Another "Jalopy"

[BobD]

I'm on a streak of jalopy builds - this is another I'm doing as a birthday surprise. I had some leftover decals, (a little different version) from the same build done a few years ago. This '40 Ford model is being built ENTIRELY (other than scratch items) from parts box pieces from I don't know how many different kits. Not going into any super-detail, but its a fun build.
20210122_131411 by RD Dix, on Flickr

20210122_131433 by RD Dix, on Flickr


20210125_170531 by RD Dix, on Flickr

20210205_172025 by RD Dix, on Flickr

20210205_172035 by RD Dix, on Flickr

[David Bogard]

I must say that jalopies are my favorite genre of build simply because there are no rules, and fit and finish is almost irrelevant! Anything went so there is almost no way to mess up a jalopy and each one is totally unique. Build on Bob!!

[Bob P.]

Looking good so far Bob. This should be a nice replica.

Bob

[Dirtman]

Looking good Bob! I'm with David building jalopies!! Anything goes, and if it's ugly, that's also okay!


Rett

[john2]

My kind of car.  Backyard bomber. 

[BobD]

Not sure what these are or where they came from (possibly a hardware store), but I am using these as the rims. On the left is the original piece, the middle is with the center widened (not enough) for the hub, and the right with outer rim added from the parts box.
20210222_150521 by RD Dix, on Flickr

The frame with bumpers installed and scrap inner rear fender wells.
20210222_150551 by RD Dix, on Flickr

Radiator made from balsa wood.
20210218_170549 by RD Dix, on Flickr

Basic interior done and solder headers started. The interior was originally from the '40 Ford sedan cut down to size. No engine wiring on this one...the simpler the better for me!
20210227_172345 by RD Dix, on Flickr

20210227_164348 by RD Dix, on Flickr

Rolling chassis and on to the paint shop....
20210306_142556 by RD Dix, on Flickr

[john2]

   Very nice.

Novel idea for balsa radiator.  Wondering what glue mates wood and plastic. 

[David Bogard]

This is really nice work Bob! You've got me thinkin' about a jalopy now!!!

[Marty W]

Yeah, I will be watching this one, Bob!

[Caso86]

Bob, 
Is that a Waterford car?
Chris

[Dirtman]

I must say that jalopies are my favorite genre of build simply because there are no rules, and fit and finish is almost irrelevant! Anything went so there is almost no way to mess up a jalopy and each one is totally unique. Build on Bob!!

My thoughts exactly! I never did like rules much!

Rett

[Olderndirt]

 I think what I like about the early jalopies, and the early modified era, is the creativity in getting the most out of basically junk. The swapping around of factory parts, and a few early speed shop parts, made it more of a thinking game than a buying game.

  Olderndirt

[john2]

   I agree with David, OTD and, Dirtman.  Whatever they could make work, with what they had.  And they sat outside so we could see them !!

[Maineboy]

When I first got to know them in Maine jalopies were all similar. A guy had a car no longer roadworthy, or found one sitting in somebody's field, and got it for nothing as that is all it was worth to the owner. Most were Fords. Some were Chevrolet and some Chrysler products with flatty sixes. The car was gutted and fenders and stuff cut off to lighten it up and motors were made to run. In the beginning they cost almost NO money, something Mainers at the time were very familiar with. There was no money to build racing engines, just mostly stock as they came in the car. But there was tons of "backyard engineering" all across the racing folks. Soon they separated into 6 and 8 cylinder classes. Again almost no money to do that and almost no rules, as Rett said above, very much to our liking. We ran a 1955 265 Chevy motor in our first venture. Factory stock like most all of them. Cars had cages built into them before racing. Around Maine we called that "piping up" the race car as all  that pipe came from local dumps or other scrap piles. You could see that in some jobs as fancy corners in that work were not required. Not sure just how "safe" many of those cages were.

Unity, Maine Raceway, mid 1950's as I first saw it.
unity1 by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr

And Sat night or Sun afternoon the racers went to the track. And along with the car came wives, parents, maybe grandparents now and then, siblings, friends and so on. In Maine racing in the late 50's was most definitely a family affair. For those who did not have a connection it was fun and entertaining and cost very little to get in. It was then a very common form of fun and it didn't cost much, to the racers or the fans.

One of the things about this aging process is that we look back with fond memories upon those earlier years. I miss those days very much. In some ways I think America was a lot better place back them, and families seemed to be lots stronger.

[Dirtman]

Mainebooy said it all right there! I could copy and paste this and post it as my own! I feel like the words did come from my mouth! I raced in the 60's and early 70's when we still went to the junk yard for everything. We were trying to "upgrade" our cars and eventually, upgraded ourselves out of racing. Store bought stuff in the early to mid 70's priced me right out of it! And yes, I spent more money than I should have, my wife and kids supported it, and we had fun! Wouldn't trade those days for ANYTHING!

Rett