Hot Rod Forum banner

Street Beast builds......Tips, problems and solutions.

291K views 804 replies 73 participants last post by  shortsteven618 
#1 ·
Street Beasts is out of business, so is their tech support.
A couple of us thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where
tips, questions and solutions regarding these car kits can be discussed and hopefully solved. We seem to have a number of newer members with these kits and a number of members that have built these cars and have solved many of the problems. This thread would give these members to get together with their common problems and solutions.

We did have some employees of the company on our board a while back. Their input would be welcome I am sure too.

BTW, this thread is about the build, not the company that produced these kits. The mods will be monitoring the thread and talk of the company and policies of the company will be edited out or deleted, whatever it takes to keep it just about the build......so, lets keep it that way.

Since this thread will discuss a number of different subjects, from body to framework to suspensions etc, I thought it might be best to have this thread in the lounge.
 
#3 ·
Street beasts

poncho62 said:
Street Beasts is out of business, so is their tech support.
A couple of us thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where
tips, questions and solutions regarding these car kits can be discussed and hopefully solved. We seem to have a number of newer members with these kits and a number of members that have built these cars and have solved many of the problems. This thread would give these members to get together with their common problems and solutions.

We did have some employees of the company on our board a while back. Their input would be welcome I am sure too.

BTW, this thread is about the build, not the company that produced these kits. The mods will be monitoring the thread and talk of the company and policies of the company will be edited out or deleted, whatever it takes to keep it just about the build......so, lets keep it that way.

Since this thread will discuss a number of different subjects, from body to framework to suspensions etc, I thought it might be best to have this thread in the lounge.
Poncho, I will be glad to help on this, some of these young guys have got the kits, and are going to find out they are not always just put together kits.I see NI gave thumbs up on it, he has built them, and I'm sure there are others, And I'm sure that not all of us have built them the same so we can help in many ways, sounds like fun. Great idea. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Bob

Growing old is mandatory; :pain: growing up is optional... :D :thumbup:
 
#4 ·
I am here to extend any help that I can in building the 34 Coupe although its been quite a while since I have built mine from Classic Motor Carriages. One good thing is that I am still driving and enjoying my car when weather permits which should give some hope to those who haven't finished their cars or picked up unfinished kits that someone else did not finish. This thread could be a great help to those that need it and I think it is a good idea that it was started. Just my 2 cents.
 
#5 ·
I'm in. I'm probably the one that knows the least but I got the skills and ability to troubleshoot. My '34 is presently looking for a 'glass guy, who can assist us with the shell, floor, doors, hood and grille shell, the rest is easy. Electrical is my thing and we're going to make a show car out of this car yet.

Cheers,

Jay K.
 
#6 ·
Street beast

JGK95 said:
I'm in. I'm probably the one that knows the least but I got the skills and ability to troubleshoot. My '34 is presently looking for a 'glass guy, who can assist us with the shell, floor, doors, hood and grille shell, the rest is easy. Electrical is my thing and we're going to make a show car out of this car yet.

Cheers,

Jay K.
Jay how many times do we have to tell you the glass guy is between your head and your feet, just do it. :thumbup:

Bob
 
#7 ·
street beast, cmc

ffas23 said:
I am here to extend any help that I can in building the 34 Coupe although its been quite a while since I have built mine from Classic Motor Carriages. One good thing is that I am still driving and enjoying my car when weather permits which should give some hope to those who haven't finished their cars or picked up unfinished kits that someone else did not finish. This thread could be a great help to those that need it and I think it is a good idea that it was started. Just my 2 cents.
Your front fenders look like they fit over your wheels did you have to change anything, or did it just fit that way.

Bob
 
#8 · (Edited)
JGK95 said:
I'm in. I'm probably the one that knows the least but I got the skills and ability to troubleshoot. My '34 is presently looking for a 'glass guy, who can assist us with the shell, floor, doors, hood and grille shell, the rest is easy. Electrical is my thing and we're going to make a show car out of this car yet.

Cheers,

Jay K.
I am not a glass guy or body guy but I did all the fiberglassing that needed to be done myself. Don't see where you would need to hire someone to do it. Whats the problem? Go and get yourself a fiberglass kit with a gallon of Resin,hardener and extral fiberglass cloth, both types. At what stage are you with your car? The only problem I really encountered with my car was aligning the doors once I had the frame welded up and both doors lined up, drilled and tapped. One person can not align the doors himself but if you have help you should be good to go. Funny when I think of it and look back at pictures I had paint sticks in between the doors and jambs to help with alignment with plenty of Duct Tape holding the doors into the jambs so they would not fall out. Almost lost one of the doors falling back out being I had no help in this precedure but was able to get the holes drilled and tapped in the doors. I recommend at least 2 people in doing this. Don't do it the way I did if you can help it.
 
#10 ·
street beast

ffas23 said:
Bob I didn't have to change a thing with my fenders as I used the correct wheel and tire size recommended at the time by CMC. It was all listed in the CMC manual.
They must have changed the front cross member then, a lot of them don't fit, I had to widen my fenders 2" to get the fenders down. But they made a lot of changes.

