Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

[J. Robinson]

Thanks, falconvan. I like the looks of it, too. I'm just frustrated by the lack of parts availability.

There are a couple of reasons why I don't want to use the fuel injection. First, the ugly looking manifold has a water jacket around the injector body that sticks out too far and interferes with my louvered hood side. Secondly, and most importantly, I don't know the first friggin' thing about working on EFI systems and I don't know anybody around here who knows enough to modify it and make it work. Finally, I'd like to have a more traditional looking system with one or two carburetors that I can fix myself if it breaks down on me somewhere.

One way or another, I'll whip this problem...

[Itoldyouso]

I know you are discouraged Jim, but you've overcome bigger obstacles than this one building cars. The way I look at the problems that crop up during construction is that this isn't a car I have to depend on every day to get to work and all. It is only a hobby, so if I have to walk away for a day or month or year then go back to it with renewed enthusiasm, that is what I will do.

Maybe the pre 87 head will bolt on the later block, then you could use one of the intakes that are available. Or take the intake gasket to someone who can cut out a flange the same shape and weld up your own intake.

Just back away from it for a while and remember that this is "supposed" to be fun. Plus, you already have a cool coupe to tool around in, so it isn't like you are rodless.

You will figure it out.

Don

[BradC]

Jim, A friend of mine has an extra S-10 4cyl (yes I paid him this month to be my friend) I will call him and see what year.
BradC

[J. Robinson]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. You're absolutely right, Don. The coupe is a permanent member of the family and it is a pleasure to drive.

I have decided to build a manifold from scratch. My long-time good friend, Dick York (http://dickshotrodplace.com/), is sending me a carburetor gasket to use as a pattern for the carburetor flanges. I will build a log type manifold for two carburetors and then ship it to him to have the carbs set up and plumbed. I have no idea what Dick has in mind, but I know it will be really nice. He is an absolute fanatic for meticulous detail. Check out the gallery on his website and you'll see what I mean...

[Itoldyouso]

See. now wasn't that easy! Glad you found a solution. Sounds like it is going to be a nice piece too. With the current interest in back to roots rodding a lot of guys will benefit from you posting how you build the manifold.

Don

[stovens]

Wow Dick York has some cool pictures on his site. Should be really cool Jim!

[J. Robinson]

Don - We'll see how easy it is when I start building it. I have a feeling this could be a time consuming project. I already lost the summer to building the new back porch and screen enclosure; now another setback. The roadster may not make it to the Turkey Run again this year. Oh well...

Steve - You should see Dick's garage! He has some really rare stuff, carburetors and intakes sitting all over the place and everything spotlessly clean. My wife and I try to go visit him and his wife whenever we make it to Indiana. When we finally go out to the shop I usually just stand and stare with my mouth hanging open for the first 20 minutes or so. The '34 coupe that is in the rendering on his home page is a real car and is sitting in the shop along with his '48 Chevy sedan delivery. I have known Dick since he and I were building chopped motorcycles in the early '70's; his stuff is always nicely done and detailed to the max.

[OFT]

Hang in there Jim, I know you will come up with a nice, this is how I did it, and amaze us all.

Earl

[J. Robinson]

OK, it's finally time to get down to the task at hand. I bought a piece of 1/4 x 3 flat stock to make the flange out of. After cutting it to length, I used the original gasket to lay out the holes. Nobody in this one-horse town ever heard of Dykem, so I used the next best thing... a Sharpie pen.

I center punched and drilled the bolt holes first. Then I center punched the center of the intake ports and cut them out with a 1 1/8" hole saw. One advantage of making the manifold myself is that I can leave the EGR port blocked off. I am also leaving the rear water passage blocked off. If it turns out that I need a return line there, I will drill & tap it later for a pipe fitting.

Also, I will trim the corners and excess material later. Right now I am leaving as much of the "meat" intact as I can to help avoid warpage later when I welding.

[Itoldyouso]

Glad to see you working on a solution Jim. When you get it all welded up do you plan on having the surface blanchard ground or in some other way machined totally flat so you get a good seal? I imagine the welding would distort the flange a little.

I think this is very do-able. You and I have both seen some really weird intake manifolds created by some of the rat rod guys..........ones that really shouldn't work, but somehow do. With your talent yours will be just as nice and functional as the rest of your car.

