Tuesdays tune-up

 Just a quick catch up to show the progress so far...I have sort of fired the 350 as well....just by dribbling some juice down the carb....

 Tomorrow, it will have the alternator on, and a few more bits on the motor, fan, senders etc., as well as the radiator sort of attached so I can work out and order the hoses.

 I have the hydraulic line made now for the clutch, it's bled, and it seems to work ok.

 I had to change the pinion angle, and it's just ok, maybe still could be a couple of degrees down in the front, but think I'll leave it until it is all together. Tailshaft is being made this week at Hardy Spicer, so not much left under here.

 Everything is tucked up for plenty of ground clearance.

 Fuel lines are on, brakes are done and will bleed them this week

 The Dellow bracket and HK cylinder worked out fine on the new bellhousing.

Not long to go now.......just change back to the Halibrands from the Americans as well.

Sunday night dribble.

Today I don't have much to blog about with the 32, as I have been bolting bits on, and nothing much looks different, even though I have achieved lots. I fell into the trap of not checking things, and forgot that my stubs had to be machined a bees dick for the outer bearing placement. I have SoCal stubs with RodTech inner brg/seal adapters, but the stub outer needed machining, so a quick trip to see Darren Silich and job is fixed..thanks, Dazza.

 1966..Ralph Donahue and john Anderson

 Tom Stranger from Adelaide

 Denis Walford from Sydney

 Ross mellish vs Leland Kolb from memory.

 Col Clarke I think.

 Stirling/Cresser/Rose 427 Cusso

 Unidentified...maybe big Pete Smith nearside.

 Ron Colthrup ? from Ipswich

 Dave Gardner...where did he end up?..and what about the tub...where did it go?

Col Dunn in his record breaking T bucket.

..Back to my 32, when Darren came over, he also noticed I didn't have quite enough degrees dialed into the location of the rear end....a simple matter...leave the bottom clevises on the ladder bars, and wind the tops in about 4 threads....4 bolts!!...easy...............................4 hours later and I got it done... what a hard job on your own, Anyway, back to Glenns tomorrow to flip the body upright, ready for paint, so this week should see the frame completed, might even fire up the 350 to make sure all is A-OK.....short week as we have the Cooly Rocks weekend, and Winternational drags, and I will be going to both.

So, with drags in mind, and Surfers Paradise, this blog has a bit of Brier Thomas Photography that I'm sure will bring back lots of memories for most.

End-of-May-wrap-up..150 days to finish the roadster!

Thought you may not know this....if you use a 9" with aussie Borg Warner brakes that were on XY thru XB Falcon, they used a flat drum with a spacer ring on the axle and the housing to get correct alignment......that is unless it was a commercial (ute/van) or GTHO, where they had wider finned brakes, and didn't use the spacers. You can also use these later 70s B/W brakes on a compact or early Mustang diff to narrow it by 3/8" inch, as compacts had stepped out drums.....you have to have a machine shop move the bearing location by that 3/8s, as well as taking same amount off the spline to allow the axle to go in further..but not forgetting that most (' we use are USA versions, and they had lots more brake combos...it would take this whole blog to explain the different ones I have used.

It's popular to use EA Falcon axles now, as they are easy to find and respline easily, but watch if you convert them from disc to use your xy/xa or compact brakes, because where the oil seal runs is right on a tapered part of the axle...I cured my leak by taking the seal apart, shortening the steel coil, and refitting by letting the axle "push" the seal to the exact depth needed as it bolts up...hence, leak free for years now...which is better than my own waterworks...haha.

Last weeks progress....time goes quick when you have to chase threads, find the bolts etc., but the motor/box is in now and well on the way...Glenn has the body just about ready to paint as well.

Few random pics from Sundays Capalaba swap...don't know who owns this?

Cop a look at this one....never seen this before.

And I don't remember ever seeing this 32...who owns this?....

John Parker turned out in John Andersons vintage highboy...I have a couple of pics to blog with some more old race rods from the 60s, this one included..

I even managed to sell the 30 model , gone to a new home locally.

Good to see Les Winter has the body back on the new frame...hurry up!..we want to see it finished!

mid week ramblings...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysC_xl4LjQw

 I was given a copy of the old black and whites that Brier Thomas took at Surfers...I will come up with some gems, like this one of Ricky Stapleton and the 409 powered T

 I have also decided to change back to a Dellow bellhousing rather than the scattershield...the shield needed a block plate and longer dowels, but with the other on hand, easier just to change.

