Thread: Roadster Stuff

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Sigh - to have a '32 frame and some room !!!

Yeah, I didn't know how good I had it till I helped a pal on his full fendered 29 A roadster.


Most of the guys I hang around with don't even have a driveshaft loop - which I consider somewhat irresponsible. I have to put another 1" bar at the top of the loop, then will be reasonably comfortable. The loop itself is a 1/2" truck U-bolt which should be equal in strength to most anything I could buy from Speedway or Summit and is bolted through a 1" x .125 wall tube, plus pieces of 1/4" plate on each side of it then bolted to the frame.

Sounds like it will do the job. The 32 started out to be a street runner with an occasional shot at the nostalgia drags. By the time I got it running, cages were required and a four point roll bar was not sufficient.

Can I assume that you are showing a remote secondary trans filter on the frame rail? It's the wrong side for what I would expect for a remote engine oil filter.

Correct on the secondary (the white one) trans filter. The orange filter is the front filter of a pair of engine oil filters that are mounted mid-frame. The oil filter adapter is home-made and lives on the right front corner of the engine. (462" Buick.) There's also a screw-on style fuel filter adapted to a custom machined nipple that goes onto a remote oil filter piece. It's back by the rear end and about 3/4 the size of a standard Fram PH8a. I understand WIX makes a fuel filter that screws right onto the 3/4-16 threads of a standard remote oil filter mount.



I still have to put an H pipe in the exhaust - I found some fish mouthed weld ends in a catalog the other day but minimum order was 10 pieces, and since I'm using the 2.250 pipes recommended by several SB Ford performance folks, would have a problem pedaling the unneeded 8. I'll keep looking - or make up my own with some short pieces, my torch and a hammer.

H-pipes are easy. Keep in mind that if you're running a 2 1/2" exhaust system on the street, a 2 1/2" H-pipe is not required. A 2 1/4" H-pipe - as shown in the pic - works just as well and is an easier install. My main reason for the H-pipe was exhaust sound attenuation. Darned car used to set off a whole bunch of car alarms in the downtown parking garage. Now, maybe one or two go off. The 32 runs two chamber FlowMasters. The 31 will have some way quieter muffs.

You appear to have a small fortune tied up in AN fittings and line as well - as far as I'm concerned, that, plus stainless hard brake lines are the only way to go. Russell finally came out with the right length DOT lines for my flex brake lines. Fuel lines, except where they pass through the drive shaft loop bracketing are all AN as well.

True. But nothing like on my little brothers drag race Henry J. He bought a handful of fittings and hoses - big ones - for oil and fuel and I think he spent $1300. about ten years ago. Most of mine are #4, #6, #8 and a couple of #10's. If the oil lines are hidden under the frame you can use #10 hydraulic lines - rated 3000# - sky blue in color and the hydraulic fittings are similar to Earls except that they are steel and cad iridited on some and nickel plated on others. With some changes being made over the years, I have a cookie tin full of Earls fittings so I have a good start on plumbing the 31. The battery box I'm building is almost done and the next project is brackets for the two elec fuel pumps.

Looks like you are running an 8" differential. Would have been my normal choice except I got a great $100 deal on a smooth back '57 9". It had 3.70's but I changed out to 3.25's which added $75.
I'm not hung up with having a 9" - for a light car with reasonable horsepower (<450), the 8" will take it - plus is usually one heck of a lot cheaper.

Nine inch Ford diffs in both cars. the 32 is 55" wide outer drum to outer drum, runs 28 spline axles with an open 3.70 diff. The 31 has a 56" wide rear axle, 31 splline Dutchman alloy axles and a 3.50 or 3.25 gear set (probably the 3.25) with Auburn locker. I narrowed the housing at home. The 8" Ford runs the same axle as the 28 spline 9" so you probably won't have any problems there. Reason for the race-o stuff on the 31 is that it started out to be a dry lakes car, but it turned out so nice I'm putting it on the street.


The last of the primer came off on Friday - the car needs one last cleanup pass with the DA then on to epoxy primer - this coming week, if the weather cooperates. My comment on this - if a responsible media blaster is nearby, go that route and pay the few bucks - time, temper, fingertips and fingernails nails plus a lot of sweat will be saved.[/QUOTE]

I've been trying not to think about paint. Maybe I should, the hot weather is over here (N/W Arizona) and the hard work with paint prep would be easier in cold weather. There's quite a hot rod presence here in town, more than likely some of the guys will be able to recommend a good media blaster. We have a powder shop . . . now if only a chrome shop would open....