1949 Bentley Boattail Speedster

[Corsair]

Beautiful car. You have talent, man.

 

[andreasklapp]

looks real good sitting out in the open like that. [cl

 

[PA41]

Thanks for the comments guys--Good the hear some folks like different stuff now and then. I believe RRR is about the only place that would tollerate off the wall stuff like this, and I appreciate oppertunity to to push the envelope.

Its fun to look at in the yard mowing--every lap you see something different, then ya gotta go back and re-mow the big strip you missed ..

I can sit and stare at a project for hours--even days/weeks, till something settles and the direction comes clear. I've got a winters worth of tweeking and finishing here. Like replacing the drip edge with a moulding, maybe some sheetiron skirts with a swoop cutout, maybe a Carson top-Windshield work, maybe shorter--maybe a safari style-maybe some artsy copper trim--needs an interior, and grill, and lights and wireing and guages. The boattail sides need redone, and the fenders and running board finished and the tail gravel guards--also heated the tail center seam too much welding and have a couple warps to work out-- Maybe a two tone paint job--different color fenders, or hood/tail, or a swoosh on the side?--Bunch to play with. Maybe too much for just a winter...

Its what it's for.

Might be my last full build--I been wanting to just make fenders lately.

Thanks again for the input.

PA41

 

[PA41]

lookin good! though I still say open up the rear wheel opening. Give it the sensation of speed sitting still. but overall it is a win! nice job!

Hey you want to part with that dozer?[dr

Thanks for the good words jfg--I'm still planning on burning out a couple skirts with the cutout like that Vdub--good ratty look.

Bout that dozer----sheeesh! Talk about making a guy humble!! 850 Case--sweet motor, but it needed track work and a torque convertor/tranny. I rebuilt them, but the parts cost more than I gave for the whole machine, and heavy equipment is HARD WORK!!! N I'm LAZY!! Its kinda like that joke where a guy picks up a hot horse shoe at a blacksmiths, and the guy sez "hot ain't it?" and the response is "No--just don't take me long to look at a horse shoe".

That Dozer is my 'horseshoe'. It runs great now, and is my 'therapy' when I get stressed up--I go push down trees... But they are awful to work on, and I really baby it--don't want to have to fix it. I'd let her go quick, just need someone to pay me twice what its worth...

I'd never recommend rebuilding an old dozer--ya need stress relief--just buy beer and the NFL channel.

PA41

 

[jfg455]

haha! I know what you mean. I have a case 580C backhoe with an extend-a-hoe. It was "rebuilt" when I bought it. 30 hours later I was taking the motor out due to a spun bearing and rebuilding it. And all the pins and bushings in the hoe, and 2 cylinders, and 5 lines, and 1 rear tube a year and....it goes on. but then there is no other feeling in the world like smashing something with a large tractor! trees, cars, dirt, campers you name it![cl

 

[26Troadster]

now i'm not going to tell or show cupcake the pic, but you know them women have a way of finding out things. love the build.

odie

 

[Sam_Fear]

Heck I get all excited when I find a reason to use my sazall - can't imagine having a dozer to play with!

PA41, you've gotten a lot done on the panels. You know I think this build is awesome, so I'm going to be blunt. The running boards make it look heavy, not light and nimble - I think they are wrong for the car. The one rearward pic makes obvious the rear door post area looks really off. Possibly putting a curve in the doors to bring the back in and pulling the front corners of the hood in with a pie cut would smooth it out. The floor would need to be skinnied up to match too. .....or just look at it from a different angle.

Just my .02$

Oh, and if you can, move the move the bottom of the vertical grill piece forward or back by 2-3" to see if it looks better than straight. Pushed back would give a more aggressive look while forward would be more majestic. You need some kind of big 'classy' hood ornament!

 

[PA41]

Yo Sam--Yeah--you're right about the door post--it's the weakest angle of the car. That and the lower body edge is Where the car really differs with the lines of the Auburns and the classics, and shows its 'trailer trash' roots. (4 door sedan) It is what it is... If I were a really serious builder, looking for a classic, I'd rework that transition, but the work and time probably would be more that I've already got in the car. I guess this is where ya gotta just let it Rat--call it personality.. Like those gals with a mole on their chin--THEY call em beauty spots..

