Budget Hotrod Build EP. 15 [Lowering the Radiator]

[@Dave_Boyer]

I figured you’d be fixing the issue with the way it all looked, that would eat me alive. I learned long ago, if I’m not happy now, I’ll never be happy. Love it!

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Ya I had to roll the car out and it was a definite I was going to rework the body position. It had to be done

[@jalopyranch3904]

you just came up with a new solution to an old problem, I never seen this before thats true hot rodding

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks so much. I didn’t invent the solution, I’m simply showing people some newer trucks us “young” guys are using to build our cars. 😎👍🏼

[@CharlesLarsen-hb7iu]

Mike you are an inspiration to all of us restoring an old classic in our garage shops on a tight budget and without all of the fancy tools. You're showing us that it can be done. Keep up your great work!

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Those are very kind words. Thank you so much.

[@eustolioramirez2955]

I am enjoying the videos, I am building 3 different vehicles a 1930 ford coupe with a 350 chevy motor , a 1947 ford coupe with a V8 flat head, and a 1955 chevy 3100 truck with a 454 chevy motor, by myself so your videos are enjoyable.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

That’s a lot of projects. I can only focus on one at a time. My bank account can only handle one at a time also.

[@jongolliher3806]

I really like your ideas of what looks "right" Mike and you are right on. I spent a good part of my allowance every Friday evening buying the "little pages" as a teenager getting educated on the look and the how too of hot rods. There are many variations of hot rods but they all fit into the look. Was really glad that you moved the body because improper tire and wheel well alignment really violates the look. I see that you have the visor put on now, great job. Was glad that you popped for the repo deuce shell with that rad. Neat way to adapt the crossmember for the rad. Great idea and I had never seen that done before. To me, every hot rod had a deuce shell. :) It would be neat to know how many old timey hot rod builds get inspired by this project! Thanks for the videos Mike and all the best!

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate comments like this. I hope I'm inspiring people and their projects, It would be curious to know how this project will affect others... I'm sure I'll never know, but thats okay. As long as they're being saved, built and drive. Thats all that matters. Thanks for the kind words Mike

[@dannychiguina3962]

Hot Rod Build's are looking great 👍 guys keep up the great work and video's 🤙😎🍷

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you. I appreciate that man.

[@papasmodelcarroom8450]

Great episode, I think I can use that radiator technique on a model car.....getting so many ideas for model car building. If it works I'll eventually mention it on my KZbin channel 😮

[@incampbellsshoptoday2599]

Got me going enough to order my radiator while watching your video. Now put on my boots and go out and install a shifter on top of the 3 speed. Need to be done before May 26.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Fantastic!

[@snoopu2601]

My late uncle Rayes was a radiator man he would fix a repair or Kustom make rads for a living people from all over California used to come to my uncle's back yard shop. He had the water tanks and everything to repair them he delt with chemicals to fix them. He put tanks on my re condition rad for my truck 4 row radiator for towing if I had to. Oh yeah my uncle made a lot of resistors to fit 1932 -34 Ford's he would cut them down shorter and put the tanks on them.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thats really cool ! Lots of people did lots of cool things to keep these little cars on the road !

[@paulresca6681]

The lines are really nice on the car. Hard to believe that is the same body you started with, wow. Keep up the great content. This great February weather must mean more videos coming. Thanks

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks so much, its really shaped up into something pretty cool ! something to be proud of for sure !

[@richardlees778]

Nice job 👏 👍

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@donlandenberg8126]

Nice! I like where you're going with this build. Thanks for taking us along.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks so much ! I really appreciate the support !

[@stanleyfanning5316]

Grill made a big difference in the looks.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks, I think so too...I like the look much better

[@mr1pearl]

Another great adjustment it had to be done that radiator is cool !

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks 👍

[@rscruiser3533]

Thank You for the Talk on the Hurdles we could face -- for trying to get that Look we are wanting -- Facing challenges in the Build that pops up -- AH GEES -- i DIDN'T ANTICAPATE THAT --- Need a break -- go get a Taco ---- Rodney

[@ThisOldHotrod]

You are so welcome, thank you for the kind words !

[@jameswestover7585]

Great job on centering the wheel wells. You mentioned trimming the firewall for clearance. Made me remember reading in "Hot Rod" magazine in the 70s, about making oddball engine swaps where firewall clearance was a problem. Their suggestion was cut out the center of firewall. Find a good used wheelbarrow, cut the bottom 3-4" and use that for the recessed area, weld it in, and you have a recessed firewall. Yes does weird, might work for someone building a rat rod.

[@waynespyker5731]

Filled the hole behind the big block, not very authentic, didn't make the '80s. They filled deuce grille shells with kitchen drawer pulls in the '60s. I like to see factory ribbing and body lines on firewalls, my '30 coupe came with Reynolds Metals expanded aluminum mesh firewall (first thing I removed after the complete with brakes/suspension '49 Chevy front crossmember).

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Ive seen that done also, wasn't quite the look I was going for. But it definitely itty does work and gets the job done.

[@hotdogbri]

The front is looking cool buddy...keep at it going to look, a ok.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@douglasbarnhart3324]

Thanks for the video Mike!! looks like your on the home stretch see ya on the next one.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you for following along, I'm felling pretty good about it, definitely coming together !

[@JimsIfitaintbrokefixit]

Great video and content. Lots of good tips and tricks.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you so much !

