picture help please.....
- Thread starter Dads23T
- Start date
lincolnuT
Well-Known Member
Send them to me lincolnut@hotmail.com
a couple at a time and I will post them for you............
Mike
a couple at a time and I will post them for you............
Mike
Thanks Mike....Well the story is..my Father started this track roadster 30+ years ago from a project he saw in a magazine. He built the frame from scratch, purchased the body and gathered everything he needed according to the project he was following. The motor is a pinto 2000cc with an AK Miller turbocharger, not sure what the rear is out of yet or the front axle. If you notice the driver side of the axle is bent...my younger brother ran my moms car into it and bent it, I dont know if it can be straightened or should it be replaced. This is about when he stopped working on the project. He then went on to build a 29 roadster pick up, all original and he and my mom raced it in the Great American Race from Ontario Canada to Mexico City, Mexico. From there his next project he was working on up until he passed was a 52 ford pickup he was converting to a extended cab. My older brother was willed the 29, my next older brother gets the 52 and I am getting this project. I am searching for his binder with the project in it and am going to finish it in his memory. I may change the motor to a 2.8 ford v6 our of a bronco II which I have access to as well. Thats my plans...would love to know what you guys think and have to offer. Thanks again Mike for helping display my pics.
meangreen
Active Member
Looks like your dad did an OK job on the frame. That's the good news... Judging from the fact that it's a 4-lug rear end, I would guess it probably came from the same Pinto that gave up the engine and trans. The 4-lug pattern will extremely limit the kind/style of wheels you can find to fit it. Also, if it IS from a Pinto, it is pretty weak and anything more powerful than that little 4-banger will probably cause ring & pinion failure in short order. From the pictures, the rear suspension doesn't appear to be complete, anyway, so if you're going to have to do a bunch of work back there, might as well put in something more durable. Unless that engine will start and run in its current condition, I would scrap it. Frankly put, unless it is useable in its current condition it's a good boat anchor. If it has ANY problems it's not worth the cost of rebuilding it. If you have a running V-6 it would be a better choice. Also, if that Bronco II has a good trans and a 5-lug rear end, you might be wise to use the whole driveline.
The front axle is early Ford. Since it doesn't have the shock mount holes it is not '47 or '48. Someone else may be able to identify it further, but my best guess is it's a Model-A axle ('28 - '31) that has been "hammer dropped". That was a practice common in the '40s and '50s where the axle ends were heated and beat into the dropped configuration on an anvil. It may be possible to straighten it, but you can probably replace it cheaper than you can have it straightened. Since your dad built the frame with a "goosenecked" spring perch up front, a dropped axle isn't absolutely necessary; you could use an original Ford I-beam that you can usually find at a swap meet or online for a pretty reasonable price. The spring, batwings, and radius rods can all be reused. The spindles need to be identified and may be reused if they haven't been butchered to fit those Pinto 4-lug rotors. I am not a fan of using rack & pinion steering on straight-axle front ends, but that is a matter of personal preference. There are a couple of folks on this forum that have R&P steering on their buckets and can help you set that up if you want to keep it.
What is the condition of the wood in that floor? If it is rotting and de-laminating it will need replacing. If it is still solid (Maybe Dad glassed it all over to waterproof it?) you can use it. It will not show when the car is finished. Looks like little brother cracked the body in a few places on the left side when he hit it; none of that is serious and can be repaired. A bunch of us have had fiberglass experience and can talk you through that when the time comes.
The front axle is early Ford. Since it doesn't have the shock mount holes it is not '47 or '48. Someone else may be able to identify it further, but my best guess is it's a Model-A axle ('28 - '31) that has been "hammer dropped". That was a practice common in the '40s and '50s where the axle ends were heated and beat into the dropped configuration on an anvil. It may be possible to straighten it, but you can probably replace it cheaper than you can have it straightened. Since your dad built the frame with a "goosenecked" spring perch up front, a dropped axle isn't absolutely necessary; you could use an original Ford I-beam that you can usually find at a swap meet or online for a pretty reasonable price. The spring, batwings, and radius rods can all be reused. The spindles need to be identified and may be reused if they haven't been butchered to fit those Pinto 4-lug rotors. I am not a fan of using rack & pinion steering on straight-axle front ends, but that is a matter of personal preference. There are a couple of folks on this forum that have R&P steering on their buckets and can help you set that up if you want to keep it.
What is the condition of the wood in that floor? If it is rotting and de-laminating it will need replacing. If it is still solid (Maybe Dad glassed it all over to waterproof it?) you can use it. It will not show when the car is finished. Looks like little brother cracked the body in a few places on the left side when he hit it; none of that is serious and can be repaired. A bunch of us have had fiberglass experience and can talk you through that when the time comes.
Thanks for the evaluation. I am not tied to anything that is on the car at this point. My main goal is to bring his dream to reality. The Bronco drive train is all available and never thought about using the rest of the drive train. I definately have my work cut out for me but it will be quite a tribute to be able to make something of what he started. Yes...the floor board will need to be replace and it is not laminated in yet to my knowledge. At this point the car is in Maine and I am in Delaware. As soon as I get it home and find his build book I can assess everything and get a new starting point. I agrre with you as far as getting a new front axel and spindel set up rather than try to repair that one....knowing how he was alot of the parts he probably grabbed for mock up purposes. He was a pretty thorough man.....his 29 ford roadster pickup(all original) is beautiful and a real usable piece. Thanks again for your input and am looking forward to using this site to help bring this dream come true.
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