Started on another 58 today

[Ron in Indiana]

Funny how those pesky day jobs get in the way of our fun,huh? Well guys don't feel like the Lone Ranger cause I'm right there with you. My A100 project stares me in the face everyday I go into my shop, waiting patiently for me to do a little more. Then I see the "paying" jobs and think one of these days I'll get back to it. I did sneak a little filler on the rear quarter the other day when I was doing some work on another project. Like Pieter keeps telling me it's not costing me anything to set there so it waits. Everyone needs a dream and something to hold onto especially now in these crazy scary times. So don't sweat it if you're not getting anything done right now at least you have the dream.

[rickt4498]

dodge a100

...the little WHITE wagon lives...

a very unique survivor...

good luck, rick

[74w300uteline]

dim distant memories

That truck with the front end in the air, brings back a vague childhood memory of an A 100 dragster that would go all the way down the strip standing up. It may have been an east coast thing not sure.

[Ron in Indiana]

That truck with the front end in the air, brings back a vague childhood memory of an A 100 dragster that would go all the way down the strip standing up. It may have been an east coast thing not sure.

You're probably thinking of The Little Red Wagon or one of the clones of that time. Bill "Maverick" Golden was the owner and driver of the Wagon. I saw him run against the Hemi Under Glass Cuda one year at the Mopar Nationals and it was THE coolest thing I have ever seen. These two famous wheelstanders side by side running the full 1/4 on two wheels. At the finish line the H U G turned around and did a wheel stand back to the starting line. I want to pay homage to the LRW with my truck but this is the only way it will ever be that high in the sky, but man what a ride that would be. I at least have a 354 Hemi that I would like to shoehorn into mine with an 8" setback from stock. The original LRW had a 426 Hemi.

We got 95% of the parts we went after today. Fantasic day and a really impressive salvage yard to say the least.

[pieter]

I want to pay homage to the LRW with my truck but this is the only way it will ever be that high in the sky, but man what a ride that would be.

Things could be modified to make that easier to accomplish then you think ;o)

[rickt4498]

little red wagon revisited

RON...LRW was the exact racer I was thinking of when I responded earlier

i spent tons of hard earned paperboy $$$$ on hot rod books in the 60's/70's

in fact i've got a HOT WHEELS sized version of the LRW...complete with a clear plastic angled base to simulate the wheelie, in a closet somewhere.

www.littleredwagon.com is a great site for some pics and info


354... set back 8 inches...screw on yer cahones...11 seconds...
ready or not...here we come

good luck, rick

[Ron in Indiana]

I built the model of the LRW back in the 60's as a kid and I still have it. They have them on epay most of the time nowadays too. I saw the static display of one of the trucks in Don Garlits museum back in 88 posed doing a wheelie. But to be right next to the actual truck in the pits was almost to much. There were a number of knock offs but THE MAN was Bill Golden who developed the steering brake system that everyone copies today.

My project will have to wait for a major influx of $$$$ with the way things are right now but who knows..... I can still dream.

[Steve G]

I saw the LRW at the mopar nats racing the hemi under glass. I went to the nats '91, '92, and '93. One of those years we were talking to Bill Golden by the LRW and we noticed a fist sized hole in the hemi block and he said they didn't run it long enough to overheat it. They tow it up to the line, fire it up, heat up the tires, run down the track in 9 seconds then shut it down. It's pretty wild watching that front end bob around in the air while wheelstanding the full length of the track at 140mph.

[Ron in Indiana]

Like I said in my other post it was THE coolest thing I'd ever seen. I saw Bill in the pits also but there was such a crowd I couldn't get next to him. Truely a legend not unlike Big Daddy Don Garlits. Steve, did you get those Power Kings mounted? Maybe see at the rally next year? Have a good one.

[Steve G]

Ron, the power kings have not been mounted but when they show up at that price I have to get them ready or not. Thanks again for hauling those to Iowa for me.

Maybe you should paint that A100 like the LRW and make a stand so it will be up in the air like that and put it in the front yard as homage to Bill Golden and his wheelstander. A few years ago someone came out with hot wheels sized A100 wheelstanders, I have four of those. They also came with a little bracket to display the truck doing a wheelie. Bill Golden's LRW, Chuck Poole's Chuck Wagon, John Ludwick's Dodge Rebellion, and Bob Riggles' Hemi Express. I don't know if all of these guys actually had A100 wheelstanders but it is a neat collectable.

[Ron in Indiana]

I've seen those on ebay and I have a Johnny Lighting A100 that looks like mine , a work in progress. I don't remember the other wheelstanders because like most other things it's the original that everyone remembers ie; Bigfoot, Big Daddy etc. I don't know when I'll get to the A100 again with all the other projects around here and others waiting but someday... I know what you mean about deals that come along and it was no problem with bringing out your set. Like everyone else, someday... ha ha.

[Ron in Indiana]

Thought I'd post about the little bit of progress I've made on the Crispy Critter truck. We cleaned up the frame with the pressure washer last fall and it looks much better than I thought. I got the rear bumper off and the right fender from the bed. The floor had a piece of diamond plate over the wood that had a small angle welded to the sides to hold it down. My son ground off the angle to remove the plate. The floor had a hole in the rear corner that was patched in with plywood 2'x2' and they cut the bed strips. Yesterday I worked on the rear fender to remove some of the numerous dents and tears on the edges. It came around fairly well considering the way it was torn up. At least I got some time on it again which has been hard with the winter we've been having. I need to get the cab in to start on it but with 4 trucks in the shop right now I don't know where I'd put it. If it's not one thing it's another. How about the rest of you, getting anything done on your projects?

[oldmopar]

Not sure if counts as progress but I did drain and refill all fluids: oil, both axles, trans and transfer case

[Ron in Indiana]

It's a job that needs to be done so yes I'd call that progress. How about the brakes? Have you adjusted them yet? I've found that on most of the trucks that have come through have needed new brake hoses on the front axle. They will look fine but become plugged to the point of not letting any fluid through. I worked on the rear fender again and used my new right angle die grinder for cleaning and grinding welds. Sure works great.

[oldmopar]

I am finishing up work on another projects So it will be a while until I get to the truck. I did the fluids because I know that is a area that never gets much attention and feel it is important to start with clean fresh system . As to brakes I plan to redo the system replace/ rebuild mc,wheel cylinders, hoses and lines if needed. Since this has the mc on the firewall I also plan to swap in a dual set up. The truck is in decent condition mostly surface rust but will need to patch a few spots on the top of the fenders and also the front cab mounts.