A good craftsman could hide the flaw-- just not sure how, Maybe some copper ornamental work like the Steam Punk stuff or metal grape vines and leaf thing at that transition top? Will rub on it some--Maybe a rag top folded down there, or something. Kinda like some gals with big rears wear a scarf wrap-- But ya can always tell.. The thing to do is maybe just-- Like big Butts--I can not lie-- appreciate them for what they are--I do--I doo.. Will rub on it--any suggestions/ideas?

The grill/hood ornament is the next big challenge--tilting the lower edge in or out and what material to use-- I'm interested in copper--maybe soft tube squared with a press/mold, or in roller, or 2" wide slats of Checkerplate stepped back with a thickened leading edge. I like How a Cord is done --maybe something with that style.

I may use the Packard Swan with checker plate wings I have on my 33 Dodge PU project, or something similar like the Petty Nash pieces I have for the hood ornament. I like those metal skulls Tripper got--Was thinking a cleaned beaver skull bleached and mounted with brass or copper, maybe winged, as a hood ornament-- would have a RAT look. Just thinkin..

Thanks for the input--any ideas would be appreciated.

PA41

 

[PA41]

now i'm not going to tell or show cupcake the pic, but you know them women have a way of finding out things. love the build.

odie

Thanks 26--Yeah gals somehow always find stuff out. It was unusual for Cupcake to goof around like that, I'm the Bozo around here, (lawnmower fumes musta got to her) so I couldn't NOT post it..

PA41

 

[PA41]

haha! I know what you mean. I have a case 580C backhoe with an extend-a-hoe. It was "rebuilt" when I bought it. 30 hours later I was taking the motor out due to a spun bearing and rebuilding it. And all the pins and bushings in the hoe, and 2 cylinders, and 5 lines, and 1 rear tube a year and....it goes on. but then there is no other feeling in the world like smashing something with a large tractor! trees, cars, dirt, campers you name it![cl

Looks like you got that tool 'disease' too. A good hoe will do about everything a dozer wil do plus dig big holes, so is probably a better all around tool.

My dozer needs 2-3 hyd cylinders rebuilt--not all that complicated, just that they are so big, and I'm bunged up most of the time, and can't hardly lift them.. Everything on it is so heavy--when I rebuilt the transmission I made an adapter plate where I just backed up my tractor to it and bolted it on the tractor lift and drove away with the tranny--also used the tractor to pull the tracks off and on. I can get by fine in life if I never have to bust those tracks off again... It's good to get over your head in life sometimes--a guy needs to be humbled every now and again

For heavy work the dozer tops my list--for complicated--a Broomhandel Mauser is a tricky tool--kinda a Chinese puzzle thing. I disassembled one once, and almost put it in a box and hauled it to a gun smith- never done that before - Did get it eventually--just not gonna take it apart again.. Ya only need to do some things once!!

PA31

 

[hotrod preacher]

Hey PA good to see you're still pluggin' away on this thing.....

saw it yesterday from the hwy, pulled into the drive before i realized no one was home (wasn't gonna get out and be eaten by the dogs, so turned and left)

really caught my eye from the road--i think you've really opened the door for a new type of rattin'.......

 

[Sam_Fear]

really caught my eye from the road--i think you've really opened the door for a new type of rattin'.......

Ditto - your on to something.

As for the door area, you'll be able to hide it some when you trim out the front of the hood, but there's no quick and easy way out. The only real fix I see is to actually squeeze the body in a few inches right there. Not just at the top either, but all the way, including the floor. Probably by curving the doors. Save that for a winter project in the future. It can wait.

Getting the patches on the bottom edge will likely make a big visual difference also. Same with the rear deck.

The side shots look very good. Like the exhaust too.

Bumper idea - form double bar bumpers out of rebar and chrome plate (or copper, etc.) It would be a great match for a diamond plate hood ornament.

 

[Shea Laking]

Holy WOW!! But I haven't checked this thread out in too long!

You're a genius, PA![

I haven't really got much to offer in the way of "constructive criticism" today...other than agreeing that maybe the runningboards should go.

You know what? It doesn't look too bad with the big gap between the rear fenders and boattail-Almost gives the fenders an existence of their own, especially with the skirts on 'em.

Oh yeah, quit talkin' about "big butts." Wifey's gone to a ball tournament this weekend and you're making me think about stuff besides cars when she's not here to "help me out."

