A couple minute conversation with my old friend Sloppy (sophorn sin),
the original Shanker,
resulted in a last dash effort to get to the Mooneyes Xmas show at the Irwindale Speedway.
We really want to go to the Yokohama Mooneyes show (japan),
but if we can't get to Mooneyes LA then yokohama isn't realistic!
YOKOHAMA 2013!
Both of us have flathead powered 29 roadster pickups (RPU'S),
and both of us have 29 roadster pickups that have been stashed in our garages.
Stashed in our garages means the hot rods need work to get road worthy!
I've spent a good chunk of time dialing in the basic stuff,
and the old ford was loving the attention.
After a couple times getting stuck,
(one more than I've written about!)
the easy problems were buttoned up.
My list of STD (shit to do) was short.
So why not wait til afternoon to start, right?
I have been wanting to put a PCV valve on this flathead for years.
I've seen guys hide the pipework under the intake,
so it looks clean and less modern,
which just makes me overthink it.
On the later flatheads,
it is easiest to use the road draft tube hole,
as Ford designed positive crankcase ventilation into the system.
Okay I admit,
the PCV valve wasn't even on my list.
I had gone to the car parts store to get some oil,
and then I happened to see some PCV parts that could be modified.
Triggers!
While I was thinking I would need to shave down a rubber stopper,
or modify a freeze plug,
there was one the perfect size.
Who would have thought!?
The parts I needed were about $8!
In 10 minutes everything was installed.
10 minutes!
After almost 9 years of my body being pickled in the engine fumes,
this is all it took.
From this distance you can't even tell I'm environmentally friendly.
The curvy hose matches all the others,
organic like an overgrown jungle.
Cross out the first thing not on my list!
My biggest concern was the front end shake at higher speed.
I'm using ancient LT tires which are way too heavy duty.
I like big tires!
The shake only appears for a -5 mph window,
so it's either go fast or go slow.
After jacking up the tire,
it was obvious there was a balance issue.
The tire would gravitate to the same position.
Since it was only 4:30,
I could make it to the tire store before they closed.
Check out these 250 gram weights!
There's over ONE POUND of lead needed to get this thing balanced!
Holey chit!
I had taken this wheel in before to another shop,
and they never got it right although they said it was.
Probably cause they didn't have a stash of gigantic clip-ons.
Crazy.
*If you have a stash of Firestone 6.00x16LT tires - let me know!
The last to do was really the only thing on my list,
other than putting together a tool box.
For years I've driven at night with minimal rear lighting.
Its one of those things you don't think about until something bad happens.
Last year a RPU Hot Rod was involved in a rear-ender,
and the driver (Eric Doran RIP!) was killed and his passenger injured.
This was on the freeway close to my old stomping grounds of Ventura.
There's really no way to fortify such a light car from a collision.
Sure a bumper or push/nerf bar would help for a tap,
but on the freeway at high speeds against big trucks,
the only protection is visibility.
My truck has the most minimal visibility!
After the unfortunate wake-up call there's really no excuse.
I've been scrounging up these lights cheap at swap meets,
and it was about time to put a couple to use.
Ridiculously there was not a matching pair in this whole bag,
and this isn't showing a couple more that were in another box!
My favorite lens was this one,
it's like a jello mold.
If anyone finds one let me know I need another!
=S&M Lamp Co. L.A. CAL. LENS NO. 2703=
It took that whole bag to get all the parts needed for 2 lights!
Scrounged the bulbs and wiring from the other housings.
The install is very crude but it was too late to make exotic mounts.
Jakob had been patiently watching my progress,
when I pulled out the wire stripper his eyes widened.
After practicing on some scrap wire,
he had both crimping and stripping down!
We had the lights working in no time.
Way to go Jake!
Yeah they're still a little dim,
but this is a 6-volt car.
It was two times better at least.
Ready!
There was just enough time for a short nap,
and it was time to rally up to LA.
The hot rod ran perfectly!
There are periods of smoothness,
but then there's sections of really wavy concrete.
The best way to get through those sections is actually going faster,
then the car kinda floats over it,
but the crazy fog put a limit on that.
It was really thick going through some of the valley spots,
especially the camp pendleton area.
It was easier when there was a group of cars to school with,
but man it was a little sketchy at times.
Good thing there's reflectors!
And holey moley passing big rigs makes my hands sweat typing about it!
There is a technique needed to drive with bias-ply tires,
but add in the wind flow and a semi-truck!
Also the open top of the roadster puts the sheer mass right in your face...
The first couple truck/trailer passes were some headshakers,
but I remembered to talk to the pickup a bit.
"Go straight little Chief, go straight!"
Much easier when there's an extra lane between us.
The distance of 105 (yahoo map) miles at 1:32
averaged almost 70MPH!
Not bad for a foggy night.
Wish I did a gas reading.
Meanwhile Sloppy had a parallel universe,
but he got to sleep in!
His RPU was stashed in his one car garage full of two-wheelers.
His STD list included alignment as a result of a misplaced styrofoam cooler.
Sloppy's a great artist and showed his newest work.
I'll post a better pic after I've ruined it a bit so it's not copied.
It's amazing what he can do with a pencil.
After a little rest,
we headed up to Irwindale Speedway.
Cool to have the pickups together and on the road again!
More later...
TP
the original Shanker,
resulted in a last dash effort to get to the Mooneyes Xmas show at the Irwindale Speedway.
We really want to go to the Yokohama Mooneyes show (japan),
but if we can't get to Mooneyes LA then yokohama isn't realistic!
YOKOHAMA 2013!
Both of us have flathead powered 29 roadster pickups (RPU'S),
and both of us have 29 roadster pickups that have been stashed in our garages.
