Thread: The Roofus Special

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I am using more cop car roll bar parts to complete the rear frame rails. Using a couple of bends, I will be able to clear the shock mounts and tie into the 1.5 x 1.5 that runs below the upper link mounts. The joint will be mitered.

This will also gime me a "crumple zone" for the rear frame rails. Heaven forbid I take a hit or spin out in it, the 90 degree bends should fold.

Imagine this one slammed to about a couple inches off the ground. That is really close to my latest vision.

I'd keep it a 2 seater, thats my 2 cents

I agree. Unless, you could build it so that the seat lid was so unnoticeable when closed that no one knew it was there. This build has the potential to be a real head turner due to the style and more so due to the way in which you're building it (the Caddy roof. I love that). A rumble seat might be a little over the top for a speedster.

IMO you should not include the rumble seat. You are building a "replica" of a race car, and even two seats is probably stretching the envelope a bit (although some of the very early racers did have a second seat.) Keep it "pure" and you will have an outstanding car.

I was thinking from the stanpoint of handling and weight distribution, it might make you feel your driving an overloaded pickup if you get another person that far back on the body. I too like the sleek old time racing look with just the driver's cockpit. Maybe a small wire rack to carry stuff? What ever you choose it is a fun build for me to follow, keep up the good work. Steve.

I did more work on the rear of the body. It took a lot of fitting, but I finally got the tubes ready to weld.







And trimmed the other quarter so that it will fit over the axle.

I also played around with the rumble seat idea some more. There is room to do it.

The thought behind the rumble seat is so that both kids can ride around with me at car shows. It would also serve as a trunk when there was not a 2nd passenger.

He does look beat doesn't he? But hey, building a cool race car from a '54 Caddy roof must take a mental toll on one's body

More work on the rear framework today. I added some diagonals. They hug the body really nice.

Played around with sticking a 8 gallon fuel cell in the back (so I could do a 3rd seat). It fits pretty good. If I don't add the seat, I will still have one heck of a trunk back there. Not 100% sure 8 gallons will be enough though.

I also added some diagonals to the passenger compartment to help support the rear diagonals. This thing is slowly turning into a battleship.






I also got around to trimming the passenger side door opening.

....and played with adding a wheel under the tail.



...and trimed the tail a little more. Not 100% there, but closer. I'm sneaking up on it.

I don't think it's necessarily a clash of eras. Take a look at the Miller-Ford cars from 1935. They used a tail similar to what you have built and have a modified '35 Ford grille laid back at a pretty swoopy angle. They look really cool. If I could come up with a set of wheels, I'd be tempted to clone one of them...

It doesn't fit as well as I hoped it would. The shapes would do better on a single seater. It's gonna take some pie cuts to make the nose act right and the the back line up with the shape of the main body. I think I can make it work.