'27 Chrysler Tub

[bob w]

The coilovers are installed as is the panhard bar. The two link bars mimic the front half of the leaf springs that were there previously so they are pretty short. I get one degree of pinion angle change with 1" of wheel travel. Hoping that will be okay. If not, I'll do something else.

Enginewise, I'm debating between having a 327 block bored and using all the guts out of the cracked block or using a fresh low compression 406 short block that is ready to go. I'd put the 64cc heads off the cracked 327 on it. Only problem is the 406 takes a bigger damper and I'll have to modify the front crossmember for clearance.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Save the 406 for one of the others. slap a 327 in it.

 

[bob w]

Sorry Mike, I had to throw the 406 in the Tub. Cheapest option. Picked up a pair of 993 heads off Craigslist and had my lifelong friend Al Tschida (Cheetah Funny car a few years back) touch up the valves and seats. It has an itty bitty Crane cam and nothing else. This thing has a 2.56 rear gear but the 406 is torquey so it should be okay.

 

[bob w]

Well, when I let the engine freeze by forgetting to put antifreeze in it, the radiator also took a beating. Drove it around a bit and several tubes were leaking. The lower tank was bulged and the top tank leaked in two corners. This was a vintage 5 core sprint car radiator. Too bad but it just isn't worth saving. So I bought an aluminum '1932 Ford "Lowboy" radiator for a couple hundred bucks. It is about 3" taller which forced me to locate it farther forward. The mounting bracket pictured bolts to the original radiator mounting tabs on the front crossmember and will mount both the radiator and the shell.

 

[bob w]

Here's the bracket bolted in place with the radiator attached to it. My friend Terry (Tator here on RRR) modified the lower radiator outlet so it point up, away from the front axle. I found a chunk of hose in the garage attic that fit well. Drove it around tonight and it cooled well, with no leaks. Now to put the radiator shell back on.
I don't like the fact that I had to move the radiator and shell closer to the leading edge of the front wheels but there wasn't any alternative.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Well are you back on the road yet.

 

[bob w]

Oh yes Mike, back on the road. The radiator is farther forward but looks okay in this pic. It is a few inches behind the leading edge of the front tires.
Rear tire pressure was low and the fronts were over inflated. I fixed that and used the car to run errands today. It's fun to drive. It was 92 degrees today and the uninsulated sheetmetal trans hump really heated up my leg. The fan sits abut 4" behind the radiator and the engine heated up to around 200 degrees at long stop lights. Might throw an electric fan on it. There's room.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Looking really good, nothing like getting it back on the road and taking a drive eh?

 

[earthman]

Really fun to look at Bob. Lot of unique features.

 

[falconvan]

Nice, Bob! I must have missed this one. My wife is going to hate you; you're giving me ideas!

 

[Neverdone]

Looks great!!! If it only got up to 200* I wouldn't worry about it......

 

[bob w]

Built a little bracket to hold a GPS unit. Set in the mode you see, the round display is a speedometer.

Right, Neverdone, 200 degrees is no problem. I'll be watching to see if it creeps higher in the future.

Thanks for the kind remarks. This is a fun one to drive since I put the home made coil overs in the rear. Now, I'll know how fast I'm going with the GPS unit. I have a current drain that will kill the battery is a couple days. Need to track that down then the car will be perfect (ha!).

 

[earthman]

What brand is that GPS Bob and how much was it?

 

[Neverdone]

I use my GPS on my phone most of the time. Seems pretty accurate. I have a little speedometer app on it.

 

[CORPO]

looking good as always bob.. how many rods you have????

 

[bob w]

Earthman, It's a Garmin Nuvi 255w. I bought a refurbished unit for about half the new price, which is $170. Amazon isn't showing them at the present.

Corpo, all my hot rods are home built and none have expensive parts. I love building cars more than anything so that's why I have a few now. All are running, driving cars except as noted.
1948 Anglia
1936 Fiat
1927 T Roadster
1927 Chrysler Tub
1948 Crosley drag car
Early 50's style dragster (rail job) with slant 6, soon to be 300 Ford 6.
1940 Plymouth Pickup
1928 Reo (under construction to be completed spring 2014)
1965 Land Rover Pickup (construction to start any day now)

I have some other early cowls, etc., in case I run out of things to do.

 

[CORPO]

I knew you had a bunch... And if I recall you had an old dodge u sold to gregster? Where has he disappeared too?

One day you should line them all up and get a bobs rods photo!

 

[Sunnybeach]

I like this car and just went through the thread again.

Thought you may enjoy it too.



Would be great to get an update on the last 3 years bob w.

 

[bob w]

Thanks for inquiring about the Tub, Sunnybeach. A few weeks ago I went to a rat rod show about 100 miles away. It handled at 70 better than at 55. I really like it but unfortunately it's time to thin the herd.

 

[Yamaha970]

Looks awesome to me.great job...paid to much???? Hard to put a price tag on fun..