Glad this worked out so well for you two, Greg. Congrats on having a well built and fun to drive roadster for you two to drive around. :thumbsup:

The Kenny Youngblood painting just arrived... It's better in person!!








http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/IMG_0118.jpg

That looks great for a painting. Very nice.
Is your wife enjoying the hot rod?

We left it at Brizio's on our way back up the coast from LA. The Seat needed to be completely re-done in order to fit Gwen. She's taller than I am - and her height is considerably longer from the waist down -- and we just didn't guess close enough to what the seat needed to be to fit her. So it went back over to Sid Chavers today as a matter of fact - and he'll make the seat over. Then we also are going to replace the steering box. The steering was heavy and didn't have the "return to center" that it should have. Roy and I had discussed this before the LA trip and I had asked him just to leave it alone and let me put some more miles on the car before they went to the effort to R&R it -- and of course it's painted etc. But after putting on 1000 miles -- it never felt any better. He had an original Vega box - and was having that completely rebuilt before installing it. Seems they've been having the same issues with the manufactured versions as this isn't the first goat rodeo with these new boxes. They probably all come out of the same Chinese factory.

I'll pick the car up on September 1st when I head that direction for the Shelby Club Mini-Nat track event at Sonoma. And if all is right with the world I'll haul it back to Sun Valley.

Then at the end of September - we're signed up to drive it on the Good-Guys Haul (the way they should have spelled it!) of Fame Road Tour from Pleasanton California to Fort Worth Texas.

https://www.good-guys.com/goodguys-road-tour


At that time there is a stop planned in Colorado @ Pinkee's Rod Shop where my '40 Ford pickup should be sitting on it's freshly built Roadster Shop chassis.


http://pinkeesrodshop.com

That is a great painting Greg,looks just like picture,what's the new toy you mentioned you are doing? A 40 model pickup?we need details on this cool build.

Kenny Y.
 

They posted this today...

@goodguys: Motorsports artist and illustrator Kenny Younglood is here this weekend doing his amazing free souvenir drawings...

http://t.co/aVT5fLmrrX

Nice car ! I will have to keep my eyes peeled whenever I am in the SV area to see if I can spot one of your cars . We live in Boise and my Sister in law lives in Bellevue so we are up that way several times a year .

We have the blue '33 and I drive a red '32.... hunt me down! Or just go to Starbucks and ask 'em where I am... LOL







http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/a...IMG_0889-1.jpg

So after the trip from the Bay Area to the LA Roadsters show -- and then up California Hiway 1... we dropped the roadster off at Brizio's with a punch list of "to do's". This is perfectly normal for a brand new build - and the car now had over 1000 miles on it.

The first thing to fix was the steering box -- it was just too stiff and didn't return to center. Coming up the coast hiway was a lot of work as it took far too much effort to turn the car. We had discussed this issue before I left and Roy wanted to replace the Vega box but I said to just wait and see if this one would loosen up. It didn't.

The new original Vega box was sent out for a complete rebuild - painted and installed and the steering is now 100% perfect.

The top needed some adjusting -- and the owners of American Speed came over during the show (LA) and discussed with Sid Chavers and Roy exactly where to tweak what... the top now fits 100% perfect.

A complete new seat was built... which is wonderful and now fits Gwen really well. I had Sid make a pad that looks like the upholstery to go behind my back when I want to drive. Perfect!

The BEST ADDITION OF ALL.... new RideTech shocks on the front and CoilOvers on the rear (all polished and gleaming!). I can't tell you how much better the car rides!! Thank you BRET!! You are THE MAN! The car was a bit "harsh" before with the usual "hot rod" shocks on it. Now - it's like silk. Harshness is all gone and it rides like a really nice hot rod should. It's "firm" but compliant and smooth... hard to describe - but here's the tell. GWEN said - "it rides better" the first time she drove it --- and she knew nothing about the shock change. BINGO!! XOXO buddy!


There was hot air coming in from the motor/trans from the console area... a simple "oops" because the way the console sits on the floor it wasn't sealing out the air even though the boot was proper. A simple fix was to put a boot on the floor/shift lever... and then install the nice console with it's pretty leather boot. Another home run BINGO.

