AuthorTopic: I'm new here!  (Read 8716 times)

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Offline Blackwater

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I'm new here!
« on: June 11, 2015, 09:56:36 PM »
My name is Blackwater. I'm semi-retired and a motorcyclist, competitive shooter, lead singer in a classic rock and BLUES band, and a former professional mechanic/fabricator. I used to run a drag race team and was an owner/driver in Super Comp, and Comp Eliminator.

I'm working on a Model A/'25 Dodge coupe.

Hope to meet some of you and share ideas and tricks. The car, I'm calling it Lockjaw, is a little over half finished and I'm hoping to have it drivable by early August.

I'm new here and I hope y'all will pardon my lack of knowledge.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline oldskool49

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2015, 02:00:10 AM »
New, not a problem. Most of us here have forgotten what most have learned. Bring on the cold ones. share some lies, male em good, and join in.
Hot Rodders. The First Recyclers.

Offline hotwheels

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2015, 04:29:39 AM »
Welcome to the nation blackwater, it's great to meet ya.
Love building rat rods, driving mustangs, and building websites.

Offline lowboy

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2015, 07:45:37 AM »
Welcome to the nation Blackwater Sounds like theres not much "lack of knowledge" by what your Resume says.
Look around and ask all the dumb questions you need to  ;D We in the nation like answering questions and If this pool of talent can't answer them We'll make something up  :P I'm from S Illinois bout an hour from St.Louis
life is a ride where you slide into heaven sideways on 4 flats blown motor saying Thank you God what a ride!!!!!

Offline obama

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2015, 07:49:29 AM »
Welcome to the Nation Blackwater, glad ya joined.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2015, 09:11:28 PM »
I worry about getting too fine with my repairs and modifications. This little feller is built on a Nissan pickup frame. I bought it back in January from a guy down in Alabama. It was really badly put together and would have been dangerous to drive, but the idea behind it was promising. It has a 153 inch Chevy II four banger and I pulled out the power glide and installed a 700R4. Whoever started the project had stick welded a really bad floor into it, (welds were atrocious and pitifully weak). The front end was out of an old Econoline and the radius rods and steering were junk. I already had a completely restored '48 Ford axle assy. that I got from a guy who'd put a late Mustang II under his street rod and it had all new hardware and even had the wrapping with grease fittings on the transverse leaf spring, so I bought a split wishbone kit and some steering pieces and repurposed it and added a Corvair steering box that I reversed myself.

I got all of the parts for a 9" Ford rear end with 3.00:1 gears from a buddy who had pity on me with the '59 Jeep truck unit that came with the car. I'm in the process of assembling it and rebuilding the brakes, so it ought to be ready to set back on the floor this weekend.

There is a guy out in Idaho who runs Hell's Gate Hotrods. He makes all sorts of gnarly header and intake stuff that you can weld up yourself. He put together a kit for me that will build a neat 1 3/4" primary header with a 3" collector and a neat 4bbl intake for a 390 Holley.

The body is a '28 Model A 5 window cab and quarters that was chopped and stretched with a 24/25 Dodge cowl and windshield posts and what's left of a Dodge truck radiator shell from about the same years. Got the gas tank and battery as well as a 205 Caddy radiator and electric fans mounted in the trunk.

There's still a lot of patching to do to the body and it was missing one door and the other one was butchered, so I'll be fixing those and I'll use some barn door hinges from Tractor Supply to hang 'em when I get 'em done.

The little engine runs but it'll need a water pump and I've had to remake all of the mounts 'cause the guy who started it had no clue of how a drivetrain lines up or how to make sturdy, simple engine or transmission mounts. It will be mounted solid with a mid-plate and drag style front engine mounts.

The 16" front wheels, (and the gas tank) are out of the Jeep truck you see in my avatar picture and the rear wheels are cheap 15 x 12" steel wagon wheels that came with the car. It had 30" tall dirt track tires on the rear that I'm replacing with a pair of Mickey Thompson 15 x 12 1/2 x 26" Street Drag tires.

Craigslist and swap meets are my friend. I've scrounged a lot of stuff like seats, steering column, master cylinder, shifter, tires, and gauges for ridiculous prices.

I'll put up some pics, maybe this weekend, of new stuff and changes. Maybe a detailed album of the header and manifold as I build 'em.

If you can think of anything that will make it more "Rat Cool" feel free to make suggestions. I have a ways to go yet. Still gotta figure out how to hang windows in it and I need an idea for a rear window. There's only a total of 11" of hight and it could maybe be 28" wide.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 09:19:24 PM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline obama

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2015, 10:37:12 PM »
Sounds like your in the Spokane swap meet area, guy's at Hells gate  do a good job.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2015, 07:53:33 PM »
Actually I'm in middle Tennessee. I found Andy and Hell's Gate after desperately searching for a header flange for the 153 engine and winding up on EVIL-bay!!  He showed a 292 six flange and had contact info. One phone call and swapping an e-mail or three and I had everything I need.

