5 replies to this topic

[Ace-Garageguy]

I unexpectedly got yesterday and today off, and though it's a financial blow of sorts, it's nice to be able to get so much bench time. While things are drying /curing / shrinking in on the first-string builds, I've been able to wake a few old friends from hibernation and get moving forward again.

I started this one over a yrear ago, shortly after I bought a set of 1:1 American Stamping repop '32 rails.



The plan was to use up a bunch of e-bay fodder in the basement, and turn it into a car. The engine was to be a 240Z Datsun with 3-Weber 40DCOE carbs, Porsche 914 front suspension, Z-car rear suspension, a Porsche 944 gearbox in the rear peeking out and looking kinda like a quick-change, a busted-up Kurtis Indycar nose from a long-ago restoration project, and the remains of a Cirrus SR22 airplane heavy-plexiglass windshield. At the time I had access to a 1930 Ford roadster in the shop, and pulled a bunch of measurements off of it. Shortly afterwards, a pair of rough but useable '30 quarter panels fell out of the sky, so it looked like that was the way to go. I also had a pair of NOS '36 Ford headlight assemblies on the shelf..

The first mockup was done on a junk frame, using an old and very inaccurate Monogram '32 roadster body.



Since I was committed to using the 1:1 parts on hand, I did a quick engineering / component placement mockup too.



It looked like I could make everything work, so the next task was to make up a fairly accurate '30 roadster body using the dimensions I had and a Revell cowl and a narrowed and hacked AMT '32 body shell.




And then, a Revell '32 frame, modified with a rear zee to fit the stance.



I kind of liked the idea of a wicked six, with the three Webers hanging out in the breeze....



The more accurate second mockup looked like this.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 22 November 2012 - 05:42 AM.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The bugeye headlights were necessary to give the tops of the front shock struts somewhere to live, and with shortened struts, the '36 buckets provide just enough room. I've since had a re-think of how to go about doing the front suspension, still using the Porsche torsion-bars, arms and crossmember, but with fabbed upper control arms and more conventional headlight placement. The hood had gone through some development, and I've found an almost free 1:1 350- 4-bolt main smallblock Chevy. Though the original Z-engine was capable of around 200HP and would make a fast car, the little Chevy can make a blisteringly fast car. Hmmmmmmm.

The current mockup, with late '60s updated wheels and the small Chevy, looks like this.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 21 November 2012 - 09:24 AM.

[Duntov]

This is VERY interesting....

[Dr. Cranky]

Wow, that is looking super cool.

[southpier]

whatzat little pokey out thing on the grille?

[crazyjim]

Starter for the engine - yes? Very cool build.