Speedster Kit

[QGolden]

Good, yes first and last are the same arch, reversed. If you notice on photo 2, I make the chalk marks on the inside of the arch. If you blow up the last photo you see there are no chalk marks on the inside, 'cause they are now on the outside.

I have a number of attachments that I have made for the press, I have used it for pressing cartridge type wheel bearings, and straightening any number of items, including every bent tankers bar in the neighborhood. I formed some of the parts for my current speedster with it. Not quite a shop press, but real handy for the $80.00 it cost.

[Ross/Kzoo]

It does seem that with a few mods that you could make a press out of it.

[aboneskd]

I am building a speedster based on a Rootlieb kit. I hope to be installing the seat belts soon. Anybody who has built a Rootlieb have any suggestions or ideas. Thanx in advance.

[QGolden]

Check these out, I believe these are what I will be using.

http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/am4point.html

[Sparky]

Where would you attach the shoulder harness in a speedster? I don't think you should connect it to the floor.

I have a pair of universal mount lap belts in mine.

[BangerMatt]

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I have a pair of 4" military seatbelts in mine. Heavy duty and look vintage.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by BangerMatt

I have a pair of 4" military seatbelts in mine. Heavy duty and look vintage.

I acquired a couple of those but haven't come up with a good way to attach them to my wood floor. How did you do it?

[QGolden]

Install a piece of Channel or Angle crosswise between the frame rails under the seat?

I really like those Military Belts, era appropriate for sure! But I want a shoulder restraint on the drivers side. That steering wheel is not very forgiving.

[aboneskd]

Thanx for the replies. I intend to use belts out of a old style bulldozer, nice and wide and adjustable to keep the buckle in the middle of your lap no matter what your 'size'.

Did you cut slots in the wooden base of the seat and bolts them thru the floor? The seats aren't mounted yet--trying to make a plan.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by aboneskd

Thanx for the replies. I intend to use belts out of a old style bulldozer, nice and wide and adjustable to keep the buckle in the middle of your lap no matter what your 'size'.

Did you cut slots in the wooden base of the seat and bolts them thru the floor? The seats aren't mounted yet--trying to make a plan.

Yep

[Farrell In Vancouver]

I am curious about the discussion of seat belts in speedsters. Do any of you plan to add a roll over protection device to make sure the vehicle does not end up sitting on a well belted driver/passenger?

[QGolden]

While a tip over is certainly possible, I am far more concerned with a quick swerve that topples an unsuspecting passenger over the side. Or a 30 mph bump after being run off the road. Statistically that is a more likely incident.

[Brian LI]

Originally Posted by Sparky

I acquired a couple of those but haven't come up with a good way to attach them to my wood floor. How did you do it?

We (BangerMatt and I) used 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/4" steel angle bolted with 2 bolts per bracket through the floor of the speedster using VERY large fender washers on the bottom of the wood floow to spread the stress out over a larger area. This then gives a vertical plane to which you can bolt the belts.

I wouldn't advise attaching the belts to the frame. Our thoughts are that if an accident were to occur if the body separated from the frame the occupants would become trapped in between the frame and bodywork. Not a very nice scenario.

We left the bolts holding the belts to the steel angle so they can pivot on the bolts. All hardware is grade 8 with nylon locking nuts. Yeah, I know grade 8 bolts.... Other things will structurally fail before the bolts do.

By the way the wood floor of the speedster is 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood sandwiched together using screws and a liberal amount of glue. It is held onto the frame using 8 7/16 elevator bolts.

As someone else pointed out, tipping over is not the conceren, these speedsters have a fairly wide track and are very stable in turns. It's much more of a concern driving in an open vehicle and not wanting to get thrown out.

THAT would be a bad thing............

Oh, and the lean action in the turns is more to avoid mud than it is anything else.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Brian LI

As someone else pointed out, tipping over is not the conceren, these speedsters have a fairly wide track and are very stable in turns. It's much more of a concern driving in an open vehicle and not wanting to get thrown out.

THAT would be a bad thing............

Oh, and the lean action in the turns is more to avoid mud than it is anything else.

