Last November we decided that we were going to push ourselves to build the ’33 Coupe we have for the 2013 Race Of Gentlemen.  That would give us a little under a year to get it running.  Well life gets in the way and only about 4 weeks ago did real progress start getting made.  We’ve got so much work ahead of us in the next 5 months it’s not even funny but we’re committed and we’re chipping away at it as time allows.  Right now our short deadline includes having a rolling Chassis by June 1st which is definitely doable.  After that, the body goes to Damon at Moonlight Metal for a serious rechop which is sure to blow people away.

Anyhow, we’re hoping to get back on track and start updating this site, and you all as new things pop up.  Stay tuned, until then sit back and watch this once again….

Had an awesome weekend at the Revolution.  Thanks so much to all that supported us and stopped by to shoot the breeze.  We appreciate it more then you know!!!!!!  We started a thread on the HAMB for the entire story but the short version is this.  We drove 22 hours straight thru, drove our ’35 around Austin and met a lot of great people.  Along with that, our ’35 won BEST IN SHOW and we did great vending as well.  Austin has got to be my favorite city and every time I go, it’s better then the last.  If you did not go start planning for next year.  It’s the greatest 150 cars ever assembled and the people that attend are not only tried and true hot rod and custom enthusiasts but the salt of the earth.

For more pics CLICK HERE   HERE  and HERE!

Duffy Livingstone’s famed Model T started life in 1950 being owned by his close friend Jay Chamberlain in Sherman Oaks, CA.  Jay originally started building the car to compete in short track racing under the California Roadster Association in the hot bed of it all.  He started with a 1924 Ford Model T roadster body mounted on a later 20′s ford chassis (I’ve also read essex rails).  He even had Emil Deidt who was known for his Indy Car constructions form the track nose out of steel, however before jay could complete it the CRA changed the rules allowing Tubular frames to compete.  This made the newly constructed roadster obsolete…..sort of.

Enter Frank Livingstone also known as “Duffy” who had been running a V12 powered roadster out on the lakes, but now was increasingly becoming more interested with the California road race scene.  Duffy along with partner Paul Parker picked up the project from Jay and decided they were going to build it to go road racing using a flathead built by Tim Timmerman.

As Timmerman started building the flathead the car became known as “The Eliminator” based upon the Potvin Camshaft he chose to use.  That flathead was then in turn hooked to a LaSalle 3spd trans, and mounted in the chassis.  Another key to this car was going to braking system so a set of bendix styled aircraft brakes we used to control speeds which is incredibly important when road racing.  The car even got it’s first press in 1953 when Hot Rod Magazine featured it in an article called “How To Build A Sports Car”.

From ’54-’55 the car actually performed pretty good considering it was still using a now obsolete flathead.  All of the other cars were using big inch OHV engines which then prompted Duffy and Paul to switch to a new 265 Chevy in 1956 that Timmerman once again put his hands on to squeeze every bit of power that he could out of it.  A year from then, they decided to pull the LaSalle and put a T-10 four speed in the car.  The combination was enough for the car to become competitive in the C Class when running cycle fenders.

In 1959 the car qualified against some of the best placing 19th amongst 57 other cars.  The car now known as “Tihspea Mark II”  (APESHIT) got as far as 8th place before it fell to some overheating issues and finally ended the race in 11th.  It should be noted that his competition was the likes of Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, Dan Gurney and others who were driving europe’s best Ferrari’s, Maserati’s and Porshes at the time.  So to see this little Model T ripping it up again cars like that and actually overtaking them is a real testament to what hot rodder’s were capable of during this time.

From there Duffy became engulfed with GoKarting and dedicated his time to that while the Eliminator was stored in a shop for over 20 years before being rescued.  Eventually after turning hands a few times before being bought by Brock Yates who had Pete Chapouris and Co. restore the car to it’s former glory however without destroying what’s already there. The paint was left alone as well as others giving way to what we call a survivor today and everything else was cleaned up if it didn’t need to be completely restored .  Once finished the car went back out on the track and competed in historic classes at Watkins Glen as well as other before hitting a milestone in 2003 when it received a Blue Ribbon on the holy grounds of Pebble Beach for first in it’s class.

So before there was the GT40 and the #3 Briggs & Cunningham Corvette, there was this little known “Hot Rod That Could” who took on the very best that Europe had to offer and gave them a run for their money.  I would love to dig up footage of this little car passing a Ferrari in a bend so if you know of some let me know!  Very cool to see what hot rodder’s were capable of back when this was all fresh and new.  Even cooler is to see how a car like this is inspiring us today to build our own stuff.  Go Forth and Build……

Stay tuned for Matt Seret’s Road Racing roadster.  A pretty cool roadster built in the same vein only happening in real time!

