I'm gonna build an altered.

Awful/Awful/ Fuel Altered. They interviewed Willie one time and said they were impressed that he drove with one hand. He said he was using the other hand to hang on to the side of the car for dear life !

Those guys were just nuts !


Don

Here's some old super 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44chQoMYCKw

I like aluminum clad plywood firewalls. Nice job on that, Don. Is the epoxy you used a marine item? Easily found?

Loved that old video WB, thanks for posting it.

Bob, yes, it is used in the marine industry and is pretty much the Cadillac of epoxies. It is made by West Systems and I am using a few different products from them on this one. I am going to use their "Six 10" thickened epoxy adhesive that comes in a caulking gun tube to glue the plywood all around the lip of the body. The tube is two parts in one and the nozzle blends them together to make a catalyzed adhesive. Sort of like construction adhesive, but for wood and fiberglass work.

Then I am going to put cloth mat over both sides of the plywood and use West System epoxy to wet it out. I'm going to blend it into the inside of the body so it will be virtually part of the body when it cures.

To make it NHRA legal, I am going to put a 1/8 inch thick sheet of aluminum over the entire firewall and use some more Six 10 to glue it in place along with some fasteners around the perimeter. All this should stiffen up the body pretty good.

You can find all this stuff at marine discounters or on line. Great to work with.

Don

Tonight I got my plywood inner firewall bonded to the body with the Six 10 adhesive. When that sets up I will remove the screws and put glass mat over both sides to seal it all up.

Yesterday we picked up the 24 foot stick of 2 x 3 x 1/8 tubing I ordered and I had them cut it into two 10 foot pieces with one 4 footer left over. I will use the 10 footers for the side rails and part of the 4 footer for my rear frame rail. We had a Total Performance tube front crossmember and perch laying around, so I am going to use that for the front crossmember. As a lot of you on here suggested, I am going to space the frame rails 24 inches apart at the outside. That seems to be right on.

Got it mocked up tonight, and it looks like my wheelbase will work out to about 100 inches. Kinda short, but I want it to look proportionate, and that seems to be where it will look the best, at least to my eye right now. I finally am able to use the Moon tank Ken Thurn sent me for a gift some time ago. I was saving it for a special project, and this is it. Thanks again, Ken.

Don

Posted this before,But Maybe Don can get his juices flowing...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFOmGkv6Dn8

What motor/trans/rear are you planning to run?

Thanks, TT, I can never get enough of the Winged Express !

Hollow65, I have the motor already built, it is a 350 Chevy, and the trans will be a B and M TH350 that I also have laying around. Probably will use my usual 9 inch Ford rear, thinking of getting a new housing from someone like Moser or one of those guys.

This is a low buck build, so I am using what I have or what I can afford. A powerglide would be better, but I already have the TH350, so that will be what I use.

Here is my motor:



Don

Pretty rollers. Are those lunati? Sweet work on everything you've done.

Thanks. No, Harlan Sharp rollers.

Don

100" WB is kinda scary sounding with todays tires, you might want to use that extra tube sticking forward of the cross tube and end up around 110-112".

just a thought.

I don't want the WB stretched out that far, it will make the car look disproportionate. Fox Mustangs are right at 100.5 WB and those turn some very serious times, so this will be no different.

Besides, the ride will be more exciting if it gets a little out of shape occasionally. (I remember when my 68 Mustang was going through the traps with 13 pounds of air in the slicks, the back end would start to move around, and that was a lot of fun. )

Don

let me know when you get so sideways in the traps at ~120 and the
spectators on the left side of the track can read the adverts on the right front fender.

Now that's exciting!!!!

Haha, better bring fresh underwear.

Tonight I went to the shop just to remove the temporary screws I had used to hold the plywood in place till the epoxy set up. I was worried that the epoxy would bond the screws so tight they wouldn't come out, but I got them all removed ok with a screw gun.

I'll let it all cure for a few days and then lay up some mat on both sides of the plywood. The other reason I wanted the wood in the firewall was to give me a place to mount things like my MDS box and my fuse block. It will be better than just a thin sheet of aluminum.

Dan is tied up all this week, but maybe next week we can get out the frame jig and start welding up the frame. After that, not much will happen till I get back from Turkey Run at Thanksgiving. Hope I score some goodies there I can use for this car.

Don

We just got back from Turkey Run and I scored a lot of parts for my altered. I got a 9 inch center section with 4.10 gears for 31 spline axles. Just what I needed, and I am going to put a full spool in it. I also found a new model t fiberglass grill shell, and a new steering arm for the 40 Ford front spindles.

I also picked up my 750 Holley DP carb from All American Carburetors. They did a great job, it looks brand new. They took it with them so I saved the shipping. I also bought a new B and M ratchet shifter..........don't need it yet, but it was there and I decided to just get it.

But my favorite score was a fabricated aluminum carb scoop that came off of Charlie Price from Vintage Speed's dragster. It is just perfect for what I want and has a bunch of "drag strip win stickers" pasted all over it. I told my Sons that I was going to leave the win stickers on and paint around them, but they said I would be a poser ! I thought it might psych out the competition !

Ron at RPM is going to start on my front end components pretty soon, so I should have those in a little while. I'll post some pictures of my swap meet finds tomorrow and also of Ron's parts when I get them.

Don

After my recent acquisition, I am all the more interested in this build. I have a lot to learn about altereds.

I have a lot to learn about them too. I keep looking at other people's cars on line and a few I saw at Turkey Run, and I continue to get more ideas.

Don

I got over to the shop tonight to play with my new swap meet toys and took some pictures of the stuff I bought for my altered project.

First of all, my fiberglass T radiator shell. I have pretty much decided to run a radiator and electric fan so I can be ready if I have to line up again.



Then, I got a 9 inch Ford center section with 4.10 gears. I will put a seal kit in it and a spool.




I also bought a new B & M ratchet shifter. It is just the right size to fit next to my leg, and I can hook up an air shifter if I want.







While I was at TR I had All American Carburetor deliver the 750 Holley they rebuilt for me. It looks better than new, they do a great job.




And, my favorite find was a carb scoop that came off of Charlie Price's dragster. It has win stickers all over it, but I am going to paint it body color and lose the stickers. I would love to keep them because of their history, but I can't be a phoney and run someone elses success.







Ron Pope from RPM is about ready to make my front axle and related front end parts, so I better get moving on welding up the frame.

Don

The engine is looking really good, Don. You made quite a haul at the swap meet. If that scoop is a collectable period piece maybe you or one of the boys could duplicate it for your Altered.

Yeah, Bob, Dan picked it up off their table and said "I can make you one of these." Then Charlie, who was sitting on a chair enjoying a cocktail , said "$40 and it's yours. I kept looking at it and he said "Too much ? How about $30?" so I took it.

It is so funky that I like it a lot, and I didn't want to run an off the shelf cast aluminum one that would look too new. As for collectability, it probably has none, but it will work perfectly on my car. A little paint and it will be good to go. I might have a striper letter it and put some lines on it too.

I told my Sons I was going to carefully remove the win stickers and put them on the rear side window of my daily driver !

Don