New here just saying G'day. I'm a 52 year old life long car nut. Ran a Front engine C/D with a clutch auto years back now looking to build a street car. Initially I was looking at a Pick-up build but after getting no where for a couple of years I realised maybe it wasn't what I wanted and I've gone back to what sort of car turned me on to cars as a kid in the 1960's. The local Registration Authorities ( South Australia) have plenty of hurtles in the way of Hot Rod builds and we have a volunteer body known as the Technical Advisory Committee that liaises with them and works for us (Hot Rodders) however it is still nearly impossible to build and get a "T" bucket on the road here with a fabricated chassis (frame). I have a solid mechanical knowledge and background, a decent work space, limited equipment and limited fabrication skills. I have a decent Model A frame I want to use with a small step at the rear along with the original front and rear springs - less a few leaves and the original A front axle. I also have a V8 flathead and will be using a 3 speed manual gear box from a sixties Falcon. As far as wheels go I have some nice '60's 15x6 and 14x 6 5 spoke mags that have never had a tyre fitted that will run some thing like 185/70/14's on the front and 215/70/15's on the rear. I would like to keep the wheelbase at less than 100" I know what I want and have a less is more mind set. I'm going to need your help and I'm about to put my first posting up and I look forward to hearing from you all.
Hello new here
- Thread starter Retroboy
- Start date
EX JUNK
Moderator
Welcome from this side of the pond!
Welcome aboard. Where exactly in South Australia do you live?
Jim
A tiny dot on the map called Freeling pop. 1100 ish on the edge of the Barossa Valley - you know it?
Cheers
Tony
EX JUNK
Moderator
Not really that familiar with all of Australia but we have friends in Adelaide that have a T. If that is near you, perhaps you could get hooked up with him to help solve some of your questions.
Jim
Telman2
Active Member
Welcome to the forum Retroboy, you really got my attention when you said you wanted to use a flathead. I've built 4 Chevy V8's over the past 40+ years for my bucket each one bigger then the last and now I find myself dreaming of a flathead. I'm looking forward to following your progress.
EX Junk - the Adelaide CBD is a bit over an hour from here.
Telman - I have a bit of gear here for my project including a running early 221 Flat motor that I I bought last year. Initially I went to have a look at it when it was for sale for a Mate, he didn't want it and now it's in my shed (for better or for worse).
I have a post in the chassis section - T on to A. Please free to jump in at any time I need all your experience.
Cheers
Tony
Greetings and welcome form the sunny hills of Colorado.
Be sure to keep us updated on your project and also add your name to our map of members.
Be sure to keep us updated on your project and also add your name to our map of members.
Well I just put myself on the map and I'm BLUE for some reason!
Gerry
Well-Known Member
Dont worry Im BLUE to. Have been for a while. It must be something to do with us being foreigners.LOL
Gerry
Welcome to the site. :hi:
On the members map your home location shows up in blue, to distinguish it from the others.
On the members map your home location shows up in blue, to distinguish it from the others.
Gerry
Well-Known Member
So that make me different. Is that good or bad????
No it's because you Poms and us Aussies are a little bit special.
Its so you can find yourself. :hi:
deckofficer
Banned
Welcome mate,
You guys raise some rather confident and capable young people down under, as in Jessica Watson. I'm going to buy her book when it comes out next month. On subject, you are going to really like the power to weight ratio of T's. I've owned many hot cars over the years and have never had so much fun in a car weighing in at 1790 lbs (813 kg), sbc and 4 speed Muncie.
Bob
You guys raise some rather confident and capable young people down under, as in Jessica Watson. I'm going to buy her book when it comes out next month. On subject, you are going to really like the power to weight ratio of T's. I've owned many hot cars over the years and have never had so much fun in a car weighing in at 1790 lbs (813 kg), sbc and 4 speed Muncie.
Bob
Thanks Bob. There were many how questioned the wisdom of her going especially after she was hit buy a bulk carrier just days before her departure but funny how that was all forgotten on her heroic return. Good luck to her and I hope she makes a few dollars out of it.
For those on the outside looking in with regard the power to weight ratio of one of these jalopies, years ago I ran a front engine C/Dragster @ 4.5 lbs per Cubic Inch with a 302 Windsor so it came in at 1360 lbs so to have a street car weigh 1790 is dynamite.
Cheers
Tony
Gerry
Well-Known Member
Yes we are, aren't we LOL
Ted Brown
Member
It is always great to be a bit different, and Welcome to the site from HOT Bakersfield, CA. I had that same problem with the rule book about home built frames in AG/Super cars, I proved that a good shop built frame was safer than any stock old frame, a lot were not made to weld on, like the model A frames... I would try and get that law changed by showing them the improvements over using any stock old frame (stronger and boxed, plus more suited to welding)SAFER all the way around...
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