New Guy from Bakersfield - Lateral-g Forums

ironworks · #1 10-13-2005, 12:40 PM

Hay guys my name is Rodger and i own Ironworks Speed & Kustom in Bakersfield, ca. My personal PT project is the 57 chevy truck in the gallery section. I have installed C4 front and rear suspension with an LS1 that I bought for 300, it is a factory take out. The starter ear broke off. (easy fix with the TIG and a tap).

I have Kind of always been interested in the PT aspect of building a car because I have always done everything I could to make a car handle to the best of the components I had. Which has lead to some of the products that we now install on most of the projects we build for customer. We scratch build all our own 4 links to set the ride heights on each one. We started building crossmembers that house and protect the trans cooler in the front of the chassis. We started building headers because the block hugger headers suck and after the selection of block hugger headers ends the long tube selection is always smaller tubes and welds usually sucked. Plus custome headers are cool.

I have a couple cars I'm workin on because the project never finishes for me I always want to change something and if I don't want to change something it is time to sell the car. I currently have the 57 chevy truck, A 31 model coupe that has zoomies and sits about 46" to the roof , I am just starting on a 36 ford 5 window coupe that Street Thunder mag is goin to cover the entire build as we change it into a chopped 3 window. I'm using a Chris Alston front suspension with a new Speedway Engineering quickchange for the rear. Then I have an Airbagged 68 riviera.

I definetly have a broad taste but the craftsmanship and performance handling is what ties all my cars togther. No matter if it is the 57 truck with the kinsler injected LS1 or my 36 with Hilborn injection on a 270" dodge Hemi.
I'm going to put the same engineering into the end result.

Hope you did not fall asleep from my blah blah blah blah.

Rodger

https://lateral-g.net/members/lee/

my shop web site www.ironworksspeedandkustom.com

907rs · #2 10-13-2005, 05:00 PM

Welcome to Lateral-g, Rodger. How about some more info on that truck?

uneasyrider · #3 10-13-2005, 05:14 PM

That's COOL set-up you got there in that coupe!

J-Rod · #4 10-13-2005, 05:42 PM

Hey Rodger! I think you dated my cousin Becky a few years back, I remember you talking about your 'new' business......glad to see it's taking off! I finally finished my 68 PT camaro about a year ago, only 4 years

haha

Nice to hear from you again.

-jared

ironworks · #5 10-13-2005, 06:57 PM

Well The 57 truck was a tech article that i did with classic trucks mag. I had the suspension on hand and my buddy Rick Amado asked if I wanted to do an article but did not have anything in mind. I said I had the corvette suspension and Putting it in my 57 that i drove to collage would be interesting. Plus I had the suspension.

Well after we got the front in and got it as low as we could without jackin stuff up I worked to get the rear in and then layed it out and it had the stink bug look cuz the rear does not allow it to goes as low. So I stepped the rear of the frame 2 5/8" to get it to sit level. At that same time I was tryin to figure out how to air rid ethe rear with the Chris Alston Varishock airbag setups cuz he was givin them up for the deal. (Which by the way are great, I buy them now when i don't get them for free.)

So after the rear was done I had an LS1 under my bench that I wanted to use. Well I can't just build normal motor mounts in my stuff so I water jet cut 3/4" motor mounting plates out of aluminum and used 1" for the mount. We then threaded the curve piece and and drilled holes through motor plate and they bolt togther because you could never weld that stuff without a million amp tig. We also water jet cut the trans crossmember.

Then one day I was surfin the net lookin for cool parts and I found that Kinsler made the stack injection for an LS1 and that thing was bitchin.
Well about 5 weeks later I had it sittin on the engine. My plans for the engine include AFR heads and a matched camshft which should get me to 500 hp pretty easy (so I have been told).

The trans cooler crossmember was just an Idea that started on a 53 caddy we are building for a guy in arizona. It gives the frame stucture and protects to cooler and looks pretty good.

Now the fuel tank was a late night idea. The cross tubes you see are threaded on both ends and they get welded to the tank. The frame has slider bungs that the bolt would slide through the frame and hold the threaded ends, which hold up the tank. It works really slick and you have no tabs and stuff holding the tank. You only see bolt heads on the outside of the frame.

If you have more questions, let me know.

J-ROD, I think I saw your dad at the march meets and I wouldn't hold Becky against you.

Rodger