Topics

If you want to see some other hues go to: http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Pton12/index.htm

About 500 more here: http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Bonneville/index.htm

Here are over 1800 pictures from the LA Roadster Show weekend. Enjoy.

http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Limeworks12/index.htm http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Schraders12/index.htm
http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Thumper12/index.htm
http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/SoCal12/index.htm
http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/Walden12/index.htm
http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/LARS12/index.htm

http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/NSRAWest12/index.htm

http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/DelMar12/index.htm

Early Times Mid-Winter Run http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/ET12/index.htm

Peterson Duece Day
http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/DD12/index.htm

http://highway99hotrods.com/Events/events.html

Highway 99 Hot Rods, Inc. has moved to a new shop in Tulare, CA. The new 7000 sq. ft. shop is conveniently located right next to Highway 99 between Bardsley and Paige.  

We had to narrow the rear end on this 40 coupe I'm working on 1.5" on each side to get the new wheels inside the fenders. The existing axles are 27.125" and 31.1875" . With the housing cut now I need 25.625" and 29.6875"

Got the housing done with a jig so it's welded up nice and straight. We can't just cut and re-spline the existing axles because the 2.5" immediately inboard of the splines is about .060" smaller diameter. I could cut and re-spline the long axle to replace the short one but that leaves me without a long one.  

The customer is prepared to buy new axles but, I'd like to save him a few bucks if we can do some easy swapping with other stock axles.

So, here's the question: are there existing stock axles the length I need or so much longer that they could be cut and re-splined to the length I need?

LA Roadster Show:http://www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2011/index.htm

SoCal Speed Shop's open house:  http://www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2011Soca/index.htm

Bobby Walden's open house: http://www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2011Wald/index.htm

Thumper's party: http://www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2011Thum/index.htm

I've tried McMaster Carr and Fastenal already with no luck.

I need jam nuts for Ford tie rod ends. They're 11/16" - 20.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Don

http://donshotrodpage.net/NSRA11/index.htm

'nother fraud.

I'm using a 60 Chevy truck bellhousing with the fork on the right side for a Model a coupe that I'm building with a SBC and a 4-speed. I have the right starter, clutch fork and slave cylinder. Now I'm trying to figure out which clutch and flywheel I need.

I tried a 12" clutch that I had in stock but, it prevented the engine from turning over because it hit the bellhousing. I checked a few parts sources and it looks like a 60 Chevy truck uses a 10.5" clutch.

So, here are my questions: does the 10.5" clutch use a different flywheel than the 12" clutch? What do I need to make this work?

http://donshotrodpage.net/DelMar2011/index.htm

My nephew is doing a report for school on Utah and he asked me if I knew where he could get a streamliner model for part of his display.
I told him no but, we could make him a lakester model from stuff I had on hand.
We started with two of my steel teardrop blisters trimmed about an inch around the actual formed blister.
For the bottom half we cut about an inch of height off to get it to sit lower. Then we filled the hole with a piece of flat 18 gauge steel.
The wheels are just some cheap casters and the axles are quarter inch rod threaded on the ends so two nylock nuts can capture each wheel.
We may add a few details like a cage and a helmet fairing the next time he comes over to work on it.

About 1000 more at:

http://donshotrodpage.net/GNRS11/index.htm

http://donshotrodpage.net/Throttler%27s/index.htm

http://donshotrodpage.net/Pton2010/index.htm

I got a new project in the shop yesterday that should be a relatively quick one (famous last words, I know). It's a 56 Ford Victoria that has already had a 289/C4/8" swap in the past. Now that's worn out and it's getting a 351W/4R70W/and 3.8something gears in the 8".

We're also planning on swapping from manual steering to power steering from ABS Power Brake Inc. They off a "kit" that includes a new box, what appears to be a Saginaw pump, hoses, brackets and a rag joint. You have to cut the old shaft off about 3", grind the shaft to Double D for the rag joint, ream the pitman arm, and bolt it all up. This leads me to my question, Does the column unbolt from the original box or do they have to come out as a unit?  

Actually I have a few other questions too since I'm not much of a Ford guy.
Will the 289 starter work with the 351/4R70W?
Will the 289 alternator brackets work on the 351 which now has AFR heads?

Anyone familiar with the Clarion/Ungo K20 remote system?

Can it be used to only operate the 40 lb. door actuators with no other functions hooked up?

I wired the red wire to constant hot +, the black to ground -, the black/blue to the left door actuator, and the blue to the right door actuator. All other wires are not connected to anything.

