The aluminum fuel tank is...
The aluminum fuel tank is from Shadow Rods. It's secured to the frame via four tabs.
A gas tank cover is incorporated...
A gas tank cover is incorporated into the pickup bed. To install it the entire assembly drops down over the tank.
Aeromotive supplied the fuel...
Aeromotive supplied the fuel system, including the pump, pre- and post-filters, fuel log, and all the fittings and line required.
To make less of a mess when...
To make less of a mess when changing elements, the Aeromotive fuel filter has a built-in shut-off valve.
An Aeromotive fuel log connects...
An Aeromotive fuel log connects both of the carburetor's fuel bowls and mounts a pressure gauge.
Lokar provided the Nostalgia...
Lokar provided the Nostalgia shifter. The sticks come in two lengths: 16 and 23 inch.
Even though the AOD is a four-speed...
Even though the AOD is a four-speed transmission, it has just three forward gear positions OD-D and 1.
Lokar also provided the transmission-mounted...
Lokar also provided the transmission-mounted emergency brake assembly and cables.
The Lokar shifter can be moved...
The Lokar shifter can be moved fore and aft on the mounting bracket. Note the mount on the side of the transmission for the emergency brake handle.
With the low stance of the...
With the low stance of the roadster pickup, and the dropped floor, a deep transmission tunnel is needed. Note the three holes in the side.
The Lokar emergency brake...
The Lokar emergency brake bolts to the bracket on the transmission through the holes in the tunnel. Even with the intrusion of the transmission there is plenty of interior room, and plenty of ground clearance for the trans pan as well.
Even a roadster needs heat...
Even a roadster needs heat and air (this one will have a top and side curtains). To keep the inside comfy, Cotati installed a Vintage Air ComPac Gen II unit.
This assembly bolts under...
This assembly bolts under the cowl and holds the Vintage Air air conditioning evaporator and mounts the steering column.
A bulkhead fitting was used...
A bulkhead fitting was used to route the A/C and heater hoses through the firewall. A Lokar transmission dipstick is behind the passenger side valve cover.
Inside the passenger compartment...
Inside the passenger compartment short A/C and heater hoses run from the bulkhead fittings to the fittings on the evaporator case. Note the use of Dynamat for heat insulation.
Early action at Cotati: Owner...
Early action at Cotati: Owner and builder of the Silhouette dragster, Otho Sichel, pilots the push car for driver Charlie "Goat" Cessano. The car runs a blown small-block Chevy in this photo but previously appeared on the cover of the '56 Hot Rod Annual with its original flathead engine.
North of San Francisco near Santa Rosa is a tiny whistle stop called Cotati, California. This otherwise-obscure destination has an exceptionally rich history in the world of motorsports. The earliest racing tradition in Cotati was a board track oval that operated from 1920-1921.
During World War II there was a Naval Airstrip in Cotati, which ultimately became, after the war, a sports car racing road course, and, more importantly to hot rodders, a dragstrip. From the late-'50s to the late-'60s drag racers from all over the country came to Northern California and raced at a number of venues. The Cotati Raceway was one of the first to host such luminaries as Swamp Rat pilot Don Garlits and Art Arfons and his legendary Green Monster jet car
Having grown up as a complete car nut in the area where the dragstrip once was, the destination of choice for every gearhead in that part of the state, Zane Cullen felt the pull of the history and excitement that surrounded the locally legendary racing site. After operating his now widely known hot rod and custom car building business under the name Creative Concepts for several years, Cullen has elected to finish the second decade of his shop's existence under a new name: Cotati Speed Shop.
Cullen and his team place tremendous emphasis on careful craftsmanship and attention to detail and design. Clean and well organized, the shop typically has 6-10 cars under construction simultaneously. Not only is Cullen a car builder and talented painter, he is a master organizer. The shop does complete and partial builds, paintwork, repairs, and more recently retail sales.
Cullen hopes to help keep the local history both alive and revered and always available to the hot rod community. With many show successes, GNRS Builder of the Year, Goodguys Trendsetter of the Year, and '10 Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame inductee on his résumé, Cullen and his crew are creating some history and traditions of their own.'