Golden-Era Hot-Rodding

[David Conwill]

I'll keep you posted, but as you guessed, it's slow when you're being a purist. Plus I've got a couple newer oldies that have to share the parts budget.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

Some Golden Era rodding thoughts on a rainy morning.

This ‘26-‘27 Ford speedster was posted on the HAMB recently and it’s of particular interest to my Chevy-powered project as it uses the 19-inch Chevy wheels I intend for my own. The owner even gave me a rundown on how he adapted the Chevy wheels to the Ford axles and offered to sell me an extra set.

The photo confirms that the 19-inch diameter is spot on for the proportions of a lowered T.

Next up is a gorgeous ‘32 Ford roadster that, aside from the 1940-style disc wheels, is straight out of a 1940-set detective story I started writing back in college.

I don’t know the particulars on this car, but the car in the story had a ‘39 Mercury V8, ‘39 Lincoln overdrive gearbox, reversed-eye springs, and MoPar hydraulic brakes.

This treatment applied to any ‘29-‘34 Ford would be a great one. Add ‘35 Ford wire-spoke wheels (a popular replacement after 16-inch tires became the standard), and it’s firmly in the 1940s style.

It pains me I’ll probably never own a Deuce roadster.

 

[WH1]

Have any of you seen the movie Wings, academy award winner from 1927. if not check out this sequence and see how they did it back then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMFamW_3dVc

 

[Stearmen]

The real start of Hot Rods! My great uncles stripped down Model T. Just shows you, that even then a cool car would get you the Babes!

I really like the Cut Downs. Thought I would repost the photo of my Great Uncles Cut Down. When I buy my next house I want to build one. I am driving my realtor crazy trying to find the right old house with either a big garage or enough land to build one!

 

[David Conwill]

Have any of you seen the movie Wings, academy award winner from 1927. if not check out this sequence and see how they did it back then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMFamW_3dVc

Well, he's a bit self absorbed! How do you do that to Clara Bow?? Cool car, though. I wouldn't mind integrating that shooting-star graphic into my T.

 

[rocketeer]

Check out the film Best years of our lives'. Almost at the beginning, the three returning GI's jump in a taxi and a hot rod roadster flashes by as they chat about how the country(USA) has changed during the war.

 

[David Conwill]

aside from the postwar Mercury hubcaps

Teach me to post from a phone. Those are obviously FORD hubcaps. Turns out they're also pre-war (1941).

Spoke wheels would still be more period, of course.

 

[David Conwill]

Here's a '30-'31 Deluxe "A" done in a similar style to the Deuce above:

A's of this vintage seem far more attainable.

 

[HOP UP]

Yes the As are more attainable and JUST as cool, that one above is very correct, is it banger powered ? An update - the Deuce Roadster arrived last week....just in time for the Aussie Winter bbrrrr......haha.

All is good and she's a real peach; I will be ironing out a few little things; the 37 21 stud will need some fine tuning as will some odds and ends like brake adjustment, underside clearances etc, before she's ready for the Spring and some mondo cruising with the boys.

Here's a pic of her in the garage, I'm stoked and it's the realisation of a lifelong dream to own a pre WWII dry lakes styled roadster...... Im still pinching myself !! :

HOP UP

 

[Talbot]

Neato gow job. Hope to see it around the streets of Melb.

If you see a 54 Chev H/T with pitted chrome and chalky earl schieb paint say g'day.

 

[David Conwill]

Proof positive the Swedes know their period stuff:

I'm pretty sure those are 18" '32 Ford wheels. They work well with the high-and-level stance.

 

[David Conwill]

The fellow who posted the Swedish “A” above just supplied some more details:

its stock a frame with A rear end, 4 inch drop beam on the front, 40 ford brakes alround, B engine and 17" wires

A four-inch drop axle isn’t exactly typical of the period (in the era, a two-inch was far more common without the axle being put through some serious agony) but it sure does look good.

Seventeen-inch wires, incidentally, originally came on ‘33-‘34 Fords.

 

[HOP UP]

Dave I think you'll find that this nice A roadster is from the land of the Limeys.

The stance is correct for a pre WWII roadster. My Deuce roadster runs a "heavy" undropped original axle - many pre war street based/dry lakes roadsters didn't run dropped axles till after the war when Ed "Axle" Stewart made them popular out of his shop in San Diego.

Hence the "Dago'd" axle moniker we all know.

Love that A !!

HOP UP

 

[David Conwill]

Dave I think you'll find that this nice A roadster is from the land of the Limeys.

I just came back to make that correction. The original poster is from Sussex, England and on my cracked iPhone screen, I somehow turned that into "Sweden" and missed the England part entirely. Oh well.

The British are second only to the Norse in their ability to recreate excellent period hot rods. Something about being overseas seems to focus a guy on doing things right.

The stance is correct for a pre WWII roadster. My Deuce roadster runs a "heavy" undropped original axle - many pre war street based/dry lakes roadsters didn't run dropped axles till after the war when Ed "Axle" Stewart made them popular out of his shop in San Diego.

Hence the "Dago'd" axle moniker we all know.

Love that A !!

HOP UP

I agree the stance is correct, which is why I expressed surprise that it had a four-inch drop. As you noted, dropped axles were themselves uncommon, but even those that were dropped, weren't typically dropped that far!

 

[HOP UP]

"The British are second only to the Norse in their ability to recreate excellent period hot rods. Something about being overseas seems to focus a guy on doing things right."

Totally agree Dave - the Swedes especially turn out some of the nicest traditional hot rods in the world. Brilliant stuff when you consider where they are and the cost of parts, fuel over there etc.

We don't do too bad here Down Under either.

In Australia and especially in Melbourne, we have a very nice traditional scene going and fantastic, traditional hot rods and kustoms. Despite the oppressive registration laws, an over zealous Govt/constabulary that likes to add to their coffers by targeting motoring enthusiasts and the cost ofparts we turn out some super well built and fantastic cars that get DRIVEN.

One of our best events is being run in early October, see www.chopped.com.au

Cheers

Frankie

 

[David Conwill]

The car is a '26 or '27 Ford built in an early Depression style - anybody have a guess as to the year of the photo based on the guy's clothes?

 

[Stearmen]

It looks like 1934 by the color of the California licence plate.

 

[David Conwill]

Thanks!

 

[David Conwill]

A much-loved shot of a '28-'29 Ford Sport Coupe at the dry lakes:

 

[HOP UP]

More .... BTT