1940 Custom Sprint Car - A Real Hot Rod

The pedals and subsequent assemblies are more Josh items, as is the clutch linkage; the clutch handle is an original '32 V-8 headlight bar-you gotta love that! Other noteworthy Josh-massaged items include the louvered metal belly pan, which uses a cut-up Sportster gas tank to make the curve area of the pan. The nosepiece is a rare, 10-pound original cast-steel Jaguar grille. The bumpers and nerf bars are more "made at home" items from Josh, built in the Ted Horn Sprint Car style. A U.S. Mint nickel is welded "heads up" on top of the rear bumper for luck, and to keep the car right side up. This tradition is still used today.

Build Your Own
You're probably figuring this has to be fun, and let's face it, you can only power park so many times before you go crazy. There has to be more fun to owning a street rod than parking it behind your lawn chair, right? This just might be the ideal Saturday morning scoot-around-town.

A good bet would be to stick with some type of Flathead, and a V8-60 would be ideal. Behind this, an early Ford gearbox is obvious, but how about a modern five-speed for improved driveability? Josh says this is all doable with his Sprint Cars.

As for wheels, again, it's obvious early Ford wires or a modern component that gives you the same look-wires from Dayton or something from Coker-should do the trick. Tires to mount on the wires are a snap, especially with the likes of Coker around. A set of 16-inch, 8.00 Dirt Track rears and 6.00 ribbed fronts or Excelsiors would fit the bill.

The rearend can be a really fun aspect of the build. The early Ford rearend is ideal, but how about a quick-change? The banjo rear will be the easiest and most budget-conscious piece to run.

The front suspension is a quick trip to anyone making early Ford I-beam or tube axles, such as Pete & Jake's. Josh will be able to herd you down the right road here, making sure you get all the right pieces. Friction, knee action-style shocks are something else you would want. Originals are around, but the repro ones will work just fine, and Speedway Motors makes several kinds.

Steering should be a Schroeder box, since the looks and function are all there. There are plenty of used units available, and Josh tells us this is another part to which he has access.

Inside, you gotta have a big- diameter four-spoke steering wheel. Again, the street rod industry has these readily available. Josh likes the Streamline Hot Rod Parts 17-inch model, as it matches the wheels used by the guys decades ago. You will have to find large-diameter gauges, and you will want at least 2-1/2-inch water/oil/temp/electrical gauges. The big 5-inch tach is a must, but you will need to find room to add one of these since original Sprint Cars didn't have speedometers.

As for electrics, any of the street rod wiring companies offer basic wire kits that will work just fine. Let's face it, this ride isn't going to have A/C, stereo, or power anything! You will need to locate a small battery, which is another readily available item in our industry. Powermaster is a good bet in this category, as it offers a battery; but the company also has a modern alternator residing in a generator-looking case (PowerGEN), and this should be a must.

The front grille, which can make or break the look of the Sprint Car, will be the tough part. I doubt you will find vintage Jaguar grilles on any street corner, and you probably don't even want to ask what vintage Sprint Car grilles cost. But, something is out there, and Josh, who has his talented hands in all aspects of hot rodding, can help you navigate these waters.

It is not your average stoplight hot rod. And, it shouldn't be, as street rodding is about expressing your individuality and creativity. I can see it now-our own STREET RODDER Special blasting down the road to the Nats. Well, that may be a bit too aggressive of a drive from SoCal, but it is fun to dream.