Winter Hot Rod - lots to learn so planning way ahead.

New to forum. Have had muscle cars, and for ten years a '73 Triumph that I run around in the Summertime.

I have no hot rod. So what's that have to do with this forum? Plenty.

I have no hot rod. Yet.

See, my Triumph has been in the family since I was 9, and said beloved Spitfire has to go under the carsophagus in the wintertime as soon as they salt the roads, or else I'd have swiss cheese by the spring.

And I am tired of driving anonymous and boring cars in the very long winters here in central New York.

What to do about that?

Here is what I am thinking. After surfing around this site for a bit and reading all the great interaction - I think the folks here can handle the oddness.

Punched up Diesel Engine - most likely a 5.9 Cummins, but if I can find a 2 stroke Detroit Diesel I'll go that route and build it big and very noisy.

Engine set up to start and run well in the cold- block heater and glow plugs.

Front wheels come into the garage first. That's a "must have."

Four wheel drive.

Set the engine as far back as I can in the chassis and lower the whole thing as far as the packaging limitations of the transfer case and front driveshaft allow. It won't be as low as most hot rods, but I'll have to handle snowy roads so that's OK.

30's vintage body - four seat minimum. Mildly chopped top for certain. Hood and fenders in the plan, but removable. I'll be needing that heater...

Very low numerical gear ratio and beefy drivetrain to take advantage of all that torque to really fling this sucker down the road when said road is not all snow covered. Figuring an engine designed for towing 10,000+ pounds and then breathed on should launch a car nicely.

I won't have an opportunity to do anything about this bug in my head for quite a while. That's the bad news, but the good thing about that is it I will have time to figure out what I need to know and learn it.

And time to think it out - plan it out, design it, and accumulate the necessaries.

It's not even remotely normal, but I'd love to hear what this forum thinks of how to go about this, especially structural options and ideas on how to do the front suspension so I can have that live front 4x4 axle and still have it go down the road front wheels first.

Or if I am truly off in the tall corn on this one!

Best,
PlanningAhead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItNVqEkGmyk

Just need a bigger body...

Welcome to CHR! I'm another guy stuck in the no Hot Rod driving in the winter climate... Always thought of a super low, super light all wheel drive type car for the winter, so far it's only been a thought but still on the "round-to-it" list!!! Your plans sound very workable, should be an interesting build.....but the salt and crap on the road will definitely call for some special consideration for the project.....

Planning ahead. Have you thought about a big ford Bronco?

Welcome aboard!!

In your part of NY there have to be lots of cancerous Ford, GM and Dodge diesels just begging for a new home. I think what I would do is choose which one I want, then go look for it - cheap. Dodges with the Cummins engine - great power plant - but IMO, a plug ugly inline 6. The Ford 7.3 is a great engine as is the GM. Both are reliable as any available. Be aware that the later diesels suffer from EPA mandates and are expensive to maintain.

A '30s -'50s body style, a purpose built chassis to match the torque - and you can be assured that it will make driving in Central NY will be interesting. Might even want to take in the Right Coast Nationals at the NYS Fairgrounds any July.

One recollection - about 15 years ago at NSRA York, PA, a guy had a GM diesel powered T-bucket. I'm sure I have a picture somewhere, but no clue where

I love your ideas. I love anything that's different. Here's another idea: why not just put the car body of your choice on a Bronco or Ram 4x4 chassis. It doesn't have to be jacked way up. You can make it low yet retain the utlility of driving it in the snow. Or better yet, put airbags on it so you can lift it way up for the deep snow and lower it way down for cruising in the summer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by v8notchman

I love your ideas. I love anything that's different. Here's another idea: why not just put the car body of your choice on a Bronco or Ram 4x4 chassis. It doesn't have to be jacked way up. You can make it low yet retain the utlility of driving it in the snow. Or better yet, put airbags on it so you can lift it way up for the deep snow and lower it way down for cruising in the summer.

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That works too but the OP lives in about worst rust belt city --- ever and chances of finding one of those chassis without doing more work to repair it then it would be to build a new one out of virgin 2x4 tubing.

Thanks to everyone for the responses and support.

@406 - I'd seen "sneaky pete" on youtube and other sites. What a sound!
Also, the "welderup" diesel rod is sweet- although quite a bit different than what I have in mind it's probably closest I've seen anywhere to my concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpjPIj1YF0M

Dave - sounds like you want a modified dune buggy! The diesel and the need to handle the torque (heard you there, IC2) will make it heavy for a rod, but that will help the snow traction, that and a set of thin knobby tires to cut thru the greasy lake effect snow. With no fenders I am visualizing four huge rooster tails of snow as I drift around a corner steering with the throttle at opposite lock. Might have to fender the fronts so I don't cover my own windshield, though...

IC2 - I've seen any number of rotted out diesel trucks for a song. Mostly not the cummins, though! Although your point is well taken, and I might end up with the 7.3 just because they seem to be available much cheaper, my main plan at the moment is the cummins because the six should package better with the front driveshaft. But I haven't looked at either closely enough yet to lay out how it could work.

Sfort and IC2 - thought about both the Bronco and/or one of the lighter dodge 4x4s as a donor chassis, then either cutting it down or relocating the front wheels to get the wheelbase I need to package the driveline and set up the front wheels in the look I want. Depends on the body I find, which engine, etc. And then whatever chopping in the back might get the stance sweet. But this is the stuff I don't really know about yet - I like the look of the front suspension you'd see on a belly tank racer with the long arms and transverse leaf, but... Anyone know where to go get some details on how those are setup, what spring setup (and spring rates for a big heavy engine...) might work for that? And I hadn't thought of the airbag setup. Being able to lift everything right up off the axles would be a great call for when things are plowed sometimes and sometimes not so much. How much angle change can u-joints take?

About the salt - It's a fact of life here...This would be finished pretty "ratty" specifically so I don't have to care! I'd just have to clean it up and paint it thick to protect it from too much rust.

Thanks again to everyone - I appreciate it and am all ears - and if folks could please let me know what areas I should be reading up on to learn the craft I'd be most grateful.

Planning

I would do up an old Willys Jeep wagon. lift it, stick some SBC mounts in it which are readilly available for that swap I'm pretty sure, then you could do a mechanical GM 6.2/ 6.5L Diesel pretty easy ( std chevy bell and uses SBC mounts )... that will give you a solid axle 4x4, seating for 5 or more and removable front fenders. you could change it all up and make it look entirely diffrent.. I saw a '95 Wrangler with a '33 Ford grille grafted in, correct looking fenders and headlights mounted to a bar. actually looked pretty good. and it was still EFI, 4.0L 5spd. they didn't do anything to the interior to make it look 30's which took some away, but it was still pretty cool