Thread: Chopsmitty '32 Ford Roadster

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So are you planning to run motorcycle tires on the front with the 21's, and can you do that without assuming extra liability that might make insurance "interesting"? Again, just wondering about the approach.

The wheels and tires on a Hiboy are one of the defining aspects of the car. Normally one picks the wheels & tires as a first step, then designs the suspension to work with the ride height that's desired/required. Seems like perhaps you're looking at suspension first, and that's driving your wheel/tire selection?

No, planning on these:
BF Goodrich Blackwall - 440/450-21

I wanted to get the look of the large diameter wheels/tires... but I may have to step down to something like this in the front:
Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front - 500-18

I wanted to machine my own wheels but, primarily, I want to design and build my own suspension and I want to run a push rod style. Mostly I want the coil overs to be mounted horizontally and aligned with the front to rear axis of the vehicle. My thing always has been to build as much as practical. I could buy the Kugel Indy front end, but it's over $6,000!! I'll have under $1000 in mine. Wilwood dropped Mustang II spindles, MII rotors, not sure on the brakes (ton's to choose from), Flaming River 41.7" Omni rear steer rack and pinion, Stainless A-arms, etc.

Roger, you were absolutely correct about the diameter of the front tires. Fixed it up, popped in a crude radiator shell for reference and brought the wheels down to the 18" diameter... Much better.

I'll keep pressing with the design and hope to get everyone's input along the way.

Made up some adapters for a guy- going to trade a complete 9" rear for this work.


What the are adapting:

Nice build log. Keep them coming...

Thought I could post up something about my inspiration. I learned everything I know about cars from Terry Haun in Clovis, New Mexico.

Terry threw a '32 roadster together in about two weeks and we rolled out to meet up with the Hot Rod Power Tour in Grand Junction, Colorado. The car was bitchin, but it had some quirks and that is what made the trip so darn fun. It was a glass body, 8-71 blown BBC with a nasty roller cam and a Vertex Mag. What he didn't think of was the load the mag. would put on the cam gear (bronze). We changed the gear every night and sometimes during the lunch/fuel stops. The GM performance guys even next day air'd in some gears free of charge so we could keep going. Also, the flowmaster mufflers got so darn hot they tried to melt their way through the glass floor! We fixed this by pouring a bunch of water all over the floor behind the seats every few miles. Good times.
Terry is gone, but his memory lives on...




Was awesome cruising with these guys (Frank and Gray)

Cool story, maybe that should read, HOT story with the heat from the exhaust. The orange roadster looks absolutely bitchin too ...

Cool story. Did you guys have to change oil every gear change too?

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Cool story. Did you guys have to change oil every gear change too?

Why yes, now that you say that I remember changing some oil. LOL Damn that roadster was scary fast... and at the time I was driving a bottom 9 second street car so I was used to it!

That's pretty sweet! A 9 second street ride!

Been super busy at work, so the car project has to take a back seat...
Just finished recoating our secondary mirror.

Did however find some time today to start working on the right side frame rail. Repairing damage filled with braze.

Great thread you started here. Love the cad drawings, and the stories that inspire you. Is that mirror for a telescope?

Just googled Kamuela HI, and found there is an observatory there called W. M. Keck Observatory.

Great rust repair, and that mirror doesn't look cheap.