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02-19-2012 08:13 PM #1
tin-man has some questions, it begins.....
Can anyone direct me to previous posts that discussed the merits of the factory five 1933 hot rod replicas or 33 roadsters in general. What concerns me based on pictures I have seen on various for sale sites is the front end always seems really low to the ground and I am guessing this would present speed bump or inclined driveway issues without modifications to overall height of front end. Yep, pretty obvious observation, but I would like to review any discussions on this subject and to understand how adjustments could be made. BTW, if I misspeak or misstate some mechanical or technical terms I would appreciate some slack, I will learn.
Cheers, tin-manLast edited by tin-man; 02-19-2012 at 08:16 PM.
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02-20-2012 03:36 AM #2
We did have a couple members discussing these. And I know of at least one build. Probably done about now...
A search (above right) revealed this = Factory Five kits try it out.
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02-20-2012 04:25 AM #3
I think this is the Factory Five that Mike has mentioned. Arrowhead is the site name for the builder and does show up here occasionally. His car is done, but it is on tour with the World of Wheels. I have seen the car from the very first boxes that arrived at his home right up to the finished car in my driveway - and it is beyond great:
Arrowhead's Hot Rod Site
This was at our monthly cruise in -
s car.jpgDave W
I am now gone from this forum for now - finally have pulled the plug
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02-20-2012 05:46 AM #4
Thanks for the search data 34_40 and what a build story, fantastic, what perseverance, my compliments to Arrowheads skills and attention to detail that enabled him to create a such a fine piece of workmanship. That said, I'm guessing by the looks of this picture the distance from the bottom of the grill to the floor is about 6 inches. Can anyone confirm this or let me know where I can look to get this detail? Cheers, tin-man
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02-20-2012 05:54 AM #5
John,
The FF33 has a space frame with a custom designed IFS (independent front suspension) that is purpose built for road course performance - the project engineer wanted to out perform the FF Cobra on the road course, and he accomplished that goal. You are not going to be able to adjust the front ride height much without fouling up the suspension geometry, and unless you also raise the back you'd end up with a reverse rake which would look kind of silly. The only way you could easily accomplish raising the car would be with tire size, and again you'd have to be very careful or you'd end up with a "look" that just doesn't work, like a ghetto cruiser on 30's "...just 'cause I can, man." IMO, with the FF33 you either like everything about it or you pass. I looked hard at the FF33 when I was getting started in my decision process, and it did not work for me. I'm a bit more of a traditionalist relative to "the look", and there were just too many liberties taken with the body design for me. The parting line on the top, the "I-beam" look to the frame covers, the 12" "step over" to get in (and about a dozen other features) - all in all it simply screamed "KIT CAR" to me. Unlike the FF Cobra which looks like an original '66/'67 Shelby Cobra, the FF33 is a uniquely styled body with a stylized '33 grille, and there's no question what it is - a Factory Five 33 Hot Rod, and a true Kit Car where one gets about fifty boxes with virtually every part needed to complete the car, just add engine, tranny, wheels/tires and paint. No one will ever look at a FF33 and say, "Glass or Steel?", or "What year is it?". They have not been around long enough to establish a market, but I don't believe you'll ever see one cross the Barret Jackson stage drawing six figures, or even upper five's. Just my $0.02 on them.
If you want to see the "traditional" build, check out this guys's blog - http://www.project33.com/start.cfmLast edited by rspears; 02-20-2012 at 05:57 AM.
Roger
Enjoy the little things in life, and you may look back one day and realize that they were really the BIG things.
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02-20-2012 06:19 AM #6
Yes, IC2, that's the one I was thinking about. Thanks!
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02-20-2012 06:38 AM #7
I'm no help on the FF33 in particular because my general feeling about them mirrors Roger's comments, neither good nor bad, just a matter of taste. But I'd like to comment on lowered cars, rods in particular, and "the look".
This is related to the other comments in your intro post. Something about this genre of cars tipped your bottle, think about what that/those thing(s) were. If you learn about the rod world, like the people you meet, and want to "fit in" it's because you're somehow sympathetic to the "culture". I don't get too wrapped up in the culture thing, that's more for the rockabilly crowd, but we "mainstream" rodders actually have one too, just not as in your face as the folks who get into an almost costume mode (well, unless you think of "hawaiian" shirts as costumes.
