Topic: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat (Read 108485 times)

Blackwater · « **on:** August 27, 2015, 08:17:54 PM »

There are some pics on my introduction thread of this little coupe. It's a cross between a '28 Model A and a '24/'25 Dodge. I'm using a 153 Chevy 4cyl and a 700R4 transmission and hooking it to a 9" Ford differential with 300:1 gears. It's sitting on a muchly modified Nissan pickup chassis and a 'split wishbone '48 Ford front end.

These are some pics.

hotwheels · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2015, 08:08:33 AM »

That is really kewl.

Rubberhead · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2015, 02:38:23 PM »

Pretty cool. Where did you get that brake master cylinder assembly at?

Blackwater · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:03:09 PM »

Bought it at the Goodguys show here in Nashville back in the summer.. It's for a sprint car. They still make 'em but they're a little more "billet/high tech" looking now.

I'll get the brand for ya' if you want. It's actually two cylinders with a common pedal and a mechanical bias adjustment.

Blackwater · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:10:08 PM »

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Here's a photo of that master cylinder out on the bench. I shortened the rods and flipped the pedal. It was originally an under dash hanging unit.

Rubberhead · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2015, 05:17:46 PM »

Pretty cool idea! A buddy of mine is building a 23 Chevy coupe and he's been looking for master cylinder alternatives. Thanks for the info.

hotwheels · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2015, 07:14:43 AM »

Wow that is very kewl.

Blackwater · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2015, 06:26:19 PM »

BACK IN THE SHOP !! FINALLY!!!

Got the exhaust part of the header/intake manifold done. It'll need a little spiffing up when I finish the intake side, but it's looking GOOD!!

One of my buds came over and salvaged an alternator and brackets and pulleys off of my donor Astro. He also filled the differential and cleaned up a couple of other details. All in all, a good day!!

I'm thinking about cutting the body at the bottom of that green masking tape strip... How about some opinions??? I got one vote to cut and two that say no!! I was really leaning toward doing it but over the last few weeks, I've waffled on it!!

lowboy · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2015, 04:47:22 AM »

I vote no cut but it's your build do it your way!

Blackwater · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2015, 07:11:47 PM »

So physical therapy only lasted an hour and I had time to get back into the shop. I added the plenum for the intake and finished welding all of the joints and panels on the air box section. The rust in my welding abilities is gradually going away. I cut down the plenum box and got it ready for the carb mounting plate. Before I weld it on I've got to find out if it's better to mount the four barrel sideways so that the two primaries are set over each of the intake runners or if it even matters. I have a friend who does flow bench and head porting and I'm certain that he'll have solid information for me.

Next I've gotta' come up with some nice brackets to mount the throttle cable and transmission cable. The 390 Holley looks cool setting there, either way you turn it. I thought about putting a Predator carb on it, but the Holley was there and the Predator was another $200.00!!

Can't work on it tomorrow. Gotta' run a bunch of errands and it'll take almost all damn day!! I will get to go by the guy's place with the flow bench, so he'll see the same pics I'm posting here and give me the advice I need.

miraclepieco · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2015, 07:00:06 AM »

That thing is wicked looking. I vote leave the material on the bottom; makes it look lower.

hotwheels · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2015, 04:23:47 PM »

Looks awesome.

Blackwater · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2015, 04:53:30 PM »

Well!! It's six to one!! I ain't cutting the bottom of the body!

The carb will be mounted sideways. It works better for balance on the intake flow that way. Jeg's had a bracket for the throttle and TV cables that is cheap enough that I can't justify spending the time to make one. I hate cutting out those damned little square holes for cable retention. I can better spend that time finishing the doors and the cooling and fuel systems and doing the wiring!! Most of the switches are already stubbed out with the factory plugs.

I wish I had the money and time to have it so I could bring it to the Rumble, but I still have a life besides the shop.

hotwheels · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2015, 04:50:46 AM »

Totally agree on having a life. You can always just go check out the rides at the rumble.

JustBob · « **Reply #14 on:** September 04, 2015, 07:32:25 AM »

I'm diggin it ... very much .... and the headlights .... what lense is that your using.

Blackwater · « **Reply #15 on:** September 04, 2015, 06:48:49 PM »

Those "headlights" are actually guide lights from an inter coastal waterway barge. They usually have flood light bulbs installed, but I bought a set of H4 headlight and reflector kits and the LED lights surrounding. The LEDs are split so I'm using them for marker lights and the outside one on each side will double as turn signals. The globes screw into the housings and hold a reflector or a sealed beam in place.

If I take the grill shell off the front of the car looks like a cartoon crab!!

Blackwater · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2015, 07:12:28 PM »

So! I got the driveshaft shortened up and ready to put back in. Gonna' try to finish the drivetrain and brakes this weekend. I finally located a sending unit for the gas tank. Turns out it's a replacement tank for a Jeep Commando. I now have all of the stuff to finish the fuel system bought and collected except for the sending unit and it'll be here next Wednesday.

