Scrap Yard Binders
March 18, 2024
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THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
’63 FORD FASTBACK
“Total Performance” is what the Ford Motor Company called its corporate racing program back in the early ’60s, and it was a great way to show the buying public how strong and well engineered the automaker’s vehicles were. In a bold and blatant fashion, Ford was heavily involved in competition—in a big way.
WHERE’S THE POWER?
Bob Gruitch just thought his car was not performing up to his expectations. A ’55 Chevy equipped with a 502 big block, square port heads and a Crane H296-2 camshaft should be more than enough power. But it lacked power and didn’t idle all that well, especially in gear. This shouldn’t be happening with an engine built by John Gianoli at Reggie Jackson’s High Performance Engine Shop, so Gruitch figured he had something wrong and brought the car to John Bishop’s Hot Rod Tuning Service to have it checked. He’s lucky that he did.
STAR CARS: A Family and Its Speedstar
Dale was working on a unique rod project when his father went to a Goodguys event and saw Bobby Alloway Speedstar’s new Rat’s Glass Speedstar body and Alloway frame package. Joe knew it was the look Dale was trying to accomplish, so he purchased the makings of a Alloway Speedstar street rod and traded it to Dale for his unfinished car. Joe and Dale then went to the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, and saw a beautiful orange Speedstar that Alan Johnson had just finished. They were impressed with the roadster’s craftsmanship and attention to detail, so Dale decided to take his custom Speedstar build to Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Alabama, to help him finish it. Dale’s intention was to build the roadster for outdoor car events, because the last rod he built was never driven, it was strictly an indoor show car. This time he wanted a rod that was exceptional, and a driver.
Spotlighter
Axle Conversion: One Less Nut
Swapping Over From Six- to Five-Lug Axles
Author
Josh Kaylor
Photography by Will Smith
The Need for a Lug Conversion
When updating an early truck to five-lug disc brakes up front, the six-lug rear bolt pattern should be changed to match, as this directly affects the wheel selection and fitment for the truck. Many wheel manufacturers offer three times as many five-lug wheels as six-lug. They look better, and the available styles and offsets are generally more accommodating for slammed pickups.
Converting an Old International Truck
We recently converted an old International, a truck we affectionately think of as farm fodder. We updated the truck with a Fat Man Fabrications Mustang II with a five-on-five pattern, but we still needed to match up the rears.
Choosing the Right Parts
We called the folks at Classic Performance Products in Anaheim, California. Since we have a ’65 Chevy frame hiding under our ’47 body, they had just what we needed. The ’64-’65 Chevrolet axle conversion kit comes complete with everything needed to swap your axles to a five-on-five pattern, including a brand-new set of axles, drums, wheel studs, and a rear differential gasket. The kit includes everything to complete the installation except two quarts of gear fluid.
Step-by-Step Guide
In just a few hours and with a 50-pound bag of Oil-Dri, we had the rear completed. Should you face a similar problem, check out the highlights of our swap.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Classic Performance Products, Inc. (CPP)
378 E Orangethorpe Ave.
Placentia CA 92870
Tech Line 714-522-2000
