The Alf VG30E Hot/Rat Rod Build Thread... New

[Alf]

Update #20 3/16/08

 

Hello everyone, it's time for another update. I decided that I was never going to get anything done if the car didn't look right first. So I decided to finish the body and change it a little bit to exactly what I wanted, I'm only building this thing once so it may as well be what I want. Pics below tell the story.

 

 

First I thought that if I'm going through all of this trouble I don't want to be uncomfortable when I drive the car. So I leaned the back back another 1.5" to give me some more room.

 

 

Then the more I looked at I noticed that the body line was off big time, it was pointing into the ground. So after considering my options I decided to cut the door, pull up the body line, and fill in the gap.

 

 

After I fixed the body line a ran 1/2 " tubing around the perimeter of the body to stiffin things up and finish it off. A few months ago I cut up one of the front fenders from my 300ZX doner car into the shape of a rear deck like what is found on a model A roadster. It took me a while to figure out how to go about making a rear deck from scratch and make it look right.

 

 

Then I decided that 1/2" tubing would work. So I set up my sliced up fender and used it as a template for my tubing.

 

 

I made two pieces for each side. I made the driver's side first off the template fender, then I copied the passenger side from the drivers side as closely as I could.

 

 

Here's the outside pieces.

 

 

And the insides.

 

 

After five hours of work I couldn't wait to see what they looked like. There's the insides.

 

 

And the outsides

 

Tackem them in and started adding bracing.

 

 

I got this far and then I ran out of tubing. Looks good to me.

 

 

Front view.

 

 

Then I clamped a piece of sheet metal on it to see what it will look like.

 

Thats it for now, I'm going to try and finish the body in the next month or so stay tuned. Thnaks for looking.

[Alf]

Update # 21

 

3/18/09

 

Well it has officially been a year since my last update. I'm sure many of you think the car is either done or the project was abandoned, but neither are true. I'm still working on the hot rod and it's coming along nicely, but very slowly. I have a problem setting a certain goal, I constantly get side tracked and overwhelmed by the project. I have finally deceded that my goal is to make this car as close as pissible to early dry lakes racing roadsters of the late 30's and early 40's. The final product is visable and with any luck the car will be completed over the summer. This is my final semester of college so I will be finishing the car at home. I have also decided that the VG30 is just not going to work for my needs, so I have decided to use another engine and transmission. I'm on the look out for a carbureted 2.3 Ford and five speed, like what came stock in four cylinder Fox body Mustangs. I havn't had much luck yet. I decided to set a distinct goal so I could be more productive. I plan to finish the body before I leave school. This is not the most fun thing in the world, but it needs to be done. Anyway I'll let the pictures tell the story.

 

 

 

I fabbed up trunk lid framework from 1/2" tubing and covered it with a street sign. I used a couple of generic hinges from Tractor Supply and a handle from a swap meet.

 

 

I decided to run wire wheels since I like the look of them and they go with the project. In the front, since I'm using a Ford axle, I'm using Ford wire wheels. The rear is a Nissan Pathfinder unit and is six lug, luckily Chevy made six lug wire wheels in 1934. I had to open up the center hole slightly but they fit, these are 17" and I only spent $10 on them.

 

 

Like I said I want to finish the body so I finally broke down, I'm cheap as hell if you havn't noticed, and bought a 4'x8' sheet of sheet metal and started building the floor.

 

 

I decided to clean my shop out since it was closing in on me, plus I'll be leaving it behind in a couple months. I was able to snap a few pictures from farther back.

 

 

I got some headlights a few months ago.

 

 

The money shot. I broke down again and bought a pair of rear tires and tubes, cost me almost $500, but they look great. I sandblasted and painted the wheels. It's hard to believe I built this entire car.

 

 

Here's one with me in it.

 

 

Me at work.

 

That's it for now, hopefuly it won't be another year before I update this thing again.

[LuvZBoost]

Old thread, but your work inspiring dude!