Oh, BTW Jim, I scored two engines at work the other day. One is another Gen VI 454 that had head problems, but the rest is fine, and the other is a 3.0 liter Chevy 4 that was replaced and found to only have a valvetrain problem.( rocker arm, lifter, or cam..........haven't pulled it apart yet to see) Anyway, that one I'm saving to build a similar car to your track T. Of course, that one is like 5 down the list of other ones I have to do. But I thought of your car the second I saw it being pulled out of the boat.

Don

[simpsongreg68]

I see gasket matching and head porting coming, what carbs are you going to use? I saw a model a 4 with an overhead valve conversion that used two s&s harley davidson carbs, it really looked nice , this setup goes a long way toward getting parts to keep running problem, You are getting really close my project is dead in the water I have been off of work since april, I have had a lot of time to perfect tig welding , a new miller tig is in my plans right now, good luck when you get this car running please put a video with some good shots of it going down the highway,

[Ken Thurm]

Jim,
Glad to see you do this yourself. I promise you it Will be very rewarding when you are finished. I have done this many times and would be very happy to send you photo's of how I made sharp turns with tubing so they look cast when finished. If the runners are going to be made out of round tubing, which is what it looks like you are doing, it's no different than a set of headers but with a plenum instead of a collector. If you give me the bore and stroke I can give you a idea on the plenum size. Or are you just going to make runners with a direct port?
Ken

[oldrodder43]

Isn't any question but what J.R. can do it----------------NONE! He does things that amaze me, and I been around things for near 66 years. I ain't einstein, but I know he's sharp, J.R. that is! Funny I'd mention both names in this post. heeheee.
Jim, I have cut my driveshaft like you said. And near there with manifold, just need some rod (someday). I NEVER would have attempted it were anyone else that said I could. God Bless! Perley

[Ken Thurm]

Isn't any question but what J.R. can do it----------------NONE! He does things that amaze me, and I been around things for near 66 years. I ain't einstein, but I know he's sharp, J.R. that is! Funny I'd mention both names in this post. heeheee.
Jim, I have cut my driveshaft like you said. And near there with manifold, just need some rod (someday). I NEVER would have attempted it were anyone else that said I could. God Bless! Perley

Your right he is a very talented man, I should mind my own business.

[J. Robinson]

Don - True, I have seen some weird ones. I saw an inline six once with 7 carbs on a log manifold! I have always wondered if they all worked or if some of them were dummies... As for warpage, I will run this thing across the belt sander when I'm done to see if it needs further machining and decide what to do then; gaskets can make up for a small amount of distortion.

Let's see... you have a small-block Chevy in your lakes-modified roadster, an Olds in the roadster pickup, and a small-block Ford in the '27 and you just procured two more different engines... Looks like you have at least two more projects in your future!

Greg - I also saw a 2.5 Chevy like mine with a pair of Harley carbs on it. It was in Street Rodder or Rod & Custom back when I started this project. Too bad nobody makes a commercially available conversion like that; it would get me up and running a lot quicker. Oh well, what good are these projects if we don't learn something along the way? This conversion will be equipped with some very traditional old carbs, either Holley 94's or Stromberg 97's.

Ken - I would never tell you to mind your own business! When it comes to fabricating, I bow to you. The details and modifications on your roadster are absolutely mind blowing... OK, I am making the "log" and runners out of round tubing. I assumed I would keep this first attempt simple; I also need to keep the carbs as low as is practical. I will come straight out from the flange with the runners and right into the side of the "log". The two carburetors will be positioned with one over each pair of runners. The holes in the flange are 1.125" diameter because that's the biggest hole I can contain within the limits of the intake port. A good friend of mine found some tubing that has 1 1/8" inside diameter, so that will be the runners. For the "log" I have a piece of 2 1/2" tubing, but I can get something different if necessary. The bore on these engines is 4.00" and the stroke is 3.00" (basically half of a 302). And, yes, I would like to see those pictures sometime for future reference.

Perley - You are too kind. I am no genius. Most of the things I do I have learned because I never could afford to pay someone to do anything for me. If I couldn't do it myself, it didn't get done, so I had to become a "Jack of all trades". The good Lord blessed me with a pair of nimble artisitic hands and an inventive brain so I could turn the things I imagine into real tangible objects. If I have any knowledge that someone else can use, I am happy to pass it on. It's my way of "paying it forward".

Glad to hear you tackled the driveshaft on your own; I have always cut my own and have never had one commercially made for me. After the first couple, they are no big deal any more...