The speedo was "sticky" -- turns out the hole in the dash was a smidge too tight... FIXED and another BINGO...

The PCV was leaking just a couple drops of oil... I HATE OIL LEAKS... fixed! The fix was to install a catch can and K&N filter... ALL FIXED.

After paint - the windows were installed so that they disappeared down in the door too far... that caused an ugly sound when shutting the doors with the windows down. The fix was just to re-adjust them so that the top of the window is held with the weatherstrip... Trust me when I tell you -- these doors open and close better than a Rolls Royce. Every time I use them - I'm amazed. It's a tactile feel and sound that just says HOLY CRAP THIS THING IS A BEAUTY.

We raised the nose of the car an inch and a half. You can not tell this from looking at it... but it will keep us from having to be so careful going over small humps and bumps. This is no show car -- this is a driver.... we just want to be able to use it comfortably.

The car runs like a swiss watch... a little too perfect for me - but it's Gwen's car and she's happy as hell with it. It drives great - runs flawlessly - is smooth... yet sounds like a hot rod.... and now the seat fits her! It's all good.

Thanks for the update Greg.

Really liked all the detail you went into.

Nice to read more about this home run build. :thumbsup:

I love it when a plan comes together!! Glad you and Gwen are happy with the final out come!!

Instantly recognized the '33 in some Speedhunters coverage:

http://www.speedhunters.com/wp-conte...py-800x533.jpg

http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/08/...m-pride-style/

I haven't yet taken a moment to compliment you on the build; especially love the color!

Thank you for the heads up on the article! And Gwen thanks you for the compliment... Girls are like that. LOL

^^^That's all that matters.
Congrats to you and Gwen on an awesome hot rod.

Nice to see it get all sorted out without the drama. If Roy drove the car after the Ridetech install I'm sure he's changing the way his cars leave the building. A buddy switched from the Pete&Jakes to Bilstein and just like Gwen's it was night and day, much mo betta!

You done good Weld!

:thumbsup:
Dan

Thanks Dan!

The car is pure "Brizio". There's a very good reason he builds multiple cars for return clients year after year. They put a big fat smile on your face. The fit - the finish - the way things work... the way they drive. The guy has it down pat. You hit bumpy roads in this car - nothing rattles - nothing squeaks - it just goes "thump thump". It's something about the cars he builds that are just different yet they're no big deal - they're usually not customized much in the way of body mods etc... they're really mostly pretty "normal" -- but driving them is a whole different story. They just work. I guess that's why so many of his builds are driven so many miles. His personal hot rod has 75,000 miles on it. And his Dad Andy is legendary for leading trips to Columbus or back east... People aren't afraid to drive them... and once you have - you understand why.

I'm really looking forward to our trip to Texas... and Gwen is already trying to figure out how to pack for it. That's a good sign right there.

Great to hear this Greg. That's the whole idea is to drive and enjoy them. I hope you and Gwen get to put a ton of miles on it. Enjoy.

Success=Refined study of the obvious.

It's rarely rocket science, it's attention to detail formed through experience and pride in your work..

Is that where "Andy's picnic" came from?

Good thoughts. His group of guys make a pretty good living... he treats them right and most everyone has been with him for years and years. They're all hot rodders themselves... and when you do something well for years, I think you get even better at it. If you'd have watched Jim building my brake lines and fuel lines all while chatting with me... in a matter of an hour and a half he was DONE - and they were perfect. He made the reference marks and bends without even thinking. Half the time I make a mark and then promptly bend the tube in the exact opposite direction it needed to go. LOL









That's a different event. That is his car show that he's been putting on for 40 years. His cruises are legendary - thus the RODFATHER moniker. He started these road tours back in 1970.

This car was just too big for me - I couldn't reach the pedals after I had the seat rebuilt for Gwen.... so Charley loaned me some more money and I had it "chopped". So much better now!







http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/a...zio/photo1.jpg

:lol:

LMAO
Too funny Greg.

Hey your not the only one with that problem, I think your new version is still to big for me! LOL

Wow they did a nice job you can't even tell you had work done to it! lol

:confused59:

Avatar.

X2 !!!!!

PERFECT! x3!!!!
:slingshot:

A nicely done video on Roy Brizio.... He truly is what this video says... Just a great guy and a great guy to be with and have build you a hot rod.

