Project $ 3 K Is Underway

Don,
I just got my goodies from Be-Cool and can't wait till this weekend to get my welder to finish my cooling system and it's was like Christmas.
Something I got to thinking about and thought I would give you a heads up. If you are using the roller cam that came with your motor you will be OK, but if not, you need to use a dist. gear for the roller cam as it is a different material than a regular cam. You also need a fuel pump rod that is compatable also or you will trash the cam. You may know this, but I couldn't help butting in:LOL: .
Jim

Pops, you're missin' the boat. Call TLC right now!!!! I smell a show called "Roadster Build-off"!!! Do a little yellin' and screamin', mutter under your breath a little, throw some rat rod "pitman arms" at the camera, kick a cat...................................on second thought.............never mind!:)

Jim, good points, thanks. I am going to use an electric pump, but the dist gear is something I will have to watch.


Bob, I like it !! :D :D I can get one of those "wife beater" shirts like Paul Sr. and start ranting and raving all the time. Heck, it made them a zillion bucks, so it's worth a shot. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:


Don

From our understanding the only differance would be the TEE SHIRT:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Oh, youse guys. :D :D :D :D


Don

A lot happened at the shop tonight, unfortunately, not much of it was my T getting anything done. My plan was start prepping the engine block to build it, but first I had to remove the black paint the machine shop sprayed on it. He has never painted an engine he has machined for me before, and I am not sure why he did it this time, but it certainly did me no favors.

I tried a cup brush on an angled grinder, sanding discs, and finally aircraft stripper, and nothing was making a dent in the thick black paint he used. I have no idea what this stuff is, but it is really tough. So, tomorrow I am taking the block back to him and am going to have him hot tank it once again, which will necessitate new cam bearings and freeze plugs being installed. But if this stuff doesn't come out of all the pores I am afraid my epoxy primer and final paint won't stick. Really put a problem in my way that I didn't need right now.

However, Dan and Don got lots done on their rods. Dan got a lot of the parts he had ordered, like his custom made Sanderson headers, and his Bomber seats. He also got his new pulleys and Olds 442 aircleaners for the tripower setup. Everything he put on tonight looked really good, and it gave him some renewed enthusiasm to get this thing finally done.

We also helped Don get the motor mount installed in his T bucket, and we slid in a dummy engine and used his new C4 to get things lined up. Everything went like a charm, and he of course had to put his dual quad set up and headers on to see how they were going to look. In one night he made more progress than Dan and I make in a couple of weeks. Of course, our cars are complete ground up builds, and his is the Total Performance T, so many of his components are simply ready to weld on.

Here are some pictures of both of their cars with some of the new stuff bolted on. Now if I can just get this stupid paint off of my engine. :mad: :mad: :mad:


Don

So what is stashed away under that tarp ??

Another question have you ever thought about adoption . ( I'm available )
LOL just kidding a bit.

Great Rod's coming along i see.

Aircraft stripper wouldn't budge it hhmmm . Maybe this is what i should shoot my frame and suspension in Don.

'84 Capri that was first Don's, then I bought it from him, and then he bought it back from me. :3dSMILE: We have had it for 10 years, and neither he nor I have ever finished it. It is destined to be a drag car, and already has the suspension and stuff done, just waiting for an engine. The 302 he was building for it is going into the T, so he will have to bulld another one some day.

He just said last night that after the T is done that will be his priority. I tried buying it back from him last fall because I have a built 460 sitting on a stand just waiting for a body, but he wants to keep it this time. We'll see. :D :D


I'd adopt you, but I can't afford another kid. lol. I have no idea what he used to spray that engine, but it is some tough stuff. I'm playing hookie from work today and have the engine in my trunk to take back to him to have it stripped. He won't be real happy about that, but I have no other choice/


Don

In between the time he has owned it and I have owned it, each of us has done some things to it. The 8.8 rear is all done, it has subframe connectors and torque boxes, lift bars, and a D and D front suspension. There is a 10 point roll cage kit sitting inside waiting for Dan to weld it in. I was going to build a 460 drag car out of it, and Don likes 5.0's better, so who knows what it will end up being. One thing for sure, after this many years, it won't ever leave the family. Maybe my Grandson will finish it. (he's 5) :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:


Don

You know Don, you don't want to rush into anything.:LOL: :LOL:

Don,What front brakes are you using on your son's T? Looked like a stock factory rotor and hub assembly to me. That's what I wanted to use,but Speedway insists that they are much too heavy,and I should use their Wilwood kit,which of course is much more expensive. Congrats on all 3 cars coming along nicely,I couldn't get that far on $3000. in beer,let alone have a car too! Hank

