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So Cal 53 Mainline street gasser

61K views 475 replies 22 participants last post by  1937Austin 
#1 · (Edited)
I just recently became aware of this site. I've been a gasser guy since the mid 60s. My 53 has a fresh +.030 428, Dodge I-beam (big brakes) in front, a Mopar 8 3/4" (also big brakes) with 4:56 gears and a full spool in back, it has 16x10 American Torque Thrusts in back and 15x4 American Torque Thrusts on the front.
I've also got a 41 Willys pick up with a SBC that's about 60% done. The bad thing is it's in storage because I don't have room in my garage.
 

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#58 ·
How's that cam replacement going Steve? I'm waiting to see the video soon.
 
#59 ·
Mario,
Thanks for the inquiry. What's that old saying, "one photo is worth a thousand words"; I'll let the attached photo answer your question.
The plastic wrapped part on top is a new drivers side window regulator for my Ford work truck. Yeah, I'm right-the-fuck on top of nothing..............
 

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#62 · (Edited)
Good Things Come To Those That Wait

Well, along with the GASSERS 4 event being a good time it also proved to be rewarding in a parts acquisition. I've been looking, waiting, looking for a pair of 15 X 4 Torque Thrust wheels with the spokes that are peaked, not rounded for ever. I've found a couple pair of magnesium wheels but I don't think magnesium wheels on the street is the smartest thing to do, pot holes, curbs, ruts etc, plus the sellers wanted a kings ransom. I've got the 15 X 4 1/2 American Torque Thrust D wheels that I ran for a while but never really liked so I put the Ansen front runners back on; more period correct. While I was at the show there was a car with the wheels I wanted and I commented to the owner how badly I wanted a pair and how many years I'd been looking. The dude told me he had a pair of 15 X 5 but the problem was they had a 5 1/2" bolt pattern. I said so what, how much did he want for them. He said make him an offer, I said $175 and he said sold. I went and picked them up today. What I really love (besides the price) is that the spokes haven't been painted so I don't have to go to the expense of having the wheels sand blasted.
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Tread Synthetic rubber
I even have a pair of 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 adaptors that I had previously purchased for another project years ago. Like Mario, I went up into my parts storage above my garage and dug them out. The only thing I need to do is get new tires. I'll be selling my set of Torque Thrust D Wheels, 16 X 8 1/2 rears, 15 X 4 1/2 fronts, 4 1/2" bolt pattern, both with good tires, lug nuts, center caps and Gorilla locks Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Land vehicle
(if anyone is interested feel free to contact me) and that should more than pay for the new tires. I may even end up selling the 15 X 4 slots I have on the car now.
 
#64 ·
So, I had a few extra dollars and thought I'd get the new tires for the rims I purchased. I'm at my local tire shop yesterday as the dude is breaking down the first rim and it didn't look right. I told him to wait a minute while I measured the width. Turns out they're 6" wide, not 5". I say to myself, "self do you want to go ahead and have the tires mounted and not be completely happy or take the rims over to Eric Vaughn and have him narrow them to the width I want. I had waited a long time (years) for a pair of the old mags with the spokes that are peaked, not rounded so I said I'm going to get what I want now and not wait until later and redo it. So I had the guy break down the other rim and drove over to Monrovia, about an hour away, where Eric has his shop, aluminum rims are all he does, and he said no problem cutting them down to 4". So, with the great price I got on the rims and Eric charges $150 per rim to narrow I'll have the rims I've wanted for yeeeeaaaars for a total cost of $475. For a pair of 15" X 4" old style mags I think that's a great deal.
I lived in Duarte, the sister city of Monrovia, for years. I found out about Eric a long time ago from Don Blair (Blairs Speed Shop in Pasadena) when a buddy of mine was building a salt flats car and needed some wheels modified and Don told us to go see Eric, this dude's an artist.
 
#65 ·
Nice that you've got that resource handy! We used to have a place called Willamette Wheel just 5 miles from my home. I can't tell you how many times I used them for custom wheel work over several decades. Then one day they simply closed their doors and it ended. I heard the owner retired, and nobody wanted to take over with fears of lawyers and liability insurance for doing wheel work.
 
#66 ·
I’ve never had that done before. Sounds like old school craft. I’m glad you got what you always wanted Steve.
Now getter rollin!!!!!!!:)
 
#67 ·
Thanks for the info, I'm tucking away that connection for a future date/project .... 150.00 a wheel is AWESOME!




_______________________________________________________________________________________

Tom
 
#68 ·
Shared information is always good Tom. One of the few good things left about living in So Cal is the close proximity to just about anything you want or need. Erics' shop is off the Myrtle Ave exit ramp on the 210 freeway about a mile up from the freeway.
 
#69 ·
Wheels Are Ready

I got a call from Eric today letting me know that my wheels are done. He said they came out great and are right at 4" wide!!!!! FINALLY I'll have the pair of the wheels I've wanted for decades that are no longer made and next to impossible to find. Now I'm really, really glad I didn't plunk down the $2500 dollars for the pair of magnesium 15" X 4" mags that came up on ebay last year; plus they had the flat spokes which I never really liked. What's even better is that today I got a $260 settlement check from a class action law suit against a dog food manufacturer (I buy just about everything from Amazon including my dog food so I was able to go back through my purchase history and print out proof of purchase invoices to submit with my claim) and a buddy I gave one of my jobs to stopped by to give me my 10% referral fee for the job so the cost of the wheel modifications isn't really coming out of my pocket plus there'll be enough left over to pay for about half of the new tires. So now along with the set of big n little Torque Thrust D wheels and tires I want to get rid of I have a pair of 4" X 15" slotted mags with new tires I need to sell.
I'll post some photos of the wheels before I get the new tires mounted so you guys can see Erics work.
 
#71 ·
Oh Jesus Christ Lash, you are funny; I'm laughing my ass off as I write this. I'd love to have you come out and help as long as you wear that white dress that shows off your new knockers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#72 ·
Awesome Steve, glad it all worked out for you. I heard about that dog food class action suite. I never purchased any to take advantage of it. Like Lash said get going on that cam will ya. Take it a little at a time and do one thing a night. Before you know it you will be going sideways again and looking good while you do it. :)
 
#74 ·
Those wheels will be cool, they're getting hard to find. I remember back when you couldn't give those away, along with the alum slots. I bought a old set of alum slots off CL not to long ago for $200, sold them for $400 a week later. Everybody wanted Cragars when I was running around, now I wouldn't trade a nice set of torque thrust for a truck load of Cragars. You were talking about having to pay for sand blasting, I built me a big cabinet out of particle board I got for nothing, I use that thing constantly. I buy the media in various grits from Tractor Supply for $7.00 a bag. Cheap gun off of ebay, I ain't got a $100 in it.
 
#76 · (Edited)
Sounds like a good deal! With something like this, who cares if you get the right width on $50 swap meet wheels. Just buy'em! OH! Forgot, he does have a web site. Just loaded into my favorites.
 
#77 ·
Another old school craftsman closing up shop.

I picked up the wheels late today, they're bitchin. It was to dark to take photos so I'll post tomorrow. A bit of news though. When I dropped the wheels off, Erics shop was closed. There's a local barber shop next door that allows his customers to leave parts though. When I picked up my wheels today I told him that I had put his name out on this web site. Then he gave me the news; after 35 years he's closing down this coming June. So if anyone wants their aluminum wheels modified you may want to contact him. Pretty soon there won't be any of these talented, knowledgeable guys around anymore.......
http://www.ericvaughnmachine.com/
 
#78 ·
Oh well at least you got yours done in time. thanks for posting.
 
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