48 fire truck roadster

[DJ3100]

Here's some photos of the radiator shell mocked up.

Photos 1 and 2. Tie rod clears, but there is not quite enough room for the radiator to clear the pulley and no room for an electric fan. Plus I think the rad shell needs to lean aft at the top. It should at least be perpendicular to the scoop (parrallel with the front of the motor).

In the next photos the top of the shell is tilted back -actually the bottom is moved forward. The last photo shows the interferance I was worrying about. Plus, I think the top of the shell is is a little high. I have a lot of work to do on the shell -it needs a bottom - and I may be able to build in the clearance I need.

 

[DJ3100]

Tunnel ram

I set the tunnel ram on the motor and I'm really liking how this thing looks.
The second photo is the driver's eye view.

The carbs are Holley 4224 - race carbs. Notice there is no power valve in the metering block. Holley's tech sheet on this carb says "Not to be used with automatic overdrive transmissions. Severe damage will result."

The accellerator pump discharges into all 4 barrels. Basically they idle and go WOT that's it. I could replace all the replaceable parts and make them into something else - but that would cost as much or more than buying a pair of the recommnded carbs (1850's).

My internet research says that tunnel rams will work very well on street rods. Most folks like vacuum secondaries and somewhere between 390 and 600 cfm for the 454. They have lower idle vacuum so a 2.5 power valve seems to be the most recommended. This challange is starting to sound like fun.

 

[Flipper_1938]

I set the tunnel ram on the motor and I'm really liking how this thing looks.

The tall motor helps keep the tall front tires from looking too big.

 

[DJ3100]

The tall motor helps keep the tall front tires from looking too big.

Yup, Flipper, I think that's the case. I'm looking forward to getting it one the gound and rolling it outside.

 

[Tim...Ok]

Thats looking great..About the only thing I've ever done to box stock Holley 1850's is change the power valve when running a tunnel ram.. I think my next one I'm going to try a pair of Edelbrocks..

Tim

 

[DJ3100]

Thats looking great..About the only thing I've ever done to box stock Holley 1850's is change the power valve when running a tunnel ram.. I think my next one I'm going to try a pair of Edelbrocks..

Tim

Thanks for the input.
What did you run the tunnel ram on and how did it work?

 

[truckster]

Wow, that is really looking good! You are solving all the issues that I was avoiding with the tunnel ram/carbs.

I planned on pursuing other options on the crank pulley and water pump, if possible, because I had played around with the side view on autocad for several days trying to decide where I liked the axles.

And I don't understand the concept of wheels/tires being too big.

 

[Tim...Ok]

Thanks for the input.
What did you run the tunnel ram on and how did it work?

it worked best with carbs in line like yours are..I turned mine sideways cause I wanted center hung float bowls, looked cool, didn't work that great..hard to get even distribution with them sideways..always had some holes way richer than others..

I've run them on everything from a dz302 in a 64 chevelle to a 406 sbc in a 84 chevy pickup..the last one I had was on a solid roller cammed 12.5:1 482 BBC in a tubbed 67 camaro..4500 converter and 5.13 gears..that was a beast of a street car..LOL

They are a little soft on the bottom end unless you have enough converter and gear to make it work..The inherent torque of a rat is a plus,and the lighter the vehicle,the better..

 

[DJ3100]

Tiim, thanks, all that info raises my comfort level.

That agrees with what I have read. I'm not sure this is going to be very light - I expect about 3500 pounds. However, it does have 5:13's and 33" tall tires, so that should help.

Getting the correct converter will be another challenge when I get there.

 

[DJ3100]

You are solving all the issues that I was avoiding with the tunnel ram/carbs..

I don't think you or I for were avoiding the issues, we just hadn't got there yet. Once I started atually reading the Holley book I have it all came back and is not that difficult to understand.

 

[DJ3100]

I got the Speedway steering cloumn with the quick release hub that has the Grant hole pattern. I have a Grant so I figured it would be a bolt-up mock-up- but no. I'll be using the 48 Chevy steering wheel so I'll have to make an adapter to mount the '48 Chevy on a Grant hub - ironic?

I think the dash will be replaced with something else so I didn't want to spend time making a bracket.

I'll mill a DD on the rear U joint today and connect the U joints with a DD tube.

I got the firewall mount from Speedway, I didn't realize it would be chrome - I'll have to fix that. I always thought there things would mount flat on the firewall and allow for adjusting the culumn angle. They only mount flat after you make a really big hole.

 

[DJ3100]

Steering colunm solutions

Here's a couple photos of the universal steering column firewall mount. The second photo is trying to show a gap at the bottom of the inner ring. The column is at 26 degrees. Speedway has a better mount for $109 - I went cheap and got the $44 one.

So, I had just the right piece of aluminun and my RalMike's Tool-A-Rama.

I made a ball with a sleeve, tapped the sleeve and the column tube in 3 places. I had to open up the firewall hole with a die grinder. I used the el cheapo collar and ended up with a firewall mount that will be able to move wherever it needs to go. All is good so far.

 

[DJ3100]

Steering wheel

Ok, I've got the column in and I'm really feeling the need to sit in the "seat" do some steering and make those vroom engine noises.

I made a quickie steering wheel adaptor from the '80 steering column and mounted the '48 wheel.

At 18" in diameter it is just too big to sit sports car - butt on floor. When the wheel is centered on the chest there's about 1" between it and the door and there's not room for legs.

The Grant wheel I have is 13" - too small, it's not even worth messing with. I have a Camaro wheel I'll try sometime this weekend.

 

[earthman]

I don't recall seeing a firewall mount like that. Looks very good.

 

[DJ3100]

I don't recall seeing a firewall mount like that. Looks very good.

Thanks Earthman. I think it looks a lot like a few I've seen on some hight end rides from the outside. I have never noticed what they look like from the inside. I think they usually have a boot on them at the firewall.

I'm starting to be more concerned about the manual steering box. I think I'll need a good size wheel to turn it, but I looks like 15" is as big as practical.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Good looking mount! If you can't run a big wheel, you might want to at least use a suicide knob. A good solid one, not one of those cheapy pretty picture ones. The taller tires actually help ease turning.

 

[Johnson]

If your looking for a suicide knob, go to Tractor Supply. They have some good ones pretty cheap, they are just meant for tractors

 

[DJ3100]

Good looking mount! If you can't run a big wheel, you might want to at least use a suicide knob. A good solid one, not one of those cheapy pretty picture ones. The taller tires actually help ease turning.

The tall, skinny tires do turn and roll very easily. The 90 psi that's in them also helps a bunch. I have been thinking I would need to run a lot lower tire pressure to improve the ride a little. It may come down to a compromise between steering effort and ride.

The suicide knobs are illegal here and since the wheel will be very visible I wouldn't want to give the police an additional reason to write me up. (Actually that's very old information, I'll need to check that outt to see if it's still true.)

Alas, we have no Tractor Supply in this part of AZ, I love that place.

 

[Johnson]

I think they are illegal here too, but no one bothers to look in a big dodge truck for one. I don`t actually drive with mine though, just use it to park. I feel for you not having a TSC.

 

[truckster]

They are called "necker knobs".

I think they may have Tractor Supply here. Saw a couple off the interstate coming in. If I can go look for something for you, I would be happy to have a reason to go.