57 Chevy Cruizer

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Originally Posted by 1gary

Well Dave,buy a stacker and start building that second car........

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Sure! Soon as I find a race partner (that I can tolerate) who has a really big checkbook. Tried the 2 car race thing before, not for me!

As for the stackers, no thanks! Much prefer a long trailer with a work station put together just in front of the side door. Stackers IMO are good for circle burners who need to carry a spare car, and not for us old drag racers who consider the "important" items on a trailer to be:

1. Where's the head???

2. How big is the awning???

3. Is the generator really quiet so it doesn't disrupt naptime???

4. How cold will the A/C get???

Funny how priorties change as age progresses.....:HMMM::HMMM:

Just remember that if you have a bunk, pottie and microwave---It qualifies as your home and you can shoot an intruder!!!!

Dave, I had a Chapparel years ago and it was a nice trailer----however my 44ft 3 axle featherlite is 10 times what the Chap was----triple torsion flex axles-no bouncing from double springs on both sides of the axle---spring assisted rear door--lt weight--constuction is that extruded shapes of beams top and bottom with axle substucter of steel--anyway , if you've had both, you know what I mean

Yuppers, I know well.... We towed the Chapparel with a Peterbilt, maybe that's still the way to go, dunno.....

Sent an inquiry to Featherlite and Haulmark today, going to follow them up with a phone call or 3!!!! My plan with the Pace was to save a bunch of money.....but hard to get the quality of the Featherlight out of the head, as you well know!!!!!!

What do you tow the 44' Featherlite with???? I've got both the diesel toter and my old cube van I could peddle.....with the price of used (semi) trucks low as it is, that might also be a consideration......??

Anyway, more good progress (but forgot the camera in the house) on the '57 today!!!! got started putting the wheel wells together and grinding/smoothing the welds that are on top of the floor supports where the aluminum will be! Plans for tomorrow are to finish up smoothing the supports, finish up the wheel wells, then get some epoxy primer on all the new steel. The body and frame will be off to the sandblaster first of the week to get the rest of the gunk removed, then back home for assembly to begin!!!!

Dave

Got a 1999 F350 crew cab, single rear tire, 7.3 diesel with 400,000 or more miles---

And as you probably already know it is a fifth wheel trailer, got the longer extended ramps for ease of loading, generator and winch

It sounds great, Jerry! Think I'm going bumper pull this time. The one before the Featerlight I just sold was a bumper pull, really liked it so I've decided to get another one, just a bit bigger. Once I get moved and settled in the new digs in Texas, might have to look at a used, big (44' +) trailer and truck for some serious travelling....Still want to do some of the nostalgia meets out in Ca. in the winter......

Came up with another 454 block today, think this one will be for the '57. Never could win the argument with myself about going small block, I guess......

Actually there are acouple of guys with stackers at Lancaster Speedway in their drag race deal.Sure beats a 28' one way pack only to fit a RED and a Monza with the golf cart.

If it works for them, that's great.... With the price of fuel high and going higher the last thing I want is a big, tall trailer trying to push a hole in the air....

I just don't see where a stacker would ever work for me. I need room for my stuff, not room for 2 cars......

Nope---no stacker for me---I want the axles to be the torsion flex dealie so trailer can set low, roof tall enough to stand up and the side door to be 4 ft wide and 6 ft tall so I don't hit my head and you can get a golf cart in cross ways thru the door. It also needs a vent system so any fumes are sucked out running down the road---Wells Cargo has some good side vent/covers---not the crank up kind

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Originally Posted by Dave Severson

.......Once I get moved and settled in the new digs in Texas, might have to look at a used, big (44' +) trailer and truck for some serious travelling....Still want to do some of the nostalgia meets out in Ca. in the winter......

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Moving to Texas? I somehow missed that part of the story :confused: Is this a plan with dates, or a "someday" thing? If real, is there a spot picked out??

yeah, probably mid to late September. Got some land down there many years ago in the Baytown area.

Been in the planning stages, and postponed, for about the last 5 or 6 years....Ain't doing no more winters up here! One more winter here would put me back in the dreaded wheelchair, ain't gonna do that again if there's anyway to prevent it!!!! Lived there many years ago, looking forward to getting back to the land of the long racing season!!!!!:LOL::LOL::LOL:

can you say HURRICANE?????

