You can't tell where you're going unless you know where you've been

Aloha from the great state of... Ohio.

I thought I might formally introduce myself as I will be asking a lot of questions and giving a lot of my opinions and suggestions.

I don't want people thinking I am some know it all NewB so I will give you a little background on my knowledge and expierience.

I am currently 31 and like many people I have been working on cars since my early teenage years.

I started my college career as an automotive major at a tech college but eventually changed to a computer aided drafting major only to realize that I wanted to do more but I will get to that in a minute.

I am ASE certified but I do not work on cars for a living.
Got my start in custom cars working with my relative and a couple friends.
I started out designing and building air bag and hydraulic suspension systems for any and everything.

We did everything from 64 impalas to honda civics. We did cars, trucks, new and old.
After that my relatives and I got into the dirt track scene.
I can't say I am a real fan of circle track but I did like building the cars and trying to bend every rule in the book.
You know there is an old saying in the circle track world that says; "There are two types of racers, cheaters and losers".

I eventually ran my relatives circle track parts shop for a year or so until I left to persue a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering.

This brings me back to the education background I was explaining earlier.
I was a junior engineering major when I eventually failed one too many times and was booted from the university.
I stayed out of school for a while but did eventually go back to another tech college to study alternative energy and hybrid vehicles.

To make a long story short I spent a grand total of about 6 years in college only to get an associates degree.
This does not please me so I will be starting on January 12th 2009 to finish my engineering degree.

Well I think that adequately covers my past self so let me tell you a little about my current self.
I am not married but I do have a significant other (yes it’s a girl for some of you that are wondering) and we share a house with our three dogs and cat.


I do prototype work for a company that builds super efficient extreme temperature cooling systems for anything from portable coolers to electronics systems for the military and oil companies.

I currently have several projects. However none of them are hot rods in the traditional sense of the word but that is about to change as I will explain later.

As far as my current projects I will start with the most current and least involved
That would be my 78 Suzuki GS750 Café fighter.


It is a frame up rebuild with several upgrades including but not limited to 2mm overbore, 10.25:1 pistons, new cams and custom exhaust in a cleaned, painted and rebuilt engine.
Late model brakes and custom suspension all mounted in a braced and lightened stock frame.
Upon this will be some hand laid carbon body parts such as a gas tank and café style seat and rear fender.

I also have an offroad project Cherokee that will be getting some new axles and a suspension of my own design but I need to finish another project so I have something else to drive first.

After that I have my Porsche 944 that I intend to turn into some type of autocross/track day toy.

I haven’t really done anything with it yet so it just sits in the garage taking up space until I get finished with my super car project.

This super car I speak of would be my twin turbo V8 VW Rabbit project.
This is easily the most involved project I have ever taken on.
Essentially this is a tube-framed car with a Rabbit body on it.
It will have a twin turbo 3.6 liter Audi V8 and a rear mounted Porsche 5 speed.


I designed the chassis and suspension myself and will be building all of it myself as well as most of the body panels from Kevlar.


The goal for this project is to out accelerate, out handle and out brake cars that cost 5 to 10 times as much and all for $10,000 or less.
I hope it looks similar to this when it is finished.


So why did I choose to join the H.A.M.B. you may ask?
Well I am working on a new idea for a future project that some might consider a rat rod based on the definition of the word but is probably more of a plain ol’ hot rod than anything else.
I thought this might be the type of place to ask questions about and find rare old parts.
It is also nice to get people opinions and experiences in regards to certain ideas. Well… Sometimes.

I like to start the R&D process on things like this way ahead of time so I can work on things like the drive train layout and chassis design.
The only thing I know about the car right now is that, I think, it will be powered by some type of european engine and built nearly entirely from scratch.
The enigne will be turbo charged or supercharged depending on the engine.
I was looking at some early 40’s Lincoln zephyr V12 flatheads which share many of it’s parts with the Flat head ford V8.
However, if I want to build this car on a budget like most of my projects, then a more common more reliable later model V12 might be the way to go and most of those are form german makes.
I may even use a 6 or 8 cylinder. Who knows?

I have only just begun the design phase of the chassis and body but I will surely post pics when I get a good design sorted out.

Well there you go, a rather wordy and lengthy look into the past, present and future of my life as a “hot rodder”.
Until next time
Vwhammer

 

dude..you got lost somewhere.did you even read the rules of the hamb????

 

I read all the stuff that said "read this first" or "Please Read". Whats the problem?

 

you start posting all this new stuff and these guys will burn you at the stake...just lettin you know.

 

It said to introduce yourself and that's all I was doing.
I obvioulsy have no intentions of posting any of my piles in any of the regular forums.

I am here to gather all I can in the world that you call hot rodding.
However I am by no means a rookie in the hot rodding world.

 

nobody calling you a rookie.but those pics will get you crucified.....just warning you