I have some help coming Sat. and Sun. I haven't heard the thing run since I brought it home, and I'm thinking I may try to fire it off sometime Monday.

MAN O MAN!! There are so many cool rides going together right now, I can't help but get excited and inspired!!

hotwheels · « **Reply #17 on:** September 05, 2015, 09:10:13 AM »

That's awesome, gonna be awesome hearing it run.

JustBob · « **Reply #18 on:** September 06, 2015, 04:06:26 PM »

Wicked

Blackwater · « **Reply #19 on:** September 06, 2015, 05:18:15 PM »

My lawyer buddy came over and spent the last two days helping me with Lockjaw. We got the fuel lines completed and hooked up from front to back and the throttle and TV cable for the transmission all routed and lined up. I want to put a big inline filter in the system, but I'm holding out for one that has 3/8" flared fittings. The little plastic clip on the end of the TV cable broke. That's one more stop on my trip to town Tuesday.

We got the brakes all plumbed, bled, and adjusted. One of the wheel cylinders for the front brakes was assembled wrong from the factory and I had to tear it down and fix it, but no parts were damaged so it went right back together without problems. I'll have to adjust the front to rear bias when I get the car on the road.

The 9" Ford rear end we used had the bigger companion flange, so I had to go to town this morning for another crossover U-joint. Somewhere in their infinite wisdom, Ford decided that a 1310 U-joint should have trunion bearings 1/16" bigger in diameter for THEIR cars. ONLY on the ones that bolt to the rear end!! The ones pressed into the driveshaft are the normal 1 1/16" that everyone else uses.
GO FIGURE!!!

Not much in the way of pics this time, but maybe I'll have more to show when I get it on the ground tomorrow.

hotwheels · « **Reply #20 on:** September 07, 2015, 08:06:01 AM »

Awesome. You guys kicked ass.

Blackwater · « **Reply #21 on:** September 07, 2015, 03:19:07 PM »

i won't get to fire it off this weekend. I had to stop and clean up the shop before it turned around and swallowed my ass!! Between that and the fact that there was nobody there to give me a hand, I figured it was safer to wait 'til tomorrow night.

I DID get the transmission cooler figured out, so tomorrow I'll pick up a couple of fittings and it'll be all steel line to and from the transmission. I'm gonna mount it in the grill behind a piece of expanded steel and some black screen wire. If it needs a fan I've got several I can use.

The brakes set over night and they were high and firm today!! No leaks and it was dry everywhere I looked.

I finally got to put it on the ground to see just how much the lowering blocks and smaller tires dropped it. TOO MUCH!! I'm gonna' add more spring to the front anyways, so that'll raise the front about an inch and a half. I'll swap the 2" lowering blocks for some 1" units and that'll put it where I want it. The steering is really light and smooth!! I'm tickled with how it turned out. It rolls easy and the tires don't squeak on the painted floor, so I reckon the alignment is close.

I need a flat poly groove crankshaft pulley, (six groove) to make my alternator setup work. The only thing I can find is a *&%$^## billet one!!

Any suggestions?? I could use one of those Gilmer drive kits and be really weird, I guess.

Anyhow!! Here's some pictures of it sitting on the floor for the first time in months!! 48" to the top of the roof!! 4" at the lowest point on the car.

Blackwater · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2015, 02:49:19 PM »

I had a follow up with the shoulder doc this morning to check on the recent shoulder overhaul. It was scheduled for late in the morning, so I figured I'd run around and pick up some little items that will finish five or six different parts of the car. I bet you I drove 100 miles all over Nashville looking for things like ADEL clamps and spirol pins and flare adapters!! STILL haven't found the adel clamps I really wanted, but what I found can be made to work. It IS a Rat after all. Right??

hotwheels · « **Reply #23 on:** September 08, 2015, 04:31:04 PM »

Yup it's a rat and a dang good looking one.

Blackwater · « **Reply #24 on:** September 15, 2015, 06:02:48 PM »

I got the fuel tank sorted out and the new sending unit installed. I hole sawed a hole in the quarter panel for the filler neck and got it all lined up and I extended the pickup in the tank. A new filler neck hose and a fuel filter in line is all I lack there.

Mounted the trans. cooler to the frame and finished the plumbing. No rubber lines at all and NO compression fittings!! It's all in steel 5/16" tubing and double flared with steel fittings.

Gonna' pick up the last of the parts to finish the suspension tomorrow after physical therapy and a few odds and ends to complete several other systems that lack a clamp or a hose or something.

I also knocked off all of the scale and heavy rust from the grill shell and laid a couple of coats of rust inhibitor/primer on to get it ready for some paint and a screen in the grill hole. I should have it mounted tomorrow and I'll make a pair of rods to run from the firewall to the grill shell.

New pics this weekend and maybe some from Redneck Rumble too!!

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AuthorTopic: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat (Read 108485 times)

miraclepieco