Wow! No other word for it...:cool:
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Wow! No other word for it...:cool:
Dan nice work, your almost there. Don you got to be a proud Daddy!
Thanks Jim and Steve. I think he might actually have it done in time for Turkey Run at Thanksgiving this year. I hate to jinx it, but just a little more painting of the grille shell, some chroming of the nerf bars, some machining on the backside of his Buick brake drums, and minor stuff like that left to do. So that leaves him 10 months time to get that all done. But for 4 or 5 years I have been saying "this year the car is going to Daytona." :LOL:
He has to burn some vacation time at work or lose it, so he's taking tomorrow off and he and I will be hitting on our cars then. Maybe if I get some more frame prepped I can get him to weld that up for me too.
Don
Looks like the 3 D's Garage is crankin out some hotrods! between Don's 46, your RPU and 27, and Dan's RPU you guys are single handedly boosting the car parts industry economy!:D:D:D
You're right, Steve. Sometimes it seems like it. :LOL: Dan and I were talking about that tonight, and how he is going to really enjoy a break from spending every spare dollar and every spare minute working on his car. Me, I'm just too dumb to know when to quit. :o
Dan had today off so we got a full day in, working on both cars. He is essentially done with all the wiring and the car now cranks on the key. :D He decided to go with an Optima blue top marine battery because his car was built around that one.........the battery box is a billet one made just for the Optimas. He got that installed and is down to the short strokes on the electrical end.
While he was doing that I got the rear frame sections for my rpu prepped so he can weld them up for me Friday. I did the same thing I did on my 23 frame, cutting small arrow shaped backers to slip into the insides of the 2 x 4 tubing, and then I welded them in with rosette welds to hold them in place until he fully welds the joints up for me.
I clamped both rear sections together to make sure they are exactly the same shape and dimensions, and once welded I will do the same thing to each side of the frame. Then we can put it on the frame jig and build our crossmembers.
Here are some pictures of what I got done today. Picture one is the backers I cut out of 1 x 1/8 flat stock, picture two is the 2 x 4 tubing with holes drilled for the rosette welds to go into. Picture 3 is after the backers are temporarily welded into place, picture four and five are of the two rear frame sections clamped up for final welding.
Don
Coming together nicely Don! Aw if I only had a clean new steel frame!:cool:
Looking good Don. The inserts inside your frame joints is a great idea. I'll borrow that one. Keep the good ideas coming.............:D
Thanks guys. In addition to the backers we are going to preheat the gap with my torches so the weld really bites in. We have been doing that with other thick stuff recently and it seems to let the weld really lay down deep. We did that where we joined the two front rails to the center rails and were pretty impressed. I know it gets really hot.......Dan is still wearing the sunburn he got through welding gloves to prove it. :eek:
Don
Don,
Looks really good! Glad to see you are pre-heating these areas.
Will you have to run a electric water pump for your cooling
Ken
Thanks Ken. No, I don't think I will need anything but the stock pump. I wondered the same thing but have spoken to several people running rear radiators at shows, and have talked to others on some forums, and all say the stock pump puts out enough flow to go back there and return ok. I've done some measuring and should be able to fit in a 19 x 29 inch aluminum radiator. That, coupled with the cooling effects of all that tubing should do a good job of keeping the temps down..........maybe too good of a job. I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
One guy I spoke with at a show said his only problem was burping the air out of the system as the engine was higher than his radiator. So he picked up the back of the rod with his front end loader and kept adding coolant until all the air was out. :LOL: We rodders do some crazy stuff.
Don
Don,
You have probably thought of this but what about adding a bleeder valve at the highest point on the engine to release the air? Perhaps at the thermostat housing?
Jack.
Somewhere I saw a thermostat housing with a radiator cap built right in the top of it.:HMMM: If I run across it again, Don, I'll send the info. It may be the perfect answer to filling and burping the system.;)
Here ya go Jim, but mostly for SBC, though may be adaptable to others: http://www.moroso.com/catalog/catego...?catcode=29400
That's it, Bob. That should solve Don's delima. He's running an Olds engine, so it should probably fit...
That's a good idea for the bleeder. I know it was either my Honda or my ex GF Toyota that had a bleeder on top of the block and when you did cooling system work you had to crank it open and let out the air or the car would overheat. As soon as coolant started coming out your shut it off.
I do have one of the filler necks that go in line, I already ordered and got it a while back when I started thinking of how to fill this system. It should be at the highest point in the engine, so that might suffice itself. Here is a picture of the one I got from Summit. I'm going to come right off the upper water neck with a short piece of hose and insert it there.
Don
That will do the trick. Cobra guys have this problem quite regularly because the radiator sits so low.
That makes sense. I've seen some of those Cobras and the radiator is way low. This neck has an extra port on it for an overflow, so I can probably bleed right off of that.