 The ladder bars took a bit of fine tuning, getting the measurements correct for the final time, hope I did it correctly, as it's a hard piece to deal with....squared/pinion angle etc.

 How about this vintage pic....that's the 70s for you...Tommy Fulton...me in the orange gear..w.t.f....Kenny Brown.., John Cowling

 Anita & I at a 70s rodrun...remember those floppy hats we all had then?

 My first taste of drag racing back in 1967....we built this beast in 18 days to run the Winternats, or sum'n like that...272...3speed..mainline diff....wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding! 

Hope I don't regret this in the roadster...3.9, 31 spline, L.S.D....vroom vroom!

here's some sunday fun!!..click here to open more.

http://vimeo.com/65948388
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owvxPNNUQkM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xQXR4wEsIg

The last two really crack me up....I will load more for your viewing pleasure!!
I am experimenting with finding some videos to watch...we'll see how successful they are once I figure out how to make them user friendly for you...so just click on the highlighted area and view....had another good, but initially cold, coffee morning today.

 Don't bring the hot rod...bring some tin....This 38 coupe was available , and had a crowd around it all morning...$16,000 and it can be yours!

 The food here was pretty darn good, likewise the coffee, and plenty of parking, so it will be one to return back too later in the year.

 About 25 cars from memory, not as big as usual, but Fine Iron had their car show/swap meet on as well....plus today was a bit cool to start with the wind factor...

 Good mix of cars, from hotrods to 50s and 60s muscle....great to see all the newcomers.

Next run will probably be back over towards Redland Bay area....16th of June, weekend after Cooly Rocks/Willowbank Winternationals....probably start a little later in these winter months.

paint choices and other stuff!!

 As you can see, I have turned the corner as the frame has paint!....this time next week, I should be assembling the frame etc, but the body has yet to be started on...I did have fun choosing the colour, and as an example, I have shown some of my "might di it this"..I found them all by typing the car or name or make etc. into google search, then clicked images....really helps when trying to find something different, and my final choice came off a 1950s Russian Zil army truck....(with a bit of red added)..

Now to try to remember....this is Buckskin Brown from memory...I found lots of good colours not only on US and Aussie cars, but English Fords, Hillmans, Austins, old motorbikes, European cars...and trucks, look at some of Fords F series paints. Or just go for a custom mix like Cupageno.

This is 1940 Ford Cloudmist Grey....I also like the Folkstone Grey.

This is Dark Rose beige maybe...also try , Morocco Beige, Desert Sand, Tunis Grey, Cordoba Grey, Brewster Green, Old Chester Grey...all from the 30s.

www.oldholden.com have all the codes for all models, this is Durham Beige, but look also at Seacombe Green, Burnley Cream, Mission Grey.

EK Holden Garrison Grey.....try all the old Holdens from FX to HK...some great choices.

1932 Ford Emporer Brown, also look at the Winterleaf Brown.

Think this is 1967/68/69 era GM colour called Sandalwood Tan.

FB Holden Sandstone Beige.....just click on a car model and hit images..lots of ideas!!

another wet day in May.....

As you can see, Glenn has started painting the Baslac Paint....I like the colour!....on one website, it lists it as "purple red"....and you can see why..here it looks sort of maroon..

 But here, in the shed with the flash..it's more red?.....can't wait to get it assembled and out in the sun.....probably start frame/drivetrain assembling later this month

 Told you I can't decide on wheels...two sets of Halibrands, two sets of Americans, and various steelies, spare new and used tyres, I'm set for the next 20 years!

 Glenn doing an expert job in paint prep.....I give him grief, I put way too much bondo in , then he has to rub it all off...but i'm getting better, mix a little at a time..haha.

 Thought I would show the grinding needed on a Ford Toploader to fit a CJ5 jeep top shift assy., needs to be cut out half way to the outside to fit the fork......(below)

 Here you can get an idea of how big the selector fork is, and the amount needed to remove, you can see the cutout outline on the gasket imprint.

 Col doing his bit...he has rebuild hundreds of Four Speeds in his life....but now remarks that the boxes seem to be heavier than he remembers..haha, we all suffer from that in out advancing years.

For those that think old tin is not around, look at this beauty the turned up on www.pewsplace.com . This website is a good read, so click on it as Lynn posts about 2 or 3 times a week on all sorts of rodding subjects....