Happy New Year! Project back on! (finally)

With the start of a new year in a new city, we're getting settled in nicely. The businesses are going good and we're going to ring in 2011 by cranking the 29A project back up. Not a full-scale ramp-up. I'm simply going to start procuring the parts I still need in hopes of collecting up all my parts now and putting it all together in the summer or next year.  I've been thinking a lot about the winshield and found a great reference shot of what I want to do. Tano T Roadster's Facebook provided the inspiration. The white roadster above is somewhere in Japan and belongs to one of his buds. It appears to be an extremely chopped stock A with the swivel still intact. I'm in the process of trying to find out more about this set-up. Other parts I'll need to source are: a 4" drop axle, radiator, dash, wiring harness, hinges for the trunk lid, and some kind of latch mechanism, a magneto, a finned aluminum timing chain cover, steering column, seat belts,  a headlight bar and tail lights, headers/pipes/baffles. I'll also need a new 9" carrier unit for my 9". That ought to keep me busy for a while.

DREAMING DURING DOWNTIME

Perhaps one of the only advantages to when a project has to be put on hold is that you can keep refining it in your mind. Although I've been leaning in the direction of a metallic lime green for the roadster's color, I had a little epiphany the other day at a concert at the new Backyard in Bee Cave, TX. I saw a Fibes drum kit with a color I'd not seen before. I called my drummer friend Chris Layton, who knows a little about Fibes drums. He put me directly in touch with Precision Drum to source some of the very material to share with painters down the road. I instantly feel in love with this color which is actually a little lighter in appearance than the photo suggests. I can't help but think this color would be great with a light silver pearl interior. So there you have it. A new exterior color gets thrown into the mix. Special thanks to Fibes drums and Chris Layton for the inspiration.

THE BETWEEN-JOB BLUES

If you're wondering where I've been, my time is being divided between building myself a weblog to promote my freelance writing/creative concepting service and hunting for work. The hot rods are going to take a little sabbatical until we find solid footing.  I'll try to post up when I have something of value to add. Hang in there folks.

A COUPLE CRITICAL FRONT END MEASUREMENTS

Since I'm taking the time to keep this blog, I'll occasionally put boring notes to self on here. This is one of those boring notes. Measurements on the front spring I need is 1&3/4" wide and 31&3/8" from center of eye to center of eye. The 4" drop axle measures 47&1/2" from outer center to center and 36&1/4" from inner center to center. Sorry for the boring entry. But I'll need it soon and at least I'll know where to find it.

GREAT COLOR REFERENCE

Drew found this Impala on the web. It's a perfect color reference for what I want on the roadster.

GARAGE SALE PROGRESS

With the economy in the shitter I'm just not comfortable continuing to finance this build and since I have no interest in doing it half-assed, I have to step back, retrench and concentrate on selling some stuff I have collected in order to pony up some dough to get things back up and running. So far, I've sold a rare 6X2 Olds intake and water crossover, a pair of '65 Riviera clamshell headlight buckets, a set of reproduction knock off wheels from my mid-year Corvette, and today, a gentleman came up from Houston and bought the 401/Turbo 400 drivetrain I had in my garage. I've also got a Bob Bleed Sweeper frame on the market, as well as a 3X2 SBC intake with linkages and carbs. My 1965 Suburban is also up for sale but it's going to take a big ol' pile of dough to separate me from it. On the upside, the parts are starting to fly out of here so I'm optimistic that I'll be back in the hunt by summer. Will keep you posted.

ON HOLD WHILE BUILDING UP THE CASH RESERVES

Don't let anyone ever tell you that building a car is an economical thing to do. In fact, you have to be halfway nuts to do it. Too many hidden costs. So in an effort to pony up some more dough, I'm currently selling some parts I've collected over the years to help fund the 29. Victims so far include a 6X2 Edelbrock Intake with rare water crossover, a pair of 65 Riviera headlight buckets, a complete set of Knock-Off wheels for a mid-year Corvette, a 401 Nailhead with Turbo 400,  and a bunch of smaller parts that have been collecting dust and/or decorating the garage wall. Sales have been good so far, but the flake factor is always annoying. How a person can go from "I'll take it" to "Will you wait until my next check" to "My XXX unexpectedly broke and now I have to fix it first. C'mon people. If you say you'll take it, take it. Sorry to rant, but it does get kinda old. Special thanks to Craigslist and the blogosphere, for helping me find new homes for my little treasures.

TOOK A BREATHER

I took a little time away from the blogs as my father passed on the 16th of last month. As things begin to return to as normal as life can be once you've lost a treasured parent, I started setting up my 9" rear with the new shortened axles and have come to realize that the center carrier is cracked at the pinion support. So it looks like I've got more money to spend before my Detroit Locker is back together and ready for final fitting into the frame by way of a triangulated four-link. Will add more once the parts are ordered. RIP, papa.

WAITING FOR THE CUSTOM AXLES

Blah blah blah

ANOTHER TWIST

It turns out that Currie cannot build me the shortened axle shafts for my 9" because its flanges have a very narrow (1.5"from the flange to the backing plates). According to Travis, Currie could build them but they'd push the drums out an extras 3/4". Obviously, that ain't gonna fly on an open wheeled roadster.
Fortunately, Travis was nice enough to redirect me to Graffiti Alley in Eugene, Oregon. I dealt with a guy named Ray who asked for numerous measurements and once he had them, let me know that it would be no problem and that he just wanted to make sure he had every measurement necessary so that the axles would be perfect. He even called me back today to get one more measurement. So it turns out I have a 70's old style big bearing, 31-spline,  9" with a Detroit Locker carrier from a Bronco, which is what the seller had told me. The axles got a little more expensive they're made in the USA and I've been told they'll be perfect.  I'm going to pitch myself off a roof if these don't fit perfectly. BTW, I was most happy to get a referrral from Travis, so high marks to Currie for being helpful, even thought they won't be seeing any money form me. Not this time, anyway.

TAKING IT IN THE REAR

Yeeee-ouch! Have you ever narrowed a rear end and needed to get shortened axles as a result? Welcome to my world. Let's just say it ain't a poor man's sport. But seeing as we're really going for it on the roadster, it's the only right thing to do in order to nail the proportions. So I called Currie and spoke with Travis in sales. It didn't take long to figure out that I couldn't use the new 9-plus cut-to-fit axle shafts I'd been reading about read about in  Rod & Custom and Street Rodder magazines since they aren't available in the same 5 x5.5" bolt pattern size that my vintage Torq Thrusts were purchased in (by me, hind sight being 20-20). So I'm going to have custom Currie axles pre-cut for my rear. After thinking I had all my measurements done, Travis alerted me to the fact that the large bearing rear has a new and old sizing and since I couldn't identify the exact year of the Bronco rear end I am using, I needed to measure the existing bearings just to be safe. Measure twice, cut once has never made more sense. I'll think twice before narrowing a rear end again, as it's another one of those expenses that adds up in a hurry. That said, if you need good advice, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Travis @ Currie Enterprises. Should be placing the order today, if I can get back to my measuring tape before 3:45PM, West coast time. More details to follow...