This has potential

[Richard Bartrop]

I knew about Bill Carash's Cad V-16 rod, but this was a new one to me.  '29 Ford with a 'Cadillac V-16 engine and and a '37 truck nose.  Most of the parts seem to be available in kit form.

More info here https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/11/10/sweet-16/

[Ace-Garageguy]

[alan barton]

Shame about the driver having to have his legs amputated!  Just joking, but I drive a stock bodied Model A, I'm about 5'11" and it's kinda like being in economy class in a 737.  Still, like me, he probably got used to it.  That thing would make a serious impression on the street!

Cheers

Alan

[PARTSMARTY]

That's cool !!!

[vintagercr]

Pretty cool!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I looked at other photos of this, and the little car has remarkably good proportions considering how much engine room is necessary ahead of the firewall. And it's truly front-mid-engined. Probably handled kinda OK. It looks like the builder took handling into consideration, judging from the apparent same-size tires all around, rather than the hot-rod de rigueur big-n-littles.

Interesting thing about the Caddy V16...this one, dating from the 1930s, was an overhead-valve design with the first production use of hydraulic lifters. Caddy's next V16 design was a flathead...definitely a step backwards technologically.

[espo]

I think the time frame would be the early to mid '50's based upon the size of the White Walls, the engine used would still be available in wrecking yards. And the hair styles, how many guys remember having a Flat Top with Fenders. The roadsters body has some interesting modifications. I noticed the body molding along the bottom of the body suddenly takes a strange turn at the cowl area. Is there even a door on the passenger side ? There looks to be home made motorcycle type fenders on the rear tires. The wheels look like 15" Ford pick up wheels.   

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think the time frame would be the early to mid '50's based upon the size of the White Walls, the engine used would still be available in wrecking yards. And the hair styles, how many guys remember having a Flat Top with Fenders. The roadsters body has some interesting modifications. I noticed the body molding along the bottom of the body suddenly takes a strange turn at the cowl area. Is there even a door on the passenger side ? There looks to be home made motorcycle type fenders on the rear tires. The wheels look like 15" Ford pick up wheels.   

If you click the link under the photo at the top of the thread, it's all there. There don't appear to be functional doors on either side, and the oddly truncated line down low is just from doing a somewhat Q&D shortening job on the body. "Cycle" fenders were routinely made by using the rings from spare tire covers, and I'd tend to place the babe in the very late '50s or early '60s...which works, as the article states the photos date from 1960. He's running recapped slicks on the rear, too.

Edited November 12, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[espo]

If you click the link under the photo at the top of the thread, it's all there. There don't appear to be functional doors on either side, and the oddly truncated line down low is just from doing a somewhat Q&D shortening job on the body. "Cycle" fenders were routinely made by using the rings from spare tire covers, and I'd tend to place the babe in the very late '50s or early '60s...which works, as the article states the photos date from 1960. He's running recapped slicks on the rear, too.

I see what you mean, I didn't think to look for any additional pictures. I agree on the time line and from this photo the driver looks as though he just has long hair. The first photo looked like a Flat Top that I remember having at the earlier time period. Who ever put this together was very creative did a good job since it was most likely built in their home garage.

[Spex84]

Wow. Crazy!
I've tried to mock up a V16 in a number of models so far, and what usually kills it is the height of the engine--I can never get the car low enough to suit my taste. This rod makes it work by maintaining a relatively high stance, and keeping the block as low as humanly possible. With that shortened body, the engine's almost as big as the rest of the car! Ace is right about the proportions...this car could have been a train wreck, but the various modifications give it a very balanced appearance. I'm wondering if the photographer noticed that the car looked best from low angles, where the bulk of the engine protruding below the frame rails helps to visually balance what would otherwise be a tall, long, potentially ungainly looking car.

The Roto-Faze '34 Ford coupe had a blown V12 (impressive!) but somehow it's even more impressive to see an even larger engine in a roadster.

[landman]

It has potential for sure. I can feel ideas germinating.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The proportions he's chopped that A body down to are similar to a Bantam roadster too. Hmmmmmm....

[Mark]

The other day, I was thumbing through an old issue of HOT ROD (January '65)...there's an article on a cut-down '34 Ford roadster with a Duesenberg straight-eight.  A lot of the classic car kits can be picked up for cheap, particularly built ones missing a few parts (or maybe a dusty "mint" diecast?)  Lots of neat project potential here...