In our last installation of our dream build series, Josh and I theoretically built a '39 Fordor Bonneville hauler out of a bunch of swap meet stuff we'd spied over the years. We tried to present it in as realistic manner as possible, using real world parts and pieces that any hot rodder across the country would have access to. Thinking big and using a little imagination is what this series is all about and this month's dream build is pushing the envelope slightly more than last month's.
For starters, while the previous build was actually based on a particular production vehicle, this month's is more loosely based on a combination of production and competition vehicles, taking equal inspiration from both. Returning to the early days of Indy racing and the inspiration hot rodders took from those roundy-round cars and brought to the dry lakes, Josh used a myriad of hot rod parts we'd found at various swap meets throughout the past year or so and even illustrated how to fabricate some of the more custom panels on the Indy car, such as the tail, grille, and hood sections.
The meat and potatoes of our Indy hot rod is an unidentified roadster body we found for $450 at the L.A. Roadster's Show swap meet, coupled with a Model A frame for another $500. Suspension duties are handled by parallel springs at all four corners, supporting a tube axle up front and a Halibrand quick-change out back. Kinmont disc brakes with knock-off hubs complement the race car theme and handle the stopping duties. A straight-four Crosley engine would turn those Model A Ford purists on their heads and would make for a convincing period powerplant. A Miller-style grille, friction shocks, full-length headers, wire wheels, and vintage Coker Indy tires round off the exterior aesthetic while a simple four-spoke steering wheel and a couple of gauges make for a competition-inspired cockpit.
While many of the parts on this particular build, like the brakes we specified, might put this kind of project beyond the realm of the builder held down by the size of his wallet, the same car with the same impact could be built using less expensive and far more common components, which would make building an Indy-inspired roadster, be it for the street or for the track, much more affordable. Just throw some lights on the sucker and you could be blasting down the highway before you could say "speeding ticket."
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Model A frame$600 |  Unknown roadster body$450...  Unknown roadster body$450 |  Coker Indy Roadster Tires...  Coker Indy Roadster Tires$1,300 |
 Kinmont disc brakes$7,000...  Kinmont disc brakes$7,000 |  Crosley inline-four cylinder...  Crosley inline-four cylinder engines$2,500 |  Halibrand quick-change$2,...  Halibrand quick-change$2,250 |