Bob
 
#11 · (Edited)
34 Street Beast

ffas23 said:
I am here to extend any help that I can in building the 34 Coupe although its been quite a while since I have built mine from Classic Motor Carriages. One good thing is that I am still driving and enjoying my car when weather permits which should give some hope to those who haven't finished their cars or picked up unfinished kits that someone else did not finish. This thread could be a great help to those that need it and I think it is a good idea that it was started. Just my 2 cents.
I can help a little, I still have all the manuals and video of the build, the car I have is a 34Classic Motor Carriages the same company, Street Beast. Just let me know if you need the Info. :) My car has a 302 with a B&M blower, and is a tight fit for the car making it hard to clean an work on. I have a friend that has the same car with a 350 chevy and he has a lot more room to work around. Just might help with choseing a motor.
 
#352 ·
I can help a little, I still have all the manuals and video of the build, the car I have is a 34Classic Motor Carriages the same company, Street Beast. Just let me know if you need the Info. :) My car has a 302 with a B&M blower, and is a tight fit for the car making it hard to clean an work on. I have a friend that has the same car with a 350 chevy and he has a lot more room to work around. Just might help with choseing a motor.
Hello . I'm building a 34 Ford Coupe Streetbeast and have a question. Do you know what header will fit when using a Ford 460 Big Block? Thanks Daryl. Any help would be appreciated
 
#12 ·
street beast

HotRod 9152 said:
I can help a little, I still have all the manuals and video of the build, the car I have is a 34Classic Motor Carriages the same company, Street Beast. Just let me know if you need the Info. :) My car has a 302 with a B&M blower, and is a tight fit for the car making it hard to clean an work on. I have a friend that has the same car with a 350 chevy and he has a lot more room to work around. Just might help with choseing a motor.
A 350 is bigger than a 302, at its widest it's about 2" bigger around and length wise the 350 is longer hands down.

Bob
 
#13 ·
street beast

35terraplane said:
A 350 is bigger than a 302, at its widest it's about 2" bigger around and length wise the 350 is longer hands down.

Bob
I have a 5.0 H.O. and I have room, You have to remember these cars didn't have a lot of room to start with. When you put a modern engine in them, and start hanging stuff on them, well the more you hang the less room you have. When you hang a blower on one you go up , but you either cut the hood or lay stuff along the sides, your bound to not have room.

Bob
 
#16 · (Edited)
For what it is worth.. I have a few pictures of how I made mine where the body can be taken off and on if needed.. I had a computer crash. And lost 4000 pictures.. :smash: But I did have some in other place's that I saved..The # 1 thing I fixed on mine was this.. I glassed a new floor front to back,(all water tight)..With tubs built in.. Then I made a steel framing under the dash, And behind the seat.. That way you don't end up with the framing coming up through the floor, With them big gaps in the floor under the dash and behind the seat.. The door post was part of the back framing.. The door post bolted to the floor, And under the floor I came off the frame with a body mount that also bolted under the door post.. It was a body mount plus a back up for the door post.. Hope I am typing this where someone can read it right.. Anyway.. I hope this helps someone.. So that their car can be removed from the frame later if it needed to.. The framing that weld's to the frame DOESN'T have to be used if you set it up like this.. ;) I hope I am not jumping the gun here.. If so.. Mods Let me know.. Here's some pictures I was able to save.. :)





 

Attachments

#17 ·
34 Street Beast

35terraplane said:
I have a 5.0 H.O. and I have room, You have to remember these cars didn't have a lot of room to start with. When you put a modern engine in them, and start hanging stuff on them, well the more you hang the less room you have. When you hang a blower on one you go up , but you either cut the hood or lay stuff along the sides, your bound to not have room.

Bob
My bust, You are on the money. Just got through measuring his 350 and my 302 abd it's just the stuff hanging on it,
A/c and the blower. Thanks for the check up.
James
 
#18 ·
street beast

NEW INTERIORS said:
For what it is worth.. I have a few pictures of how I made mine where the body can be taken off and on if needed.. I had a computer crash. And lost 4000 pictures.. :smash: But I did have some in other place's that I saved..The # 1 thing I fixed on mine was this.. I glassed a new floor front to back,(all water tight)..With tubs built in.. Then I made a steel framing under the dash, And behind the seat.. That way you don't end up with the framing coming up through the floor, With them big gaps in the floor under the dash and behind the seat.. The door post was part of the back framing.. The door post bolted to the floor, And under the floor I came off the frame with a body mount that also bolted under the door post.. It was a body mount plus a back up for the door post.. Hope I am typing this where someone can read it right.. Anyway.. I hope this helps someone.. So that their car can be removed from the frame later if it needed to.. The framing that weld's to the frame DOESN'T have to be used if you set it up like this.. ;) I hope I am not jumping the gun here.. If so.. Mods Let me know.. Here's some pictures I was able to save.. :)





Randy just for my own information, did you make that hump and tunnel, or did that come with it. Mine is a lot bigger, both in the hump and tunnel, I was wondering in case someone asks, I guess I would like to know they made different sizes along the way.

