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PostPosted: January 3, 2022, 2:50 pm 
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Here is a pic of how far the firewall is forward of the bodywork on a bantam. I think an original 27 would be similar but it seems most just box it straight across the glass body when building a street rod.


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PostPosted: January 3, 2022, 4:58 pm 
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It sounds like you're close to commiting to the T-style fiberglass design. On the off chance you're still open to something else, have you ever considered a 50's style lakester T?

They typically have bobbed rears, without the trunk extension and a gas tank above the live rear axle. However, if you did the Mazda subframe, you could put a short pickup bed above it with the tank inside. The example below is a modern take on one from Sweden.

With your skills, I bet you could make the simple body out of steel or aluminum, make the chassis as long, wide, tall as you wanted, etc. Note the simple, straight-up windshield, also part of the style.

Cheers,

Attachment:
29 Sports Rod 1.jpg

Attachment:
29 Sports Rod 3.jpg

Attachment:
29 Sports Rod 2.jpg


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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

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PostPosted: January 3, 2022, 7:11 pm 
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Tommy,

Do you recall Stewart aka Limeykid?
He did something like what you are considering.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17417

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PostPosted: January 4, 2022, 9:59 am 
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Lonnie-S wrote:
It sounds like you're close to commiting to the T-style fiberglass design. On the off chance you're still open to something else, have you ever considered a 50's style lakester T?

They typically have bobbed rears, without the trunk extension and a gas tank above the live rear axle. However, if you did the Mazda subframe, you could put a short pickup bed above it with the tank inside. The example below is a modern take on one from Sweden.

With your skills, I bet you could make the simple body out of steel or aluminum, make the chassis as long, wide, tall as you wanted, etc. Note the simple, straight-up windshield, also part of the style.

Cheers,


Lonnie, that's a very real possibility. The bobbed rear end solves two issues for me. 1. It looks like the kickup required for a Mazda subframe won't fit in the trunk space of a 27 Roadster, especially if I channel the body onto the frame. 2. Roll bar. I want one and I'm not very good at pitting one through a hole on fiberglass.

Funny seeing the Volvo logo on the T grill.

A sheetmetal tub really wouldn't be that difficult to make. Rolling on body line accents straight would be the biggest challenge.

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PostPosted: January 4, 2022, 10:12 am 
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benny_toe wrote:
Tommy,

Do you recall Stewart aka Limeykid?
He did something like what you are considering.

http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17417


Larry, I do remember Stewart's build and it has a lot in common with what's coming together inside my head. My end goal is a little better than racecar finish on the outside. Inside I'd be incredibly happy to get to the same build quality as what he did.

Things I REALLY like:
fitted frame rails. It's a lot of work, but worth it.
Nice deep seating position. That comes from putting the floor on the bottom of the frame rails.
Roll bar. goes without saying. :lol:
Nice pedal set with plenty of foot room for clutch and brakes.
sheer simplicity of the design.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 11:07 am 
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In my never ending search for cars and parts I stumbled across this little gem.

Now the big question. If you came across an all steel pre-war A8, would you buy it and cut it up to make a hotrod?

What I can't tell from the pics is whether it's a tourer 2 or a 4, not that it really matters. If it's a 4, the back seats would get cut out to make room for independent rear suspension

Attachment:
austin a8.jpg


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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 12:40 pm 
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Rolls next to it? Drool.
Looks like a good starting place, know nothing about the model to know if there's value as is, or if it's worth hacking into what you want.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 1:17 pm 
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JAMADOR wrote:
Rolls next to it? Drool.
Looks like a good starting place, know nothing about the model to know if there's value as is, or if it's worth hacking into what you want.

More value in a coupe. The Tourers were never really popular. It's just hard to cut up a prewar anything at this point.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 1:55 pm 
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Just struck a deal on the A8.

Now a few more details.
It was owned by a Brit car mechanic; this guy is selling off the collection a little at a time.
He knows very little about this car other than it was last driven 15 years ago and the motor will turn over by hand.
Owner took it off the road to restore / repaint. He picked it up from paint, put it in the warehouse and never got around to putting it back together.

Windshield and glass are there. He says glass is marked AS1
The door handles have been shaved.
Seats are there... if you can call those seats. Look like they belong on bleachers at a HS football game.
It's obviously a repaint.

Things I noticed in the pics.
It has a Sprite motor and transmission with twin SUs.
Attachment:
A8 1.jpg


So I rolled the dice on it


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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 2:04 pm 
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Due to the rarity of the Tourer model, I would leave this one for an Austin 8 enthusiast. It looks too good from here to chop up. There will be more cars for you to choose from.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 2:07 pm 
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rx7locost wrote:
Due to the rarity of the Tourer model, I would leave this one for an Austin 8 enthusiast. It looks too good from here to chop up. There will be more cars for you to choose from.


Probably not a bad idea Chuck.

Smart money here would be get it running and maybe driving and put it up for sale.

Simple fun would be plop some bucket seats in it and get it driving to cars and coffee.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 2:33 pm 
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I do think it is too nice to cut up.

Of all the "Hot Rod" cars I have ever come across, the one leaving the biggest impression was back in 1970. It was an MGTD with a Chevy V350 HP w/2 4bbls/Turbo Hydro. He estimated it was about 450HP as he had it built. It was white with a red interior. When you approached the car it looked completely restored. It was only when you looked closely that you noticed the dual rear exiting exhaust, wide rear tires, stock fenders with sectioned inserts to widen but retaining the raised center bead that joined into the running boards with a small flare just before the front of the rear fender. He had installed a narrowed 9" rear end and disc brakes in front from an MGB. The rear tires were H78-14s (P215/75R14), about the widest street tire you could get back then.

The owner took me for a ride- scariest ride I have ever had! When it started it had a real rumble with a very lumpy cam. He said the motor had come out of a Vette that had been built for 1/4 mile racing and had been totaled. We were doing 65mph on the road when he punched it- nothing but tire smoke till he let off the throttle.

I have often thought about doing something similar but with a "toned down" motor. Just a nice cruiser. Keep looking at the '68 Ford 302 block with the H-beam rods and hypereutectic pistons I have in my shop and think, "Humm!".

Thom

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 2:47 pm 
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LFX swap :twisted:
Smaller & a bit lighter than an LS, still 300-330hp stock.

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PostPosted: January 5, 2022, 3:06 pm 
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When I look at the Tourer there are some body lines that would be SOOOO much better with some minor tweaks.

Put a little rake into the bonnet and shorten the grill
Raise the dropped lip when the hood (convertible top) attached and be on a single plane behind the doors instead of the drop.
Rear fenders about 2" wider to give it some hips
That would lead to running boards with extra width at the back.

then of course Miata power...

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PostPosted: January 6, 2022, 8:58 am 
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Well gang, considering that the 8 is coming home this weekend, I think plans for Miata based old hot rod are on hold until I assess the sheet metal and structure of the A8.

Stay tuned...

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