1930s Era Champ Car - new project

^^^ X2

 

One more idea: I would have liked to have bought a classic style tachometer that had a 270* sweep face that only went to 6000 RPM full scale, but I could only find a replica that went to 8000 RPM. So I'm thinking I'll just set the tach for a 4-cylinder motor. That way when I blip the gas, turning say, 5500 the tach will be showing 8250 RPM LOL.

 

FTF,
Do you have a local supplier you like for steel and aluminum? Years ago I used Factory Steel but want to compare prices. Shipping is REALLY EXPENSIVE!

 

Faria Beede Boat Tachometer Gauge TCH25D | Newport 3 1/4 Inch (greatlakesskipper.com)

Special Price$57.81MSRP: $87.68
GLS STOCK #: 1107018-PB288
ONLY 10 LEFT

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Vintage 0-6000 RPM Tachometer 1950-1960s | eBay

 

I used to use Factory Steel. After I retired I started using Van Buren Steel in Belleville.


www.vanburensteel.com

EDIT: If I click on the link above it will not connect, but if I type it in manually it does connect. Don't know why.

 

Classic Instruments Store / Vintage 3 3/8" Tachometer

 

Those 0 - 6000 tachs are the scale I want but the S/W style I have is appropriate so there we are.

 

I spent a few hours with an English wheel, slapper hammer and shot bag and the hood went from "disasterous" to "potentially saveable". I think I will make a flanged hoop for the front and rear to help it hold its proper shape. More work ahead.

 

I installed the SW curved glass winged logo gauges in the dash panel. All I have in there is tach, oil pressure and water temp. Plus two indicator lights. That is all I wanted. My voltmeter is hidden on top of the transmission. My gas gauge is under the upholstery.
TECH TIP: I connect the hot wire of my tach to the hot wire going to my electric fuel pump. That way if my tach does not register when I fire the engine I know I forgot to switch on my fuel pump. It has saved me embarrasment on my drag car.


I like to hide little notes on my junk to make it easier to troubleshoot problems, so I labeled the tach terminals and noted the dip switch positions.

DOH! My water temp bourdon capillary tube just hits the steering crossmember. I will have to either make a new dash and move the gauge location(s) or put a dimple in the tube. I choose dimple the tube.
sucks

 

I hate it when I do that...

 

In order to better see and locate the area of the tube needing work I made a Phantom of the Opera half mask from pressboard to locate the gauges and mark the tubing for cutting precisely. I cut away enough of the tube to install a dimple made from 3/4 OD x .065 wall 4130. Now the water temp tube will clear. The oil pressure gauge just clears the steering gear after a hodge podge of elbows and adapters.

 

"No really, I planned it that way..." At least that would be my excuse. And who would be the wiser?

 

Funny thing is I originally planned to place the two side gauges about an inch lower but just before I cut out the holes I decided the arrangement would look a lot better if they were moved up, and I even didn't consider interference with the steering hoop.

I'm going to add a center brace coming off the tube and anchoring the dash just above the column.

 

My bud gave me the sockets needed for the headlight stands, and one of two extensions needed for the headlight stanchions. Nice

 

More minutae -

made a strengthening hoop for the rear of the hood

welded on the temp gauge dimple and made a center mount for the instrument panel

 

I am narrowing down my list of things that are yet to be done.
RE-INSTALL THE C4 TRANS WITH BETTER SHIFT LINKAGE LINKAGE DONE - REBUILD C4 NEXT
PLUMB THE FUEL SYSTEM DONE
FIND A PLACE TO MOUNT A BATTERY DONE
WIRE THE CAR IN PROGRESS
INSTALL A FUEL FILLER NECK AND CAP TBD
COMPLETE THE CRASH BARS TBD
NERF BARS ON REAR HAIRPINS TBD
SMOOTH THE SHEET METAL IN PROGRESS
SKIM COAT
PURCHASE DAYTON WIRE WHEEL$
TRADITIONAL CHAMP CAR TIRES
PRIME AND 2-TONE PAINT
GRAPHICS (TRADITIONAL SCALLOPING)
NUMBERS AND OTHER SIGNAGE
FLUID FILL
TEST DRIVE
REGISTER AND INSURE
ATTEND VINTAGE RACES

Added to that I have to make the HEADLIGHT MOUNTS and TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES.