Well, to tell the truth, we haven't gotten there on $ 3000 either. :o :o I have sort of gotten carried away a little on mine, and Don has gotten WAY carried away on his, and as for Dan, he never did have a budget in mind, and since he is single too, he can indulge himself a little. But, I swear I will do a car under $ 3K and finish it in the future. :D :D

As for the brakes, they are one of my Ebay scores. They are mid-'70's GM with an aftermarket mounting setup, whose, I don't know. The guy in the ad said he replaced these with a Wilwood setup on a customers car. I couldn't pass them up because the spindles, calipers, and mounts are chromed, and have the '49 -'54 Chevy spindles I needed. I have to admit, they are a little heavy compared to Wilwoods, and if they prove to be so, it will be a simple matter to switch over, as the spindles are already machined. But I don't think they will be a problem as they sure are lighter than the drum setups I run.


Don

:3dSMILE: Don,

I found your great thread this morning while searching for "wood". I have spent the last couple of hours studying your craftsmanship and techniques. Since I have to tilt my head back to read the screen through my bifocals, I may have to give it a rest. But this is one great thread! I too was looking to build a cheap T-bucket, but after running the numbers on Total Performance site and checking with Ebay, it is obvious that you can buy one cheaper than building. But when one does this, you miss out on the learning experience. Below is the bucket I bought for $6651.00 Now if the ice and snow would go away, I could run up to Missouri and pick it up.

Reg Mason

You do realize that there is NO structural support in that body dont you? (at least none I can see in the pics) You're gonna have to glass in some wood or something or its gonna crack and wobble all over the place!:eek:

I can't tell if that is the way it is or not, my eyes are not that great either, but everything else looks fine. All in all, you got a good deal, because if you start adding up the items, you couldn't duplicate the car for that kind of money. There are always things you have to do, and things you want to do to make it your own, so that is where the learning experience you mention will come in. I like the look of the car a lot.

Have fun when that white stuff goes away.:D :D :D :D


Don

:rolleyes: T42 has a good point. I actually bought the car with idea of pulling the SBC 350, 350 tranny and rear end to put in one of my other projects. But Don said it for me best. There is always something that I want to add or change with everything that I buy. Be assured that it will not hit the streets until it is safe to drive. I would probably be insane to drive it without a roll bar. The thing about buckets is that if you ever got hit by another vehicle, maybe the EMTs could use the roll bar to pry your head out of the windshield.:CRY: I guess that is the price we are willing to pay for playing with large, dangerous toys.:3dSMILE:

Reg Mason

Quote: "Well, to tell the truth, we haven't gotten there on $ 3000 either. I have sort of gotten carried away a little on mine," :Don

I have been following this thread since it's inception and have been very interested to see whether or not you could actually pull it off. The quality of your work is exceptional and it truly would have been a feat to bring it in for less than $3000, but I can fully understand your desire to make this rod as good as its workmanship deserves.
Unfortunately, we may now never know whether or not you could have actually met your budget unless you can keep track of your cost overages and give a total of both what you are spending and what you would have spent if you hadn't "splurged." I think many of us would like to see this if it is possible.

Thanks for the nice words. Yeah, I really do feel I let the purpose of this thread down in the financial department. As I have mentioned, as I got into the build the direction started to change because I really began to like the little car and kept adding things to it that weren't really necessary, but that would make it a better looking/ driving rod.

To be tolally honest with you, I have sort of lost track of the dollars. I know I spent probably $ 1500.00 at Turkey Run, and have spent another $ 1500.00 since then (maybe more, maybe less), so added onto the approximately $ 3000.00 I was at before then, my total is probably $ 6000.00. That is purely a guesstimate, and I would have to look at the parts I have bought to see what the actual total is. To complicate it even more, during the Holidays I spent a fair amount of money for parts that were gifts to my Sons for their projects, so that all became intermingled somewhat.

But I owe it to the nice people who have viewed and supported this thread to do a tally, and I like your suggestion about the actual cost vs what it could have been done for. That is do-able, and I will sit down in the near future and come up with a figure for both ways of doing it.

