transformation of the pat lash roadster

One of the guys I was really bummed not to be able to meet up with
on the venture north was an old friend Pat Lash.
It's been a couple years since I've seen him,
but it's been at least 5 years since I've seen his roadster and other projects.

Pat Lash & friends

Here's the early version of the contraption that he built.
Super channeled,  inline-6 engine,  hallock style windshield...
One of the first bare metal super slammed hot rods of this current era,
the San Jose style.

pat lash roadster - 2007 - last antique nationals - palmdale

Here's a good comparison shot.
The Red Dot II was channeled but super high compared to his.
Same body style, totally different car.

Red Dot II - 29 ford roadster w/ Hallock windshield

What the heck.
I'm gonna throw more pictures in here,
as this was a fun time.
This was the last Antique Nationals in Palmdale - 2007.
Pat brought his silver bullet down,
and Luke/Pigpen and I had the old Red Dot II and Chief.
Good times...
You can see my tendency for hot rods that can also go off-roading!

Chief - 1929 roadster pickup with hallock windshield

Here's another cool shot.
This is the last Asphalt Invitational 2007 up in San Jose.
We've got Pat's roadster, Sloppy's RPU, Red Dot II, and the June Bug 40.
More good times...

Asphalt Invitational - 2007

Pat's attention to detail is most likely the reason he doesn't have a hot rod shop.
He really should.
The problem is finding someone who could afford all the hours he invests.
He has no ability to half-a$$ and cut corners!

Pat Lash Roadster

Everyone loved the earlier version of his roadster,
a big spread in the Rodder's Journal.
I remember when I first met him,
he would say how he wanted to un-channel it.
After all the work he put in,
I thought he was crazy.
Might as well build another car!

track nose

If you study this picture,
you'll see the relocation scar of the side steer mount,
at least 4 inches higher now.
What an awesome start to that track nose!

proper

The amount of modification he's done is ridiculous.
Before the rear of the engine was cut into the top of the cowl.
Now it looks like that's all patched up,
with a new firewall and this bitchin relief bubble.

nicson - chevy 6

Even with all this insane aluminum work,
I bet Pat's most excited about that rubber radiator hose.
Now that the engine is even with the cowl,
he was able to remove his old hood ornament!

sweet

Looking at these pictures I'm super bummed to have missed seeing this in person.
Check out the little latches and fan surround.

welded

Here's some cool progress shots.
Each piece hammered or rolled,
than welded and blended.
He's probably still using his ancient Linde Tig machine.
The street lights flicker when he turns that thing on!

smooth

These are early shots before the hood bubble.
I'm guessing the intake or carbs were removed at this point.

rollers

Here's the most recent shots.
It is the exact opposite of my hacked hood I threw on in one night!

fit

They took it up to Billetproof last week,
and I'm curious how much it's changed on the road.
He's had no floors this whole time,
and I know that it's a much warmer drive even with a partial hood,
especially with a belly-pan.
Dang it check out that belly-pan!

pat lash roadster - 2013

I'm sure he's got a modified windshield plan,
and maybe some dark green paint.
I gotta get up there!
Thanks for the pics Sharon & Pat!

TP

ventura wrap up

Now for the wrap up to this extended Ventura excursion.
Hey I gotta do something with all these pictures!
Here's the ending - Part IV

noble fabrication

With Sloppy's brakes finally working,
it was time to hit the road...
after visiting the open house party at a friends shop...

ventura highway

Driving around Ventura in the hot rod was surreal.
Some of you may not know this,
but we had lived up here almost 15 years.
This is where I met my wife and started breeding!

Ventura

Chief hadn't been "home" in over 5 years.
This little shop is where the magic happened.

chief at home

The truck and a couple other hot rods
were built in and outside this building around the turn of the century.
For 8 years we barely survived at this location.
Imagine having a shop next door to a city councilman turned mayor!
This was crazy town as most of the action was at night.
Many good times and good friends made here.

travis perich - ventura 2013

I thought the slumlord had really cleaned up the place,
but it was actually the tireless work of the new renters.
This was a gas station in the 20's,
built next to an indian burial ground.
There was some strange mojo here,
and the new flower store is perfect to revitalize the space.

ventura avenue

The city tried to redevelop the downtown area,
with definite hit and miss results.
Out of town investors would see Ventura as part of Los Angeles,
and it would bite them in the a$$.
One of the things I loved about it here,
you could dress it up but it was still a working neighborhood.

the players club - RIP

Matt's place was party central for the day.
His compound, family and business are growing fast.
A really cool location too.

noble fabrication - 2013

There's no faster way to clear out a party,
than with the ultimate burnout.
This guy rolled out in a '51 ford crown vic with a nasty SBF,
and did a block long double tire burnout.

ultimate burnout

As usual guys run out into the dank rubber smoke.
Holey Chit.
It seriously gave me goosebumps.

holey chit

That's the problem going to car shows,
you go home wanting to build wacky chit like this!

kade gates - wheelie master

Not to be outdone,
Kade got out his big Harley and was doing his trademark wheelies and donuts.
I had no idea people did this kinda stuff,
let alone a friends kid I've known since he was in elementary school!

cheese!

As the sun started to set,
I got a chance to talk with Holly and Aaron a bit.
She was the mastermind behind the Ventura Nationals car show.
If anyone could predict the future 7 or so years ago,
I doubt this would have been it!
All I can say is she better have her own car next year...

main street ventura

One last pass through main street...



