The Ford Barn

Purdy Swoft · 11-09-2013, 11:01 AM

Here is my home made speedster. I'm a po country boy and couldn't afford the kit. I had a bunch of discarded parts and decided to try and make a purty out of them.

Mike · 11-09-2013, 12:07 PM

Skrain,

Thank you, we have a lot of fun with this car

mike

QGolden · 11-09-2013, 08:08 PM

Mine started as speedster, and I decided to fab my body rather than buy one I started with the chassis in my avitar, took 3 springs out of the rear, 2 out of the front, re rolled the front springs to turn the eyes over., and used 17 inch wheels. It sits a few inches lower all around, and has about 3 inches of rake to the front. Admittedly it is morphing into more of a Rod than a speedster though.

Skrain · 11-10-2013, 09:39 AM

Some questions for anyone who has done a Rootlieb speedster...can you buy the modified spark and throttle controls you need to install?
What is involved in repositioning the pedals?
Where do you get the resized steering arm?

Sparky · 11-10-2013, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skrain

Some questions for anyone who has done a Rootlieb speedster...can you buy the modified spark and throttle controls you need to install?

I have a little homemade bell crank linkage that is attached to the top of the engine.

Quote:

What is involved in repositioning the pedals?

There is no need to change the brake and clutch pedals. For the gas I am using a Fulton pedal with a linkage about four inches long.

Quote:

Where do you get the resized steering arm?

Cut the original and weld in an extension section as required.

QGolden · 11-11-2013, 08:09 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky

I have a little homemade bell crank linkage that is attached to the top of the engine.d

That is what I did to, I turned a ring that fit over a head nut, made a small divot in the nut for the head of a screw to fit into, and made a Bell-crank that attached to the ring to transfer the linkage over the head. Locknuts and loctite seem as though it will keep in place.

I guess you can simply bend the Spark Advance rod. Most sane folks do,

but I really do not like the looks of the bent rod. I used a throttle rod set to each side of the Bell-crank.

Mike · 11-10-2013, 09:49 AM

Howie,
That is a beautiful car!!!

Mike

slackcat · 11-11-2013, 08:36 AM

Looks great howie.

howie123 · 11-13-2013, 08:12 PM

The color is called Cactus green. It was a Ford pick-up color from the 70's. The fenders and splash aprons are black. Hood, fenders and trunk are pinstriped in red to match the wheels. Ford script on the gas tank is also matching red. I extended the spark and throttle linkage by cutting in the middle and making a sleeve to go in between. The spark linkage had to be bent for clearance. I was not able to make the pedals work by bending alone. I had to cut them and weld in a piece to extend them. The drag link was cut and a piece welded in to extend it the same amount the steering box was moved.

QGolden · 11-13-2013, 09:14 PM

Thank you Howie for the additional information. You did a nice job on it, feel free to post additional photos or a photo album. If possible, I would appreciate seeing more of it.

Wallace · 11-14-2013, 08:29 AM

.great combination of design and skill... thanks to all

Brother Hesekiel · 11-14-2013, 05:47 PM

If you want to see a sharp Model A Speedster, look here:

http://www.themotoringjournal.com/fe...speedster.html

BCCHOPIT · 11-14-2013, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

If you want to see a sharp Model A Speedster, look here:

http://www.themotoringjournal.com/fe...speedster.html

I can't find anything I don't like about this one.
I have many pics of this one saved to my laptop

Ross/Kzoo · 11-15-2013, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

If you want to see a sharp Model A Speedster, look here:

http://www.themotoringjournal.com/fe...speedster.html

That #7 is one sharp speedster. Are there more detailed pictures of that car? I like the way that the body seems to fall below the frame. I wonder if he widened the frame to get seating for 2 in the cockpit. More detail would be appreciated.

BangerMatt · 11-15-2013, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill O'Brien

How about some more pics of Speedsters!

Speedsters are fun, here are some pictures of a couple that my father and I have built together. The first was a partially built Rootlieb kit where the folks building it "lost some parts". We took it apart and redid it the way we wanted to, using a '40 Buick hood for the tail.

The second is the red one, built from the ground up using a "hot rod cast-off" chassis using a '41 Ford hood for the tail.