Image by Tom Davison  www.tomdavisonart.com

To state that TRJ’s Revival was a hit would be a huge understatement.  This is the type of thing best described only if you could capture the energy that was buzzing around the entire weekend in Baltimore, MD.  No other outdoor show that I’ve been familiar with showcased historic cars along side cars that you’d never seen before , both of which really made the show what it was.

We got to Baltimore around 4pm on Friday after loading up all the Sugar City merch and my ’35 Ford which was coming along for the ride.  We were greeted by TRJ staff which showed us where the vendors would be set up so we could get a start on it and be ready for the next day.  Once we got everything out and up it was on to the waterfront to take part in the food and festivities which included a large gathering of hot rods right down on the cobblestone streets.  There we seen some familiar faces and got aquatinted with some new ones including some locals who while may not be into old cars the way we are certainly appreciated them by gawking and drooling over them all night.

One of the highlights of that night was seeing the recreated So-Cal Streamliner and the Submarine (both created by Dan Webb) out on the street with no ropes around them. They were really there to enjoy by everyone with no barrier to see all the details and inner workings.  Like I said Friday, the So-Cal streamliner was a real kick in the pants to get me up to Maryland.  But it ended up being that it wasn’t just those cars but so many others as well, including the Walker Morrison Roadster just parked out in front of a bar.  We had some food and hung out until cars started trailing off later that night.

Saturday was the first official day of the showing and we got there early.  Before we knew it there was rows and rows of cars being parked in the grass of the historic horse track.  We have a restored Valley Custom on our left and Streamliners on the right and everything good about hot rods and customs in between.  There was so much to pour over and if I didn’t have a duty of manning the booth, I may have gotten lost in it all.  Luckily, being tied to the booth allowed me to talk to some of the nicest people I’ve ever met.  It seemed like everyone that showed up to the booth to check out what we had to offer would stay and chat it up some which is really nice.  We stayed until just about everyone was gone and then decided to meet the crowd at a Cuban joint called “Little Havana’s” again on the water.  Seemed like just about everyone made it there as the parking lot was full of nice hot rods and customs.  We hung out here til late and we even got to talk to TRJ’s Steve Coonan who was more then approachable and kind.  He told us one of his favorite parts of the show was not only the recognizable historically significant cars that showed up, but the ones that no one had really seen outside of the locals from along the East Coast.  He was totally right, it WAS nice to see cars that you couldn’t tie to a magazine cover or a popular build thread.  Instead there were a ton of cars that no one expected since we didn’t even know they existed.  Both were a key ingredient to the show I think.

Sunday was more of the same and even some new cars showing up from attending the Jalopy Showdown drags the day before.  That day seemed to fly by with no recollection of what had just occurred.  Before I knew it I was loading everything back in the truck for the ride home.  I could have done another full day I think since I was having so much fun and I could have eaten plenty more food which brings up a important point of this show.  TRJ didn’t just hire one business to cook up overpriced vending food to appease the masses.  Instead they allowed for Baltimore’s finest vending trucks to come on down and provide really really good food.  If you wanted Bison Meatloaf, they had it. Texas style BBQ, they had it.  Turkey Burger with gourmet fries, they had it.  It seemed like I had lunch twice every day because it all was so good.  I mean if you’re going to have people come from out of town and have them stay at a venue for any length of time, give them some nourishment and choices which is exactly what TRJ did and that’s just a sliver of the effort that they put into this show.

Probably one of the best weekends I’ve ever had at a car show and a definitely a good weekend for Sugar City Speed Shop & friends.  We really appreciate TRJ letting us set up and showcase and we also very much appreciate all those people who supported us again throughout the weekend.  It means the world to have people behind the idea and being supportive.  So THANK YOU everyone.

I didn’t get a chance to get out and take pics of everything besides what I took on my phone so I’m linking some HAMB threads for y’all to check out the coverage.

• Tom Davison’s…….. CLICK HERE!
• 2tones10′s….. CLICK HERE!
• 40luv’s…..CLICK HERE!
• CTaulbert’s…..CLICK HERE!