Near the end of the video is a full down the side pan of Gwen's '33

He has his heart in the right place and that's exactly why he's such a success.

I was at the Sheraton bar in Pomona last year and he was sitting next to me, enjoying a drink. I didn't know who he was (I'd never seen his picture) but I started talking to him and even after he introduced himself as "Roy" it still didn't click. Lot's of people were walking by and saying hi to him and I knew he built cars, but I still didn't know just who he was. My coworker came in and was thrilled to meet him, then I knew who I'd been talking to for 15 minutes. Of all the builders I've met he's one of the most genuine and accessible out there.

Greg, since Charley is your finance guy can you be mine so I can do a Roy build? I want to keep my $$ in the market per Investing 102 rules lol

Another hot rod
 

Actually the money will cost too much after he borrows
From charley then loans it to you

Kinda like our banks who get it almost
Free from the government and then jack the prices
up with all kinds of BS conditions etc

When you don't need money they want to loan it
but if you do need it then they make it difficult

Not like the old days where they really wanted to help you
and actually acted like a bank

Better off financing yourself

Panteracer

Every time I ask Charley for more - he tells me he's "between money".... Keep reading Investing 102 - then you become the bank.










I'm able to borrow all the money I'd never need.... at usually less than 2%.... And I agree with you. If you don't need the money it's easily accessible....
Banks were never there to help you. They were there to make money off you lending you someone else's money and making the spread.

I think the banks changed when people changed. It used to be that PEOPLE WANTED to pay their debts.... now they just want everything and if they screw the bank and keep the stuff - they think they're smart.

My ex partner used to sum it up ==== The only people that ever screwed me - where the ones I trusted.

Simple enough... you only ever opened credit up to those you thought you could trust. Sometimes they screwed you. The guy you never trusted - was never given the chance.

I just got off the phone with Mister Brizio.... seems they finally came up with a fix and found some reasons the '33 was overheating. As it turns out - Ed Pink was also in on the fix! For those of you that are unfamiliar with Ed Pink - I feel sorry for you... go look him up.


So -- several things stacked up to be an overall issue. Not necessarily in the order of fault.

The upper radiator hose was taken DOWN under the fan motor and then back up to the radiator. This looked like and acted like a plumbing "P trap"... Add to this that the "U" bend to make the P part was metal tubing - and it was attached via a bracket to the fan to hold it... As the motor heated up -- this caused "movement" albeit slowly - but enough - to put torque on the fan housing causing the blade to engage the housing... slowing the fan. You wouldn't hear this driving - and it had worn a considerable groove in the housing. Probably during the first few outings - so the interference was there but without any "clicking" to tip you off.

Now then -- enter mister Ed Pink -- since the Brizio crew was still having the overheating issue even after finding the P trap / fan issue and replacing those parts of the problem.... Ed had seen the car and we'd spent time together at the LA Roadster show... He stopped by the shop when visiting San Francisco and, seeing it back at the shop, asked "why". When told why - he said he'd run into a similar problem before -- and asked if there was an overflow/catch can in the system since he couldn't see one. There was none... and he said that he had fixed a similar problem by simply adding one. Seems without this - the engine sucks in air - and then creates hot spots... They added one - and the problem is solved.

Now it's off to Sid Chavers to replace the lower seat leather where I punctured it when I sat down with a side cutter in my back pocket - during one of the many in and outs starting the car when I was trying to solve the problem before taking it back to Brizio. DOH! WTF.... it keeps people employed... whatever... I'm over it. LOL

I guess that is why Ed Pink is so good. Never in a million years would it dawn on me that a catch can would aid in a heating issue.

Glenn

You, Me, and the Brizio crew either!!

It was left off because it's a packaging issue with the nose being so pinched on these cars... it's just tight as hell up there... and we never used to have to have them. Today every car has them but I would have thought that was an EPA type rule.

Great News! :thumbsup:


I hate those moments with a passion! :bang:

NOBODY likes those moments for sure! I do tend to just shrug it off rather than get upset about it. My view is - Oh well - something else we have to get fixed.

Then I go shoot myself for being such an idiot. I know better than to do stuff like that.