Lethal Weapon, Project A-Bucket

[dlotraf33]

A new build. I probably should finish my other 2 projects, but I get stalled on one and can switch to another. I was originally gonna build a roadster, 26 or 27, when I ended up with the International cab and built the closed truck. I have seen several roadster pu's that I really like so I thought I'd like to go that route. One super nice one is Itoldyouso's son's elsewhere on the board. Some months back R&C had an uphoulstry article that featured a 26 Dodge RPU and that one in particular lit the fire.

Here it is, most of you have probably seen it.
1011rc_30_o+1926_dodge_brothers_roadster_pickup+front-600.jpg

I liked the lines. The bead down the side. And the smooth sides, no door openings. Also since I have, at best, minimal sheet metal skills. I figured I could build a similar body, using an existing cowl. Well lo and behold a customer gave me a 28, 29 model a cowl. It's in pretty decent condition. Small rustout on both cowl sides at bottom, but easy, even for me, to cut out and repair. The cowl is from a closed car, or truck, but that even works better as there is no char. line at the top of cowl as in the roadster cowl.

So here's what I started with.
my cowl-600.jpg

I got the cowl about 6 months ago and have been puzzling and doing research to come up with a build plan. Right before the holidays, a guy my son works with, told me he had a Cad 500 sitting in his garage that needed a home. I told him I had a corner in the garage with it's name on the space. I hope he comes thru with it. We were talking on the phone and I told him what I was going to put it in. The roadster should weigh 1600#'s top. 500+ foot pounds torque at 3000 rpm's, it would be a Lethal Weapon. So that's what I'll call her. If the cad doesn't happen, I guess I'll just make a Mouse Trap out of it.

And with no opening doors it's like a t-bucket, but an A so it's an A-Bucket. I am drawing more inspiration from a couple of other rpu's. So let's have a look.

I like the way this one sits on top of the frame. And it's do able for me to make a chasis like that

[Whiplash23T]

I like your thinking on this one. That last picture really lite my fire also and how I wish I had a set of solid rims and white walls to change onto the "T". I will just have to add those to my "to do when working again list"
Everybody should have aleast one open car to play in,keep the photos etc coming as I will watching over your should on this one.

[dlotraf33]

Well my computer is not coperating, so now I shall continue.

Here is the other one I am drawing from.
0805sr_01_z+ray_allisons_model_a_roadster_pickup+-600.jpg

This body is kind of a cross of the two.

So I scrounged up the dimensions of Henry's 28 roadster pickup from the H.A.M.B. and started to mock it up. I used some cardboard to make the back and sides then put a seat on the floor so I could play with the lenth of the cab. I wanted to make sure I had enough leg room, and did not want to have the steering wheel up thru the floor like a t-bucket. I think I ended up with a streach of 4 to 5 inches over stock. I am not sure exactly as I had no front to back measurment just a diag. from firewall to rear corner of cab. I also got made fun of, the wife comes out and I'm sitting in basically a modified card board box, on a seat with steering wheel in hand. No I wasn't making the vroom vroom noise, at least not while she was in the garage.......

Next I made a patern of the floor on some 5/8 plywood and made a jig to build the body on, and also roll it around. I attached the firewall with some washers and screws. Made the back of cab from the ply leftovers. Then I took some 1/4 ply and made sides and screwed togerher. A little 2x3 for the cab top sides. This should approximate the thickness of the finished side tops. I intend to use 1 1/2 box for the top and bottom rails. I took a scrap bed side top and added it to the back, for a little character, not wanting it to look like a box totally. In my mind I see the bed top rail just below the round on the back of the cab. Here's what it looks like so far.

DSCF3046-600.jpg

Now time to stare at it from different angles, squint and try not to see the wood grain. And of course sit in it and make the noise. My daughter came home from school and ask if it was going to be made of wood. No, but I told her its easier to mess up 12.00 worth of ply than 100.00 metal. And after doing this I see somthing. the sides are about 2 inches too high. Looking at the ply bone and at pics on puter I knew it didn't look quite right, too tall in door area. See, easy to cut down ply, harder to cut and reweld.

Here's another angle, with a seat, will continue later as it is time to take her to school and start work.

DSCF3048-600.jpg

[dlotraf33]

Whiplash, thanks for the intrest. I hope I can pull this off. Building the roadster is not a problem, but I hope I can post an interesting build thread.

I got slightly off track with the inspiration, so I should tell my thoughts on the build. I'm gonna try for a late 50's early 60's look. Steelies, probably no hub caps, Tall and skinny on the tires like the green dodge. After sitting in the cab again, it needs to set on the frame, no channel. I don't want to sit on the floor, nor do I want to sit too high. I would like the door tops just below my armpit when seated. I gotta hang my arm out when driving. This will be a more traditional build, but I am no pureist. Probably a suicide ft end, or semi suicide. Spring behind axle, radius rods or hairpins, ft and rear. I've got a 47 ford truck axle and spindles. I'll mount the same as my International. In fact got the mounts from Noxious Customs today.

I think model a style bed, I like the rounded bed bottoms in those. I'd like to do a model a grill shell, just because I already have a deuce on the other truck, but it's hard to beat a cut down 32 shell. If I do the 32 I think I will make the insert, so it wont look like the other one. Stock type windshield, chopped and layed back some. I may use the closed car posts and move them in some like the roadster posts. I like the bed cover on the dodge, but I want a removable one, maybe just a snap on toneau cover. I want to be able to use this a a truck some. Light duty stuff for work or chasing parts.

