Dan Shaw drives his Shaw Special;...
Dan Shaw drives his Shaw Special; originally a Christmas present, the car is a licensed and insured driver. The best drives are saved for weekends to the local dirt track. For the brave of heart and to sling some dirt, these cars can be run at Vintage Open Wheel events.
Hot rodders are aware that our mechanical roots reach deep into the dry lakes, Salt Flats, dragstrips, dirt tracks, and paved tracks. Our heritage is steeped in speed, wrenches, and more importantly, "cars that go bump in the night." Whether we understand race cars of any persuasion, the fact is they fascinate us, and with good reason-the sounds they make reach into the deepest recesses of our emotional makeup. They are both beautiful and dangerous, and therein lies the fascination.
Dad's Sprinter
Let's take a look at this recreation of a '40s-era Sprint Car that Ohio hot rodder Joshua Shaw built for his dad, Dan Shaw, as a Christmas present and then thought to himself, "Maybe others would like one of these." The foundation for this build came when he was trying to round up parts for the build. Josh tells a story that is pretty interesting.
"I couldn't afford a real '40s Sprinter in any condition, and it was November 1-only seven weeks till Christmas. Then, I got lucky. A customer at our hot rod shop brought in a single-owner, 30,000-mile, near-perfect '37 Ford coupe. He already had the original 85hp Flathead completely gone through and was ready to fire, but he wanted to make it a street rod. So, the body and fenders were put onto a new chassis with a 350 Chevy, and the guy was able to drive his mom's old coupe wherever, whenever. The best part was I was able to work a deal with the owner for the complete running gear and frame out of the coupe. Now, I had all my suspension, engine (Josh made the headers), and tranny.
Josh Shaw wet-sanded with...
Josh Shaw wet-sanded with 2,000-grit to achieve a virtually flawless finish. The mold was split down the middle, so half of a body can be provided for mounting on shop walls.
The fiberglass body was taken...
The fiberglass body was taken from the mold with the grille hole and engine relief cut.
The chassis was nearing completion...
The chassis was nearing completion here; based on a '37 Ford frame, it resembles many a hot rod at this stage.
"I debated working with a metal friend of mine and hammering a body, but two things were keeping me from this: time and the interest this car was getting in my shop. I had two guys ready to order cars after I built Dad's. I called fellow racer A.J. Pate at Pate Manufacturing. He builds his own molds. He offered to show me how to build a mold if I bought everything. He then explained how to make and shape the 'plug,' which I did.
"It took a week and a half to build the mold. Now, I had my body and a mold to make more. The mold splits down the center of the body from front to back, so I can make half-bodies to hang on shop walls. I also molded the bodies in one piece, so the builder can cut the hood openings ... wherever! There's no grille opening, making many different grilles possible."
The Shaw Special consists of many different hot rod aspects. The '37 Ford Flathead is a stock 85hp version, but Josh did fit an aluminum Weber flywheel (because he had it). Did we mention the radiator is another rescued item from the '37 Ford, kept in its original state? More '37 items include a front axle, wishbones, and spindles and hubs, while the front spring is a POSIES Super Slide. The '37 banjo rear is complete with a Model T rear spring, set up as it would have been done on the old Sprint Cars-on top of the rearend. He made all of the obligatory brackets and welded them to the rear. More rearward items are the '37 wishbones, torque tube, original friction shocks at the corners, and '40 hydraulic brakes. The transmission is a '37 Ford "low-gear" model.
The Sprint-Car-turned-street-rod runs on stock '35 Ford wires, with original Firestone 9.50x16 Dirt Track rears and 5.00x16 ribbed fronts. The steering is a feat of engineering, combining a Schroeder 8:1 steering box with a 6-inch pitman arm; Josh also made the 9-inch spindle loop, which turns out to be just the right ratio for street steering chores when all components are combined.
The fronts of the 'rails are...
The fronts of the 'rails are curved to accept the race car nose. According to Josh, this was the tricky part of the framerails, but it is boxed and strong. The front spring mount has a bit of flair to it, enhancing the aesthetic value of the chassis.
A jig was used in the building...
A jig was used in the building of the frame, which is made from 2x3-inch, 3/16 wall tubing. The rear frame kickup is made in three pieces and gradually curves in to follow the body. The rear crossmember is tubular and acts as a spring mount.
A rebuilt '37 Flathead was...
A rebuilt '37 Flathead was used with the generator moved to the side to allow for multiple carbs that are planned to be installed later. The radiator cap was put inline for easy access. Stock mounts are used and bolted in solid.
Model A front framehorns were...
Model A front framehorns were used for the rear portion of the Shaw Special 'rails. The bodies fit this configuration.
Early original shocks were...
Early original shocks were used; however, Speedway Motors offers a couple different types of friction shocks that work well and are period correct. A POSIES Super Slide spring was used. The shock mounting box also hides the driving lights. The center drilled bolt in the steering should be a hardened steel bolt.
The frame was painted and...
The frame was painted and the final assembly had begun here. The body attaches to 1/2x1/2-inch strips of angle iron welded to the top of the frame. Also visible are a rear hood seam band, an inner cockpit, and dash braces.
A Model T spring is used to...
A Model T spring is used to suspend a '37 banjo rear. A stainless 3-1/2-inch open exhaust gives the Flattie a throaty sound. The taillights are '30 Chevy and mounted under the shock mount.
Here's the car complete without...
Here's the car complete without the body. Josh drove the car several days in this stage to work out any bugs. According to him, "Without the body, the car reminds me of one of the first dragsters, called The Bug." Coker 16-inch Dirt Track tires were used on '35 Ford wires. A stock '37 Ford radiator was used.
Tom Corwin, owner of Street...
Tom Corwin, owner of Street and Stream Interiors in Batavia, OH, gets the credit for the comfy seat. The belts are original aircraft items, and there is a storage compartment under the seat for sunglasses and registration. The wiring was done by Mike Whitney.