WALLY CAR PROJECT STATUS
 
Jim Coffee from Chicago who donated the trans. has just e-mailed a note saying he located a correct E-brake and will donate it too. There is a shortage of repop '39 Ford Banjo steering wheels right now but Gary Mussman from Cornhusker Rod and Custom, in Nebraska had one in their showroom display and he will ship that one to us for our project. Boy the people in this industry are so helpful and nice.

Here is the list of the few items still not firmly committed or in our possession. Chrome spark plug wire loom to fit 59A engine. A set of pedals for a '32 and gas pedal (spoon type). Headlight mounts. Seat frame and springs.



Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Big John, Here is some up to the minute information on where we stand on the Wally Car project. Ray Golahan from Brookville Roadster Company called today and said "the steel body they are donating should be completed mid week next week." They will have to crate it up and they can ship it common carrier. The body will be free but we will have to pay the freight which will be about $850.00 or maybe a fuel surcharge too. Limeworks will receive the body and mount it there. Bobs' Auto Painting in Whittier (and club member) is going to assist by donating an origional firewall and together they will fit the firewall with the engine / trans to the frame and body. Member Dave Enmark has completed the very difficult task of assembling the 1939 Lincoln 12 cylinder distributor (converting it to 8 lobes). Dave and I delivered the reworked distributor and the two beautiful Stromberg 97 carburetors Steve Gibbs donated and the engine is basically complete except we need the chrome wire loom and plug wires.
SEMA has just sent out the SEMA NEWS and printed a story about our project and several calls have come in already with offers to help with parts.

Notably

PAINLESS Wireing will make the simple custom wire harness we need.
Parts still needed:
-- 1941 - 1948 radiator frame and tanks (minus the core)
-- Foot Pedals that will work on a 32 K-member
-- Emergency brake (old style only remember)
-- 2 more Houdale friction shocks
-- An original 1939 Banjo steering wheel (refer to the photo posted)

If everyone that has promised parts comes through I think we are covered. The target completion date of November 1 is coming soon but it looks possible I think.

Vic Cunnyngham (project manager) (626) 966-9578

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Wally Parks car is racing ahead and it's not even finished yet. When we picked up the rolling chassis, engine and body from Limeworks we took it straight to U.S. Radiator. Don Armstrong, the owner of U.S.Radiator personally and carefully measured the assembled chassis, body and engine set up. Three days later we were bolting in the radiator and fitting the grill shell. Then after hours of measuring and making accurate patterns we were able to go to the next step. The hood templates were mailed off to Tom Rootlieb for the hood fabrication and Chuck Ross, Don Ford and Bob Bayles started the tear down so everything could be painted. The beautiful Brookville body and the chassis were loaded onto a trailer and into the back of Don Fords' truck and it all got hauled down to Bobs Auto Body in Whittier. Bobs able crew is priming and sanding and priming and sanding some more. With some very nice welding by Bill Willis and some serious grill shell modifications by yet another club member, George Britting everything is looking great.

On Wednesday afternoon Gene Winfield is going to apply the red paint in the spray booth at Bobs Auto Body. This will definitely be a Kodak moment so pictures need to be shot at this time.

If more information on the exact time check with Vic Wednesday morning, (cell 626 485-7500). We hope to see a lot of flash bulbs going off in the spray booth.

Due to conflicting time schedule with the SEMA show that ends on November 4th, (our previous unveiling date) the decision has been made to unveil the car at the December 2nd Twilight Cruise. The night before we will preview the car at the Tuesday Cal-Rod Car Club meeting.

More updates to follow.

