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whats the cost

fbn8248

New Member
I'm looking at a speedway body, but I think it's more a universal question that all beginners want to know. How much does it cost for the wood to reinforce the body, build the floor, and the resin needed to do it? Also does anyone have pictures or diagrams of the location of the reinforcement? What kind of resin do you use? What kind of wood for the floor?
 
Well short answer is this, Speedway body is really well made and you might not need reinforcement.

How do I know?

This is Tim. He built this bucket when he was 15 and he's ... ahem, well, just a little older than me.

Speedway body, no reinforcement and this bucket is a driver; he has over 250,000 miles on it.

3656494195_f428b25c81_o.jpg


I've got some pics around here somewhere from when we glassed in a floor on a Speedway bucket for a member of our local club.

Going to take a while to go through six thousand pics but I'll try to find them.
 
that's a real nice bucket. I'm trying to get all the ducks in a row before starting a project like this. I've read about reinforcing the body and it seemed it was required. What kind of floor do you use? Plywood? What kind of resin to attach the floor?
 
how high is the windshield on that? I like how he sits in it not almost on top of the body as I have seen around here.
 
We use 3/4" marine grade plywood for the floor. What is left over we cut some into 3" square blocks to do the top reinforcements with. Glue those 3" squares into the top of the body with Liquid Nails. They will have to be clamped in place so depending on how many clamps you got. Will determind how many blocks get glued at one time. Let them sey overnite, till they are all in place. Then lay 2 layers of glass over the blocks and into the sides of the body. Scuff the body pretty good with a disc sander before gluing and glassing. You will be amazed at how much stronger that body will be.

Pretty time consuming but it needs to be done.

Same with the floor cut a cardboard pattern and make sure it fits, then transfer to the plywood. Scuff good with a disc sander then glass it in, as well.
 
do you put the blocks around the whole top edge? do you have pictures? Is there a build up thread or link that anyone knows of?
 
I sent you a PM. If you will send me your email address I will send you a long article on a Speedway build that was done in the September 1996 issue of Street Rodder that reads like a how-to manual.
 
There is a thread here with at least 3 different approaches to wooding a body. I do mine much like Dons rendition. The thread is "wood in body" I think. Look in the search.

Ron
 
I have a set of blue prints for an original T touring wood 15 to 22 ...I did one and it was a lot of work. the front of the touring is similar to a roadster. a lot of joints were mortice and tennion . On my 16 original steel T bucket I used 3/4 steel tubing, a lot of slits, bends and welding. I have 2 other glass T buckets up in the racks and they are a lot different as far as strength... one has an opening door and I will dig out the prints when I wood it and do close to original.
 
The prints came with 3 model T basket cases I bought in the mid 70's. put one together with non running engine, . body wooded and primed, to pay for the rest of the stuff , I saw them in the file cabinet at the shop in central utah the last time I was down to see the kids. We still have work to to up here on the farm.,, we plan on going south for the winter, I am going to bonneville mid month and might go down to the shop then and look for them.
 
Why not look me up while you're there on the Salt Flats. I'll be there with a red and white Camaro from Redcatcher Motorsports.

Jim
 
thanks for the email der spieler. After a quick look to see what issue that was in I search through 4 out of 5 boxes of my dad's old mags till I found the holy grail Sept. 1996 of Street Rodder. Thanks for the help.
 
In answer to your original question as far as cost goes, i usually figure $100 to $125 for mat'ls. That's for plywood, clear pine, resin, matt, acetone, a pie tin, and a dozon throw away brushes. Minnesota prices.

Ron
 
what kind of resin? I found a website years ago that had epoxy resin and "regular"resin.I also can get resin at Wal-mart.
 
I use poly resin. Check around for pricing. A gallon here runs fron $29 to $56. The Fleet Farm store here has the best price with NAPA on the high end even with my discount.

Ron
 
NAPA around here is ridiculous with their prices. All I need is some extra money to get started. come on lottery!
 
If all you want wood for is to stiffen the body, maybe another alternative. I stiffened mine by adding two 4" wide strips of 20 oz. fiberglass aound the top edge of the body. A lot faster and easier. But it doesnt give anything to fasten the upholstery to like wood does.
 
here's another question, how much do you channel the body for the best look? and how do you mount it? I just read an article in Street Rodder for sept 1996 and the used jeep body mount when mounting the body. Is that a normal practice? Can I put rubber on top of the frame between the body?
 
Youngster said:
I use poly resin. Check around for pricing. A gallon here runs fron $29 to $56. The Fleet Farm store here has the best price with NAPA on the high end even with my discount.

Ron

Ron, will poly resin coat the plywood floor as effectively as epoxy? I've done some body repair on my old truck with cloth and resin years ago, but I'm not sure what kind of resin it was.

Craig
 

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