure your insurance agent knows about the roadster.


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This reminds me of my build, just getting it done with the basics, no fuss. Hope the storm cleared up and you were spared form any damage. Looking forward to updates.

 

1. I was wondering if you had any problems due to 'the hundred year phenomenon'. Sure pray that you and yours were spared the kind of destruction seen on the internet. I have always advocated concrete domes as a precaution against wind driven weather in locations where it occurs seasonally. But, even so, I live in an old brick house like the third pig, I grew up in Mississippi with a choice of Babbitt Chevys and rattling connecting rods and Flathead Fords with cracked blocks, that were always a crapshoot to build. Then, along came Oldsmobile and Cadillac overhead donor engines; and then we recieved God's proof he loved hot rodders--- the small block Chevy. Yes, I know you are smiling, because you are building a period correct rod; but, even you have been faced with the cracked block syndrome. Again, hope all is well and power will be restored, and no damage.

 

Thanks for the well wishes and prayers. We are fine but had some damage to the house from a falling tree. Still without power.

Thanks,

—louis

 

Glad to hear you are all fine. Hope everything works out regarding the damage.

 

I have seen a lot of fallen trees, in pictures of the aftermath. They are a blessing in summer, and make nice smelling smoke in the fall. The ground gets soaked and the winds play havoc. Worse part of no electricity is worrying if your candle stash, and the fuel for your Coleman stove holds out. Sure hope none of the damage was to the space where your project is stored. Glad you and yours survived. Stay safe.

 

So we had a tree down on the corner of the house but we still have a house unlike my friend who had a house at Mexico Beach. And by "had" I mean it's not there anymore. Nothing, nada, gone, goodbye, fin. She now owns an empty lot with a few posts where her house used to be. Puts things in perspective.

So back to building hot rods. Spent the weekend ticking off see small stuff that needed doing. Made the upper shock mounts from some F1 mounts. Redid a headlight bar I originally made for a Model A frame, dropped (fancy way of saying bent) a steering arm, finished modifying the brake pedal for juice brakes and started on the rear shock mounts.

 

First the Headlight Bar. I originally built this from an original '32 V8 bar to fit a Model A frame which is wide than a '32 frame. So I needed to heat and bend the arms in some to fit. Then I decided to welded on the "feet" from a '30 Model A bar I had.




I went ahead and mocked it up with some Guide 683-Cs I had on hand but I am looking for a set of smaller 903-Js to run.

Thanks,

--louis

 

Next up are the front upper shock mounts. I had a set of F1 mounts already on the chassis but they were to long for the shocks I wanted to run. So I shortened them about 3" and then bent them out a little to better clear the headlights. (I don't see how anyone can build a traditional hot rod without an O/A torch)



Some of these pics may be repeats. I was working on all this at the same time. Do a little then do something else while I wait for it to cool, etc. Last pic you can see the "dropped" steering arm. It only took 5 tries to get it to clear everything. It's not perfect but that's how you know it is homemade. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Thanks,

--louis

 

Rear shock mounts. Got the top mount welded in but waiting on the right bolts for the bottom. Going to use a couple of radius rod ends.


Thanks,

--louis

 

Last is the brake pedal. Needed to relocate the arm from the top to the bottom to work with the '40 juice master cylinder.


And yes there is a butt load of weld there. Thank goodness for the all purpose hot metal glue gun. Plan to get the pedals reassembled and then make the linkage from the pedal to the MC.

Thanks,

--louis

 

Nice progress, and looking good. I like doing the small fun projects like that.

 

Up till today it was mostly getting small stuff done in between some home renovation projects I promised the wife would be done by the holidays. (Happy wife, happy life) then this weekend I started getting the body mounted and the rear subrails installed. A while back someone suggested the @Steadfast mfg subrail kit and I poopoed the idea. But after giving it more thought I decided to order a set and I have to say I am glad I’d did. Really nice quality and it’s one more thing I can check off my list.



Another thing I changed my mind in was using wood shims to fill the body to frame rail gap. After some “encouragement” from a few friends I ended up cutting the cowl. Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and sits right on the frame now.

Engine Update: After going through five or six blocks it looks like we have a good one to build. Just waiting on Dan to sonic test the block. It’s a prewar 221 but that’s okay. Should get 255 with the mercury crank.

Thanks,

—louis

 

5 or 6 blocks! Damn man. But hey, forward progress is key right?
looking awesome Louis.

 

A couple of shots at the 2 blocks we are looking at. All have tested out, just waiting on a final decision by Dan.

 

This is a great thread! I have an original 32 frame and 31 roadster body I want to marry together

 

Thanks, I have enjoyed several of your threads as well.

--louis

 

looking good man! glad you found a good block

 

Are you going to notch the sides of the grill shell so it lines up with the cowel better, like I did mine