November 14, 2005

The Wally Parks Car project is progressing and should be completed within 1 1/2 weeks. The 3 piece Rootlieb hood arrived and we had a heck of time getting everything to fit as well as it should. This is not a reflection on their quality of workmanship but it is almost always a problem with hoods that are not stock. Remember the grill shell is from a '32 Ford and the body firewall /cowl is a '29 Ford. We had to go outside the club for assistance (the paid variety) to slice out a1/2 inch pie shaped sliver, tapered to nothing at the other end of the hood on both sides of the top of the hood. Then the challenge was to weld these long thin seams without distorting the metal. Wavy sides would definitely not look good. Bob Purvas, club member and owner of Bobs Auto Body in Whittier, will finish the final massaging on Monday the 14th and we can then take the car away. He has been so good with all of the help, time and money donated to the Wally Car Project. Tuesday we should be able to take the car to Covina Auto Trim where Tony Garcia is waiting to finish the upholstery. The seat is already done but Tony needs a couple of days to do the rest of the interior and position the seat etc. When we pick it up from Covina Auto Trim, it is only a few miles down the road to the next and last outside service, Mufflerville in Baldwin Park. Mufflerville has been doing welding, mufflers and "twice pipes" on Cal-Rods cars since the 50's. Owner Butch Gleim will donate his labor and expertise to help our project. From there the car will go back to the hanger at Brackett Field where our fabrication crew will finish the last few detail items and club member Ed Lyons will install the Painless Wiring harness, donated by good friend Dennis Overholser.

The car will be Previewed at the Cal-Rods club meeting on Tuesday December 6th for all of the membership to see, then covered up. The next night DECEMBER 7th at the Twilight Cruise, Wally's Car will officially be un-veiled. The keys will be handed to Wally Parks so he can have our gift to him: a clone of his original roadster that he sold over fifty years ago. Wally desires his roadster to be permanently on display in the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum for everyone to see and enjoy. Of course he can take it for a ride anytime he desires.

December 6, 2005

The Wally Car is really complete. The hood has been fabricated and painted. The car was taken to Covina Auto Trim for custom upholstery. Owner Tony Garcia donated his services and did an excellent job in reproducing the upholstery like it was in 1951. The Wally Car was then taken to Mufflerville, in Baldwin Park. Owner Butch Gleim installed the FlowMaster Hushpower glass packs and exhaust pipes. Butch and his helper Leo did an excellent job of installation and made sure the pipes were extended from the rear of the roadster like they appear in photos supplied by Wally.

The Wally car was taken back to the hanger where Ed Lyons assisted in the wiring. Vic Cunnyngham assisted Don Babbit who fitted the dash and installed the gauges, along with Bob Bayles, Chuck Ross and Don Ford, they completed the rest of the work that takes up so much time and effort. They spent many hours installing the gas tank, battery, hoses and clamps and all the little things that need to be done that cannot bee seen on the surface. Bill Willis fabricated the headlight brackets. When all was said and done, it came together beautifully, just as Vic had planned it.

The engine, trans and rear end were filled with the required lubricants And a gallon or two of gas was put into the tank and VAROOOMMM!! The Wally Car lit off in an instant. The H&H Flatheads prepared engine was perfect. It sounded great, especially the pipes sounded bitchen!!

After all the fittings and liquids were checked for leaks and proper adjustments, the Wally Car was ready for presentation. At twelve noon on December 6th 2005, we rolled the Wally Car out of the hanger for the last time. Vic Cunnyngham jumped in behind the wheel and fired up the 100% completed Wally Car. He proudly drove the Wally Car out of the Brackett Field gate and onto the road. The rest of us escorted Vic the approximate one mile to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. As we drove the roadway, passing cars waved and sounded their horns in satisfaction. We pulled through the guard gate and got a thumbs up from the head of security. Vic drove to the rear of the Museum where Greg Sharp and Sam Jackson were awaiting our arrival. The roll up door was opened and the Wally Car entered the Museum. It joins the rest of the history making race cars that call the Museum home. And it seemed to say to all the other cars on display there, I represent the beginning of the reason why all you other guys are here.

The Wally Car will be debuted for the first time at 7:00 PM to all the Cal-Rods members at the Dec 6th meeting. It will then be officially presented to Wally Parks Wednesday night December 7th Twilight Cruise. Vic Cunnyngham will make the presentation and hand Wally Parks the keys to his re-created Wally Car of the 1950's. The one that started the whole ball rolling for Hot Rod Magazine and the NHRA.

 

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