It has weighed on me a little that I didn't stick to the original intent of this build, and feel some people may have felt misled by it. I still feel that it can be done, and you may have noticed a '30 Model A cowl sitting in the background on some of my pictures. I plan to use it and four doors I bought on Ebay a while back to build a little roadster pickup sort of like Dans (but lots cheaper :D :D ) I also have a second 394 Olds sitting that I got for free when we repowered my buddies '60 Olds with a 455. These are the basis of another attempt I will make at the $ 3K limit. That stuff sitting there keeps calling to me to get started, but I had better finish this one first. :LOL:

Thanks for your question, and also to all of the folks who have followed and participated in this project. Your input has been invaluable (like talking me out of using that stupid homebuilt shifter :o ) I have enjoyed this build so much more because of all the fun we have had with all of you during this this time. Hopefully I am nearing the finish line and can get on to THE REAL PROJECT $ 3K.:D :D


Don



PS: I took my engine back to the machine shop today and asked him to hot tank it again to get this paint off. He had a very good explanation of why he couldn't do it. He said this was a marine engine, and he doesn't know what black coating they put on at Mercruiser, but it WON"T come off in his tank. So he had his guys spray more black on top of it when they were done to dress it up. He has been my machinist for 20 years, so I trust him. I guess I will sand the black down as good as I can and epoxy prime over that. If this black paint is that tough, it shouldn't ever give me lifting problems.

Just edit the thread title.................."Project 3K (from each hand) is Underway"



Of course, at the rate you're going maybe that should be............"Project 3K (from each pocket)Is Underway".:LOL: :LOL:

Or, I could say it was just a TYPO. I really meant "Project $ 30K". Yeah, that's it, I'm just a bad TYPIST. :D :D :D :D


Don

Well at that you may even come in under buget :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Well, 3K or 30K it's a great project and a great thread. I know I have learned a lot and I thank you for all your efforts.

Thanks, I really appreciate that.


Don

See, I have been following this along because you never can get your money out of your car when you sell it. So I thought I could pick up a REALLY NICE CAR for maybe $1500 :LOL: :LOL: :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:

Don the 5.0 i have for the A is out of a 84 Capri RS . All complete factory . Sweet car under there just getting older may be the next A model soon .

He should know this supposed to be H.O markings

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

See, I have been following this along because you never can get your money out of your car when you sell it. So I thought I could pick up a REALLY NICE CAR for maybe $1500 :LOL: :LOL: :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:

---

Ken: There were days where I might have taken you up on this deal. :D Golf is looking better all the time. :)


Bluestang: I always wondered what those x's were. I have a couple of engines with those, including the one Don was building for the Capri, but is now going in the T.

Weird story on this engine. I saw an '85 T top Mustang sitting in a body shop one day, and the owner tells me some guy didn't pay his repair bill, so he will take $ 600 as it has to get out of there. When I opened the hood it had Moroso valve covers, aluminum intake, Holley 650, and headers, so I am interested. Then I pull the oil fill cap and see roller rockers down in there, and the deal is cinched.

I tore the engine down to see what I had, and found early heads with big Chevy valves, ported and polished. .30 over TRW forged flattop pistons, the crank was crossdrilled and chamfered, and it was a complete roller cam motor. The cam was a Crane, but instead of a stamped number on it there was electric penciled numbers, so I called Crane. The tech couldn't identify it, but checked and called me back. He asked "how did you get that cam?" I told him it was in a car I bought. He went on to tell me it was a factory experimental cam that was never to leave the shop, and that it was really too wicked for the street, and was purely dragrace suited. (I had noticed a lumpy idle :LOL: :LOL: )

Anyway, I had the block line bored, decked, honed, etc. and my machinist tells me the heads are very desirable cast iron versions and that someone has spent a lot of money on porting and polishing them plus the stainless Chevy 2 inch valve job. Don just bought an X303 cam and rollers for it, so it should move his T pretty well. The two fours are just for flash.

Later on some guy wanted the T top, so I sold it for $ 500.00, less engine and tranny, ending up with the engine for $ 100.00. That was one time I was in the right place at the right time. However, in one of those "Fatherly moments" Don talked me out of it for I think $ 300.00, so I am now up $ 200.00. Except for all the machine work I had done. lol

Don

I stillthink I should be calling you Dad instead of Don:LOL: :LOL:

Sure Charlie, I need another deduction.:D :D :D


Don

Don---You are doing a great job. I have thought right from the beginning that you were doing a lot of 'optimistic estimating" in regards to the finished cost. I have built too damn many over the years to think it was possible to build for 3K. Thats okay though--sometimes if you sat down and truly added up what everything was going to cost, the project would never get started. And, in the final concencus, you will have a great little rod, and have provided yourself and all of us people following your thread with thousands of dollars worth of "entertainment.---Brian

Thanks Brian, as always from you, very nice words. Now if I can talk you into buying that homemade shifter from me. :LOL: :LOL: I think I'll turn it into a doorstop.