Thanks Bob
 
#20 ·
street beast

Jon said:
If anyone has details on who purchased Streetbeasts's assets at auction, please add them to this thread. There might be a warehouse full of cheaply-acquired SB parts somewhere, that could be quite helpful to those building SB cars. I'm going to send out some emails and try to get some info.
Very good idea Jon, I wonder if the auction house would give out that info.?

Bob
 
#21 ·
35terraplane said:
They must have changed the front cross member then, a lot of them don't fit, I had to widen my fenders 2" to get the fenders down. But they made a lot of changes.

Bob
I am a little confused by your quote above. My build started in 1992 as it was a CMC Body and Frame. Should be exactly the same as Street Beast. I never heard of any changes and never heard about any others that I ran into having problems fitting wheels and tires. This is a first for me to hear unless people are going beyond the sizes of (wheels & tires) recommended for this car.
 
#22 ·
street beast

ffas23 said:
I am a little confused by your quote above. My build started in 1992 as it was a CMC Body and Frame. Should be exactly the same as Street Beast. I never heard of any changes and never heard about any others that I ran into having problems fitting wheels and tires. This is a first for me to hear unless people are going beyond the sizes of (wheels & tires) recommended for this car.
If you look at a lot of these cars they sit up where the fender does not come down over the tire, on my car I'm using 14" wheels, without going to my shop I can't tell you what size, but right now they have the tire I'm using and a stock rim, my fenders have been widen 2" each and \I'm still going to have to use a rim that is deeper in the wheel well to turn fully. I have tube upper A-arms and stock lower.You can see in the picture mine sit down over the tire.

Bob
 

Attachments

#23 ·
35terraplane said:
Randy just for my own information, did you make that hump and tunnel, or did that come with it. Mine is a lot bigger, both in the hump and tunnel, I was wondering in case someone asks, I guess I would like to know they made different sizes along the way.

Thanks Bob

I reused the shape of the tunnel and hump.. It is the size that came with the car..


And as far as the wheels not fitting, THAT WAS A PROBLEM.. with these cars.. :D Don't remember the size it had to be, but The front ones, You needed to use a rim with a lot of back spacing.. The rim had to be as flat on the outside as you can find... :smash: And for the back.. The mustang rear ends was a little to wide for them cars.. If you look at any pictures of a street beast the car had to sit high front in back.. :smash: You could make it work, Just didn't look right.. :pain:

I took the bottom Arm on the rear end of my car off, It angled out.. I put the bottom bar straight..(made some out of tube).. Took them big ugly springs and shock's off also.. Added coil over's inside the back of the frame.. Gave me a lot more room for a wider tire.. :mwink:
 
#24 ·
street beast

NEW INTERIORS said:
I reused the shape of the tunnel and hump.. It is the size that came with the car..


And as far as the wheels not fitting, THAT WAS A PROBLEM.. with these cars.. :D Don't remember the size it had to be, but The front ones, You needed to use a rim with a lot of back spacing.. The rim had to be as flat on the outside as you can find... :smash: And for the back.. The mustang rear ends was a little to wide for them cars.. If you look at any pictures of a street beast the car had to sit high front in back.. :smash: You could make it work, Just didn't look right.. :pain:

I took the bottom Arm on the rear end of my car off, It angled out.. I put the bottom bar straight..(made some out of tube).. Took them big ugly springs and shock's off also.. Added coil over's inside the back of the frame.. Gave me a lot more room for a wider tire.. :mwink:
Thank you sir. I knew the front wheels were a problem, but not the back I had cut everything out before I tried any rearends,I knew I was going to use the Jag. so I just put it in. Boy your hump and tunnel are way smaller than mine, I did make the hump a little bigger to fit the AOD. :confused:

Bob
 
#25 ·
35terraplane said:
Thank you sir. I knew the front wheels were a problem, but not the back I had cut everything out before I tried any rearends,I knew I was going to use the Jag. so I just put it in. Boy your hump and tunnel are way smaller than mine, I did make the hump a little bigger to fit the AOD. :confused:

Bob
I had a LT1 with AOD in mine.. ;)


 

Attachments

#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Don't know what to tell you fellows but I didn't have any problem up front with fitting wheels and tires to my car. The only thing I did up front was to cut one of the coils out of each of the stock Mustang II Springs I used in building my car on both sides. It made it sit just right I feel. I actually purchased a front clip out of a Junkyard from a original Mustang II from the 70's and used the stock Mustang II upper and lower control arms and front springs and spindles in my build of course after sandblasting,painting and installing new bushings and new ball joints. Never even thought about buying aftermarket Tubular Control Arms at the time like plenty are doing today. Below are 2 Cruise-In pictures to view the front,side and rear of my car for how it sits. As anyone can see my front 14" BFG Tires sit nice under the front fenders mounted to my American Racing Wheels as well as my 15" on the rear. The front tires never touch the front fenders when turning. I should also mention that in my build I used a stock Rear End out of a wrecked 1989 Mustang LX in the rear of my car. Just bolted it right in after clean up and painting using the '89 Mustang LX factory rear springs also in the build. Axles were then made to use 5 lug.





 
Top