Ohh please Do NOT kid yourself!! This is the very reason why myself, James Rogers, and several others here gave up Model-A Speedster racing several years ago because our friends were going upside down in their cars. We decided we wanted a more dignified way to die!! Maybe y'all are just puttin' around but we were serious about 'haulin the mail'. Speedy Ed Johnson who used to be a Fordbarn regular decided he had seen enough and so he put a roll bar in his speedster. I installed a roll bar in my track roadster. I always intended to install one on both my speedsters too if I had continued. I personally have been up on two wheels on more than one occasion and seen it right in front of me. I also was following Dan Price at Marietta, OH when he caught a rut coming out of turn 4 and it looped the car and he shot out through the infield just missing a light pole and his car went airborne. If it had landed at an angle, he would have rolled then.

One other thought, the bodies on these do not have enough mass to worry about shearing off so it is probably a moot point in these cars to worry about a seat belt bolted to the frame vs. not. If the car has taken a hard enough hit to shear the body bolts from the frame, chances are the Coroner is the one who will be checkin' you out next.

.

[QGolden]

From my perspective, as this thread has migrated to seat belts, I was answering Farrell from the perspective of "puttin around". If I were to build a Speedster with the intention of the photos above, it would definitely have a roll bar. And a windshield for that female passenger in the last photo!

[Brian LI]

Brent - I completely agree with you that if we WERE racing these a roll bar would definitely be installed along with a 5 point harness. The pictures make it look MUCH faster than the actual speeds. The cars were traveling at about 40 mph and were on the track alone. This event provides track time that is strictly for photo ops and is controlled tightly. The reduced speeds and single vehicle on the track is the only reason passengers are allowed as well.

Besides these old things can't go that fast anyway.....right?


QGolden - These pics are from 2 years ago. There's an additional windshield there now!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Ok, I understand now. At least you are much safer and having fun!! Even though we were exhibition racing, those two words were defined separately in most of the driver's eyes!!

On half-mile tracks, WE were racing in excess of 60 mph in the straightaways. We were also wheel to wheel in most turns. Many in the group we raced with actually carried a passenger which was known as the riding mechanic. Towards the end, mant including me did not do that because the extra weight slowed us down. AARA has basically fizzled in my view but DAARA is still a very active group that races these. Back in our "glory days", we usually had 4 - 8 speedsters show up for a field. As the bottom 3 pictures will show, we weren't driving 40 mph and we were playing for photo ops.

1) A field in Marietta, OH lining up.

2) Me on the outside of Speedy Ed Johnson.

3) 4Banger Dan Price in his RAJO powered Model-T outside me in a Cyclone-headed Model-B powered Dodge.

4) Dreamwerks Engine builder James Rogers 'haulin the mail' in his speedster at Washington Courthouse.

[48fordnut]

Not that I will be racing mine,but those pics get the blood flowing.
This week will be doing some trading,ordering some of the things I need to get going. Will post some pics tomorrow,I hope, with the help of a friend.
I'm learning that the model A is not so simple.
Is there one particular book that I need?I am starting with a bare frame ,bare ft axle, and bare r/e.
Is there a site that shows schedule and racing events? As well as swap meets?

Great Pics, Brent.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by 48fordnut

Not that I will be racing mine,but those pics get the blood flowing.
This week will be doing some trading,ordering some of the things I need to get going. Will post some pics tomorrow,I hope, with the help of a friend.
I'm learning that the model A is not so simple.
Is there one particular book that I need?I am starting with a bare frame ,bare ft axle, and bare r/e.
Is there a site that shows schedule and racing events? As well as swap meets?

Great Pics, Brent.

Just as you found in your former drag racing career, there really is not any book that can singly tell you what you need to know. In the case of your speedster, you need to draw out your goals, then begin your build thinking through each step of the way. Be creative and make it your own.

As far as meets go, I think you just missed the Moutrie swap meet which would have been close to you. You were just at the Turkey so maybe you were able to gather some parts there. The one thing that you have as an obstacle is you are wanting to do this on a very limited budget. Most of the stuff (i.e.: bling or speed items) that you buy cost $$, ...so you need to be creative and find items that can be repurposed and with added detail.

[48fordnut]

All good advice. I do have a plan of where I want to go, and the parts are starting to get together. While at daytona, I picked up some excellent 17'' wheels and tires, my brakes came in,and will be starting on the assy of the ft end parts. Hope to do some trading for a 28-9 grill and rad this week.
Next will be contacting a source about the eng/trans. The only speed parts I will be looking for will be a track style exhaust. I know the old saying of "speed cost money, how fast do you want to go''.
Getting it running is my main goal, then who knows.
What did you use to make your tank?