grandkids and chassis work...early Aug 2012

Congratulations to my son Chris & his wife Emma, with their newborn son Eli..more hot-rodders in the family!!  Where were they 9 months ago??..Yamba Rod Run!!

My eldest Danny and his wife Vickie brought their son Ryan up to visit Eli......note to GT...check the background before clicking...that hand on the wall looks weird!!

"Hey Grandad, throw us the keys and I'll lay some rubber for you!"

Glen gave me these stands so I can spin the frame to get at all the parts needing final welding...sure makes life easier.

Another shot of the "C" notching requirements needed for Queensland registration.

Think I might take the time to change over to these nice So-Cal hairpins before I finish it completely...might suit the look better with the rear ladder bars.

Early morning coffee in Maroochydore.

Last weekend in July was the Nambour swap meet....I'd never been to it, and was impressed with the size.....I was up for the weekend, so Sunday morning saw us out early for the Suncoast clubs coffee morning.

Paul McKeneary had his new channeled deuce there, and it attracted a crowd all morning....terrific workmanship in recreating the 60s theme.

Bruce Young had his sweet little coupe out with it's new wheel and fender combo....this is the ex Ken Brown coupe....

Hmmmm!   what can I say...in my opinion....that ain't no hot rod, and to that end, I hear the Transport Dept has revoked its LH9/10 registration, and now only has a "concept vehicle" classification........wonder if they'll stop it coming to ASRF events then??.........unfortunately, once again, there's only so many So-Cal catalogs to go around!!!!!

There was plenty of sunshine (after 8am!)...Darryl did a good job burnin the snags!!

Little bit more work on the frame

New-ish TAC rules means I have to add a 2" x 3/8th" x18" strap to the top of the "C" section......hmmmmm!..but, rules is rules!

Booster mount is now in place, along with the clutch master cylinder.

For TAC rules, I had to add in upper tubing, which now also ties in with the booster, pedal mount, and clutch cylinder.

Extra tubing top and bottom at the rear, this will also need some more vertical tubes, and the front of the ladder bar mounts will be grafted in to the new lower cross tube. Now all I have to do is weld it all up and it can go for the first inspection.

The people who helped with our 2012 trip

Thanks to Griff at Waldens for showing us around, and in the same area, the Kennedy Bros and especially Dennis Nosworthy and John Reid from So-Cal Speed Shop.

Thanks to Gary, Joanne and Steven Densham for the accomodation , shopping trips, computer use, etc. while  in Los Angeles. a very big thank-you!

Thanks to the L.A Roadsters members for making the weekend so enjoyable.

Michael, thanks for arranging the trips around El Paso, especially to the Zaragoza collection!!

Randy Pimpler took the time to show us around his home town of Austin...thanks!

Don Smiths crew chief, (whos name I can't remember), took the time to show us around the hot rod collection...this is his C.O.E daily driver. Tim Cruce arranged this visit for us, so thanks...also to Sid and Suzanne Cruce for making us welcome...

Charlie Duran...he always makes sure we have a great time in Texas....he arranged for us to go see the Panther Classic Cars collection, as well as Arnold Petschkes collection, his door has been open to lots of aussies, so thanks very much Charlie.

Some more neat things I saw.

Scandanavian Street Rods do really nice traditional style frames...and it's almost like, "if it aint steel and a 32"...you don't get a look in!!

Unusual way to do the boxing..

Lots of holes here!

The new GT2 brackets are now in production at So-Cal, so I got me a full set for the hiboy project....Dennis has also made the matching front sway bar bracket in the relieved style.

Also at So-Cal was this neat dropped tubing crossmember that supports the rear of the MOON Tank bracket

Now up at Waldens to see their design. Earlier in a previous blog, I showed the all riveted frame they just completed.

Neat little internal mounted shocks on Don Smiths salt flat car.........note the removable plates in the front frame rails, that is extra weight slid up the rails!!

All this blogging has made me hungry for a Texas Rangers 2 foot hot dog!!

More USA 2012

What I love about USA is coming across yards full of old cars in the middle of nowhere!..Anita and I called into this yard over 10 years ago, and it still looks the same..just a little more grass!

Charlie Duran, our host in Fort Worth trying to convince Les Winter to take the little flag off his shoulder!

This is rare, all factory original I'm told except for the late 350 drive train...looks like an FC ute on steroids!

Another yard of cars on hwy 40, Gallup New Mexico from memory.

Somewhere, in the middle of Arizona...there was at least a 10 mile parking lot of cars and trucks...all we saw that caused this was about a mile of single lane roadworks...glad we were going west!

We hit as much of Route 66 as we could, even though we were on the rev limiter gettin' back to LA

Love some of the older small towns with their big "squares" and period buildings.

I'm a V8 man, but sure would like to own this "banger"..Its going in a 31 Vicky.

Saw this biggest range of NOS Ford, Chev, Mopar parts at Arlingtons Antique Auto Supply. Stacey has a 30 year collection he got when all the local  dealerships were selling off there old stock.

Don Smiths collection

Don Smith was good enough to let us in to his collection of over 30 hot rods and race cars...here is his twin flattie nitro fed Fiat bodied nostalgia drag car!

Here is the pair of salt flat cars being prepped for August Bonneville meet...Les in the background checking the flatheads!

Words can't express how pretty this engine was....Don takes "detail" to the max.

Polish..chrome..paint..all done to perfection. There were just too many cars to uncover and photograph!!

There was two rows of hot rods double stacked, and the overflow from his Harley Dealership was well catered for.

Dons famous original 32 Ford bus, has original outside patina with hot rod drivetrain.