Reassembly continues on our 1938 Depression Era Big Car. The aluminum belly pan was nicked and scratched from dirt clod and stone strikes during exhibition racing events. The belly ban was refinished and given a fresh coat of silver paint.

The freshly painted belly pan and cowl assembly were installed today. The cowl and tail assembly were then clay barred, cleaned and waxed to remove any traces of shop dirt and grit which may have accumulated on the painted surfaces during the time the cart was disassembled. This vintage race car is coming together nicely and the craftsmanship of the car’s builder is very apparent.

This photo detailing the decals on the cowl indicate that this car was affiliated with the Antique Auto Racing Association and the Midwest Old Timers Vintage Race Car Club. The car has appeared in events sanctioned by both associations.

This car is equipped with period correct outside rear brake lever and manual fuel pressure air pump. Because of the on board battery and starter this race car is equipped with a kill switch on the driver side frame rail. Due to the fact that these race cars relied on air pressure to force the fuel forward to the carburetor the fuel cap is a sealed vent-less unit.

I am happy to report that the long awaited return of our Ford Model B race engine to our Depression Era Big Car is now complete. The engine is installed and running great. The new engine carries great oil pressure, consistent compression of 115-120psi. and no sign of any coolant leaks. We plan to do a bit of additional tuning and then add the cowling back on the car. As you can see from the following images, this car carries an on-board battery, starter, and mini alternator to make getting the car to and from events easy.

I have also included a close up photo of the Ford factory replacement block Diamond Casting mark on the engine block.

Because most of the car’s internal features are visible at this time, I have added photos of the vintage 1928 Franklin steering components, front and rear suspension detail, and on-board battery box.

Restored 1928 Franklin Steering

Vintage Ford Rear Axle note Safety Wire

On-Board Battery System

Front Suspension and Steering Detail

Flashback racing recently took delivery on our freshly rebuilt Ford Model B engine for our vintage depression era Big Car. When our previous engine developed a frost crack and began weeping coolant we knew it was time for a rebuild. A historical note here is that Freeze Plugs for water cooled engines had not been invented yet. After tearing down our engine and having the block repaired, we were able to acquire a vintage factory replacement Model B block which can be identified by the small diamond casting on the front of the block. These blocks are stronger than the original factory castings and the best choice for any high performance applications.

Our rebuilt engine features new pistons, wrist pins, rings, bearings, seals, and gaskets. Our previous valve train, crankshaft and connecting rods was near perfect, they were cleaned up and reinstalled. These images came with the engine and the invoice.

Freshly bored Model B block ready for pistons