While we don't have formal rules for what a rod looks like, or how it should be built, we do have understoood customs or conventions. The FF33 is intended to be outside those customs, again, neither good nor bad, just is. But they wouldn't fit in with the normal rod crowd, they're just too "sports carish" if I may try to classify it somehow.
Ride height. That's a basic custom of hot rods and street rods, with lower being a convention since about the mid to late '70s. Earlier styles were lower than their stock bretheren, but not as low as the later versions. Some get real carried away with it and do the airbag thing so that they can "lay frame" when parked (almost/actually no ground clearance), yet still be able to raise it up for driving. These involve compromises that some find objectionable, others feel it's worth the trade off. Again, a live and learn thing. You mentioned that the car above looked like about 6 inch clearance. With most rods that would be somewhat generous, at least for the lowest point on the undercarriage. 4-5 inches is very common. Just for fun I'll post a pic of the lowest clearance car I had some 20 years or so ago................1 5/8" at the bottom of the grille.
If you're going to participate and not have what's sometimes referred to as a "nose bleed car", you'll need to be aware of your environment. A car with 4-5", good scrub angle, and relatively safe to drive only needs what I would term modest attention to potential hazards. Most common are road hazards like pot holes and man hole covers that are elevated for whatever reason. Yes, speed bumps can be a PITA, as can be some driveway approaches if the ramp is steeper. You learn to be aware of those things, or get a nasty noise to remind you that you should be more aware. You can usually take drive ramps at an angle to increase clearance effects. You creep over speed bumps, or search for alternate paths around them, and so on. Leave the inattentive driving habits to the Honda drivers.
And if road clearance is really important and you still want a more unique vehicle, do a data search for DONK (if the commie masters will allow it).Last edited by Bob Parmenter; 02-20-2012 at 06:40 AM.
Your Uncle Bob, Senior Geezer Curmudgeon
It's much easier to promise someone a "free" ride on the wagon than to urge them to pull it.
Luck occurs when preparation and opportunity converge.
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02-20-2012 07:51 PM #8
DONK oh my, never again........
Bob, after visiting DONK I can fully understand why the Sphincter Police here in China censure some web sites, yuck, what an experience. BTW we called em' hammers when I was decidedly younger and considerably more nasty. That said, thank you for the road clearance education. My question was posed out of practicality regarding potential damage that could be caused by the low ground clearance. In any event the roadster is on my list for consideration as are the 32/33 3 window high boy rods. Just so you know my druthers are leaning towards the 32 -33 era Fords. So here is a question that puzzles me and was considered as moving to the dark side on the Club Cobra Forum, why would somebody ever even consider putting a Chevy engine in a Ford?.....and then the fight began.
Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man
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02-20-2012 10:38 PM #9
Good scrub angle, this sinner needs some understanding on this term. Cheers, tin-man.
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02-21-2012 04:37 AM #10
John, Google "scrub angle" or "scrub radius" and you'll find an abundance of discussion about the measurement of the difference at the ground between the line through the kingpin, a-arm mount points or strut centerline (depending on your suspension type) and the center of the tire contact patch, and how that affects handling.Roger
Enjoy the little things in life, and you may look back one day and realize that they were really the BIG things.
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02-20-2012 07:14 AM #11
DONK - "...'cause I can, man, 'cause I can."
donk.jpgRoger
Enjoy the little things in life, and you may look back one day and realize that they were really the BIG things.
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02-20-2012 08:48 PM #12
Hay John,
Chevys are easier and cheaper to work on. You can build a Chevy engine for half of what it costs to build a Ford and have the same power (or more).
Don't worry about going over to the dark side. Over here on CHR I think that we are all on the dark side.Bug
"I may be paranoid but that doesn’t mean they are not watching me"
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02-20-2012 10:34 PM #13
Hi Bug, I recognise your signature from CC, really cool, err, read your comment and here's one back, does that mean hot rod builders would put a Ford engine in a 57 Chevy classic? Yep, this has got to be the right place OK, seems I just read..... ''cause I can, man, 'cause I can." Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man
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02-21-2012 08:58 AM #14
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02-21-2012 10:33 AM #15
on small cars yes. but fat fender cars are pretty much the same in size and weight as the donor car. i found s10 brakes work great on fat fender and pickups. a deuce will just need manual brakes...
Time for brakes