Welcome Dave! Did you buy two brand new Europas so you could piece together one working one? 
(I love this thread!)
Welcome Dave! Did you buy two brand new Europas so you could piece together one working one? (I love this thread!)
RossD wrote: Welcome Dave! Did you buy two brand new Europas so you could piece together one working one?
Not really. We're talking ancient history, though.
The first Series 1 came from Colin's "works" with a Renault engine, but by the time I got it it had a Formula Ford motor with twin Webers on it. That required a massive change in the engine compartment, and the bellhousing, I was told, was one of only two in the world! In 1976, in a bout of masochism, I bought a brand new, left-over, '75 twin cam. Took me a while to figure out that Alf at the works had wired the fan backwards so when the sensor said the engine was too hot it turned on the fan, which drew air in from the right wheelwell and blew it out the radiator though the front of the car. Worked fine when parked, but at highway speeds it created a null around the radiator. You know what they say about British electrics...
I'm a former autocrosser, Pro Rallyist as both driver and co-driver (Saab 99s), and campaigned an '87 Mustang GT in SCCA Showroom stock, reaching National level. Took a first at Watkins Glen my first time there in the pouring rain. I attribute my success that day to the rallying experience... 
In reply to SearchDog:
That's awesome! Welcome to the madness of GRM!!!
In reply to SearchDog:
You're going to fit right in around here, welcome!
I'm really liking this build. I started to say the following in Tom's daily driver A thread, but I think it belongs here
JoeyM said: I'm really digging woody's (and dave's) boat tail body. I liked the phaeton on my car when I started, but a boat tailed speedster would have been a faster build (no doors), more locost-like (stiffer and lighter), and more unique (phaetons are more common at an autoshow than boat tails.)
I think you guys are going to have a blast with this car.
For the record, we're not building a boat tail.
no boattail......
Wow, talk about projection.......you're right. The boat tail thing is totally me and my desires. For some reason I had it stuck in my head that it was a boat tail. Obviously I was wrong.....I just went and looked at the pics I helped you grab from before....the ones you said you wanted to use as reference/inspiration:
clearly, not a boat tail. The only explanation is that I want one very badly, and that I must now build a boat tail for myself....and yes, I do have enough scrap metal around to pull that off 
JoeyM wrote: clearly, not a boat tail. The only explanation is that I want one very badly, and that I must now build a boat tail for myself....and yes, I *do* have enough scrap metal around to pull that off
Hurry up and build it so we can borrow it for the October event. We'll give it back when we're through...
FYI, they just announced the info for this years Race of Gentlemen.
Oct 4, 5 and 6 in Wildwood NJ. The in-laws have a place there so I'll be there, if you are going to make it this year let me know, I'd love to meet up :) Maybe I'll bring the Wartburg down (yeah I know it wont qualify for the event but it would be fun to have in town for the event)
Yeah, after all this I hope Mel will let us compete.
It should be quite a time. Big party around the bonfire on the beach Friday night, cars racing Saturday, and tons of bikes racing Sunday.
Mel has issued a couple of teasers that the whole town will be "open" all weekend, with live rock bands everywhere and jalopies driving the streets.
After all the publicity last year the World is coming out for it. His comment today was "Wait until you see the history that has signed up so far!"
The beach in Wildwood is very different than the venue last year north of Asbury Park. I understand Wildwood's beach is very wide, while last year it was a race to get to the narrow hard packed sand, or be left with the deep sand or sea water -- your choice! 
I've been letting the frame sit while I concentrate on getting the Flathead bolted together. All painted up in a dark red, the block looks sweet. Flywheel installed, oil pan hammered out (4 hours) to fit the high-volume oil pump, and the little stuff you don't see coming. For instance: The original engine had water pumps (yeah, there are two, one for each bank of cylinders) with pulleys for the more modern "narrow" belt. The replacement water pumps only come with the pulleys for a wide (5/8") belt. So that means the main pulley on the crank nose has to get changed to the old style. No problem, found one on Yay-Bay, blasted it and painted it to match. Slid it on the crank today for the first time with the timing gear cover on, which happens to hold the timing pointer. The pointer hits. Turns out the main diameter of the old pulley is about 1/16" bigger than the narrow belt pulley that the timing cover was designed around. I could take a hammer and bend up the pointer, but that would look silly. Nope, timing cover has to come off, pointer has to come out, get shortened by about a 1/2", then re-installed so it will now point to the edge of the new pulley. Not a big deal, just more time consuming.
