Headers to fit 1961 thunderbird3/24/2024 ![]() ![]() From here Dave trimmed the 16-inch discs down to fit the 15-inch front wheels. The aluminum discs were originally made by Kevin Lee and available in 16 and 18 inches. Note that the wheels themselves are covered with full aluminum discs fitted with stock Ford V8 engine center caps. ![]() The Ford steelies measure 15×4 and 18×5.5 and are covered with Michelin XZX 145SR15 radials in front and Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial by Coker Tire rubber measuring 7.00×18 in back. Rolling stock is a combination of early Ford steelies and radial rubber. Braking is an interesting touch from yesteryear with Ford F100 truck drums in front and Ford 11-inch drums in back all operated by a 1961 Chevy truck master cylinder pushed into service by BJ’s Speed Shop hanging pedal assembly. The basis for the rear suspension is a ladder bar setup with ShockWave Ridetech coilove rs coupled with an R Jay ’s Speed Shop Panhard bar. In back a Ford 9-inch rear end is tailored with 4.10 limited-slip gears and 31-spline axles. Anchoring the front of the frame is a Super Bell 4 inch drop axle with early Ford spindles (round back), SO CAL Speed Shop shocks, a Flaming River Vega-style ste ering box, and a 1940 Ford truck (modified) steering column. Look closely and you will see how the rear license plate is shaped to fit the contour of the tank as well as painted in body color. The frame was built by Brook Craft based on American Stamping Corporation ’32 Ford ’rails fitted with a Tanks Inc. “Twenty-Five Years of Speed & Power … Old News Travels Fast.” a limited-edition shift ball (number 42) is scripted with the H.A.M.B. The shift lever began life from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop and then Dave heated, reshaped it, and afterward repolished it. The Hemi is backed up to a T5 transmission that operates through a Mcleod clutch kit. Cooling comes by way of a finned aluminum water pump with a chrome factory-style four-blade fan. The custom headers are made from 1-5/8-inch tubing that dump into 2-inch exhaust pipes that run sans mufflers. Bringing the Hemi to life is a Mallory Unilite distributor with a stock coil and Taylor spark plug wires. You will also find the use of a Holley electric fuel pump, a chrome vintage air cleaner, and valve covers. The hemi you see here does have an aluminum intake with an Edelbrock 650-cfm four-barrel. Now, history and experience has taught us that this venerable oldie but goodie can produce upwards of 400 hp with a compression jump to 10.0:1 and a good four-barrel. A few other internal “secrets’ ‘where it came with a forged-steel crank and large 1.81-inch intake and 1.50-inch exhaust valves. If you like “heft” then the early Hemi is for you, coming in at a not-so-svelte 700 pounds but did produce an era-impressive 180 hp. ![]() For this build a 1954 Chrysler FirePower Hemi V8 engine was selected–a 331-inch variety (oftentimes referred to as a First-Generation 1951-58 Hemi). But there is always one that is near the top of every hot rodder’s list: the Chrysler Hemi engine. When building a 1932 Ford roadster there are any number of acceptable power plants. As the coming deadline crept closer a good friend, Colton Leigib, helped throughout those rapidly accumulating midnight hours. Read More: Coyote Swapped 1955 Thunderbirdĭave’s shop consists of one employee, Matt Vanderbush, and between the two of them the build began. ![]()
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