Don

Don bought this one in 1996. Story guy pulled it to build for owner, car was sitting in the street. Police came by because it hadnt moved and found it was a stolen car. The guy told Police he had the engine they told him its your's . Hence he"s a chebby man i got it for $50 with low mileage just clicking over 50k when he pulled it. He rents the house from a friend of mine.

Ok only T talk from here Dad (LOL)

I'm still with you as to the matter that it can be done if you do all your scrounging and set up a plan and stick by it.Definately would not be dripping with chrome,carpet and leather,but a good basic and safe car. Hank

Don you sure was . Save the shoe's you were wearing they have to be the luckyest one's you have. When you take up golf play in them . I'f you ever decide to sell the shoe's let me know i may be interested. (LOL)

New at this but a car guy all my life. A 3k car can be done , with a shop full of old parts and giving it a rat rod build .You guys see if i did enough research.

Car $3800, IFS $2400, Im hoping to come in under 10k just building a driver. I will attemp at sewing my own interior before i buy a kit. I allready have the drive line $500 spent on this. 5.0 , T5 5spd , and 9inch.

I reserched alot right here from all you PROFESSIONAL"S. Follwing this thread and alot of late night reading them all .

Don no matter the cost the grin at the end is what it's all about .:3dSMILE: and seeing your pics thru out this thread is great . This for us new guys give's us brain storming for idea's . Thank You

Don,

are you going to be putting seat belts in. I know to most this might be sacrelig but some of us need them. I am 6'4" and always feel like I am coming out, even in a duce with the seats on the floor.

On my frame I have an extra crossmember just for this purpose. My Stepdad just retired so he is going to come up and weld my frame up for me. I can't wait.

Z

Sheepishly, I will say no on the seatbelts. I never had them in my '27, and kind of had the philosophy that if the car rolls I don't want to be part of it. That may be stupid or smart, I just don't know, but it is my personal belief.

Here in Florida we are exempt if the car is older than I think 1965, and all mine are older than that. I'll probably be beat up on this point now that I have been honest about it, but I can't lie.

It is like the guys who ride motorcycles without helmets, all the statistics say they shouldn't but some feel the risk is worth it for the wind in your hair freedom. I don't have much hair, so that isn't my motivation. :3dSMILE:


Don

Don,

Thanks for your honesty. I don't think that you are in the minority for seat belts.
I don't fear the rollover, just pray that it is quick, but the usual driving and maybe a rearend or somthing that would just throw me out when staying is works better for me.

Z

Hey Zachariah, when you guys get done with some welding how about some pictures? Post them right on here if you like. This thread is used for everything from cat pictures to jokes, so some car pictures would be great. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

As I remember, aren't you doing a T ???


Don

Don,

I hope to do my own post like you. I would love the feedback and help that everyone out here is so willing to give. It is just like rodding should be.

I will sure do it. I have my first child coming on March 11th, so I probably wont get to it anytime soon. We are also planning a move mid year (to somewhere that I can rent a shop).

Yes, I am doing at T. Custom designed frame here are the plans:
'32 front end
200/223 straight six
don't have a tranny yet want the 3speed manual (no room for the third peddle)
coil over ford 8" (for space) was going to use a Jag but lack the funds.
fiberglass body with 8" extra in the cowl
No bed, moon eyes or keg tank
Head lights down low in front of the radiator

Thats the plan, got lots of the parts sitting just waiting.

thanks for the encouragement and the help in the process.

Zachariha

Congratulations on the first kid coming in March. You have no idea what a wonderful journey that will put you on. Enjoy it. :) :) :) When my kids (twins) were born in 1970 I was building a '32 pickup in a dirt floored garage, and had to scrounge parts in between paying for formula and diapers.. Money was very tight, but those were some of the best times in my life. Still have the kids, but the '32 is long gone. :LOL: :LOL: Boy is it tough to lay up a straight frame on a dirt floor.


Your parts lineup sounds right on the money. The stuff you mentioned is basic hot rod all the way, and the 6 cylinder engines have gained a renewed popularity in recent years. They give a rod a different slant, and that is what we are all trying to do with our rods, make them different from everybody elses.

Looking forward to your thread.


Don

Don,

How many rods have you built?

Z