Great work, looking forward to more![dr

Regards,
Shea

 

[PA41]

saw it yesterday from the hwy, pulled into the drive before i realized no one was home (wasn't gonna get out and be eaten by the dogs, so turned and left)

.......

Yo Preacher--yeah the dogs are a pain--Smilin Jack the Damnation Dalmation has bitten a couple folks and been shot once--he's a 'free spirit'. I'd like to 'free' the spooky hound, but he's Lindas baby. The Pryanese is a sweetheart though. Feed her and she'll follow you home.

I'll probably leave the Bentley out in the yard a while to 'season'--next time ya come by-just drive through the yard n front of the house and give the thing a good look from your truck if no ones home. I'd like some real world input--the boattailis different in real time. Just drive out the upper driveway by the 33 Dodge--kinda like a drive through jalopy show..

PA41

 

[PA41]

The skirts sure change the look--It seems more sports car-ish with out them. Wire wheels would look good--any 6 lug 15x6 wires out there?

Found a Chrysler type hood ornament I like -- think I'll use it--the combination of curves and angles match the car ..

I got a beaver skull off the web to play with-- Don't think I'll go that way here, but it'd look good on a 'skulled up' kinda rat, or a Rat trophy for a show--maybe paint it with liquid chrome or something--$20 shipped. 5" long where the real rat skull (last pic) is 1.5" long and around $100... You can just get ANYTHING on the net!!

Paint gun question---My Binks HVLP M1-G blows bubbles through the cup--I've cleaned it good, but no help--any suggestions?

PA41

 

[Sam_Fear]

I like it with and without the skirts. Great hood ornament too. I think a skull is too 'lowbrow' for this build.

How about this? http://www.truckcustomizers.com/products/flying-pig-hood-ornament.html

 

[BigIrish]

Man, this is really looking great now! Now that you have it outside, the proportions look awesome. I really like the skirts - makes it look more menacing somehow. Looking like something the mayor of Gotham City might roll around in.

Did that move to the yard under it's own power?

 

[PA41]

Man, this is really looking great now! Now that you have it outside, the proportions look awesome. I really like the skirts - makes it look more menacing somehow. Looking like something the mayor of Gotham City might roll around in.

Did that move to the yard under it's own power?

Thanks BI. Yeah--It runs and yard drives pretty good--the brakes got some air in the lines and arnt quite right, but notta big thing to fix. The proportions are pretty close to the Auburn. Its really BIG! 128" wheel base and the body is about 3' longer. I had a visitor sit in it yesterday, and tried to get a pic, but my camera died. He's a regular size guy but It made him look like a little kid!

I'm trying to settle in my mind what I want to do with it, and where I really want to take it. The thing is so 'unusual' that its beyond the pale of any car 'group' and only appeals to a few with eclectic tastes. The people seeing in person and talking to me are strongly opinionated one way or the other. Most don't like it at all and are confused, the rest are really enthusiastic. It's interesting getting such different reactions. The confused bunch are the most fun--confusion is always fun . My first rats made some people mad--this doesn't make people mad--wonder why ??

It's really rough now, and I want to inprove the 'quality' a little as the extra roughness kinda turns me off. Thats probably what I'll do this fall. Between football..

Thanks for the interest .


PA41

 

[BigIrish]

I'm trying to settle in my mind what I want to do with it, and where I really want to take it. The thing is so 'unusual' that its beyond the pale of any car 'group' and only appeals to a few with eclectic tastes. The people seeing in person and talking to me are strongly opinionated one way or the other. Most don't like it at all and are confused, the rest are really enthusiastic. It's interesting getting such different reactions. The confused bunch are the most fun--confusion is always fun . My first rats made some people mad--this doesn't make people mad--wonder why ??

PA41

I think more people will like it once the rough edges and welds are finished. Alot of people just like things smooth and pretty. Also most people don't have a lot of imagination when it comes to these things so don't know how to feel. They know they are supposed to think a '57 chevy is cool, so thats what they think.

It probably doesn't make people mad b/c most people in the US have never even ridden in a Bentley, much less owned one or become attached to it. To them, its just an old british car - chop away! But it would be a crime to mess with that ol' Ford b/c my dad had one just like it!

Either way, be prepared to answer the 2 questions I get all the time regarding my speedster: 1. What IS it? 2. What do you DO with it?

 

[PA41]

Got a little shower here, and now I want a SHINEY speedster!!

All I need is about $20K and a willing body shop...

PA41