Vintage racer build

[Sam_Fear]

That's what I was going to get at. And the cockpit sides normally are lower (if the exhaust allows.)

 

[ANNAMEL]

Man do i so want to build one of those. That looks great. Will keep checkin in on ya.

 

[BigIrish]

OK I'm alot happier with this look.

What do you guys think? Suggestions?

 

[BigIrish]

....more. May or may not use the spare depending on how it looks.

 

[Flipper_1938]

If you are gonna run a spare, try angling it more

 

[BigIrish]

How about this? I'm pretty happy with it now. Raised the rear deck a couple of inches, made it a little longer & sloped the rear panel more. I think it looks like the back of an old Chriscraft, which is kind of what I'm going for.

Can't figure out how to mock up the spare without having the whole house of cards come toppling down but I think it will work either way. The bottom edge of the sheetmetal will be lower, maybe with some belly pans.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Looks much better like that.

Seems as if the original speedsters rarely carried a spare if the rear was formed somehow. I assume the aerodynamic ones were more likely closed circuit cars and had no need to carry the extra weight of a spare.

I agree with Flipper if you do run a spare, angle it more. Or even lay it on top. Or to go even further, sink it into the top of the back section. Kinda like they did with the rear wheels on this, but on the top. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1383/1459864287_70ed539ad0_o.jpg

 

[BigIrish]

Yeah the more I think about it, the spare probably won't look good unless I sink it in like you are saying, but that is going to be difficult with my limited skills and since I'm not going to use any bondo (decided on bare aluminum skin). It would look fine if it was a very skinny wire wheel, but thats not what I have.

I could also make that back panel concave slightly,kinda like the back of a daytona cobra, but upside down. I like those tail lights too...

http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/most-wicked-shelby-cobra-ever-the-daytona-coupe/

 

[Flipper_1938]

Real cars to ponder.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Those pictures ^^^ make it obvious to me that if you use the tires that are on it, one would look pretty bulky sticking out anywhere. They are all narrow tires except maybe the last pic. If you recess it like that one, somehow, to hide part of the profile you might be OK.

 

[Sam_Fear]

On second look, it might be no worse than the second pic #11. And that looks just fine.

 

[BigIrish]

Yeah, I'm not married to the idea of using the spare. I'm probably 70/30 on not using it. I'll have to see how it looks once I frame it out and start putting some metal on it.

Enough mock up - time to start building [

 

[hillbilly4008]

i cant tell by the pictures, but is there enough room to mount a spare underneath or inside the boat tail? Similar to the way a pickup truck hides its spare.

Also realize a spare is useless with out a jack and lug wrench. I carry a full size spare on my jeep that wouldnt help me one bit if i had a blow out.

 

[hillbilly4008]

Just curious, whats a 4x8 sheet of aluminum cost where you are? I priced one from 18ga. and my cost is $60 a sheet. A 5x10 would be enough to build the entire body minus floor, unfortunatly my supplier doesnt carry 5x10s

 

[jfg455]

A bunch of the old racers put the spare up on top of the boat tail. Just a thought.

 

[BigIrish]

Also realize a spare is useless with out a jack and lug wrench. I carry a full size spare on my jeep that wouldnt help me one bit if i had a blow out.

Haha - that is a very good point. The spare would be for looks though mostly. So if I can't make it look good, the spare will live at home - no big deal. I'd be kidding myself I if I thought I would be making too many long distance highway trips with 4:10 gears, non-overdrive trans and no windshield anyway

A 4x8 sheet of 18 ga 5052 alum is $58 down here. Not sure if they sell 5x10s but I will screw up enough panels that I'll need 2-3 sheets anyway.

 

[PA41]

Sucha fun build!! It's a treat to read. thanks for the show BI.... My internet is only half working anymore and I rarely get to see it--they promise a new tower will be up mid December.. It's working to day for some reason!!

About the spare--In rides like these, spares or tools are totally un needed. If you pull over to the side of the road in this car and raise the hood, you'll have people all over you.. I lost my glasses in a T roadster once and pulled over to look for them and I had people lined up on the sholder wanting to help. After I told the first guy the deal, he looked so dissapointed I lied to the rest--told them the modulater valve was stickin or sumthin---...

About the 'lunium body--Theres a Metro bread truck in the Little Rock paper I keep seeing with an aluminum body.. $500!! Something like that might be a donor for some interesting body panels if you could locate one locally in a scrap yard, or maybe a travel trailer salvage place..

Keep up the good work--I'm lovin it--The quintessential hot rod..

PA41

 

[bob w]

You build cool stuff.[cl

 

[BigIrish]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the it.

Made some good progress on the body - so much more fun than chassis stuff (to me anyway).

 

[clamor]

I like the idea of angling the back more & using the spare.
But then again, I really like the use of mechanical functional stuff, and the spare seems to fall into that category.
-Chaz