Stashed in our garages means the hot rods need work to get road worthy!
 |
| Chief |
I've spent a good chunk of time dialing in the basic stuff,
and the old ford was loving the attention.
After a couple times getting stuck,
(one more than I've written about!)
the easy problems were buttoned up.
My list of STD (shit to do) was short.
So why not wait til afternoon to start, right?
 |
| ford flathead |
I have been wanting to put a PCV valve on this flathead for years.
I've seen guys hide the pipework under the intake,
so it looks clean and less modern,
which just makes me overthink it.
On the later flatheads,
it is easiest to use the road draft tube hole,
as Ford designed positive crankcase ventilation into the system.
 |
| flathead PCV kit |
Okay I admit,
the PCV valve wasn't even on my list.
I had gone to the car parts store to get some oil,
and then I happened to see some PCV parts that could be modified.
Triggers!
While I was thinking I would need to shave down a rubber stopper,
or modify a freeze plug,
there was one the perfect size.
Who would have thought!?
The parts I needed were about $8!
 |
| flathead PCV valve installed |
In 10 minutes everything was installed.
10 minutes!
After almost 9 years of my body being pickled in the engine fumes,
this is all it took.
 |
| environmentally friendly hot rod |
From this distance you can't even tell I'm environmentally friendly.
The curvy hose matches all the others,
organic like an overgrown jungle.
Cross out the first thing not on my list!
 |
| big a$$ tire weight |
My biggest concern was the front end shake at higher speed.
I'm using ancient LT tires which are way too heavy duty.
I like big tires!
The shake only appears for a -5 mph window,
so it's either go fast or go slow.
 |
| another one! |
After jacking up the tire,
it was obvious there was a balance issue.
The tire would gravitate to the same position.
Since it was only 4:30,
I could make it to the tire store before they closed.
 |
| holey chit! |
Check out these 250 gram weights!
There's over ONE POUND of lead needed to get this thing balanced!
Holey chit!
I had taken this wheel in before to another shop,
and they never got it right although they said it was.
Probably cause they didn't have a stash of gigantic clip-ons.
Crazy.
*If you have a stash of Firestone 6.00x16LT tires - let me know!
 |
| what hot rod? |
The last to do was really the only thing on my list,
other than putting together a tool box.
For years I've driven at night with minimal rear lighting.
Its one of those things you don't think about until something bad happens.
Last year a RPU Hot Rod was involved in a rear-ender,
and the driver (Eric Doran RIP!) was killed and his passenger injured.
This was on the freeway close to my old stomping grounds of Ventura.
There's really no way to fortify such a light car from a collision.
Sure a bumper or push/nerf bar would help for a tap,
but on the freeway at high speeds against big trucks,
the only protection is visibility.
My truck has the most minimal visibility!
After the unfortunate wake-up call there's really no excuse.
 |
| tail light stash |
I've been scrounging up these lights cheap at swap meets,
and it was about time to put a couple to use.
Ridiculously there was not a matching pair in this whole bag,
and this isn't showing a couple more that were in another box!
 |
| S&M Lamp Co. - lens no. 2703 |
My favorite lens was this one,
it's like a jello mold.
If anyone finds one let me know I need another!
=S&M Lamp Co. L.A. CAL. LENS NO. 2703=
 |
| Jakob electrician apprentice |
It took that whole bag to get all the parts needed for 2 lights!
Scrounged the bulbs and wiring from the other housings.
The install is very crude but it was too late to make exotic mounts.
 |
| Jakob wiring up hot rod |
Jakob had been patiently watching my progress,
when I pulled out the wire stripper his eyes widened.
After practicing on some scrap wire,
he had both crimping and stripping down!
We had the lights working in no time.
Way to go Jake!
 |
| UFO |
Yeah they're still a little dim,
but this is a 6-volt car.
It was two times better at least.
Ready!
 |
| blurry chief |
There was just enough time for a short nap,
and it was time to rally up to LA.
The hot rod ran perfectly!
It took 20 miles for the tires to adapt to the new spin,
and me to get comfortable hauling a$$ for the first time in a while!
Parts of the 5 north from San Diego sucks.and me to get comfortable hauling a$$ for the first time in a while!
There are periods of smoothness,
but then there's sections of really wavy concrete.
The best way to get through those sections is actually going faster,
then the car kinda floats over it,
but the crazy fog put a limit on that.
It was really thick going through some of the valley spots,
especially the camp pendleton area.
It was easier when there was a group of cars to school with,
but man it was a little sketchy at times.
Good thing there's reflectors!
And holey moley passing big rigs makes my hands sweat typing about it!
There is a technique needed to drive with bias-ply tires,
but add in the wind flow and a semi-truck!
Also the open top of the roadster puts the sheer mass right in your face...
The first couple truck/trailer passes were some headshakers,
but I remembered to talk to the pickup a bit.
"Go straight little Chief, go straight!"
Much easier when there's an extra lane between us.
The distance of 105 (yahoo map) miles at 1:32
averaged almost 70MPH!
Not bad for a foggy night.
Wish I did a gas reading.
 |
| sloppy's gearhead garage |
Meanwhile Sloppy had a parallel universe,
but he got to sleep in!
His RPU was stashed in his one car garage full of two-wheelers.
His STD list included alignment as a result of a misplaced styrofoam cooler.
 |
| sophorn SLOPPY sin! |
Sloppy's a great artist and showed his newest work.
I'll post a better pic after I've ruined it a bit so it's not copied.
It's amazing what he can do with a pencil.
 |
| high and low - ford roadster pickups |
After a little rest,
we headed up to Irwindale Speedway.
Cool to have the pickups together and on the road again!
More later...
TP
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