SS100 “replica” Project Car

[GWIZ]

Nice, keep up the good work.

Keep in mind Gas fumes and welding are a bad MIX.

[CaddmannQ]

Thanks buddy. There is a gas-fired water heater in my garage so I am always conscious of this issue.

You have reminded me about learning how to weld on a gas tank, 50 years ago, by filling it with water and dry ice.

I have a couple World War II gas cans that have unfortunately rusted out at the bottom seam. I am going to cut those babies apart and use them as floorboards for my 47 Plymouth, because they are heavy and deeply embossed.

They have been sitting open for a couple years to air out so I can’t smell any gasoline in them. Actually any gas leaked out 20 years ago when they were at my dad’s ranch.

Never the less, I think I will use the Nibler to open them up instead of a plasma cutter.

[toprecycler]

Originally Posted by CaddmannQ

Thanks buddy. There is a gas-fired water heater in my garage so I am always conscious of this issue.

You have reminded me about learning how to weld on a gas tank, 50 years ago, by filling it with water and dry ice.

I have a couple World War II gas cans that have unfortunately rusted out at the bottom seam. I am going to cut those babies apart and use them as floorboards for my 47 Plymouth, because they are heavy and deeply embossed.

They have been sitting open for a couple years to air out so I can’t smell any gasoline in them. Actually any gas leaked out 20 years ago when they were at my dad’s ranch.

Never the less, I think I will use the Nibler to open them up instead of a plasma cutter.

Those tanks that have been open to the air might be more dangerous than ones that was full of gasoline and you just emptied them out. Gas will not burn until it has oxygen/ air mixed with it. And as the gas / air vapor percentage gets leaner, that’s when it is more likely to go poof/ boom.

Pour a bit of gas into a saucer plate and light it. Then take the same amount of gas and pour it on a cloth and light that. Which one is more explosive?


It would not be a bad idea to err on side of caution and either fill can with water, or an inert gas to take place of any oxygen/ gas fumes that might be in tank still. Or the exhaust from a small engine.

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[CaddmannQ]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

Those tanks that have been open to the air might be more dangerous than ones that was full of gasoline . . . It would not be a bad idea to err on side of caution and either fill can with water, or an inert gas to take place of any oxygen/ gas fumes that might be in tank still.

Yes indeed. This is why I was going to use the nibbler instead of a torch. But I wasn’t thinking about inert gases except for co2 from dry ice. Now that I am an official TIG welder a have pure argon on tap.

Thank you for the reminder.

[CaddmannQ]

Wiring under the instrument panel was a pita, but it is all in and working ok.

This is a tiny cockpit as you can see, and at 5’-10” & 170 lbs I am not a big guy.

[CaddmannQ]

The SS100 is running and it went to the DMV today. It still has to go to the CHP.

The charging system wasn’t working, but the oil pressure was really good. The speedometer and fuel gauge work OK, but the temperature gage sender does not work. Brakes work ok, and steering feels tight, but the front suspension is topped out with an empty gas tank.

It has been sitting for a year and a half, so I ran some two-stroke gas in it to lube everything up good before I took it out on the road. I put 2 gallons of fresh gas in the tank and drove it to the DMV for the paperwork, then I took my wife out for her first ride.

It wanted to stall a couple times because it was cold & still had some two-stroke fouling. Of course it wanted to stall in an intersection and I had to nail it. If you wind it up and dump the clutch it does a nice burn out. For a Volkswagen. After the fouling cleared up it ran great and I took it up to about 55mph. I don’t want to drive it any faster than that or really any more at all until I soften up that front suspension and add some weight to the nose.

With some luck I will get this car approved by the highway patrol and it will have a license plate sometime in January. If I cannot get it licensed in California without a ridiculous amount of expense, I may drive to Las Vegas and put it in the car auction.

[GWIZ]

Originally Posted by CaddmannQ

Today was a busy day.

I went to the DMV, bank, pet store, gas station, hardware store, & back to the
DMV.

I fixed some missing snaps and put the rag top on my SS100 "replica" kit car. Then I drove it for the first time in 18 mos, and the second time ever. It was my wife's first ride in it.

It's tiny and light. It steers easily and gets around well enough to have fun. It does a nice tail slide. The rear end has all the traction and yet it's so low it slides quite predictably. Fun on a bun.

A pic in my garage, and a page from the assembly manual:

I assume you will be registering it as a 73 to get by the Smog test BS.

[CaddmannQ]

It is titled as a 1973. What that does for me remains to be seen.

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by CaddmannQ

It is titled as a 1973. What that does for me remains to be seen.

Will the serial number be easy for CHiPs to verify?

[CaddmannQ]

It has a 1973 serial number stamped on the frame in the correct spot. It looks authentic. It’s real easy to see because I didn’t put any carpets in the car yet.

What it does not have is a federal motor vehicle Certificate of safety in compliance for the year of manufacture. They say this is required after model year 1970. I think 73 was the last year before 5 mile an hour bumper mandates and that’s the biggest problem I would face in my mind. As far as the engine & the smog gear, anything can be corrected. It can also be replaced with an electric motor and a bunch of batteries.

It has a laminated glass windshield and it has seatbelts, windshield wipers that work and it has a horn and it has all the required lights and turn signals and they are nice and bright. The tires look brand new and the brakes were great and it’s not leaking anything on the ground. The engine doesn’t seem to be making smoke, but the idle jet’s a little bit clogged because it’s boggy off the line. I ran some cleaner in there and it should be fine in a few days. The muffler is pretty loud and I am afraid they’re going to ding me for that. I will probably stuff some fiberglass packing in it. I have to cut it open and weld it back together to do that of course.