Re-focusing my projects!! Time for a change of habits.

[LM14]

I've decided (as several of you have pointed out) that I have lost focus with my projects. Time to thin the herd.

I want to get my unibody on the road but it's hard to get much done when you have 4 projects under 1 roof and no room to move around. I've been selling engines, transmissions, wheels, intakes and all kinds of parts to make room. Stuff I bought with best intentions but have lost the need for. Focus!!!!

Decided the Fairmont needs to go live elsewhere. If you know anyone that is into this style of car, send them my way and if they buy it I'll make it worth your time! If somebody in this group is interested in it, I will work with you on additional parts and maybe a bit on the $$$, more so than I would a guy off the street. This is family here.

Here's a link to one of the ads I have out there on Craigslist, Racing Junk, MoKan, STL Racing and other sites.

https://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/6172122491.html

As it says in the ad, I will haul one car and they can haul the other. I don't really care where they need it delivered if they are willing to come and get one of them. Life is an adventure. Dianne always says "You're like a convict now, you have nothing but time".

After this one is gone, I will probably be listing the 1955 Chevy and even more parts. Gotta get realistic and focus on the task at hand. I'm not getting younger and there are only a few cars I really, really want in my life. Lots I like but a very few are really special to me. Time to get my act together! Kind of out of control around here if you couldn't tell.

Here's a few recent pics:















Plenty of other pics, willing to answer questions or get other pictures. Let me know.

Thanks and here's to the hope of getting things back under control!

[Gravemetal]

I would love to own a '55 Chev but cannot afford one!

[LM14]

I was asked (by a smart ass Canadian in chat, you know who you are) if I would deliver one to Canada if somebody bought them and hauled one back up there themselves. You would have to wait for me to get a passport but, yes, I would actually do that....in the summer. I've got time. You would need to deal with everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, at the border crossing.

I've had a few guys ask about bringing a long trailer and hauling both themselves. I've told them I would take off $200 if the want to haul them both.

A few others have asked for big block stuff instead of small block. I have sold all my big block stuff except the FE for the unibody. If they don't want any of the SBF stuff, I'll knock off another $300 (don't have much invested in SBF stuff since I have so much of it sitting around from our racing days).

Been selling a lot of stuff. All my Cleveland stuff is gone except a couple of 351M/400 heads. Sold all my 429/460 stuff last week. Sold a lot of 351W stuff and some 289/302 intakes but still a little bit of that stuff needs a new home!

Decided I will probably sell off al my Y-Block stuff (ECZ-B intake, ECZ-G, ECG rockers, truck pan with the baffle, finned valley cover, fresh crank, '59 block from a truck, etc).

Also talked with my racing partner and we are probably going to sell our Roush Racing SCCA/Trans Am 1970 302 Boss block. He wanted it for a project but he doesn't want it sitting at his house so he agreed we would probably let that one go. Can't keep all the neat stuff forever.

I can now walk thru the shop without fear of ripping a leg off but still a long way to go. Even found some floor in a few places!

Later,
SPark

[slick4x4]

Yesterday we had to clean the shop up , so we could pull in a combine....
Found a lot of missing stuff !
Never did understand how some guys can keep their garage
looking like a hospital room .....
If I ever focus... I will probably have to put on a pair of horse blinders

[unibody madness]

Sent you a P.M. about the Y block stuff... although I may be in the same boat as you

[Alan Mclennan]

I've kind of started doing the same thing, first time in 10 years I've been able to walk diagonally across my workshop without climbing over a F100 chassis.
I wont even ask the question about delivery to post code 2749, sounds like Fergo, Dean or Kenny has that covered, and my money is on Fergo !

[orangeRcode]

I have a problem with focus as well.

I start cleaning and then I find all my hidden treasures and POOF! I'm off chasing butterflies.

[LM14]

Fixed the link to the Fairmont. Some Craigslist guy lowballed me at 1/4th the asking price and when I declined, he flagged a bunch of my ads. Trolls....

[Gravemetal]

Cheeky Canuck not me. I wanted the Shoebox!

[aarron]

That's good, you are re-focusing on your projects again.Your project's name sounds interesting and I am sure It will be interesting in execution too. Good luck.