Tomorrow we’re heading to the Rodder’s Journal Revival in Baltimore, MD.  One of main attractions for me is seeing the So-Cal Streamliner outside and under the sun.  I seen it last February at the Detroit Autorama and I must have spent a good hour staring at it in awe.  So I’m rather excited to see this thing out in the open and amongst other very well known hot rods and race cars.  With that I leave you with a quick entry that includes  a “pull out” from the November 1950 issue of HRM which includes a few detail on the car.  Hopefully Monday I can report back with images of the contemporary recreation that legend Dan Webb had created.  Enjoy!

If you want to follow along with the trip on Instagram my I.D. is @sugar_city_speed_shop

Last Sunday I was finally able to take my 1935 Ford I’ve been putting together for 3 years out for a spin.  35 minutes later I was able put that very same car on a tow truck for the first time.  Turns out the voltage regulator that I used was not exactly correct and so it kept the generator over charging system which showed itself in the form of smoke billowing out of the generator.

Fast forward to Wednesday, and I have a new regulator all hooked up and wired in.  Decided that it would be a prefect time to drive the car to our local shop night about 15 miles away.  When I got there we checked the charging system and it wasn’t charging like we had hoped for.  Double checked everything and after a few hours we figured out that it was a bad ground on the regulator due to it’s rubber insulators.  Once that was fixed the car was charging beautifully!!!  I drove the car home that night, put the battery on a trickle charger just to make sure it was fully charged so that the generator could do it’s job of “topping it off” from then on.

Thursday Morning, was the first day of the Charlotte, Auto Fair swap and a couple of us decided to meet up for breakfast before heading over.  I woke up at about 6:30am and got ready.  Threw the freshly charged battery into the box and started it up with no problems.  FINALLY I was confident in the car being able to drive and so on that note, I headed out.  Car drove great the entire way with great oil pressure and running around 150 degrees.

Thursday Evening, car started up great after a 8 hour day of “swapping”.  Headed out and got stuck in a bit of traffic.  Got half way home and traffic was stop and go so I kept it in 2nd hear while making my way through, well once it opened up I shifted into 3rd and about a mile form there it started to load up and stutter, eventually dying in someone’s driveway.  I started it back up and cleared it’s “throat” before backing it out and proceeding on it’s way.  About another mile down the road and it dies again at a light.  I managed to start it and pull into the McDonald’s in 1st gear revving pretty high so I could park it for a while and let it settle.  About 30 minutes later I fired it up, now appearing like it was a little better so I headed towards home.  As you can guess, I made it another mile before it stuttering and shutting off again.  I got it fired again and cleared it out so I could get a little further down the road.  Stutter stutter, clear it out, die in another person’s driveway.  At this point I’m about 2 miles from my home. Sat there for a little bit and got back on it and drove home in second as to not drop the RMP’s and have it load up.

I think it’s probably that 265 is not a lot of engine and it’s constantly got 2 carbs running all the time even when you’re just puttering along.  Combine that with the fact that I have 3.54′s out back and it’s easy for this car to load up when the rpm’s aren’t there. Point of this story is that even though the car is running and driving, I need to push my sleeves up and start the real work of proving that this old junk still works and can be made to work well.  I’m going to pull the plugs and let them tell me exactly what’s going on.  Then I’m gonna either have to jet those carbs down or a combination of things.  All part of the game but I am hoping to have it running a little better before heading to Baltimore next weekend for the RODDER’S JOURNAL REVIVAL.

Stay tuned…..

We’re heading to a swap meet here in Charlotte, NC this morning so I only have time for a link to a thread on the HAMB I started a couple years back where I scanned in old classified ads.  Pretty cool to see some of the famous cars being sold like it was nothing and to see what the average guy was building as well.  If you have any, post them to the thread.  It’s been quite a but since there’s been any action on it so may as well start it up again!

>>>CLICK HERE FOR THE HAMB “HOT ROD MART” THREAD!!!!<<<

Where are you going to be September 28-30th?  I’ll tell you where you ought to be, and that’s in Balitmore, MD attending the Rodder’s Journal’s first ever Revival car show.  Held at the Pimlico Race Course which is a 25+ acre horse track that’ll  be a little something different then we’re all used to.  That’s only one part though, The Rodder’s Journal Staff has filled every day with stuff starting with thursday at the Canton Dockside a restaurant right off the water.  This will give a chance for all the early birds to mingle and meet before a big weekend.

Friday includes a day time cruise through out beautiful Baltimore and then back down on the water by evening for a showcasing of the film The Hot Rod Story by Alex Xydias on a 26 foot outdoor screen.  Registered cars will get “preferred parking” down on the water front and should make for a really nice evening for everybody the day before the show.

