With a big can of this,
Photo from here:
I could build this.
Photo from here:
The holiday dinner and get together got pushed back so I've been catching up on my reading, among other things. I've been reading Kurtis-Kraft by Gordon Eliot White. I've had the book for a couple of years and have looked at the photographs and read all the captions several times but I'm finally getting around to actually reading the thing. It's a real interesting look at Frank Kurtis, the man who defined midget and championship car racing after the war up into the '60's. I've got a couple other books by White and the guy really knows his stuff. His Offenhauser book is a dandy and mine is autographed by Johnny Pawl, who bought out Frank Kurtis' midget business, by the way.
Even though I'm knee deep in projects and the honey-do list has several loooong overdue items on it and I already have two unfinished car projects, I've been thinking about a car build. This one's actually been floating around in the dark recesses of my mind for a long while. It involves a 225 CID Slant-Six and torsion bar suspension - like they used on the old Darts and coincidently on Indy cars. Probably a mistake to read the Kurtis book.
I managed to do a little work on the Rickati swingarm yesterday. I got everything figured out for the shocks, put the swingarm back on the jig and made a couple of pieces. The original Rickman wheel actually fits in the swingarm pretty close to being on center when the chain is lined up. I just need to machine up a couple of spacer bushings and make a brake stay and the rear wheel could be done. I'd still like to have an aluminum rim but I think I'll utilize what I have for now and if everything works as planned, I can always lace up a new rim later. If it doesn't work, I'm not really out anything other than time. I also got a chance to look at the footpeg situation and I'm going to machine up a piece for the side with the kickstarter and see how it works. If all goes well, I'll make the one for the other side.
4 comments:
HEY "BOB"'
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN INLINE SIX LOVER. KEEP ME POSTED, I'D LIKE TO HELP ON THE MOTOR PART ANYWAY. THREE WEBERS WOULD BE COOL!
TALK TO YOU SOON,
TVI
P.S. ARE YOU GOING TO BE AT OPEN SHOP ON TUESDAY?
Don't encourage me - I can't start another big project until I finish or get rid of a few others. I should be at Open Shop unless something comes up.
"Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work." - Chuck Close
Surly - Maybe a big ass can of ambition is what I really need. That, plus a healthy dose of focus so I could tackle jobs one at a time and stay with them until they were done.
Post a Comment