Penultimate Model A

[dontlifttoshift]

Watching. Interesting engine choice given the target weight.....and the fact that it is wider than the cowl.

That might be the most mangled stock frame I have ever seen.

[WSSix]

Sounds like a heck of a project. Good luck! Keep us updated. I want to see this one come together.

[GrabberGT]

Wow! Going to be cool.

[GregWeld]

I have to agree with Donny on this one.... why create a bunch of issues with the motor choice. You won't believe how small these cars are until you start working on it.

This kind of build gets my juices flowing! Frankly -- another '69 Camaro just kind of lacks the punch that it used to for me. This little rod is going to take some serious fab work just to make it work vs another tucked bumper. LOL

Love your previous ingenuity and I'm looking forward to seeing this build come to life!

[craig510]

Thanks for the comments so far. I started a spread sheet today to get a better guesstimate at weight (and cost). I think it will be hard to get this under 2000# without driver. It is tough to get a decent motor weight, I haven't pulled it from my donor car, but from what I can tell the aluminum Modular motors are within 10 pounds of an aluminum LS. Once I pull it, I should be able to get a better estimate.

The motor choice was mostly based on dollars per HP per pound and I am too far down the rabbit hole for a different option at this point. You can't beat getting a running almost driving (transmission slipped) car for less than $500, add $400 worth of cams and valve springs, do some porting, re-flash the ECM and have a 340+ HP and rev to 7200 RPM. The donor also has all the accessories, fuel system, radiator fan, diff etc. to get it running in a hotrod.


Not much to look at now, but move the coils to the back, get rid of all the plastic airbox stuff and polish the 16 intake tubes and valve covers and BAM.


28 spline 8.8, aluminum housing

Believe it or not I am familiar with how small hot rods are. I helped build a couple in college, and we drove 2 very traditional rods down to Speed Week from Chico in 2004. In my opinion, the engine compartment space (without hood sides) is not the problem, foot well area is usually sacrificed due to transmission and bell housing placement. Driver placement / ergonomics will not be sacrificed in this build. I am probably going to split the cowl and widen it a couple of inches so the whole car will be asymmetric and biased toward the passengers side. No hood side on the passengers side, with a pile of snakes 180* header hanging out the side.

[Rick D]

Very interested sounds like a coooooool project! I'm with Greg on not another Camaro build!!

[economiser]

Interesting proposal, what makes it "penultimate" ( next to last ) ?

[dontlifttoshift]

Yeah, didn't say it was a bad choice, just interesting. Don't forget goodguys 10% rule.

FWIW my roadster weighs 2450 without me, with a 1/2 tank......51% on the rear.

[craig510]

Originally Posted by economiser

Interesting proposal, what makes it "penultimate" ( next to last ) ?

That's it, next to last or final. There will always be someone or something with more. More power, more brakes, more talent(?), more money. Or the next build, the next tire, the next rule change...

I am going to go for it here and now, build it the best I can with my current knowledge and skill. Next time it will be even better. I'll refrain from further updates until there is some progress.

-Craig