[LM14]

Still making progress! Sold the '55, sold all my Cleveland stuff, all my Y Block stuff, most of my 351W stuff (only 1 short block and 1 complete engine left), all the spare tranny stuff I had (kept a C4 for the new project and an AOD to put behind the 390 in my uni), almost all of my mag wheels and all but 1 SBF intake.

Got the place where I can walk thru it easily, even touch the unibody without leaning over piles of parts.

Started rebuilding a roller 5.0 and fitting a short front cooling setup (as short as you can make with Ford parts and not using the Snowhite water pump setup) on it for the new project.

Been cleaning around the uni and getting ready to start up on it again now that I can see it!

Tomorrow I am hitting Pete and Jakes to finalize the order of my new project chassis. 1932 Ford 5 window coupe. Still body shopping but the frame is at least 8 weeks out so no hurry.

Still have Fairmonts for sale if anyone needs a pro street/drag car project.

SPark

[LM14]

Rolling chassis was ordered at Pete and Jakes last week! Should have it in 7 weeks. They are only about 3.5 hours from me so that one is a no brainer for me. They are the company most other chassis builders get their parts from. They hold a bunch of the patents on chassis parts and designs. All American made with American parts and great guys to deal with. Whole thing is laid out to my specs from the hairpin mounted front 4" dropped I beam axle to the complete 3.25 geared 9" rear on a triangulated 4 bar with coilovers. Everything brand new, no used stuff in this one! Decided I'm probably only doing this once. I went ahead and got it complete with disk front/drum rear brakes, all stainless brake lines (with proportioning valves and residual valves, stainless flex lines, MC, etc) Getting it set up for a SBF/C4 combo. Also has a Borgeson Vega cross steer setup, some parts chromed, some natural finish so they can be painted. They are very accommodating.

Last weekend we drove 1205 miles to Connecticut to look at, and put a down payment on, a 1932 Ford 5 window coupe body. Headed out Saturday morning, met with them Monday morning and were back home by 5:30 Tuesday night. Not bad time for a 2500+ mile round trip (drove up the coast and did a little sight seeing too). Went with a New Age Motorsports body. Couple really nice guys, father and son, Ed and Chris. They worry more about putting a product out the door with no flaws or concerns then they do putting a lot of product out the door like most guys today. Attention to detail is second to none. They include a lot of things most 'glass body builders don't. They have a very complete standard item list and they offer some great options, most of which I bought. Standard stuff like rain gutters (very rare on a 'glass body), hinged and latched trunk and doors, stock style exposed hinges, roll down door windows, recessed flat ribbed firewall, complete trunk gutter and drain system just like a stock steel body, the floor has all the strengthening ribs a steel floor does and my favorite.....the front floor is cast complete with the same wood grain as a real steel body floor did in 1932. Nobody else does that! Options I went with are the 3" top chop, an original style flip out front windshield, working cowl vent, stock style roll down rear window, stock style door and trunk handles inside and out, all the glass and garnish moldings all fitted. When I get my rolling chassis I will drop the engine and tranny in and take a series of pictures and measurements to Email them so they can put the proper tranny tunnel in the body to clear my combination. They even offered to build the body on my chassis for nothing so it would fit perfectly. If they were about 18 hours closer I would take them up on it. They actually assemble the bodies on a leveled and squared 1932 frame that is welded to a table so it stays consistent. I may have to do some minor shimming but he told me that most of the time none is needed if my frame is square. Pete and Jakes assures me my frame will be square. The only down side to New Age is the wait. They probably won't start on my body until April or May. There are 5 in front of me and 2 of those are complete turn key builds. They work slow and methodical and very neatly from what I saw. They also have a local shop make all their own hinges, latches, etc. so everything is just like a 1932 Ford. I was really impressed with their quality control and knowledge.

Ordered my tires and wheels (Wheels Vintique Series 14 wheels. 15x5 fronts with 165/80R15 tires and 15x8 with 265/75R15 rears for that nice rubber rake), the C4 was just freshened and checked out last week and I have a roller 302 that is getting freshened next. Keeping it simple. Plans call for a 4 piece Rootlieb 25 louver original style Henry hood, Brookville grille shell and insert and a Walker Cobra radiator. Going with a stock style gas tank and it will be a hiboy so no fenders to mess with on this one!