Hurricane??? just a few more letter than Tornado

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Originally Posted by cffisher

Hurricane??? just a few more letter than Tornado

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Neither of them very pleasant.

I was Ft Hood for a couple years we never had either , but being that far inland most likely helped a lot .

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Originally Posted by jerry clayton

can you say HURRICANE?????

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Yup, can you say tornado, blizzard, flood, low wages....Been through a few of the hurricanes, just keep the insurance paid up!

Dave, today I was going to our shop to pick up something and there was a car in front of me that you would like. It was a 55 Chevy BelAire done gasser style. I have seen it running around and the guy has a shop about a block from ours, but I have never had the chance to speak with him. Today he turned into his shop and I followed him in and we chatted for a while.

Super straight body, straight axle front end, tubbed in rear with wheelie bars, Nice silver paint job, no hood, and it has a 454 with a tunnel ram sitting up high. He has fenderwell headers and no inner fender panels, so the engine is totally open from the wheelwells. He has ET 10 spoke gasser wheels on the front and coke bottle ones on the rear. It also has a cage with swing out bars.

We talked about the car and he says the only thing he regrets is that he used a Speedway front axle setup and it is too narrow. It is 46 inches kingpin to kingpin, and when he called Blairs Speed Shop to ask what they used on theirs they told him 52 inches. He was surprised because he thought 50 would be about right. His front wheels did look a little tucked under, but still very nice.

He is running a M22 with 4:88's and he said that was something he also would change as it is a little deep. He's also running a spool. When I asked him how it handled, he said "It's a gasser, so it has it's quirks." :D

I'll try to take some pictures of it the next time he is at his shop. Overall, it is just a wicked looking car and animated as h***.:D


Don

Dave if your out this way for nostalgia stuff your welcome here. Glad to hear Texas will be keeping you a little warmer next winter. Still cold in Texas, but not like the Dakotas!:toocool:

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Originally Posted by jerry clayton

can you say HURRICANE?????

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Can you say HUMID?????:eek:

Not sure how a high plains guy is going to survive at 100%RH and 100+ temps!! That area around Houston is just plain BRUTAL from about May through September. They look for hurricane's for a breeze:LOL::3dSMILE::LOL:

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Dave, today I was going to our shop to pick up something and there was a car in front of me that you would like. It was a 55 Chevy BelAire done gasser style. I have seen it running around and the guy has a shop about a block from ours, but I have never had the chance to speak with him. Today he turned into his shop and I followed him in and we chatted for a while.

Super straight body, straight axle front end, tubbed in rear with wheelie bars, Nice silver paint job, no hood, and it has a 454 with a tunnel ram sitting up high. He has fenderwell headers and no inner fender panels, so the engine is totally open from the wheelwells. He has ET 10 spoke gasser wheels on the front and coke bottle ones on the rear. It also has a cage with swing out bars.

We talked about the car and he says the only thing he regrets is that he used a Speedway front axle setup and it is too narrow. It is 46 inches kingpin to kingpin, and when he called Blairs Speed Shop to ask what they used on theirs they told him 52 inches. He was surprised because he thought 50 would be about right. His front wheels did look a little tucked under, but still very nice.

He is running a M22 with 4:88's and he said that was something he also would change as it is a little deep. He's also running a spool. When I asked him how it handled, he said "It's a gasser, so it has it's quirks." :D

I'll try to take some pictures of it the next time he is at his shop. Overall, it is just a wicked looking car and animated as h***.:D


Don

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Everybody sez that on the front axle, wider is better! I've got the moly tubing to build mine, gonna wait till the frame starts going back together but with some test fitting I came out at 51 1/2" at the kingpins using Chevy style spindles and the Wilwood brake set up. A lesson from my circle burner days, anything under 50" can get twitchy at speed.

As for all the comments on the weather, I lived in Houston for a few years many years back, so I'm not going into this thing blind. The hot and humid feels very good on this old crippled up body, kind of like an all day sauna!!! The city is a lot more miserable then where I'll be. Baytown area gets as hot, but also gets some very pleasant gulf breezes. The new shop will be big enough to work in, but small enough to keep the a/c going..

