Monday, July 12, 2010

Shiftin' n Huffin'

Tom had a 4 speed in his Chevelle, I had a 3 speed.....*#!+%$ and then Ron drives into the school parking lot grinning from ear to ear with a 471 blower on his fine 39' Ford coupe........Awww*&$*^#. I only had one four barrel. Dick had a blonde. I think Dick and I were chasing girls while the others got ahead of us!
Now after 45 years, I have a four speed, Yes!! I do not want to discuss what Tom and Dick have now.......NO!
However, I recently completed this hand carved accessory in a belated attempt at catch-up. Dick's tool and die skills and his equipment were seriously needed assistance, thank you. 
This is a Magnuson MP90 supercharger (magnificent engineering) operating in draw-through wet mode with an Edelbrock #1403 500 cfm carburetor. My drawings and Aaron's fab skills on the carburetor plenum.
I set this up for low boost and so far everything is running well. Have about 20 miles on the system now and so far no significant problems.
All fits within the 34' Master hood.

We Be Drivin'

All the details were taken care of with the 54' core motor but it had internal problems. Exchanged that for a 55' 235 that runs quiet and sweet. This engine uses the high water pump adapter plate that is neccessary with the # 838277 Chevrolet fan in placing the fan nicely in the lower center of the radiator.
Cools very well in the 108 degree desert traffic with the stock radiator. The fan runs faster than the crank and has the ability to kill flies at 24".
The car runs and drives very well for a 34' with this many changes.
There were some things that my buddies (Tom, Dick, and Ron) had when I was a teenager that I could not afford. Lets proceed with that..............

Measure-Measure-Measure Again!

This is an original 1934 Master with a professionally rebuilt DuBonnet front suspension and mechanical brakes...ugh. Some very knowledgeable guys on the VCCA site stated that if the brakes are in excellent condition and serviced "by the book" that they will function well. Lots of work but they do function better than I expected (new cables and clean/polish every moving part from the pedal bushings to the shoes).
Since the rear axle was very good, I adapted the saginaw 4 speed to the torque tube with a very nice kit from Patrick's in Arizona GREAT PEOPLE! The secret to this kit is using a 37/39 1/2 ton trunion joint and the drive and driven speedo gears from the 49/54 chevy PU. The trunion joint has the same rear half that a 34 Master has and a 10 spline front half that is close enough to the adapter shaft splines that careful hand work will make it fit.
My biggest fear in this was that the saginaw was too long (13 5/8" vs. 12" for the synchromesh '34). That is not the case, I cut 1/2" off the torque tube and propeller shaft and all is perfect.
The actual problem is the length of the engine. Using the '54 high short water pump engine, the fan is in the correct location but the back of the head is 1/2" forward of the firewall (file the lump off the passenger side rear of the head!).
 I used the center front mounting and built two side mounts off of the front bellhousing face to the existing frame xmember mounts.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Decision Time

I knew the transmission was in bad shape, but the "freshened" 207 six was junk. Cracked head (block?), Standard pistons in a .020 over block with only 2 of 3 rings on each piston and a bad cam. The engine leaked oil from every orifice a great deal more than it burned....and it burned a LOT!
$10K to build a fresh 207 and a transmission which didn't shift all that well when new (with me obtaining a new head and useable block as well as doing the assembly), I don't think so!
This one was going to have a later inline Chevy six and a smooth shifting saginaw four speed.
Three weeks later the engine and transmission were given away and the project begins.

History

About a year and a half ago, I decided it was time for a new project.... a vintage car. I was raised by a craftsman father and a bunch of great guys that were both street rodders and members of Forever4 in L.A. I had a 30' Model A in my teens and a 33 Plymouth about 35 years ago.
This 1934 Chevrolet is what I ended up with. I cannot explain this mistake! Too much for too little. I wanted a project but........