Establishing
Axle Centerline |
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We mounted the body
on the bare rails and rolled the wheels in place
to see what looked "right". We then stepped back
from the car to get a better look. note: the frame
is not built yet - the body is sitting on two
rails that have spreader pieces lightly tacked
in place.
Parts shown:
frame rails: 10132D, American Stamping
boxing plates: 19404 & 19405, Welder Series
'32 hiboy roadster body: k3200, Kilbourne
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FYI, we're using
the following tires and wheels:
Front tires - BFGoodrich P185/65R15 touring T/A
Rear tires - BFGoodrich P285/60R16 radial T/A
Front wheels - Wheel Vintiques 14 series Gennie, 15x6
3-3/4" backspacing
Rear wheels - Wheel Vintiques 14 series Gennie, 16x8
4" backspacing. |
Marking
Axle Centerline |
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| Put a level on top of the
tire to get “true north”. Mark this location
on a piece of tape on the body. Also mark the rails
by placing a square on the rail, through the centerline
of the wheel. This step is crucial to getting the
wheels centered in the wheel well, so make sure to
take your time to get it right. |
Engine
Setup |
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| Macho, macho man. Paul
Horton manhandles the ENTIRE engine block AND tranny
into position. What he doesn't want me to tell you
is that it's a P-AYR piece made of plastic.
You don't have to use a crane and you can save
your beer because you won't have eight buddies over
mocking the engine up. |
Engine
Setup 2 |
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| We used boards to get the
motor where we wanted it to sit at the front, and
also to establish where the center section will go.
We pushed it to the firewall as close as we could,
but still allowing room for the removal of the distributor.
Watch for the fittings on the passenger side of the
tranny- they can be a hassle if you forget about them.
We didn’t want to cut the floor, so we left
a bit of room for them. |
Putting
the Front Suspension Together |
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I know, I know. "When
did you get the frame together?" I guess I was
so excited about the build, and since cameras aren't
logical tools used in the construction of a street
rod, I forgot to take some pictures. The body was
used to get the exact width of the frame we needed
to build. This way, it doesn't matter where someone
else says to put the body - we know for sure
that it will work, the first time.
I've got the four-bar brackets welded to the frame, so all that's left is to
install all the components. We will be using a Super Bell Alum-I-beam aluminum
axle- the one pictured is being used so nothing bad happens to the aluminum
one. A Magnum brake kit
with Wilwood calipers and Pete & Jakes chromed
spindles all look top shelf together. No, that’s
not a chrome rotor- it’s the Magnum polished
aluminum caliper bracket, and it also hides the
11” rotors nicely with rounded edges.
Parts shown:
brake kit: 4100, Magnum Axle
caliper brackets: 4101, Magnum Axle
hiboy 4-bar kit: WS2082, Welder Series
axle: 1102AD, Super Bell |
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| In this picture, I’m
running a tap into the steering arms. When they’re
chromed, sometimes it’s difficult to run a bolt
into them. This makes it much easier. Notice the cardboard
I put down. Just in case something falls, it won’t
get damaged. |
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Here's a closer look
at the front brakes. There are chromed spindle
stops on there now. That's a Welder Series' hiboy
front four-bar kit, which has bars that go all
the way back to the cowl line. A mono-leaf spring
will get the front in the proverbial weeds. mmmmm…
those chromed spindles sure complete the package.
Parts shown:
Calipers: I can't remember the part number, but
they're from Wilwood
Steering arms: 1107C, Super Bell
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Also, notice the protection I taped
to the back of the steering arm- it will hit
the batwing if one is not careful.
Note that Welder Series' parts are sold "ready-to-weld". This makes it
great for guys (like me) who like to do their own welding. If you
want kits all ready welded, call Welder Series - they'll tell you where
you can buy them ready to install. |
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