You always read in hot rod magazines that you've got to have a plan for your project. I kind of have one, but it's not carved in stone. A computer enhanced picture of the Essex, I want it to look something like this when finished. Flames would be cool, though... Why an Essex? Before beginning this project I had to choose an object to start from. I found a few interesting wrecks: a 1939 Ford, a 1925 Essex, a 1923 Buick and a 1928 Dodge. The choice was made upon availability and repairability. Availability was for the most part about how much cash I had in my wallet. As an example the Dodge would've cost me three times more than the Essex! I found the 1929 Essex, decided that I could afford it and thought I'd be able to make something fun out of it.

© 2004

...The plan       Style I'd like to build my Essex in a kind of fifties or sixties style, and so I'll try to use old and old style parts.       Body The body will get a 4" to 5" channel job and the top is going to have a 2" chop. The head lights will be stainless Ford model A ones and in the rear repro model A lights will be used.       Interior A nice Ford 17 m (European) steering wheel along with rebuilt original instruments or maybe some Stewart-Warner gauges and a swan neck shifter will make the interior interesting. The seats will be upholstered in used leather, if I can find any.       Chassis Both the rear and front leaf springs will be lowered. Plans include moving the front axle on top of the springs, which will drop the front some four inches. The frame will be boxed and a new x-member will be fabricated and welded in. The rear axle may be substituted for a newer one. The front axle will be stock. Drum brakes will be used on all wheels.       Wheels I plan on using steel wheels shod with bias ply big'n'littles (8.20-15 or L78-15 rear and 5.60-15 front tires).       Engine For motivation I´d like to use a Ford flathead V8, preferably with an automatic transmission. Alternatively I may use Chevy six, styled to resemble a fifties Blue Flame Corvette engine. I've also considered a Rover 3,5 litre (215 cui) V8, a 267 Chevy or 260 Olds... There we are. Let's continue to see what is going on and how it's going with The plan. Go to the start of the project