Matt and I fabricated the front axle of the little hot rod today. He did the welding while I did my best to stay ahead of him with the design and cutting of pieces. There were more than a hundred pieces in all but the result was well worth the effort. The half scale, custom tube axle, brackets, transverse spring, tie rods, shackles, clamps, shocks and hangers all look like they really would work. It was a very fun project! With each passing day the little street rod is a little closer to completion.
Goin' to WORK!
For the last while Henry and I have taken on a new morning routine. We still ride the tractor these days but the route takes us to WORK. Henry loves going to the shop just as much as he loves a tractor ride. Henry insists on doing his share while he’s there. Mostly, this amounts to looking everything over and commenting on the progress he sees and pushing the BIG broom from one end to the other. Fist bumping everyone he encounters is a highlight as well. This morning he decided he needed to be the first to test drive the VW which is in the final stages of paint. He was all smiles as I grabbed a quick picture. Then it was time to ride the tractor back to the house so he could carry on with Henry things. He always insists on a BIG goodbye hug before grampa heads back to work.
Let's race!
This piece has been living in my head since I was in junior high school, more than fifty years ago. I drew different versions in my notebooks countless times through those years. Matt and I were kept busy today building the first basic pieces for a true hot rod roaster. We machined multiple layers of Precision Board and glued them up to form an engine block, complete with a blower. Then we cut, fit and welded up the tube headers which poke out each side. Tomorrow we’ll fabricate the many smaller details of the Hemi big block before moving onto the lower running gear. We’ve got some real monster slicks for the rear and will fabricate a dragster straight axle for the front, front end raised off the ground in a wheelie and complete with plenty of tire smoke just for effect. Gear heads are going to love this photo op!
