Hot Rod Bucket

Find a local pinstriper.

 

Transmission covers done.

 

Attaching the body to the frame. Then putting in seats and seat belts, then dash. Windshield comes next. Last the aluminum floor pan bolts up from the bottom.

 

That's looking awesome, Jim. Bet you can't wait to drive it round the block!

(PS - are all those leaves necessary in your front spring? Mine only has 4.)

 

Thanks Spanky. Most of those leaves are from an old 1923 front end and are pretty mushy. It seems to work fine with the big pack-o-leaves. Catches your eye for sure. We will see. If I keep the schedule, I will be driving it on Thursday.

 

Took it to the Annual Rod Run in Pigeon Forge, TN. Sally did pretty good considering I had zero miles on it when I loaded it on the trailer.

Here it is loaded up and ready to go. Clears the dovetail on flat ground by about an eighth of an inch.



Right after I unloaded her. It was a big parking lot just for unloading and storing trailers so I had some space. Ran her around the lot a few times and drove it over to the hotel.



At the hotel. The first mileage I put on it was the short run to the hotel. I got it out on the Cruise Strip once or twice but since she was unproven, I took it real easy and did not go far but it was good to have Sinister Sally there. The Pigeon Forge Rod Run is a circus and the strip is packed from about noon to about midnight.


So after this little outing, I have a short list of things to do.
1. Brakes, I wish I had the room for power brakes. Need to bleed them again....and again....and again until I am happy.
2. Need a full size alternator.
3. Finish the interior.
4. New mounting system for the seats. It is ok now but could use a little improvement.
5. Build some new permanent exhaust pipes that work. These were temps I built the day before we left. The other pipes were too close to the body and got the paint too hot.
6. Update sending units to correct ones for the gauges. VDO gauges with Chinese sending units that came on the crate motor. I don't trust them. Gas gauge works fine though with a generic sending unit.

This little car steers nice and straight, no wobble, no issues, probably thanks to my brother being so meticulous when we built the frame. The frame is perfectly square and true. It is faster than I thought it would be. The 4.11 gears and the 700R tranny make that first gear really low and even with the taller tires, it jumps. I am happy with the choice of running gear. The stroker motor was a good choice at 365 HP. Plenty. If I had it to do over, I would have bought a regular body and cut it up to make it wider and longer. This body was too flimsy and thin and required a ton of body work and filler to make it right. It would have been easier to start with a heavier standard bucket and mod it. The suspension works great even with that big stack-o-springs up front so I am pleased with that. I have 4.5 inches of ground clearance and made it in and out of parking lots, over some speed bumps and out of a very scary driveway without scraping anything.....so far.

Big thanks to the people on here that comment, encourage and post. It truly helped me all along the way. Thanks again.

 

Regarding the brakes. This is not from experience but have read if you do a dual m/c like this one from wilwood it is similar to power brakes. I hope it is because I purchased one for the T I am working on.

Wilwood Dual Master Cylinder Floor Mount Pedal Assembly

 

That is a beautiful brake set up. I wish I had the room to put something like that in. I have a Wilwood remote single M/C and my pedal ratio is a tad higher.

 

CONGRATULATIONS on your build.

 

Just a little romp through the hood

Still need an interior. Working on it. Put in a bigger battery and a bigger alternator. That cured my starting issues. A lithium group 20 battery is the ticket. Small and 600 CCA does the trick. Can spin these tires in a straight line for blocks BUT when a passenger gets in who weighs 220....different story. Got to pay attention and be ready as it actually hooks up. That is why this vid is so short, had to let off but you can hear my all terrain tires still howling.

 

Here's what i did with my3rd member cover :

 

Gives new meaning to spider gears.

 

Nicely done. There is no reason not to use this space for a little artwork!!

 

DITTO JimB.

 

Taking a little ride. Actually pretty amazing that almost all of the parts of this rod could come from the internet, You Tube helped on all the details, my brother the welder did the smokey work and this forum helped with the details. Modern hot rod build....

 

Awesome video, Jim. There's nothing that can compare to that first ride in something you have created. What a rush!!!