Have got the unibody in it's own room now waiting for it's new stable mate. Fairmont has been moved to the front room so it can go out the door easier. Planning to take it to a few swap meets this fall still on the trailer. Would really like to be down to the uni and 32 as my only serious projects.

I'll keep you posted!
SPark

[unibody madness]

Steve that sounds awesome! Not to sound like Diane... but I am really looking forward to seeing your uni I have watched your posts for a long time, I wish my uni was as straight or that I had your particular skill set to make it so.

[LM14]

The basic chassis I ended up ordering:



The big and little tires and wheels:




The C4 about ready for paint:



The roller 302 set up so I could give the back of block to front of fan dimension to Pete and Jake for the engine mount locations:




The basic body I ordered, I got the roll up windows, not the electric ones in some of the pictures:








Now the waiting begins!

[shipwrecked]

Wow.

[grump]

That body looks really nice. You're going to have a really nice car when you're done. You could bring it to Slick Stock next year and we could do a Over Haulin' type week. LOL.

[LM14]

I think that would be fun, Grump! Let's try it on your project first and if it works out well maybe we can do mine second! Your idea and all....

Walker radiator is here! Using a '68 water pump so I can save $50 by using a Chevy outlet radiator (don't tell JC).

Radiator support rods, firewall mounts and radiator mounting kit should all be here Wednesday, all in stainless.

Brookville Roadsters radiator shell and grille insert should be here first part of November. Buy it all from them and they pre-fit the insert and do all the necessary work to make things fit together so it's a simple paint job away from being done. Figured that process was worth the $40 they charge for it.

Dug out an old set of '39 Ford blue dot teardrop taillights, knew I kept them for a reason!

Answered the final questions for Pete and Jakes Thursday so they can start on the chassis in the next week or so. Made one small change to the chassis. Changed from a chrome 4" dropped beam axle to what they call a high lite polished Alum-I-Beam axle. Forged aluminum axle that is polished except in the recess. Nice looking piece if you ignore the cost! Don't tell Dianne what they cost, she really doesn't need to know everything. It's just between us, OK? I actually told her but I think all she hears when I talk is "car, blah, blah, blah, truck, blah, blah, car".

Got the Fairmont moved out of the room with the unibody. Garage about half cleaned, still a ways to go. Found some room I forgot I had and even some concrete on the floor can be seen now! Hauled off another pickup of scrap metal I apparently didn't need since 1992. Still need to sell a Fairmont or 2.

Making progress, it just doesn't look like it yet! Stay tuned!

SPark

[LM14]

Baby steps on the '32 Coupe project. Been gathering parts.

Gas tank is here! Had to go to a different set of taillights, the blue dots will not pass the inspection I need to get a title issued. They may get changed out later. Picked up an Old Skool Ididit Hot Rod steering column. Using Dietz headlights and picked up a new set of them. The Brookville grille shell and insert also showed up! Pete and Jakes is holding a set of polished stainless front and rear spreader bars for me.

The frame is off the layout jig! Got the message yesterday that final welding should be done this week then they will run the stainless brake line system and assembly should be done by first of next week. Thought it was easier to pay $200 to assemble the chassis and haul one rolling chassis home than load parts in and out of the truck for 3 hours on each end. They chase all the threads and apply anti seize on all the chrome and stainless parts before letting it go out the door anyway and that's part of the chassis cost already figured in. Explains why assembly is only $200.























Hoping to pick up the chassis Tuesday if things work out and the start align. Keep your fingers crossed! If I can't get it Tuesday I'll have to wait until the next week and I may be a jerk all thu Thanksgiving.

Later!
SPark

[LM14]

Road trip today. The folks at Pete and Jakes Hot Rod Parts would like to have us stop by during Slick Stock!
Also might have access to another interesting car spot there they are associated with. Will get Gerry the info and see if it will work with the schedule!

[Anthony]

that is looking GREAT!!!! I am looking to a ride one of these days..