Don
Don,
Another problem I ran into with my roadster was air trapped by my thermostat. I solved it by putting a little water fill in behind it. It's really weird where air can get trapped. That is why I was asking you bout a electric water pump, sometimes the mechanical pump can't over take air pockets.
I built a '29 sedan delivery with a blown 560 c.I. Ford with a radiator in the rear and the pump just didn't have what it took to clear the system. I fought it and finally a friend told me to try it and it then would clear all the air and ran cool. I know you aren't there yet, but I think if you are looking for these kind of problems as you built it, it might help later. Just trying to help.
Ken
That's really interesting, Ken. So you had a rod with the radiator in the back? I never knew that. How did it work out overall? Was the airflow enough to cool it without the fans running constantly? Did you build some ducts or just rely on the air going under the car? How was the radiator oriented........laying flat or vertical?
Don
I've shelved working on my rpu project for a little bit and am concentrating on helping Dan get his rpu done. We've realized that we have a good shot at getting it running in time for Billetproof on April 9th if we really put our minds to it. If nothing else it might be running well enough to drive from the trailer into the fairgrounds to at least show it for the first time.
We got the engine started and did the break in procedure quite a while ago, but that was with it running on a gas can and electrical test panel. For the past several weeks Dan has been installing the American Autowire kit and finally got that all done. Last night we installed the permanent fuel tank, electric fuel pump, regulator, and all the lines to the carbs. After some fiddling around we got it to start and run on the key. All the gauges work and the car is holding about 50 psi oil pressure and the temp stayed at 170 the whole time.
One glitch we found is that the ignition switch that comes with the kit is set up for a starter with those two little posts on it, one to activate the starter and the other one to supply 12 volts to the coil while cranking. Dan has a Powermaster single wire starter so we were not getting any juice to the coil while cranking. We rigged a temporary wire to do that and on Monday I will call American Autowire to see if they carry a switch that keeps the ignition post hot while cranking, or we can use one of the marine switches we have used in lots of other projects. Just a small thing.
The engine sounds great, but something funny happened. After running it for a while in the enclosed shop both of our ears were ringing from the open headers. When we took a drink of our celebration beer I got a sharp pain in the left side of my jaw. Dan said his jaw was stiff too. Evidently, the loud exhaust had plugged up our ears and it wasn't until an hour later that they unplugged and the pain went away. I guess next time we will have to wear earplugs. :eek:
I think our project today will be to remove and replace the front spring. We are using a Posies front spring and evidently the weight of the 468 Olds and heavy frame have flattened it out. We bought a heavy duty one from Posies and are either going to use it as is or use some leaves to get the car about 1.5 to 2 inches higher. That is good news to me because I can use the too flat spring for the front of my own rpu project. :D
In case there is anyone in the free world who hasn't seen the old YouTube of Dans car running, I'll post it again. :o:D
Don
http://www.youtube.com/user/dhdh71#p/a/u/0/R-j2Q75Y4b0
great news Don! so what is left?? It doesn't sound like too much now :)
Nice loppy cam sound! The rivets on the doors look great!
Sounds kool,Don..Looks as good..Lotsa detail in there,must have spent some hours doing the interior..Quote:
Originally Posted by stovens
I had a rear mounted rad in one of my old cars Don, It held a lot of water :LOL:, i ran 1.75" stainless tubes inside the model A rails before i boxed them, I used a Davies Craig electric water pump controlled by their controller in the middle of the frame, I removed the guts of the SBC pump so it was just a water transfer, Had scoops either side just behind the doors and a big rad with twin electric fans in the trunk, i then had a shroud that exited through the very rear of the trunk floor, It all worked well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Thanks guys. For once I can say Dan really is at the finish line. :) Car's fuel system is done, electrical is 99% done, and the motor now starts and runs on the key. We found a packet with a diode that American Autowire supplies for people, like us, who are using a one wire starter. Once we installed it the car fired right up.
We also changed out the front spring to a heavier Posies version. We have 3 Posies springs in the shop, the one in the car was fairly light, another one is a little heavier, and the 3rd is their heavy duty version. We found the middle one to be just right, and it raised the front up 1.75 inches, just what we needed. We also adjusted up the back suspension 2 inches to match the front.
Dan did a little YouTube, it is a lot like the other one I posted, except now the car is painted and all the systems work from the dash.
http://www.youtube.com/user/dhdh71#p/a/u/1/JFWQ7rRnJPk
Don
Great stuff Don, You must be a very proud Dad :D
Beautiful.:D It looks like a Monogram or Revell kit from the '60s that somehow became real.:cool: Congratulations to Dan on a job VERY well done. The only thing is, that big torque-monster Olds engine will burn those skinny rear tires off about every other week. Don, you better put your slicks under lock & key or I know where they'll be shortly...:LOL::LOL:
Steve, you're right, I guess my pride shows a little, huh? :LOL: I've been really blessed with two Sons that I can't imagine what my life would have been like without. Seeing them is the high point of my day.