George D · 11-15-2013, 02:00 PM

Just wondering, what goes between the plywood deck and the frame on these kits? Is there some form of crossmembers or spacers of some sort?

BangerMatt · 11-15-2013, 03:10 PM

The kit that I disassembled just had something like a welting material in between. Nothing substantial. The rear plywood had been cut to allow the hump of the rear crossmember through.

howie123 · 11-15-2013, 07:25 PM

Q Golden, Thanks for the comments. I am attaching a few more pictures. Howie.

Sparky · 11-15-2013, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howie123

Q Golden, Thanks for the comments. I am attaching a few more pictures. Howie.

Hey Howie, is that Ford logo on the gas tank a decal or a custom job?

QGolden · 11-15-2013, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howie123

Q Golden, Thanks for the comments. I am attaching a few more pictures. Howie.

Thanks for the inspiration! Where does your Starter Rod go? It looks lengthened and is a a high angle.

11-09-2013, 11:01 AM	#1
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Speedster Kit Here is my home made speedster. I'm a po country boy and couldn't afford the kit. I had a bunch of discarded parts and decided to try and make a purty out of them.

11-09-2013, 12:07 PM	#2
Mike Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: ASTON, PA. Posts: 725	Re: Speedster Kit Skrain, Thank you, we have a lot of fun with this car mike

11-09-2013, 08:08 PM	#3
QGolden Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 1,231	Re: Speedster Kit Mine started as speedster, and I decided to fab my body rather than buy one I started with the chassis in my avitar, took 3 springs out of the rear, 2 out of the front, re rolled the front springs to turn the eyes over., and used 17 inch wheels. It sits a few inches lower all around, and has about 3 inches of rake to the front. Admittedly it is morphing into more of a Rod than a speedster though. __________________ It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain. It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown

11-10-2013, 09:39 AM	#4
Skrain Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Monticello, Kentucky Posts: 284	Re: Speedster Kit Some questions for anyone who has done a Rootlieb speedster...can you buy the modified spark and throttle controls you need to install? What is involved in repositioning the pedals? Where do you get the resized steering arm? __________________ "They can make me grow older, but they CAN'T make me grow up!"

11-11-2013, 08:36 AM	#8
slackcat Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Galesburg, KS Posts: 87	Re: Speedster Kit Looks great howie.

11-10-2013, 09:49 AM	#7
Mike Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: ASTON, PA. Posts: 725	Re: Speedster Kit Howie, That is a beautiful car!!! Mike

11-13-2013, 08:12 PM	#9
howie123 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 115	Re: Speedster Kit The color is called Cactus green. It was a Ford pick-up color from the 70's. The fenders and splash aprons are black. Hood, fenders and trunk are pinstriped in red to match the wheels. Ford script on the gas tank is also matching red. I extended the spark and throttle linkage by cutting in the middle and making a sleeve to go in between. The spark linkage had to be bent for clearance. I was not able to make the pedals work by bending alone. I had to cut them and weld in a piece to extend them. The drag link was cut and a piece welded in to extend it the same amount the steering box was moved.

11-13-2013, 09:14 PM	#10
QGolden Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 1,231	Re: Speedster Kit Thank you Howie for the additional information. You did a nice job on it, feel free to post additional photos or a photo album. If possible, I would appreciate seeing more of it. __________________ It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain. It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown

11-14-2013, 08:29 AM	#11
Wallace Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East Texas Posts: 77	Re: Speedster Kit .great combination of design and skill... thanks to all

11-14-2013, 05:47 PM	#12
Brother Hesekiel Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Buenaventura, Calif. Posts: 362	Re: Speedster Kit If you want to see a sharp Model A Speedster, look here: http://www.themotoringjournal.com/fe...speedster.html

11-15-2013, 02:00 PM	#16
George D Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Little Falls NY Posts: 67	Re: Speedster Kit Just wondering, what goes between the plywood deck and the frame on these kits? Is there some form of crossmembers or spacers of some sort?

11-15-2013, 03:10 PM	#17
BangerMatt Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NY Posts: 9	Re: Speedster Kit The kit that I disassembled just had something like a welting material in between. Nothing substantial. The rear plywood had been cut to allow the hump of the rear crossmember through.