Saturday the show kicks off and will start around 9am and go until 6pm.  From there more cruising and reserved parking in the historic district of Baltimore, all in front of picturesque places that the city is known for.  AND Don’t go and count Sunday out because there will be an influx of hot rods that might not be there on Saturday due to the Jalopy Showdown drags the day prior.  So you might get there Sunday morning and see a whole bunch more cool cars to check out, refreshing the show once again.

I honestly can’t think of a better show to attend right now.  The TRJ staff has gone above and beyond to plan a show that’s not stagnant and typical.  They have merged the traditional show with life and movement and put it in a place that’s going to be quite memorable for us all that are attending.  Sugar City will be there with partner’s in crime ATOMIC HOT RODS sharing a vending space and spreading the word.  We’ll also both be bringing our cars (his ’32 5w and my ’35 5w) to partake in the festivities.  Should be a blast for all!!!

So again, where are you going to be on September 28-30th?  That’s what I thought!!! See ya’ ll there!

Ok I know that some of these cars have been featured on other sites almost to the point of nausea.  However I don’t think that something can’t be learned from each article which is why I refuse not to mention the Dal Porto Roadster here on Sugar City.  While I should have probably done it yesterday for a Model T Tuesday I am still in recovery from getting back from vacation…. you know you need a few days to get your head clear right?

Anyways, I was going through some little books yesterday and I popped up on Hop Up’s July 1952 periodical which is always exciting because it’s a favorite of mine.  There it was again just as I’ve alway known it, but it doesn’t make it let moving every time I see it.  See the Dal Porto roadster is one that sticks in my mind not only because it’s a all out, business only race car, but also because it looked so damn good doing it.  There are only a handful of cars that can even remotely compete with this one in terms of it’s over all appearance.

First thing you notice about this ’27 T Roadster is that nose obviously.  While not your typical “track nose” it certainly is beautiful and looks to be a precursor to what would be running in Indianapolis a few years later.  That nose along with the frame and support work was all due to the legendary Jack Hagemann’s handy work which was located in Castro Valley, CA.  He started with a .125″ chromoly frame and made all the crossmember to help support the body that would be placed on top.  Special care was taken for things like the rear engine mount where he used a 3/8″ steel plate to gain space for the Ford truck clutch assembly that they used to combat the torque load.  It also allowed the trans to be slid back the required amount so that the fingers on a truck pressure plate would not hit transmission housing. So something as simple as a 3/8″ plate is actually a lot more important to this car then one would think.

The engine which was built by John Errecalde included a Isky 404 cam, Weiand Heads and a Weiand 4 carb intake (image shows a 3×2 intake however the restoration includes a 4×2 so one would conclude that the car switched as the article was being written).  It also included a Scintilla Magneto, Speedmotive 3-3/8″ bore pistons and a 4-1/8″ stroked crank which led to a final displacement of 296.

Tires were 6.00-16 and 7.50-16 Indianapolis type tires mounted on chrome 16″ Ford Steel wheels.  This is another earmark for this roadster.  I can only think of a handful of cars this early on that ran chromed Ford wheels and is one of the reasons this car sticks with you.  Those pretty wheels and tires were attached to a Halibrand Quickchange rear loaded with Chevy 3/4 ton axles.   Steering was a converted Franklin which uses fore and aft drag links and connected to a right hand spindle arm like those found on cross steer boxes.

Up until the point of this article in 1952 the car had clocked 153mph on the lakes and even numerous passes on the quarter mile at 118mph, both being very impressive.  The car was recently restored and you can find those images through a simple google search.  Seeing the car now restored makes you really appreciate it in it’s glory days.  I am constantly fascinated by purpose built competition only hot rods.  It think just like today, it’s what drives the industry and paved the way for innovations to be made in the next 15 years.  There are a lot of cutting edge parts for the time on this car, but something as simple as a 3/8″ plate is the thing that makes it all work.  So what is it WE’RE missing?  What’s that “3/8″ plate” that we’re forgetting to make?  There is something simple for us all to contribute to this hobby and Sugar City wants to be the place to help promote it if you’ll have us.  Go Forth and Build……

I’m in a frantic hurry to get things lined up so I can take my family on a vacation so I’m not really able to devote the time that I’d like to these articles this week.  However I don’t want to just leave the site high and dry so I did dig up this article that was on Hemmings.com concerning Long Lost Speed Shops and their origins.  It’s a short article with some info some of you might not have known but it’s important to what we’re trying to do here at Sugar City.  It’s the groundwork for every speed shop since so I thought it would be fitting to display it here.  Enjoy!

>>>>LOST SPEED SHOPS<<<<