Jim, I've thought the same thing about hiding my slicks. Good thing he is running 16 inch wheels or my 15 inchers would be bolted on for a "test fit." :) He has an extra pair of 16 x 4.5 40 Ford wheels that he is considering having widened so he can run 16 x 8 inch slicks. The Billetproof Drags are in October and it would be fun to see him get to make a few passes with it.
Don
It's been a hoot watching Dan evolve his tastes and talent. It's probably added to the frustration of the build to keep changing (frame, body, etc.) things, but in the final analysis he's built a car at the leading edge of his peer group.
While many young guys his age pretend they "know" what real hot rods are/should be, he's built a car that melds the timeless and the practical. A well done blend of traditional notes from 60 years ago with finish, attention to detail, materials and styling/function elements (alternator, fan shroud, etc.).
A few years back we here were talking about the "rat rod" craze and how the young guys who embraced it were a mix of crappy to somewhat better builders. It was speculated that a few of them would take the hobby to heart and improve their cars as their skills grew. Danny is one of those, though he never intended to build a true piece of rat crap. I suspect Pop's influence and mentoring had a lot to do with that higher level of vision and achievement.
Though I have a couple flathead powered cars, I'm not in that "if it don't have a flathead, it ain't real" crowd. The constant criticism of the SBC (brand loyalty aside) over the past decade or so has bordered on hysterical. I notice now that some of the other young guys that share the leading edge with Dan are beginning to embrace the older SBC's (265, 283, 327) as they become aware that that engine IS part of the tradition of REAL hot rod history. Some of them are replaying in a way what happened in the mid '50s. Others, like Dan, are creating a combination of that era with little bits of later eras. The evolution continues. Good job Danny!
Thanks Bob for those very nice words. Like you, I look back on what he was doing 5 or 6 years ago, compared to now, and he has come a long way. I don't know how much of that is due to me, both he and Don have surpassed anything I am able to do........both in the car world and in their professional and personal lives. You always want your kids to be better than you and now I find myself going to them for advice and guidance. But every once in a while the old man still comes up with some solution that makes them get a surprised look on their faces.:LOL: (Of course I have to take a nap afterwards)
Don
You're wise to play to your strength...............................................:LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Wow is the right word, though Bob put it in a way that I just could echo, nicely said Bob, and true to the point. The combination of flat black, to the gloss, chrome and white is just stunning. I love the old pause as the key turns, and the starter slowly kicks in, reminds me of old Plymouth Satelite that would windup before take off so to speak. It just hints at the evil power that beast of an engine has!:D:cool:
I used a VW radiator, I think it was a Shiroco (sp?) anyway it was aluminum and very thin, maybe two cores. It had plastic tanks and very small inlet and outlets, the same size as a heater hose. I mounted it behind the rear end at about a thirty degree angle. I used it just like a heater core, using the heater inlets and outlets on the motor. I used a two hundred degree sensor on it which triggered a electric water pump. No fans on it, but I did have one on conventional radiator. I have a couple of idea's for your car if you are interested.
Ken
Thanks Steve. Ken, that sounds like a pretty good setup. Were the hoses to the radiator only heater hose size all the way back? If so, did that flow enough water without restrictions?
Don
Yes, but I had a conventional radiator also.
Oh, so the rear radiator was an AUXILLIARY (sp) radiator to suppliment the cooling?
Don
Hello Don (Pops') Dan and Don, I'm back and have just read all this again to bring me upto date. Fistly Dan, absolutely brilliant job you have done on the Roadster, congratulations young man.
Secondly,Don Jr. I noticed in some of the photos that the Tudor hasn't been posted down to me yet, have you changed your mind???;)
And lastly, Don,you will have your new project finished before I can get back into the garage so please slow down and go fishing or something.:D
Whip, so glad to see you back posting again...........you and yours are in our thoughts. Haha, I actually DID go fishing. Don took me out on his boat a couple of Sundays ago, but we got skunked........but the day was nice anyway.
As for Don's Tudor, I think he is getting serious now about starting work on it. Last night we moved a lot of excess motors and stuff out of his area to another storage building so he has room to strip it down. Now that the car is sitting in the open it sure looks good and I am having second thoughts about selling it to him.............well, not actually second thoughts because I'll get to help him fix it up and won't be spending my money, but his. :D
Thankis for the nice words about Dans car........I'll pass them along/\.
Don
Whiplash,
Glad you are OK from th earthquakes you had in your neck of the world.........I did actually try to ship the 46 to you and because of the quakes they sent it back :LOL::LOL:
Yes, getting my shop space workable by moving all of my spare engines and parts to a small storage unit near by. I need the space to work on her properly. Should have that done this week so I can start installing the rear suspension setup.:)
Don Jr.
Thats good news Mr. Blue! Hopefully you guys won't be rubbing elbows too much with three projects going at once!