Mainly just got to get out of this dang miserable cold weather up here in the poverty belt and get back to an area where people still know how to live, not just roll over and play dead for 8 months of the year!!!

Dave,
You're right about the breezes, and the city of Houston being inland up the ship channel makes it the worst!! I spent about three years in Corpus Christi, and most days there we had an offshore breeze to keep things more tolerable. The thing I found I missed after a couple of years was the visible changing of the seasons. Having grown up Missouri it really messed with my body clock to not see the four distinct seasons, but I ran into a guy who had moved from Kansas to Corpus back in the 30's, and he said you couldn't pay him enough to go back to Kansas!! He loved the more constant temps.

Here you go Dave :eek:

I don't do windows. :LOL::LOL::LOL:

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Originally Posted by pro70z28

I don't do windows. :LOL::LOL::LOL:

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Me neither!!! Think I'll stay with the aluminum sides!

Got one inner wheel well put together and cleco'd in place, the other side is together, just have to test fit it in the morning, then hopefully finish getting all the new metal cleaned and shot with some Epoxy primer, then the frame and body are off to the sandblaster!

Nice work on the sheet metal. I like bead detail on the inside wall.

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Originally Posted by stovens

Nice work on the sheet metal. I like bead detail on the inside wall.

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Thanks Steve! Just a small set of step rollers but it sure adds a bunch of strength!!! Makes that .032" aluminum think it's a size bigger.... Also, might be a place for some very lightweight vinyl fabric glued to some equally thin and lightweight foam.........

Dave I think this method would help speed up the metal shaping. :D

Audi A6 – Manipulation (2011) | Tot na de reclame

Cool video wish it was that easy!:D

Wow!!! Got a get me some of that Audi metal, what a time saver it is!!! I believe the technical name for it is unobtanium!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even I don't know if I can stretch it into shape with out help :3dSMILE:

Neat metalwork Dave, tubs look real nice

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Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Me neither!!! Think I'll stay with the aluminum sides!

Got one inner wheel well put together and cleco'd in place, the other side is together, just have to test fit it in the morning, then hopefully finish getting all the new metal cleaned and shot with some Epoxy primer, then the frame and body are off to the sandblaster!

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Very nice, Dave! Is this going to be a keeper for you?

Dave the work looks great......I always enjoy watching a master at work.

Got a question on your big move to Texas. How much of your stuff are you going to be taking and how many Semi loads do you figure it will take :3dSMILE:

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Originally Posted by falconvan

Very nice, Dave! Is this going to be a keeper for you?

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For awhile, nothings a keeper for me, everythings for sale...sometimes I'm just not real flexible on the price of stuff....but it's for sale! Thanks for the comments, sure am having fun putting this one together and looking forward to making a few passes in the car and doing some shows....

Dave, here is a pic. of the hood I was talking about. I don't think he used the ''Audi technique'' on this though. :D

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Originally Posted by pro70z28

Dave, here is a pic. of the hood I was talking about. I don't think he used the ''Audi technique'' on this though. :D

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looks like pre 66 gm A body trunk lid??

That could be. All he said was a 60's era deck lid.

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Originally Posted by pro70z28

That could be. All he said was a 60's era deck lid.

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re skin with alum ???????

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

re skin with alum ???????

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nope, the whole deck lid is scratch built inside & out. He used .050 3003 H14 for the inner structure. Mad skills.

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Originally Posted by pro70z28

nope, the whole deck lid is scratch built inside & out. He used .050 3003 H14 for the inner structure. Mad skills.

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you can make one or two time forms bucks out of marglass and form alum over it by making a mold off a old part . i was going to do a gto hood beat the inner and then beat the hood blister and roll the outer skin .3003 is good for beating on or hand bending /forming.rolling. for mill or lathe work not so hot 6061T6 is ok and still can tig 7075t6 is better to machine . but you knew that . i still may do it but i can never get the time and the money timing right . i was going with the Tin Indian theme with the GTO as i have the 632 donovan and the 735 was going to start with the front inners and work out to the hood and front bumper