Drum brakes all around. I might have a line on some buick finned drums and a set of 12 backing plates. If not I found some chevy finned drums for 11 inch brakes. I'm gonna get a pair for the international. The pilot hole is slightly smaller, but I can turn the hub down easily. I want a dual master cyl on firewall. I'm gonna use the 60's chevy truck unit. I'll be running an auto, th350 but will use one cyl for front and one for rear. I used to make a ballance bar setup for twin master cylinders for our race car, set up so you can adjust and set the brake bias.

Probably make up a set of lakes style headers, Noxious has header flanges for the cad motor, and just pick up a kit from speedway. I think there was a vendor at the Lonestar Roundup that had fabricated log manifolds for the cad motor. Sure would look sweet with 6 carbs sitting on top that motor. Edlebrock makes an alum intake but a single 4 just won't look right. Could use that manifold and run 2 big rochester 2bbls. We used to have to run those and you can get 600 cfm out of some of those. Thats why they changed the rules and made us run the holly 350 2 bbl.

I guess that about sums it up so far. I realized I had no pic showing the back roll on the cab, so will probably cut down the sides an 1 1/2 to 2 inches this weekend and shoot anothe couple of pics. May round up the bits and pieces I have and throw that in too.

For those interested in this, please feel free to comment, and sugest on both the build and the thread. I've wanted to do this since I read Jim's about a year ago. I don't think I can do it as well as he did, but that's a mark to at least shoot for.

Now go out in the garage and burn some steel..........

[roadster32]

Looks very interesting

[dlotraf33]

Looks very interesting

I hope so. Considering the exceptional work you do my best will not even come close to what you discard after deaming it a failure. Every time I check your thread I am amazed. And if you ever decide you don't need the talent in the tip of your pinkie, well send it abroad, I sure could use it.......

[Itoldyouso]

Obviously, I am going to like your new project, I love RPU's. Sounds like you have a good plan going and the plywood mocked up version looks about right. What I like about these is that there is a whole lot more room than the T's I am used to, both legwise and also in interior height and width.

You mention the one Dan built (thank you ) the first version he did was based on little more than you have there. He did cut down a 29 Murray Fordor, but only ended up using the cowl and two front doors and he fabricated the rest. That is the body I am using now on my new project.

I am anxious to see your progress updates, this will be a fun project to watch. BTW, if you need any ideas, I have some pictures from when he did his, and he has a ton of them I can get from him.

Don

[roadster32]

I hope so. Considering the exceptional work you do my best will not even come close to what you discard after deaming it a failure. Every time I check your thread I am amazed. And if you ever decide you don't need the talent in the tip of your pinkie, well send it abroad, I sure could use it.......

[PRO53]

Well my computer is not coperating, so now I shall continue.

Here is the other one I am drawing from.
Attachment 47328

This body is kind of a cross of the two.

So I scrounged up the dimensions of Henry's 28 roadster pickup from the H.A.M.B. and started to mock it up. I used some cardboard to make the back and sides then put a seat on the floor so I could play with the lenth of the cab. I wanted to make sure I had enough leg room, and did not want to have the steering wheel up thru the floor like a t-bucket. I think I ended up with a streach of 4 to 5 inches over stock. I am not sure exactly as I had no front to back measurment just a diag. from firewall to rear corner of cab. I also got made fun of, the wife comes out and I'm sitting in basically a modified card board box, on a seat with steering wheel in hand. No I wasn't making the vroom vroom noise, at least not while she was in the garage.......

Next I made a patern of the floor on some 5/8 plywood and made a jig to build the body on, and also roll it around. I attached the firewall with some washers and screws. Made the back of cab from the ply leftovers. Then I took some 1/4 ply and made sides and screwed togerher. A little 2x3 for the cab top sides. This should approximate the thickness of the finished side tops. I intend to use 1 1/2 box for the top and bottom rails. I took a scrap bed side top and added it to the back, for a little character, not wanting it to look like a box totally. In my mind I see the bed top rail just below the round on the back of the cab. Here's what it looks like so far.

Attachment 47329

Now time to stare at it from different angles, squint and try not to see the wood grain. And of course sit in it and make the noise. My daughter came home from school and ask if it was going to be made of wood. No, but I told her its easier to mess up 12.00 worth of ply than 100.00 metal. And after doing this I see somthing. the sides are about 2 inches too high. Looking at the ply bone and at pics on puter I knew it didn't look quite right, too tall in door area. See, easy to cut down ply, harder to cut and reweld.

Here's another angle, with a seat, will continue later as it is time to take her to school and start work.

Attachment 47330

Man that Candy Red one has always been one of my favorites. Lookin forward to seeing your build.

[ScooterCO]

Great progress!
We have great hopes.... Keep it up.

[dlotraf33]

Thanks Scooter, if anything it will go by too fast. I am building it mostly for something to do. I like the fabrication. So I should take more time, to stretch it out, make it last longer. But when I get my teeth into something it's hard to turn loose..........

[roadster32]

Great stuff, keep the pics coming please

[Itoldyouso]

It gets so exciting when you get to this point, doesn't it? Starts looking something like a car finally.

Don

[dlotraf33]

It gets so exciting when you get to this point, doesn't it? Starts looking something like a car finally.

Don

Sure does, only problem is it's hard to sit and make the vroom vroom noise................. I'll just be glad when I can roll it around. I don't really have room for both in the garage, so I spent 2 days moving everything so I could get the 48 in at nite and when I'm gone during the day. What was I thinking....................

[dlotraf33]

Great stuff, keep the pics coming please

Will do Steve. So what are you whittling out of stainless this week?......
I can't do the quality you can, but I sure like looking at your shinny stuff....