Popular Science Monthly 



285 



Rebuilding a Wrecked Automobile 

 To Make a Racing Car 



THE owner of a wrecked car concluded 

 it was only fit for the junkman and 

 left it in the corner of his lot where it was 

 hauled after the accident. The nephew 

 of the owner decided that it could be 

 made of some use, as the engine needed 

 only a few new parts to make it like new. 

 The cost of the materials he bought did 

 not exceed $15. 



The damaged body and mud guards 

 were stripped from the chassis frame, and 



floor with metal angles securely fastened. 

 The old tool box was tightly fas- 

 tened in the rear of the gas tank, back 

 of the seat, and used for an extra seat by 

 placing cushions on it. The hood was 

 first cut out from cardboard and then 

 from tin and hammered into shape on a 

 wooden block. This covered up brake 

 pedal, clutch pedals, reverse pedals and 

 protected the switch box. The result, 

 after the car had been painted, can be 

 seen in the upper illustration. 



Carefully look over a supposedly 

 wrecked car before selling it for junk, for 

 the engine may still be in per- 

 fect order, or unharmed to 

 such an extent that with slight 

 repairs it can be put in shape 

 for further use in an automo- 

 bile, or for a stationary power 

 plant. Some other parts may be 

 used in rebuilding another car. 

 Another transformed car is 



A built-over and refinished 

 car that was once supposed 

 to be wrecked beyond repair 



the bent and damaged radia- 

 tor was straightened and re- 

 paired. The gasoline tank 

 was moved back 3 ft. from 

 under the front seat, which 

 left a space in which to lower 

 the seat to the position 

 desired. An extra piece of 

 gasoline pipe bridged the gap 

 made by moving the tank back. 



A semi-roadster and racer was desired, so the 

 car was specially built on a new chassis 



A floor 



was laid on with tongue and groove mast 

 and bolted to the chassis. The length of the 

 boards was kept the width of the chassis 

 instead of extending to the wheels as in 

 the old car. The steering wheel was then 

 lowered. This was one of the most diffi- 

 cult parts of the work. A new hole was 

 cut in the dash board 3 ^ in. lower, gi\'ing 

 the wheel the correct angle from the low 

 racing seat. The old seats were used, 

 being cut out of the center to fit the seat to 

 the narrowed car. The cut pieces were 

 brought together and braced on the inside 

 with four metal strips. To give a firm 

 back support, the seat was braced to the 



shown in a second photograph. The 

 owner of this car was not trying to save 

 money. He merely desired a car made 

 according to his own ideas. In this case, a 

 new chassis was purchased, including mud 

 guards, tool box, gas tank and headlights. 

 He floored the chassis, put in two separate 

 seats made according to his own design, 

 and fitted the car with a top of light 

 awning construction, with iron piping 

 screwed to sockets in the floor, removable 

 at will. For the top, brown canvas was 

 used. The wind shield was reduced to 

 half size to conform to the shape of the 

 car. This car is half roadster and half 

 racer. 



