Thread: I couldn't build it for $3 K either!

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The roadster looks great, 46!!!! Maybe Don can loan you one of them little beach bunnies for a couple pics?????

I want to thank everyone for the congratulations! The kind words mean a lot and are really appreciated.

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but I'm up at 3:00 AM to go to work, home at 6:00 PM and in the shop till whenever every night.

I have some more pics resized and will get them up when I can, along with some shots of the finished car. Still have a few trim pieces to add, along with the windshield and mufflers. I might even get the cruise control in, but that's considered "nonessential".

I'm off Monday and hope to do a good long shakedown run then. So far everything appears to be OK, but then I haven't gotten it over 35 MPH or out of 2nd gear. The trans cable needs to be adjusted for sure. The punch list is getting shorter though!

With the time changing this weekend, I should have some drive time after I get home from work this week. I want to get as much seat time (doing something besides going "vroom,vroom") in as I can before I hit the road to the first show.

Don - I think Dave has a great idea. Where can I find one of those scantily clad young ladies for a photo op? Or maybe Scooter can spare on of the three in his avatar!!!

JR - I'm just thankful I still have some hair to blow in the wind!!

Mike

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

I want to thank everyone for the congratulations! Don - I think Dave has a great idea. Where can I find one of those scantily clad young ladies for a photo op? Or maybe Scooter can spare on of the three in his avatar!!!

JR - I'm just thankful I still have some hair to blow in the wind!!

Mike

Here's some inspiration for yah

Fantastic!!!!!!!! Awesome. You never forget that first ride and burnout! Neat Ride man! Don Jr

Thanks Don Jr.

Today, after I got the mufflers and windshield on, I put about 70 miles on it. This thing took a little getting used to. It doesn't drive bad. It's just a unique experience. It truly is a four-wheeled motorcycle!

I did one good hard start and was surprised at how hard it actually hooked. Lot's of smoke in first, but it really took off when it hit second. I couldn't get on hard though, since the engine is new.

One thing I did learn. I had to get an inspection sticker and the place that does it also washes cars. The tires got wet leaving the place and I got a little sideways getting back on the highway!! Surprised me, but it didn't get squirelly. It just stepped out a little. Really wet roads might be a challenge, though.

I spent most of the day driving around with my new girlfriend that Steve provided for me. She's more flat-chested than she looks though! Not much on conversation, but who cares!!!!

Mike

As usual, I’m a little slow getting around to my updates. Here are the last of the build pics.



This is the remote fill cover for the master cylinder. It’s from Kugel Komponents. The remote reservoir is from a VW and mounts under the driver’s seat.





This is one of the last pics of the chassis before the body went on for the final time. As you can see in the background, my shop was starting to look like a small nuclear blast zone. It only got worse after this pic. I was using every minute I had to finish and wasn’t taking any time to clean the place up.



The body is going down for the final time in this shot. That’s my Dad looking things over.



The wiring turned out to be a longer job than I had planned. The automatic and manual controls for the air suspension added a lot of time. Keeping everything neat and hidden was a bear, too. The spiral wrap on the harness was a pain to put on, but it kept the wire bundles tight and compact. At times, I felt like I was trying to put 2 quarts in a 1 quart container, but eventually everything went in OK.





I used Molex plugs where I could to make service easier. The dash unplugs and comes out easily and that makes working under the cowl a lot better.



Here’s a shot of the finished cowl section.



Last thing was the muffler inserts. I used the ends of an old 3 ½” glass pack to make reducers. They fit perfectly into the expanded portion of the header extension right behind the header collector, so no hardware is needed to hold them in. The tubing is perforated stainless that I got off of EBAY. I wrapped the whole thing in fiberglass exhaust batting also off of EBAY.

They definitely mellowed the exhaust note down a bunch when cruising around, but sound off pretty good when you get down on it.

Here are some final shots of the car in the shop. I still need to put a coat of bedliner on the floor and install the shifter and brake boots, but I’ve been driving it every chance I get! I’m like a kid with a new toy.















Well that’s about it for this build. I may do an update later on to report on how the car is working long term. I don’t plan any major mods, but a top is definitely going on. That will probably mean a windshield change too.

Here’s a shot of just how far this project has come.



I want to thank everyone that took an interest in this project.

Mike

Wow Mike. If I said it's a nice car, it'd be the understatement of the year! It's GREAT Mike. And you SHOULD be proud, really really nice work. Enjoy. Perley

Mike that is spectacular! Nice work!

You know Mike, it's almost sad when one of these builds we have all been following comes to the end. Everyone has really enjoyed looking over your shoulder during these past two years, and you have created one spectacular, well built hot rod. You should be very very proud.

Now get out there and get some road rash on it!! and get that grin off of your face.


Don

Thanks for taking us along for the ride. It's been a great build.

Tom

From Hotrod46:"...but a top is definitely going on. That will probably mean a windshield change too."

Maybe not, Mike. If you can make a header that will attach to your windshield posts, the rest of the top should be easy for someone with your fabrication skills.

From Itoldyouso: "Now get out there and get some road rash on it!! and get that grin off of your face."

Don't let Don fool ya; that grin never completely goes away. I bet if he didn't have a windshield, Don would have bugs in his teeth after a drive in his roadster... You'll have to come back to this thread at least one more time to report on your first rod run with it. Congratulations on a great looking ride!

Mike,

Exquisite execution and amazing details... outstanding ride... Well done!

Very cool stuff! Before you close this out you need to do a few glamour shots of the whole package...........low 3/4, maybe a bimbo or two, ya know, that kind of stuff.

So when does the '37-8 Chev in the background project thread start!?

BTW, I may have missed where you talked about it, but are those brackets you put on the sides of the windshield posts just for mounting the mirrors or are windwings in your future too?

Guys, I really hate to see this project wind down. I see a lot of the same people replying and I'm glad ya'll were interested enough to follow along. I've really enjoyed this whole blog thing. I feel like the thanks I've given have been too little. The comments and questions really were appreciated and fun.

The build is a very important part for me, but that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the car!

Don - I'm driving it every chance I get! I've got almost 500 miles on it and the weather has downright sucked. I plan to wring it out when it clears up!

Bob - I'll work on the fancy photos. The bimbo might be tougher! The 37 isn't mine. I'm sort of storing it and working on it. I do have a 37 Plymouth that I have to do a chassis for. I keep ya'll posted (no pun intended)

JR - I started another post under "Road Trip", but here's a few pics just for you!








Mike