Went to install the flywheel, and the two dowel pins are absent from the crank flange. Had to find the old crank, drive out the old dowel pins and install them in the new crank before installing the flywheel. More frustrating time lost.
Heads will go on next and will have to be test fit with modeling clay on the valves and piston tops to test clearance. Needs to be .040 of air between the top of the valve and the head when the engine is turned over -- or else. This should be interesting...
Road trip tomorrow to the far corner of the State to get the wire wheels we will be using. There are 40-year old tires mounted on them. Can you say "dry rot"? 
Another swap meet score!
This morning, I was at a non-automotive flea market looking for Schwinn Sting-Rays, when I stumbled upon a set of Model T headlights. I made an offer but the guy wouldn't budge off his asking price. "They're rare.", he said.
"They made 15 million Model T's." I said. "That's 30 million headlights."
We met in the middle.
They are nearly flawless and still have original Ford script lenses, which is amazing considering that they are 90 years old. They will look perfect, sitting low in front of our Speedster.
SearchDog wrote: After all the publicity last year the World is coming out for it. His comment today was "Wait until you see the history that has signed up so far!" The beach in Wildwood is very different than the venue last year north of Asbury Park. I understand Wildwood's beach is very wide, while last year it was a race to get to the narrow hard packed sand, or be left with the deep sand or sea water -- your choice!
Yeah, the Wildwood beach is incredibly wide, one of the few beaches in NJ that doesn't have a problem with erosion.
I'll keep an eye out for you guys, luckily my in-laws have a place down there so I don't have to fight the madness to get a hotel room.
Mel the organizer ("Dirtiest Devil, Duke of Oil") recently posted that there are entries from Texas, Arizona and the West Coast who will be attending! They have sold out one motel so far, and are getting close on two more. He also said that he will be cutting off registration for entrants "very soon". I fired off an email pleading our case as to why he can't run his event without us...
Headlights above have been cleaned, glass polished, reflectors polished, and buckets blasted and primed ready for painting. New bulb sockets are on the way. Turns out they are early Model A, not Model T. '28 or '29.
They are the optional "Two Bulb" style. High and low beam, you think? Well, you'd be wrong. The second bulb is for a parking light -- rated at a whopping 3 candlepower! I think your basic Bic lighter would be brighter.
Oh, and the main bulb has a screw adjuster that goes between the back of the bucket and the back of the bulb socket. Turning the screw moves the socket in and out of the reflector, focusing the light beam, not unlike your basic Maglight flashlight! There is no adjustment of the up/down--left/right as we think of adjustments. That is done by loosening the mounting nut and moving the whole bucket!
He's being modest. He used toothpaste.
Love it
Is the cowl yellow yet?
bling bling, ninja!
Okay, here goes...
We have come to the conclusion that we are not going to get this thing done in time for the Race of Gentlemen. Additionally, Dave has built a Flathead that deserves to be in a much better car than this was ever going to be. I wouldn't be surprised to see it under the hood of a spectacular '34 Ford some day.
We are both disappointed, but the decision has been made to liquidate the Model A stuff. There's a huge antique car show up here on September 15 and we we're going to get a vendor's spot at the swap meet. I posted some photos of what we planned to bring on The HAMB this morning and the response has been overwhelming, so we may just end up at the swap meet as buyers, rather than sellers.
Here are a couple of links if anyone is interested:
HAMB thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=828484
Car show and swap meet: http://www.roaring-20s.org/main/car_show_info.htm
Sadness.
God....this is the worst car-related news I've heard on the forum in a LONG time. I LOVE this build. Why not have it ready for the NEXT event?
We don't want to sit on the car for a year and the engine is headed for a better place.
Take your time on the car and put not a flathead in it? Perhaps a Chevy 235 I6? Its to my understanding that's what was used if you didn't use a Ford flathead V8 back then.
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