The remote key fob device sends a signal to the receiver but the receiver does not send output to the blue or black/blue wires.

Do other wires have to be hooked up for the receiver to function properly?

I got the 51 Olds running and now I'm working out all the new car bugs, fixing leaks etc.

It has a GM 605 box and Saginaw pump. The box is of unknown quality, the pump is rebuilt.

I'm getting a LOT of bubbles in the pump reservoir, foaming actually, whenever the engine is started and the steering wheel is turned. The wheel doesn't turn smoothly either.
 
What do I need to do?

Here they are, LARS pictures on donshotrodpage.net . I ran around with my camera clicking for four days and spent most of my spare time the last three days editing and loading pictures for you to enjoy.

www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2010Lime/index.htm Limeworks open house

www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2010Thum/index.htm Thumper's party

www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2010Soca/index.htm SoCal Speed Shop open house

www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2010Wald/index.htm Walden's open house

www.donshotrodpage.net/LARS2010/index.htm LA Roadster Show

There are a couple hundred more at:

http://donshotrodpage.net/PasoMaria10/index.htm

I need some ideas on how to switch on backup lights with a Gennie shifter on a TH350.

Thanks,

Don

It's registered and insured per CA DMV's rules for special constructed vehicles. Everything works and we cleaned it up for a local show tomorrow.

After the show I get to take it all back apart for paint.

i took my new roadster for a shakedown spin today. Everything worked OK except for the transmission. The trans is a TH350 that was supposedly rebuilt before the truck it was in sustained some minor damage when the shop it was in burned down.

I can shift the trans up through the gears manually OK but, If I just put it in "D" drive it won't upshift at all. I don't have the kick down cable hooked up yet. Could this be the problem or is it likely something else?

Thanks,

Don

I had a great time on the PRC Reliability Run, can't wait until next year.  








More than 200 additional pictures here:
http://www.donshotrodpage.net/PRCRR11/index.htm

Can we put the accessories and intake from a 96 Vortec 5.7 on a 2004 5.3L longblock?

Or to put it another way, we want to put a  2004 5.3L long block in a 96 Tahoe.

I put a GM "G" body front clip in this 51 Olds. The P/S return line fitting in the box doesn't have the piece that a normal flare fitting would seal against.

What kind of fitting shold the return line have at the box?

About 600 more pictures here: http://donshotrodpage.net/DelMar2010/index.htm

More pictures here: http://donshotrodpage.net/Autorama2010/index.htm

Is there an upgrade for a 55 T-bird power steering that gets rid of the leaky power assist ram?

I have a 389 Pontiac that I've put some temporary wiring on to break in the engine.

The start circuit is a wire from the battery + to a pressure switch and a wire from the pressure switch to the outer post on the starter solenoid.

The run circuit is a wire from the battery + to a toggle switch, a wire from the toggle switch to the coil +, a wire from the coil + to the red wire on the Pertronix distributor, a black wire from the Pertronix distributor to the coil - , a wire from the coil - to ground.

The GM one wire alternator wire goes to the primary post on the starter.

The primary+ wire on the battery goes to the primary post on the starter.

The negative battery post goes to the block.

Here's the problem: when the pressure switch is pressed the strter engages and turns the engine but, it won't stop turning when you release the pressure switch.

Is there something wrong with my wiring or is the solenoid defective?

Thanks,

Don

Pictures are up at:

pictures are up

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/GNRS10/index.htm

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/CHRR09/index.htm

Lots more at www.donshotrodpage.net

If any of you happen to be in California's central valley in a couple of weeks, you're welcome to join us at our first anniversary open house.

1st Anniversary
Rod Run & Open House
Sunday, July 19, 2009
____________________________
Bring out your hot rod or custom for a 100 mile run beginning at 8:00am or show up at the shop around noon for carne asada tacos, cold drinks,  & shootin' the breeze.
____________________________
Highway 99 Hot Rods
8226 W. Doe Ave - Visalia, California
559-651-1457

...maybe thousands, my camera is still smokin'.

Don's Hot Rod Page has been updated with pictures from the Antique Nationals, Thumper's Party, SoCal Speed Shop's open house and the LA Roadster Show.

Have any of you used these?

I bought a set to use on the 29 coupe that I'm building for a customer and I can't see how they can possibly fit in a Model A with a SBC & 4 speed.

The brake pedal is so far to the right, that it will hit the bell housing when the pedal is pushed down. If I move it back far enough to prevent that, the pedals will be up against the seat.

What am I missing here?

