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The plan is to document the build as thoroughly as I can. I have fixed cars, painted some, replaced quarter panels, etc. but never a frame off build. Here is an image of the car as I received it:Attachment 61103. It will be a while between posts as I have a number of projects to finish.
Welcome aboard.. good to see you here. Love the locomotive as much as the coupe.. can't wait for pics.
Thanks. That's my granddad with the locomotive, his build. It ran on coal and water.
Coupe is cool and TRAINS rule
Welcome to the family from across the Pacific pond too. I hope you inherited some of Granddads talents, that engine looks amazing, anymore photos of it please as we ain't strickly cars only on this site. The '35 Coupe looks like a good start, what are your plans and what type of engine is it powered by ?
Nice coupe and super cool train! Definitely need more info and pics on both!
He passed away when I was in my early teens. We would go to this live steamers club in Ohio on the weekends. One guy I believe had 100 acres with track all over it. There were cool old wooden bridges and the tracks wound through the woods. His train is or was in an old school museum in Willoughby Ohio.
Still having trouble understanding how to attache a photo. I hope there are corresponding images. The train is my granddad again on a friends train at that live steamers club. The 40 Ford was my fathers. The 77 Nova was my first build. I visited my dad and he taught me how to mix and sand Bondo and then he painted it. The 69 Charger I stripped to the bare metal then had a neighbor paint. There was 56 Old's Rocket 88 my mom owned and other cars but that's the gist of it. I bought the charger SE for $500 in Sumter S.C. while I was stationed in the Air Force. It was sitting in a field behind someones house. It had 60,000 miles on it. We pored gas down the carburetor and it fired right up. I gave it to my dad when it was done. Last I know it was sold near Mentor Ohio.
The 35 Ford was owned by a man who ended up in a nursing home before it was completed. My dad picked it up to finish but he passed away before he could finish it. Now it's up to me.
Engine: 87 HO 302 OBD1 to be converted to carbs and aluminum heads. Reason 215 Horse to over 400 for $1500 to $2000.
Change tranny to stick - I am just a stick guy
Frame to be leveled, squared, boxed, Mustang II front end (keep), 66 Nova rear (keep), convert to 4 link and auto level air ride suspension.
Body: Roof to be closed in, paint lower portion root beer, upper (roof) Gold, there will be a cream white portion with orange pin striping.
Interior:?
That is the plan. I am finishing this weekend a secretary desk for a room I built and I have 4 family cars I take care of so I am on the long term plan.
Thanks for all the support and interest!
My history with the car: When I got the car I stripped the body. I then built this frame out of pipe from the hardware store, jack stands, and some bed frames I had in the attic to set it on. I rolled the chassis out from under it and located the engine numbers so I could find the wiring schematics. I grabbed a steering wheel from a 76 Datsun 280Z I had in the attic (62 Ferrari GTO kit build - never finished - made daughter instead:)) and wired it to the existing electrical system (reason - all controls on steering wheel). I built a temporary firewall out of more bed frame. The firewall (not shown is the steel from the back of an old dryer). After doing all that I realized I wanted more than a Rat Rod and now I am going to try and find out what is the best I can do. Last weekend I removed the transmission. This weekend I hope to put the engine on a stand. The mustang II front end is 1/4" off of the 16" it is suppose to be it is also 1/4" out of square. It will be cut off and reattached trying for 1/16" minimum tolerance.
Nice cars from your past, and great progress on your current one. Sorry to hear about your father passing. You definitely have a nice coupe to start with! And that train is too cool! I'm sure there were thousands of hours into making it!
That look like a great project and I love the picture. I love old trains also, just facinating. It's fun to see peoples different preferences on their builds. You are replacing FI with carbs and removing an auto for a manual. I am going through great lengths to make sure that I have FI on a stock motor and that I have a 4 speed auto trans. This is what makes this hobby so neat. Thanks for sharing.
To 53 Chevy5 - I might end up putting an Inglese 8 stack before it is over. I want to tinker with a Weber stack first. Money Money - we will see
Guess I should include my mom's Olds.
Sweet and a convertible to boot..
I had a '56 Olds 4-door hardtop, loaded - right down to the A/C, electric seat & windows and Autronic Eye - when I was 17. It was oxidized silver, and my dad and I painted it in the standard Olds two-tone, but in red & white. Loved that car. Wish I still had it.
I ran over my first mailbox in that car! I was a young teen and I decided to back the car down the driveway. Our driveway was on a hill. I over steered a little then a little more and then a lot. Next thing I know I had taken out the neighbors mailbox. The car didn't have a scratch but the mailbox was done.
