A labor of Love Over 25 Years in the Making - The 1938 Street Rod Finally Rumbles
- 23 Nov 2009
1938 Ford Street Rod
1938 Ford Street Rod under the hood
"The engine is a 350 Chevrolet with a 671 Weiand blower, and in wanting to keep the entire unit hidden, or under the hood, I discovered I had created a serious problem, there wasn't enough room for an air intake that would properly service the engine," says Andrew.
"Dustin and I spent hours on the Internet trying to find something that would work, but everything we thought might work, just sat too high, meaning I couldn't place the hood into position. After a while we came to a common conclusion, we needed a large plenum box that had to be less than 1.5 inches high, and still be able to deliver the airflow needed for the blower."
1938 Ford Street Rod with Chevrolet 350 engine with a 671 Weiand blower
Mulling it over for a few days, Dustin returned to Andrew's garage one morning with some exhaust piping and sheet metal and preceded to build an air cleaner unit he had envisioned the night before. Prior to the actual build they spent more time at their local parts house (Baxters), studying various K&N filter configurations, which helped them with their final plans. "We had them pulling all kinds of your filters off the shelf so we could measure them until we found the K&N filter with the specific measurements we need," says Andrew.
David Andrews' 1938 Ford Street Rod
From that they were also able to determine the correct suction-piping diameter they would need to allow K&N filters to slide into position. "We ended up utilizing four K&N cartridges that fit perfectly. The engine runs great, I can't wait to get it on the road," adds Andrew.
"The truck started out to be an everyday driver, but now it has become a show vehicle. I get an overwhelming amount of enjoyment and pride from all those who view it and appreciate it."
1938 Ford Street Rod with K&N Air Filters
"Dustin and I are very proud of the finished product (filter), we have had some great reviews already from those who have seen it, and we plan to show the '36 in February 2010 at the Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show. After that we're off to the big shows in April, at the Portland Convention Center and at the Tacoma Dome after that."
The '36 finally rolled out of the body shop for what Andrews believes is the last time just a few days ago. The two have already started on another project, a custom '47 Ford Tudor that has the top removed and will end up housing a Carson Top design. Dustin is a highly skilled welder and the two of them are building the frame themselves. The power-plant on this one is a 351 Ford racing engine, which Andrew has already purchased.
"At this point Dustin is like an adopted son to me," says Andrew. "He is in part the reason I purchased the '47. I bought it for him and one of my sons who is confined to a wheel chair. We have decided that it will probably have hand controls so that Doug, my real son, will be able to drive it - but I will put the title in both of their names."
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