Got the 9" rear end cleaned, up assembled, and installed in the car. I'll finish the brakes tomorrow. The guy I got it from lost a few pieces, including some of the backing plate bolts, the wheel cylinder struts for one side, and all of the nuts that hold the differential and backing plates. I picked up the last of it this morning.  I can now measure and get the drive shaft cut and also finish the brake lines.

Still lots to do. I'd like to have all of the heavy stuff done by mid July. I'm having rotator cuff surgery on the 21st and it'll be three months before I can do stuff with my right arm.

I've been wanting to get out to Tacoma  and Spokane. It has been years since I was out there. I think there's a new car museum around Tacoma, and I have a friend I've never seen in person that lives near Seattle.  Maybe next year when my wife retires.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2015, 07:27:11 PM »
Finally got my rear wheels back from the sandblaster yesterday. I've gotta get some stuff done quickly because I'm fixing to have to have shoulder surgery. Found out the other day that I've got three torn tendons in my right shoulder and they're completely detached. The fourth is hanging on like a wore out rubber band. It'll cost me three months of down time if I don't get some stuff lined up so I can work one handed for a while.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline hotwheels

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #9 on: July 10, 2015, 04:43:24 AM »
Damn man, that really sucks........Hopefully they can get everything reattached. Good luck man.
Love building rat rods, driving mustangs, and building websites.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2015, 12:06:07 PM »
Damn man, that really sucks........Hopefully they can get everything reattached. Good luck man.

Thanks, hotwheels!! Fortunately I've got a couple of good friends who will help with heavy stuff while I'm down. Also, I ain't in a life or death situation with finishing it. I know the engine runs and if I get bored I could always do some primitive body work one handed. It'll also give me time to collect some really ratty stuff to add to the outside.

I'm going down to the shop and paint those wheels and fool around with the engine mounts. I still ain't satisfied with how the engine and tranny sit in the frame!!
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline hotwheels

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2015, 04:30:53 AM »
Heck yea, good friends are awesome. Way to keep a positive attitude.
Love building rat rods, driving mustangs, and building websites.

Offline oldskool49

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2015, 07:36:14 AM »
Heck yea, good friends are awesome. Way to keep a positive attitude.


So TRUE, SO TRUE.
Hot Rodders. The First Recyclers.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2015, 12:59:05 PM »
Back out and about!!  I start physical therapy at 9:00 am Monday!!

My son got my rear wheel/tire setup put together yesterday, so I'm gonna' try to put the coupe on the ground a little later today. That way I can figure how much to trim the bottom of the body.

Maybe some pics in a few days!!

I DID get the mounts straightened out and the engine sits pretty nice.  Been almost three weeks!!  I'm gettin' antsy!!
« Last Edit: August 08, 2015, 01:05:12 PM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #14 on: August 08, 2015, 01:41:25 PM »
There are some new pics on my profile page.

Here's a couple more.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline hotwheels

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #15 on: August 10, 2015, 06:58:33 AM »
Very kewl.......
Love building rat rods, driving mustangs, and building websites.

Offline lowboy

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #16 on: August 10, 2015, 02:39:21 PM »
Looking good
life is a ride where you slide into heaven sideways on 4 flats blown motor saying Thank you God what a ride!!!!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2015, 07:57:25 PM »
Two weeks of therapy done and over. Six or eight weeks more to go!!  I'm actually slipping in and out of the shop now and then. I'm hoping to get some driveshaft tunnel and radiator mount work done.  I've still got to cut and repair the doors and mount them and get the header and intake made too.

I was planning on driving it to Redneck Rumble, but I don't think it'll be ready.  I'll go and hang out and look around.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline obama

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2015, 11:04:02 PM »
Good to hear your on the mend and gett'n back out to the shop.

Offline hotwheels

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #19 on: August 28, 2015, 08:06:10 AM »
Glad you are doing better. I too would just go to the show and check things out. Share pics of your build and show off your ride that way. But, be sure to take pics of the show and share em with us.
Love building rat rods, driving mustangs, and building websites.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #20 on: August 28, 2015, 10:19:20 AM »
I figure to get some pics while I'm there, if for no other reason than to see the ideas like they are instead of how I remember them.

I've been successful at posting pictures some of the time and at other times, NOT SO MUCH!!

I figure to make some progress in the next few weeks. If I was 100% I'd drive the coupe to Lebanon. It's only like sixty miles. But I ain't so the car won't be ready in time.

I got a supper dat with my grandson this evening or I'd slip off to the shop and do SOMETHING!!  Supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'll go spend the day over there and burn some wire and the like.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline lowboy

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #21 on: August 28, 2015, 01:56:44 PM »
Glad to hear your doing better I'd go stir crazy not being in the shop!
life is a ride where you slide into heaven sideways on 4 flats blown motor saying Thank you God what a ride!!!!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: I'm new here!
« Reply #22 on: August 28, 2015, 04:58:13 PM »
STIR CRAZY???  STIR CRAZY!!!  We passed stir crazy three weeks ago!!

 If it weren't for the band and a gig or two the last month, I'd be completely out of my RABBITA$$ED MIND!!!


 :P :P :P :-\
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

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