Thread: Project "Left Overs"

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Nice! I'm really feeling jealous right now!

Last night while Dan was doing more wiring on his rpu I continued putting the engine back together for my 27. It's pretty much ready to reinstall, I just need to move some stuff around in the shop to get the engine lift in there. I feel pretty good that the changes I made will clear up my oil leak and my water pump failures. The new valve covers should also make it easier to put the engine in and to set the valves down the road.

As for my rpu project, my front tires and rear slicks came in from Coker and the powder coater got my rims done Friday. So I had the tires mounted and propped them up in place to see how they look. I love the 8 inch Firestones even better than the 10 inchers I had on the 23, they just look more era correct to me somehow.

I keep going back and forth on if I want the radiator in front or hidden in the bed. Right now I am still leaning toward the rear position so I can run the Moon tank and an empty Model A shell up front, sort of like a drag car. The wheelbase is going to end up at about 115-116 inches.

Here are some pictures of the engine ready to go back in the 27, and also some mock up shots I took tonight with the tires propped up in place. (The grille shell will be chopped to match the cowl height)

Don

Cool Don do the coker slicks come in black walls to....?

Yep, they do. I considered going to blackwalls all around on this one, but I am just sort of a whitewall guy, I guess. If you go to buy them, get a H A M B Alliance membership. It dropped the price from $ 333.00 per tire to $ 296.00 per tire. Paid for my shipping.

Don

The have them at Socal speed, just a few miles from me....this could get me trouble.

The last time I was in there I spent four hours just looking, NOS parts, half built roadsters, frames, blown flatheads, old speed parts just hanging all over the place, I was like a kid in a candy store.

I've only seen that shop on Hot Rod TV, and it looks very cool. You're lucky to live that close...........but maybe your wallet isn't so lucky.

Don

That's weird. I've never seen a balancer that locates the wheels by the lugs. Does that mean they have to be balanced on the car?

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

That's weird. I've never seen a balancer that locates the wheels by the lugs. Does that mean they have to be balanced on the car?

It was a new one to me too, Jim. The guy from Superior said surprisingly enough, the old balancers work better with these steel wheels, and some new balancers have an adapter that has lugs on it. Very strange, I've had steel wheels balanced before at this exact same place, with no problems. I am going to try to see if the one shop is still around in town that has one of those motorized deals that goes under the whole tire and wheel while on the car, and it balances the wheel, tire, and brake drum in one shot. I had a Toyota with a shake and the guy finally had to use that kind on it and the problem was in the rotor.

Don

It's been a while since I had anything to post about the rpu project, been ironing out some bugs on the 27. Now that it seems to be running well I have been able to get back on the rpu.

The front frame sections were holding me back. I decided to taper them from 4 inches to 3 inches in the front so I had to cut a pie shaped section 1 inch wide by 3 feet long and then close it up. I got it cut and have been hesitating to have my Son Dan weld it up for me because I didn't want him to miss any time working on his own car. But this week I clamped the front section to the welding table and he got them done for me. I don't weld well enough to do structural stuff, so I leave that to him.

After they were welded I ground the welds smooth and then cut the sections of the frame that go from the firewall to the back of the body. Tonight we got those pieces welded to the front frame sections, and I was able to finally slip that much of the frame under the body and start squaring things up.

I also cut all the pieces of tubing that go in the bed area, and tomorrow Dan will weld those up also. Our plan is to do both sides of the frame then drag out the frame jig and weld crossmembers in, front and rear.

Here are some pictures of what we got done today. It's 3 am and we just got in from the shop, and I am going to bed.

Don

Thats funny i was only thinking last night what was happenning with this project, Good progress Don.

Looking good. I have been puzzling over the front kick up on mine. I figured I'd need about that much to get it to sit where I want it. Looks like with the channel it's almost hidden. Not sure how to handle that with body on top of frame.

Well anyway, glad to see you back at it. Hope the 27 keeps running good. I'll be watching this one. Might find and idea or 2 to steal..........er borrow from you........

Wow! No other word for it...

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."

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