[@xozindustries7451]

I’m a few videos behind, starting to look like a hot rod, amazing what putting on the grill shell makes it

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Really changes the look of it.

[@johnkranz4004]

Very nice job Mike looking good

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks John !

[@jimjax413]

Read an article in Hod Rod years ago and Brizio said his “look” was an 1 1/2 longer hood and shorter grill. Mike, this no. Is approximate and have been trying to find the article to confirm. When you meet Roy, ask him. Your channel is great, thanks

[@ThisOldHotrod]

I will make sure I ask him if I ever meet him. Thank you for all the kind words and support. Mike

[@r1lark]

Glad you moved the body forward some, the tire position versus the wheelwells looks (best I can tell) much better. Would love to see a side view shot of the car now. Great job on the lowering of the radiator, very clean modification.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

It’s perfectly centered on the rear. I would have never left if as it was. All the little mods are making it a cool little car. 👍🏼

[@johns9993]

Nice , real nice tip to help you get the look , keep the videos coming !!!

[@ThisOldHotrod]

More to come! Thank You

[@matthouse8499]

I'm glad you did more that body forward it looks right for sure the engine is sitting back into the firewall, looks right about where my engine sets in my model A I think it's right about 4 inches into the firewall on mine, kinda of a pain in the butt to build the recessed firewall but we'll worth it, great job Mike 👍

[@ThisOldHotrod]

You nailed it. About 4” into it. Next step is the front floors and firewall. Thanks for the kind words. It’s very much appreciated Mike

[@craigcaggiano431]

Looks great, I ran into a similar issue with my 35 Ford so I mounted it lower too.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

We’ve got to do what we need to do 👍🏼

[@galenwalker165]

Nice job. It looks awesome.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks 🙏🏼

[@Joe.Doucette]

Looking good.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks Joe !

[@dwaynea8177]

Nicely done

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@michaelguinn5736]

Morning Mike, well we have another coincidence, I am using a re-pop 32 Grille...

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Definitely a popular grill for a lot of Hotrods.

[@michaelstrafello7346]

Yes you did I started working on my antique harley I'm learning as I go don't know anything about motorcycle engine's car engine's yes I've never split cases on a harley but I am now

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Hope it’s coming along smoothly ! Thanks for following along on my channel

[@janosszabo2206]

What you going to be asking for this great project? Ballpark figure.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

I'd like to get 10k for the car if I could, I think that's a pretty good price, that should leave the next owner some room to finish and still have some equity in the car for the future. I have a title for the car as well.

[@janosszabo2206]

@@ThisOldHotrod that sounds very fair. I am in the middle of a 1927 roadster. Kinda want to move later into a 3 window.

[@justdale1966]

Hey good morning from Northern California looking good I used a couple of rubber shock grommets to absorb vibrations from the street do you do that 2

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thank you, No, I am going to use the thin rubber pads I showed in the video and original style mounting hardware for the radiator. Pretty typical setup I think, Ive never had an issue going that route.

[@justdale1966]

Yeah that's what I get for watching your KZbin video on talking on the phone I miss it I use the rubber shot grommets cuz that was all I had laying around I crushed them down pretty thin when I tighten the nuts

[@Chuck_House_of_Mopar]

Hey Mike, What camera do you use for your videos? Thanks

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Currently I'm using a Canon M50 DSLR. Standard 18-55mm lens

[@jimbradley4565]

Would it be possible to section the grill shell to lower it even more?

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Nope. Not to lower it. The radiator dictates where the grill shell sits. I could section the shell and raise the bottom of it up to shorten it. That’s about it.

[@loosebruce6637]

Mike, use cardboard to protect raidiator fins.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

I will, I typically do …

[@jasonrogers104]

Mike what kind of lights are in your shop it lights up real nice just wondering cause your ceilings are pretty tall also ?

[@ThisOldHotrod]

I've got 8 4' LED lights in the shop, they're about 14' up on the ceiling

[@garyf2245]

lookin good sub an like great job

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks 👍

[@greghapp1681]

Why didn't you just cut the old spacer down

[@ThisOldHotrod]

What spacer

[@greghapp1681]

@@ThisOldHotrod the fan spacer

[@greghapp1681]

Was just wondering because you fabricated everything else and you are doing a cool job on this project. Keep up the good work.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Both ends are machined. I’m sure I could have asked someone to turn it down on a lathe. But I found one, so I bought it.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

@@greghapp1681 ya, I don’t have a lathe. I looked at it. It couldn’t just be “cut down” for it to be right. I didn’t want the fan to wobble or vibrate. I need to buy myself a lathe. I’ve never used one. But I’m sure I could learn.

[@engleharddinglefester4285]

He said member.

[@yobop6072]

....I'm sorry....I didn't see this vid....I mentioned the centering of the rear....I figured ud fix it....I like the grill laid back and 32grills r neat raked back....pax...rew

[@ThisOldHotrod]

I’m not a big fan of them leaned back. But to each his own.

[@heres2ya]

maybe you could of just got the proper height radiator, instead of spending a days work to lower it one inch.

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Guys have been doing it this way for years, it’s They don’t make a shorter aluminum radiator for these cars. You’ll have to have one custom made for $1k to $1500.00. So to spend 1hr (if I recall correctly) to lower the mounts is far more valuable to me than spending as much on a radiator as I did 1/2 the car to build it. But hey… you do you, chief. You’re the pro 😎👌🏼

[@DroooooopDead]

Looking great

[@ThisOldHotrod]

Thanks !