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/PRCRR10/index.htm

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/Dragfest/index.htm

I got another customer project in the shop a couple weeks ago. Jared's (the guy who owns the 51 Olds) dad brought in this 29 coupe to be built for his wife. He comes in to check on the Olds progress every once in a while and always asks when he should bring the coupe in. I wasn't sure he was serious until now.

When I first met him, all he said about the Model A was "I've got a 29 coupe that I'd like a 4-speed put in. It has a really nice body". Based on that I thought it was probably a done car with an automatic and he wanted a trans swap. I went to see it and was quite surprised to see this. Now 9 months later he's ready to go.  

There was already a bunch of work done to the car by a guy working out of his garage. Poor guy dropped dead of a heart attack in Home Depot just days after the county shut him down from running a biz out of his garage.

Since the work was done the car has been stored outdoors and has a bunch of surface rust. The stock frame was boxed and TCI 4-bars added. There's a * Product fire wall. The rear wheelwells were crudely mini tubbed. The top was chopped and filled (looks like similar skills as the guy who chopped the Olds). There is a flat steel floor in the passenger compartment but not the trunk. The rear axle is from a postal Jeep. He's got a fresh 327 Chevy and 4-speed for it too.

The plan is to build a nice driver for his wife. White with some kind of ghost flames. Gray interior. He likes the rake of my coupe but doesn't want this quite as low. Bigs n littles, probalby polished ET III rears and ten spokes on the front. A/C, disk brakes etc. Not exactly the style that I would choose but hey, it's not my car and it pays the bills.







I already got it stripped down to the bare essentials. The body has been media blasted and I'm starting to work on the frame.

Since I don't have the engine and trans that will be going in the car yet, I was planning on using another SBC and tranny that I have laying around for maocking up the motor and trans mounts.

Do Muncie 4speeds have the trans mount in the same place as a TH350? I seem to remember that they do but, I've never measured them myself.

I need to score an AOD trans for a customer project, 40 Ford, 302 with a C4 right now. He wants an overdrive in the finished car.

Are there any specific years I want to look for or avoid?

Thanks,

Don

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/DelMar09/index.htm

This was copied striaght from the CA DMV Vehicle Code.

Legislative Findings
5050.  The Legislature finds and declares that constructive leisure pursuits by California citizens is most important.
This article is intended to encourage responsible participation in the hobby of collecting, preserving, restoring, and
maintaining motor vehicles of historic and special interest, which hobby contributes to the enjoyment of the citizen and
the preservation of California's automotive memorabilia.

My first customer brought in this 51 Olds right before I left for Europe so, he basically got about 4 months of free storage while I was off baby sitting some computer programmers.



Everything that wasn't where it belonged was piled inside the car.




A prior owner and/or shop had started a chop using a lot of mud





I think they used the rear glass and about six inches all around from another car. They welded it right over the Olds roof with about a five inch overlap. No chance of doing any hammer & dolly work there so it was filled with mud too.


The customer wants the car bagged. I told him the only way I'd do it is if we clipped the car. So, out came the old Olds stuff and in went a GM Gbody clip. Out with the old:


In with the new:



Here's what the rear looked like before I tore it apart.


To bag the rear I needed to get rid of the leaf springs and build a triangulated 4-link.
Here I started laying out where the top bars would go.

I made a bunch of patterns for brackets


Then I basically worked on other stuff for a couple of weeks because the computer controlling my bro's CNC plasma table crapped out.
Here's the Chevy 350/TH350 engine mounts and transmission crossmember.





The computer is still out of commission and I got tired of waiting so, I cut all of these brackets out of 3/16" plate on the band saw.

Here are shots of tacking all the rear suspension pieces in place.







Next up will be installing the front air bags and trial fitting the body to make sure everything works with out hitting. Then I'll blow it apart for chassis powdercoating.

I'm back!

I got back from my last Europe trip right before Christmas. After spending the holidays with my family I focused on getting the roadster back the way it used to was before the accident. I got that done just in time to take it down to the GNRS for display in the Suede Palace.

Here are the pics from the show.








the rest are here ==> http://www.donshotrodpage.net/GNRS09/index.htm

The 2nd issue is online.

When I get back to the shop I've got a 50 Olds in the shop that the customer wants bagged. Since the front suspension needs a rebuild anyway and it's kind of goofy he's open to a sub frame clip for the car.

I know another guy who just did a Camaro clip in an identical car and he narrowed it to get the track width right and for an overall better fit. I can do that but if there's something that fits better, I'd rather use that.

So, the question is: What GM front end is the best fit for this car? Would an S10 or 78 - 8? G body be better?

Thanks,

Don