I started building my 1929 coupe when I was 19 , Took me 3 years and a lot of help from a few great friends along the way. Still have the car 14 years later and the same great friends so take your time and talk to everyone !
Not the preferred way to get the parts you need, but it beats not getting the parts, I guess, someone has to end up with them when we die.
Im kicking myself for trying to make my car better. I got this really nice 0-100 spedometer for free, I'm not sure what it was off of but it was super old. So here I am taking it apart and cleaning out the gears when I realise that whatever I was using to clean the gears also was eating away the face of the spedometer! Anyone know what I should do?? Hold my beer and watch this!
"whatever I was using"?? You dont know what you were using to clean with? If nothing else should always know what youre using, obviously you learned some things have adverse reactions to chemicals.
My dad handed me an unmarked bottle that he said when he was a kid and had to clean guages, he used this. Hold my beer and watch this!
Don't panic! Got any artist friends? You can make a scale to mark the lines from whats left. Better than tossing it. Or photcopy a similar speedo and glue?
Several years ago there was a tech thread showing how to recreate decals using readily available easy to use software.. you could make your own using what's left on that face.
Couple of lessons to be learned here, never store materials in an unmarked container or use materials that are in an unmarked container because you don't know for sure what it is and the consequences of using it will be. As Paul said, it can be repaired, so search for the info on how to do so and good luck as that is a nice unit for your project.
My guess it was from a mid thirties big American car. Face and hand are similar to Auburn but not exactly
You and a friend could have some fun making your own speedometer face. If you or your friends haveAdobe illustrator you can create the art work, make a rub on transfer and create a new face. Here's a quick example.
I love the last photo! Holy crud it looks awesome! It took me a minute to realize that that was MY hand! I thought it was you showing me your own gauge! Haha pretty amazing work! Your forum admin may override this setting.
Looks like you are making good progress since our phone conversation a day or two after you got the body. Sometimes progress can be measured by learning what not to do and not so much by actual progress in the visual sense. Keep up the work and you will get there. We didn't all do things right the first time. Rod
Glad you like it. If you want to, let me know the diameter of the speedo face and I'll do it the correct size so you can print it out on some of that transfer paper others have mentioned. I've never used the transfer paper before but I'm sure it'll work fine. Glen.
Speedo looks like 37-39 Ford car to me. If it is, or if it at least has the same diameter, new gauge face decals are available for not much money to replace the missing numbers. Minot setback.
Caution this hobby can be habit forming prolonged exposed can lead to large sums of money being spent to fulfill hot rod part procurement ! Most young hot Roders don't make it due to fumes. Gas and perfumes ! Just be safe with both !
i do that (mess a part up) all the time. lesson learned and its sure not to be the last. your on the right track
Devopment companies rock! So in my neiborhood, a development bought this old farm 15 years ago and still havn't done anything. So I may or may not be currently making a pile of things I'm going to take since it's all going to be bulldozed over anyway. There's a ton of wheels on the property, all old. Two 1935 wires Im taking along with a large 18 inch wire wheel that I need help identifying. So far I've got the 3 wheels, an old pickaxe, and a cow skull. There's a ton of old appliances and packaging and oil cans. The house on the property is something out of a horror film because the family just left everything they didn't want. So there's clothes and beds and photos all throughout the house. Now I know it sounds bad but at least I'm doing something positive with it instead of what the other kids my age do, graffiti and destroy things. [ ATTACH=full]2806748[/ATTACH] Your forum admin may override this setting.
Milk truck wheels are cool! I've seen a few for sale on the HAMB and they look sweet! I love the look of an 18 inch rim on the back of a hot rod. Anyone know any other types of commercial wheels or wire wheels that are 18 inches tall that have been used on a hot rod? Your forum admin may override this setting.
Sounds like a fantastic project....old school is a real crowd-pleaser when scootin' around town...have fun!
^ be careful with that. You're tresspassing every time you go out there. Contact the owners. I'm sure they would rather you haul it off than mess with it BUT, be safe and make sure. If they say no then it wasn't meant to be and they would surely have prosecuted if they catch you. I've been bugging a guy for a year for a Junk 52 chevy sitting on his land that he will NEVER do anything with. I could take it and he'd never know but I'm not because it's not the right thing to do. It pains me to see shit I can use rot away but it's not mine. Good luck with the build. Pick a path and stick with it. I'm ADD just like you with changing my mind. Settle down and start building. I'm in the same boat, but i have a chassis and no body and a nearly non existent budget. I'm building my frame back to stock by putting want ads up and bugging the local restorers and hot rod buddies. Turn over every stone. Ask every car guy you know and you will find the pieces you need. Did you get the chassis?
X2! Once you've decided what the car will be when it's finished the path will become much clearer and easier to follow. Gow job bangers are getting to be very popular and are ideal as a first build for a novice. Above all...get focused. Good luck!
I have not gotten the chassis yet because then lady Im getting it from is still pretty busy, however she said it's mine so that's good! Once I get the chassis Im going to paint it and then bolt the body to it. I need to cut out the roll cage that's welded into the body but if I do it now I'm afraid it will contort the body like a beer can. Your forum admin may override this setting.
I wouldn't be doing any cutting of anything just yet. Once you've got the frame, put it up on jackstands or cement blocks and level it up front to back and side to side using wooden shims wherever necessary. Then get some help and just place the body on the frame as it is and adjust it so that it fits in the proper spot both front to back and side to side. Don't be doing any bolting, just set it in place. Then photograph the heck out of it and post the photos here. Let us take a look at what you've got and make suggestions as to what to do next. Just take this project one step at a time with advice from those with experience. We'll help you through the process, okay?
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