I have to install the headlight receptacles in the frame rails for the quick-disconnect headlights. That is the last bit of welding I can see needing on the frame. The transmission is coming out and sent for a complete performance rebuild. Before pulling the trans I thought it would be a good time to roll the car out and take some glamour shots of the progress. Still lots to do but I can see the end product now. It hit me this week that I will have one of these vintage replicas in my garage to appreciate and fantasize about, as well as being able to take it out and beat on it from time to time. How cool is that! Enjoy

 

You're a very talented indivual. If I was building something like that I'd be "Hold that bit there and I'll tack it in and see if it fits" brigade.
Nicely planned out and executed.

 

Thank you spanners.
UPHOLSTERY - I forgot to add upholstery. I'll need to sew something up. Probably a neutral grey pleated vinyl. That's about as complex as my limited upholstery skills will allow. I was also going to buy some high density closed cell foam to place in the seat pan under the upholstery and while looking online at the bulk stuff it seemed high priced. My bride suggested using floor mat foam from HF. Perfect. I can stack it in 1/2 inch increments to suit. Truth-be-told, I can drive the car without upholstery but it eventually needs to get finished.

There's probably other things I'm forgetting, like the CARB REBUIDS but some of that stuff is rainy day projects that I can do or while I am dipping my feet in the surf.

Oh, and a custom stainless steel AIR CLEANER, and leather HOOD STRAPS.

Will it ever end???

Hope not.

 

No project is ever truly done. The last 2% takes forever.

 

True dat. And I haven't even brought up the possibility of mounting a fiberglass '27 T body over it to convert it to a center-steered drag altered. That was in my plans when I designed the frame.

 

With some help I removed the transmission. I cleaned and polished the tailshaft housing prior to taking it in for a rebuild, since the housing will be exposed and I'd like it to look like a 1930s era transmission with beautifully prepped castings.
Then I scrounged the other necessary components from my stash of parts - the block plate, flywheel flex plate, and a nearly new 3500 stall speed torque converter. I assembled everything on the ground to insure the converter splines match the trans (C4s had two different spline counts) and the mounting tangs matched up to the holes in the flex plate. The bits got cleaned, pickled, primed and painted.
Pics to follow...

 

Rollin' rollin' rollin', keep that project rollin....
Sounds like good progress!

 

Dropped the transmission off at the builders. He listened to my specific desires on the rebuild and asked me if I wanted a dipstick tube and locking dipstick which I can modify and shorten to fit the car. Thanks Accurate Transmission, Bellville MI.

I welded the headlight sockets into the frame rails, flush on top and bottom. Then I had another thought - the headlight sockets could also be used to fasten the front crash bars to the car. For driving on the street headlights can be plugged in, but when I take it out on the track (or for daylight motoring) I can use the same sockets to plug in the front crash bars. A happy accident! That will keep me from goobering up the frame with too many mounting tabs.
I used my torque wrench multiplier bar snapped into an extension to align both square sockets, which may proove useful when bending up a couple headlite stanchions.
TECH TIP: My multiplier bar is exactly the same length as my torque wrench. It is useful for doubling the torque of the torque wrench. Most torque wrenches go to 150 ft-lb or so. The bar snaps on to the wrench doubles the torque so you can torque stuff like rear ends, harmonic damper bolts, and other bolts requiring high torque values.

 

Another idea to plaigerize! I like it...

 

Due to storm cleanup from severe storms in the area last week not much got done recently. I made a pattern for the headlight stanchion anchor pads. That's all folks.

 

And it's a very nice pattern!

 

Our power was out for 68 hours. Came back at 8:30pm yesterday. Ten tornadoes in Northeast Ohio. I had 2 days of tree debris but no damage.

 

The socket hole welds got dusted off. Two anchor pads got made from steel plate. I also reamed the front shock levers so they slide easily in the mounting studs. When I made the frame rails, before I welded on the front crossmember, I welded on nuts inside the rails to accept the friction shock levers. The shock nuts are "torque prevaling" to insure the studs will not loosen over time. I have some friction pads - now all I need is a 3" outer disc to bear against the lever.