Norm's Speed Shop '26 Dodge Build

Norman found this '26 Dodge a couple years ago in San Francisco at Hunters Point. We went to pick it up and found that it was in a storage container on the side of a hill. The owner was is a shop with a crane company so they lifted it out and loaded it up for us. It was entertaining watching the crane operators work.











Keith

Fast forward to this week and the beginning of the build. We decided that it's time for the new build and it all started this past Tuesday, January 29th. We dug the Dodge out and started pulling it apart. Norman has a '32 Ford pickup with a Hemi but it isn't big enough to carry he and his wife and one year old son. We are going to be building this as the family ratrod.











Keith

Got a Hemi laying around for this one This should make a fine family rat. Looking forward to this build.

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I like the fenders.
Looks like a cool build.
Do it to it!!

cking894 said:

Norman found this '26 Dodge a couple years ago in San Francisco at Hunters Point. We went to pick it up and found that it was in a storage container on the side of a hill. The owner was is a shop with a crane company so they lifted it out and loaded it up for us. It was entertaining watching the crane operators work.

Keith

Click to expand...

How long do you figure before completion?

I'm not sure how long it's going to take us. It took us five months to build my truck from the ground up a couple years ago. Hopefully we can move right along with this project also.

We got the cowl off the frame this week and started figuring everything out. We found that the car had been in an accident at some point and the front frame rails are twisted and bent pretty bad. I think that Norman has decided to build a complete new chassis for it. We are going to cut the body in half and widen it some where between four and six inches. It looks like they were some pretty skinny people back when this was built.

Norman found a windshield frame several years ago that has already been cut down and it is about five inches wider than the current one. We will most likely build the cowl width off of it. Norman is planning on running the original fenders and building running boards to match. He intends to run another 392 Hemi in it along with a turbo 400 transmission. We have a Ford nine inch for it that is setup with disk brakes. He has a Ford front axle that was setup for leaf springs for the front. Since this is going to be the family ratrod he is planning on building the entire car around a tube roll cage. I'll have to see what ideas he has dreamed up for the chassis and cage later this week.

If any of you know of a early Dodge Brothers collector or builder you might point them our way. The engine in this car was a six month only setup. It has a starter that is separate from the generator. It would be nice to see it go to someone who needs it rather than see it eventually go off for scrap.

Keith

I have always wanted to try making one of the pre war cars wider myself.I am over 300 pounds,so they are a little snug inside.
Have not gotten the nerve to cut one up and try it yet.
Glad to see you are trying to find original parts a home rather than just tossing them.They have to be pretty rare.[cl
I am looking foward to this build.

Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out