Engine Install and Wheels and Tires - '32 Roadster
Now that the 383 is back from the engine shop, Jeff is going to help us install it in the car. We're going to change out the wheels and tires and throw in a few other details to make this car look like it rolled right out of the 1960's. Then, we'll be ready to hit the road!
We tried to make this look like an early to mid-'60s, era-specific engine using new parts. Finding a lot of these parts has been very difficult for years, but we managed to put together an era-correct package with parts off the shelf and out of the catalog.
The 4-71 blower has a 1960's look to it, but you might wonder why we didn’t use a 6-71. Some of the reasons for choosing a 4-71 are that it doesn’t have to be under driven as much, you can run it one to one, and you can overdrive it. The 6-71 builds a lot more heat, the rotors are longer, and there's more friction involved. The 4-71 is a lot more reliable package.
In order to maintain a cohesive 1960's look, we installed a Power Master Power Gen. This looks like a generator but it's actually an alternator. When you run a hot rod without a hood, every detail makes a difference. We’re using an MSD starter because of its reliability and proven track record. The swiveling neck thermostat we chose will give us more latitude when we’re ready to do the upper radiator hose.
We used the new GT performance steering wheel in the ’32. It fits the flavor of the car a whole lot better than the Lecarra '40 Ford Steering Wheel. It’s a 4 spoke Bell style which is very similar to what was used in a lot of vintage race cars. It has a rubber grip and a chrome center. It's a nice looking wheel. This wheel takes a standard three-bolt style adapter and horn set up. There's nothing wrong with a '40's wheel, it's one of our favorites, but for the hot rod dry lakes/drag strip look there's nothing like a Bell 4 spoke. After the steering wheel, we add a few other updates to the shifter knob/adapter, expansion tank and hoses.
In order to finish this out, we're changing the wheels and tires. These are ET, 15 x 4, front wheels, with Coker American Classic Radial Tires that look like old bias plies. We won't be going 700 miles with bias plies, but it's got the look we’re going for. In the rear, we've got some American torque thrusts with the same tires, only in an 820 15". These are 7’s on the rear & 4's in the front. These wheels give a really good section profile with the true 1960's flair.
It lives! It fired right up and we're ready for the Street Rodder Road Tour. Thanks for watching and be sure to tune it for updates from the road trip!
Video Transcript
Installing Our 383 Engine
Joe: “Now that we've got our 383 back from the engine shop, Jeff's gonna come back and help us install it in the car. We're gonna change out the wheels and tires and throw in a few other details to make this car look like it rolled right out of the 60s and then we'll be ready to hit the road. We tried hard to make this look like an early to mid 60's, you know, era specific engine but these are all brand new parts.”
Jeff: “Finding a lot of these parts had for years become very difficult, so we managed to put together a really good, year correct, looking package with parts right off the shelf and out of the catalog.”
Joe: “The 471 blower, when I look at that I think of the 60s. But you might ask "why not a 671?" . You know this fits a little bit better, this has a 2 inch Gilmer Drive.”
Jeff: “And this doesn't have to be under driven the way that a 671 would on the street you can run these one to one, you can overdrive it. 671 builds a lot more heat, the rotors are longer, everything, there's more friction involved. This is just a lot more reliable package.”
Mounting the Power Gen
Joe: “I'm putting the bracket on to mount our power gen, so rather than put an alternator on here, to make this look like a 60s hot rod, we're gonna put (on a) power master power gen which looks like a generator but it's actually an alternator. Does kind of look like an old GM generator, but it's got alternator one wire alternator guts in it. When you run a hot rod like this without a hood every detail kind of makes a difference.”
Installing Our GT Performance Steering Wheel
Jeff: “This is the new GT performance steering wheel that we're gonna use in the 32. Fits the flavor of the car a whole lot better than the Lacarra 40 Ford wheel did. This is a 4 spoke bell style which is very similar to what was used in a lot of vintage race cars. It's got a rubber grip chrome center. It's a nice looking wheel. I've got to get our adapter on here first it takes a standard three bolt style adapter and horn and setup.”
Joe: “You know there's nothing wrong with the 40 wheel, in fact I think a 40 is my favorite hot rod steering wheel ever, but yeah more of a 40s early 50s kind of deal. But for the hot rod dry lakes and drag strips look, you know there's nothing like a bell 4 spoke.”
Swapping The Tires for Coker American Classic Radial Tires
Joe: “To finish this out we're changing the wheels and tires. These are ET 15 by four fronts and these are Coker American classic radial tires that look like old bias plies so you know we won't be going 700 miles wrestling with bias plies, but it's got the look. And then in the rear we've got some torque thrusts, American torque thrust, with the same tires only in an 8 20-15 so we offer this stagger this is basically the smallest you can get and the biggest you can get in the back. These are 7s on the rear and 4s in the front and it seems about right with the section of the tire.”
Jeff: “Yeah it makes a really good section profile with that that width of wheel keeps that really true 60s flare to it.”
