Hot Rods Project Mattitude: the Beginning

[Hemi Bucket]

Just read through the whole thread today, some excellent work going on here, subscribed.

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Malcolm

This build just keeps getting better --- Cool drawing, Matt!!

Originally Posted by Hemi Bucket

Just read through the whole thread today, some excellent work going on here, subscribed.

Thanks fellas!

I've got a list of schoolwork that needs to be done before the semester's over. The good news? I've been checking them off one by one lately..

The bad news? I'm still not done.

[Flat-Foot]

did you sell all your extra sheet metal?

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Flat-Foot

did you sell all your extra sheet metal?

Yeah. I only have a few parts left. All the subrails are gone except for the front "feet" which goes behind the cowl. I kept the driver's side quarter to repair mine. I still have the lower panel below the trunk from the quarters but it's in rough shape. I'd have to look around.. I can't remember what else I have off the top of my head.

Why? What do you need?


iPhone - TJJ app

[Flat-Foot]

Originally Posted by TexasSpeed

Why? What do you need?
iPhone - TJJ app

I need both doors, a decklid and most of a passenger side quarter. I also need a bag of money and some mechanical abillity.

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Flat-Foot

I need both doors, a decklid and most of a passenger side quarter. I also need a bag of money and some mechanical abillity.

I've sold the passenger side.. Well, most of it. The purchaser asked me to cut the back part off as a patch panel so I have the front part that nails to the B-post. I don't suppose that's exactly what you need?

I hear you on the money. You probably have more mechanical abilities than I do however.. Sheet metal work and frame fabrication is all I've been doing and this is my first ground-up build too.

[thunderbirdesq]

nice work man, looks great!!

[Flat-Foot]

Do you have the B post from the pass side quarter? If so I will take it.

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by thunderbirdesq

nice work man, looks great!!

Thanks! I think this pales in comparison to yours however.

[yetiskustoms]

Exciting build, looks good!

[Kona Cruisers]

as good as booby bleed and brain bass.... not yet, but your well on your way!! well further along skill wise then myself. What you do have is the eye for small subtle design improvments that few do! The "eye" isnt something you can learn, and your's is right on!! great job!

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Kona Cruisers

as good as booby bleed and brain bass.... not yet, but your well on your way!! well further along skill wise then myself. What you do have is the eye for small subtle design improvments that few do! The "eye" isnt something you can learn, and your's is right on!! great job!

Bobby and Brian are far ahead of me. It'll be decades before I'm as good as those guys but thanks. I've got a ton of sheet metal work to do before I can even get it under paint although I have most of it but there's a lot more changes to come.

I did some work tonight.. I don't have any pictures since it was minor work. I got a lot more schoolwork done than I had expected to so I took the time to spend some quality time in the garage. I got one fishplate partially welded on behind one of the pie cuts in the upsweep. I still need to clean up the metal on the other side and get the other 'plate on it then fully weld both those suckers up and I'll take the frame off the jig.

The plan for the summer is to get the frame on their axles with wood blocks for now so I can roll it in and out with some A wire wheels. I'll jack the frame up to the height it should be at with the tires I want and mock the motor and trans on it to get the mounts for the motor burned in. I'll put a brace under the transmission until I find a K-member or make my own with some 2x4. Once I have the motor/trans in, I'll fiddle with the rear suspension and front suspension once I send the front axle off to get dropped. Tires should be mounted by mid-July at the latest then on the frame. I'm not going to set a goal as whenever I do that, something comes up so I'm not going to jinx myself this time. My brother can't afford another truck.

I'm "hoping" to have the suspension and motor/trans mounts finished by the end of summer. Then I can do whatever else is needed to the frame and have the frame totally done by the end of the year. Not exactly quick but I'm learning as I go.

[kiwijeff]

Very nice work. I love your flame design, and look forward to seein it done if you go with it.

[TexasSpeed]

Thanks KiwiJeff! I'm leaning towards going with it.. It fits the style very well.

I finally finished welding in the fishplates behind the upsweep on the frame so I could cut the frame off the jig. I still need to cut off the portions of tube steel off the sides from the jig but otherwise, I'm ready to start mocking stuff up on it. I measured the frame from all kinds of angles to make sure it's all straight and square, cut it off the frame, checked again.. I'm good to go in that area.

I'm starting to think I'll just go with making my own K-member as I still have some tube steel left. I found an early Ford transmission cradle from a '35, I believe, and I'm thinking that I could use the existing Model A center crossmember to sit the transmission on with the cradle piece. Theoretically, with the upsweep, the motor will sit a little higher along with the transmission which is what I wanted.. It' will fill out the space between the top of the engine and the top of the cowl. That part has always bothered me at car shows. So I'll attach some homemade front legs to the center crossmember, strengthen it, and box the frame. It might be a little overkill for an early 283/'39 combo but I'm fairly sure that I won't leave that motor stock for the rest of its life.

(ignore the puddle of ATF.. it's from my POS C10 )

[TexasSpeed]

I forgot to include what's left to do to the frame..

-Cut off tube steel (sides)
-Fishplate the front of the Z
-Cap the bottom (where necessary)
-After dialing in crossmember angles with the tires and drivetrain on, fully weld in the rear crossmember
-Cap the tube steel in the back after tweaking the design
-Cut off rear brace
-Pie cut the front (if necessary)
-Figure out K-member situation
-Get the front split 'bones figured out, steering, shocks, etc..
-Box frame.. (last thing, of course)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Koz]

Lookin' good Bro! This would be a perfect frame to retain the center cross member and put a K section to it, (Wait! Where have I seen that done?), and boxing from the crossmember back. Super stiff and real Henry too!

Keep weldin'. Summer's here.

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Koz

Lookin' good Bro! This would be a perfect frame to retain the center cross member and put a K section to it, (Wait! Where have I seen that done?), and boxing from the crossmember back. Super stiff and real Henry too!

Keep weldin'. Summer's here.

Thanks Koz!

Yup.. The homemade K-member route is looking mighty fine at this point. I may box a little into the engine compartment to hide those ugly fishplates and my semi-amateurish welding.

I made a bunch of shackles out of some scrap so I can bolt the rear axle to the frame, get the torque tube bolted back on and put it under the center crossmember so the axle doesn't try to roll back then I'll sit the frame on the front axle for now so I can at least roll it in and out of the garage on some A wires (which by the way, are all rusted out). I've got a lot of cleaning to do in there. I've also been looking online to figure out what I need to buy soon.. Thank God parts are cheaper than I was expecting them to be.

[Flat-Foot]

You may have already said it but what are you doing for an axle?

[TexasSpeed]

Originally Posted by Flat-Foot

You may have already said it but what are you doing for an axle?

Which axle?

The front axle will be the stock A axle but dropped 3 inches or so. I still need to separate the wishbone from it and get the spindles off so I can send it off to 296V8. I haven't done that because I don't know how to use a torch yet although I have one.

The back is going to be a late '40's banjo. I have a Ford axle (the orange one) and a Mercury (so I've been told) to choose from.. I still have no idea of the conditions of the internals of the Mercury so I'll be diving into that this summer which is still two weeks away. Dead day is in two days then Finals is next week.

I only have a few projects to finish and turn in then I can actually start working full days as opposed to one or two hours at a time.

[Tim]

glad to see you making progress, summer is so close!