8:10 PST
Ardunbill,
Believe it or not the suspension on the Pierson Coupe was stone stock. A
'37 tube front axle, stock cross springs on both ends, and stock
houdi(sp) 50/50 shocks. It carried 150 lbs. of ballast in (the wrong
place) the rear of the trunk. A fifteen gallon tank of water in the
trunk over the rear axle did the cooling job. There was nothing trick
about the car. It was about as stock as you could get except for the 9
inch chop, laid back windshield, full belly pan, track roadster nose,
and about a 25% engine setback. The steering was a Ross unit, and the
driver's seat was in the stock location.
Tom from Redding CA
ARDUNDOUG@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 11/25/1999 5:34:59 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> ardunbill@webtv.net writes:
>
> <<
> Tom, Great Story!! Thanks for sharing it.
>
> 226 mph is tremendous speed for what appears to have been mostly '34
> Ford chassis and suspension. Could you tell us exactly what suspension,
> steering, chassis mods, ballasting and cooling system you had in it at
> the end?
>
> No question the '34 three-window was one of the all time prettiest
> Fords. People today are lucky that several companies make good-quality
> repro bodies and frames for fairly reasonable prices. It wouldn't be
> too hard to come up with a beautiful racecar out of this, with filled
> original '34 grillshell. The body company can probably chop the top any
> amount you want for a little extra. Regards, ArdunBill from Chesapeake,
> VA. Anybody see the Nicholas Cage film Red Rock West? Hope we don't
> get "Lyle from Dallas" in our chat group.
>
> >>
> Bill & Group,
> The only problem with the repro 34 3-window body's that are available
> today is that they're all chopped (at least when I did mine a few years ago
> they were).
> When I was in high school in the early 50's I had a 33 3-window "B"Gas
> coupe with a bored and stroked Flatty for power. Ended up selling it for $50
> when I put the engine in my first dragster.
> I always thought that the 33-34 Ford 3-windows were the prettiest cars
> ever made. In my adult life I started looking for a candidate to replicate my
> old coupe, but very little steel was available and all the "repops" were
> chopped. About 5 years ago I found a steel 34 3-window body with all the
> internals.
> Originally I wanted it exactly like my old coupe, Flatty and
> "buggy-spring" suspension included. By the time I started on the project I
> was in my latter 50's and creature comfort was paramount so I settled on a
> 410 Nailhead Buick, Turbo 400 trannd, Mustang II front and rear suspension,
> aftermarked new frame, etc. but kept the solid wheels and cloth insert top.
> It's a blast to drive. My motto: "It's never too late to have a happy
> childhood".
> Ardun Doug in CA
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