Put the volume down for this,
some horrible sound.
Now I know why my ears are blown jeez!

palm trees

It was getting late and Sloppy and I had planned on leaving by sunset,
but I had to see Danny and Lucy's new hot rod first.
Nothing like a couple greasy friends visiting a fresh new baby!
Funny thing is Danny was getting ready to test out his buddy's Chevelle,
at 10 pm on a sunday evening!
Now this is a family I can relate too!
Congratulations on your little Camilo!

Ambriz baby #1 - 2013

We chose to cruise the 1 highway along the coast,
and man talk about a sketchy ride.
No street lights, 6-volt headlights and 2 nights of 4-5 hour sleep,
with speeding oncoming traffic on one side,
and the ocean cliff on the other.
Let's say it was an adventure to get past Malibu.

Add caption

I was on serious mellow mode until 60+- miles out of San Diego,
then snapped out of it and blasted all the way home.
The perfect end to a great weekend.

pigpen

The next morning I wondered how some keep there cars so clean.
I think it looked like this in the show too.
Oh well.
Surprisingly enough there was still 2-3 gallons in the tank,
that's roughly 22 gallons for over 400 miles!

TP

Skate Rat

See anything wrong with this skateboard?

custom santa cruz eyegore skateboard

Jakob got this skateboard sometime in the summer.
We pirated a bunch of skateboard parts (thanks pigpen!)
and he was able to get a decent board on the cheap.

skateboard butcher

Well the thing is this board is super fat,
kinda like the boards that were popular when I was a kid.

trimmed

Jake's been trying to get used to it,
but with his size 2 shoe it was time to make it right.
The board had such a deep concave
it wasn't really a comfortable board for me or I'd have swapped him.

Jakob Skate Rat

I hope that board wasn't collectible!
At least he can get some good use out of it finally.

TP

drastic measures - flathead valve removal

In my quest to lighten the load,
the last junk flathead was dragged to the house.

ford 8ba flathead

This flatty was the first engine in the green 40 coupe,
and was ceremoniously destroyed in an epic adventure to San Jose,
for the last Asphalt Invitational - 2007!
That trip is in the "lost series" as I've never fully written about it.
Both my cell phone and digital camera disappeared that night,
so no pictures.
(One in the tow truck, one on the 101 somewhere)
And what's a story without pictures!
Definitely one of those "laugh about it later" times.
Bottom line(s) - AAA rules, having friends far from home is good,
a floor in a hot rod is handy, always bring a full gas can when fuel gauge is missing,
and 3 people can sit cozily in a 29 roadster for 200 miles!
Holly and Luke/Pigpen made it to work on time the next day even!
Good times...
Funny how a chunk of metal activates old memories.

effin crack - ford flathead

Here was the problem.
A small crack from the valve to cylinder wall.
The only crack on a low mileage rebuild too!
Dang butt cheeks!
(our house saying to minimize swearing)

removing flathead valves

Like the 59a from last month,
this engine could have been sleeved and rebuilt.
If it was possible to disassemble and reuse every piece,
that would have been a doable option,
as the sleeve work is maybe $200.

removing flathead valve guides

Could a sleeve be done without removing the valves?
If not,
then scrapping the block was justified for our pocketbook.
These are the easier to remove later style valves,
with the 2 half clips on the bottom.
I thought they would just slide out without too much hassle,
unlike those mushroom valves from last month.

flathead lifter valley

What I thought would be a quick couple hours!
Two weekends later!
The rods, pistons and crank were no problem,
and 12 of the valve assemblies.
A little bit of hammering coaxed 2 of the sticky valves out,
but holey chit 2 of the valves did not want to budge.
(The reason why I needed the valves removed was to save the adjustable lifters.)

Basically they were rusted stuck in the seat,
as I didn't turn the crank over every couple month like a keeper engine.

Searching a bit on the internet didn't find any really helpful hints.

Torching them out was only a last resort,

since the lifters couldn't be removed without removing the valve guide.

After racking my brain for a couple evenings,

my main mantra prevailed.

When in doubt - weld it out!

unsticking a stuck ford flathead valve

What I needed was some localized heat to break the rust bond.
The stick welder was brought out,
and a couple circular passes were welded on the valve head.
It worked on one valve,
just enough to get the pry bar in there,
until the head broke off!
The other one still was stuck.
Chit!
It was getting late,
or it just seemed late even if it was a saturday night,
so hammering wasn't a good option as I'm trying to be neighborly.
One more pass,
and something strange happened.

Jakob the night welder

Jakob had been watching the scenario,
and was wondering what the stick was for on the welder.
I've let them try MIG welding a couple times (4-5 years old!)
so I figured what the heck.

Jakob night welding!

After a couple tries he was able to pull a bead!
Wow and even in the dark!
Way to go Jake!

removing stuck ford flathead valve

The next day we got another late start as usual.

(you'll find out why in another post)

A nut was welded onto the broken valve.

The valve was easily spun with a ratchet, some oil,

and the screwdriver placed strategically underneath,

using the valve spring tension to help twist it out.

removing stuck flathead valve

The last valve was the trickiest.
While the other one would move about a centimeter up or down,
enough to get that first wedge in there,
this one was rusted shut.

removing a stuck ford flathead valve

First a nut was welded on,
to give something to hammer on.
Hopefully spinning it enough to loosen it.
After that didn't work that well,
a bolt was welded on,
then Jaxon came to the rescue with his muscles.

Jaxon tearing apart engine

Once removed,
the valves didn't look that rough to be so stuck.
Okay one did.

excalibur valves

And just like that the lifters were freed!

johnson hollow adjustable lifters

I'm not gonna segue into a different subject like I planned.
A little burnt right now to type!
Until the next post...

TP