Hot Rods >>1935 Ford Coupe: An Idiots Guide To Buiding A Hot Rod PART THREE!!!<<<

Sweet. Do you have a build thread already started for the '32?


iPhone - TJJ App

 

You owe me a beer. I dropped mine after seeing those gauges. They look tasty delicious.

 

Can't wait to see this thing on the roads of NC or crowntown. Great job.

 

Nope not yet. But rest assure when I do it'll be the most detailed build threads I've ever done. I'm talking who new level of build thread haha!!! I actually wasn't going to build the whole car right now as I don't believe I am in a position financially to build it completely. But we are going to go ahead and do the body and get it to a point where it can be sealed, and ready for body work. From there it's anybodies guess to where it'll go since the major concern is the money to build the engine, trans etc. I have the chassis all it needs is some painting and assembly pretty much. But that's neither here nor there....I need to focus on the WIZARD (aka '35)!!!!!!!

Deal. Just go over to Chris' and grab one of his Winecoolers.


One last pic of the dash before I start on it tomorrow.

 

That dash looks beautiful JJ!!

I went back and read from the start and I dig your chrome hook up. I wish the tweekers in CA did something useful like that!!

 

worst case I would rebuild them, they look perfect.

I was going with a willys at first but didn't like the single gauge look so I went with a modified stock look.

 

Whoa! That looks pretty incredible 1oldtimer!!! Where are those from? They are in really nice condition and because ROLF used the same set on his model a I have some useful info to pull from him. He had the right fuel sending unit thingy, as well as the entire hook up. I am going to PM him and see how he faired on the whole deal and how reliable his set was in terms of gauging temps and such.

But yeah those look great!!!

 

the ones I ended up using are from classic instruments (NOW a hamb vendor), their hot rod line with curved glass (5" speedo and 2 1/8" fuel and temp). the warning lights are from pep boys aluminum ring and domed plastic lens. I couldn't find a large speedo and smaller round gauges I liked together from other old cars/trucks.........the willys was real close though.

nothing fancy, just pure and simple.

 

Does he have strawberry daiquiri? that's my favorite...

 

Waiting for pics...

 

Okay Mr. James, since you helped me some months back the burden of obligation weighs heavily on me and motivates me to repay your kindness.

Other than your affliction with OCD, I don't understand why you're apparently so worried about the accuracy of the DeSoto gauges. It's simple:

If there's no steam blowing out of the radiator seams or cap, the engine temp is just fine.

If the engine still turns throughout the rev range, oil pressure is just fine. (Besides, it's an SBC..............they're cheap to rebuild..........and fun.

If you turn on your headlamps and everything goes dark.........your alternator/generator just took a dump. Alternately, if you see your fan belt go flying that's also a sign.

If the car starts to sputter, and then stops running, you've run out of gasoline (just ask your neighbor Jr. Whathisname for pointers on this) Since you are hopelessly OCD carry a two gallon gas can with you.

If some guy with a Smokey Bear hat driving a car with annoyingly bright lights pulls up behind you, you're going too fast. Sometimes, if you ignore them for awhile they'll yell at you through their loudspeaker..........that means you were REALLY going too fast.

Simple, and doesn't fray your nerves. Enjoy.

 

That's some funny shit!!!!

 

Well in true "idiot form" I tried to have studs brazed on the back of my dash so I could attach the gauges over the weekend and well? I kind of fucked up the beautiful job that REDTOP did on the dash by heating it up and tweaking it. I should have known better but I wanted to make some progress this weekend and get that dash in so I rushed and didn't think. Best of all the fucking fuel guage is crooked. I'll be fixing that all week when I have time but I couldn't have been more pissed Saturday evening when it was all said and done.

Saturday seemed to be a complete disaster from 3:30pm-5pm. Things I fucked up....

-Tweaked dash from the heat when brazing with a henrob.
-Fuel gauge crooked
-Burnt hand on dash
-Dropped a dolly on my grille nose piece an cracked in in half
-tripped over hood

I decided to just hang it up and head inside after all that. We all have those days but damn is it frustrating when you're in the thick of it. I'll get back out there and start trying to fix the tweak and get that all said and done so I can start added some filler.....maybe a little more then I thought originally now.

Thanks Uncle Bob, you're wise beyond your years! Maybe I won't even put a dash in!

 

Jeffrey James your an inspirational dude! Car looks like pure Hot Rod fun! A '35-'39 Ford coupe is definitely next on my list. Glad to hear that your son is doing well, you've been blessed with a beautiful family. Keep up the good work.

 

Thanks man but I am really working off the inspiration you all give me. I'm just fumbling through trying to figure what side up and what sides down.

I appreciate all the postive feedback though. I hope to get this one out to your side of the country one day and cruise PCH if I can. One day....

 

Well let me know when you do... I'm about a mile off of PCH in Newport.

 

Looking real good!!!!

 

QUESTION!!! What kind of relays do you guys like for HALOGEN converted headlamps as well as a P4070 Fuel pump? I am kind of clueless with electrical but I was wondering if you guys have a trick to buying them. HRC want $38 for a fuel pump relay.

 

Not sure what you are asking...Do you want a brand recommendation?

My tip is....I go to pull a part. On a lot of 80's-90's gm's they have a little bracket on the fender that holds all the relay's I usually buy that bracket. some hold 4 or 8 relays. It really cleans up the appearance instead of just screwing the relays on the inner fender or core support. It's really good for mounting hidden under the dash....Been doing it on muscle cars for years.....

 

Yeah that's sounds like the trick I was aiming for. I just didn't want to call 1800hotrodwhatever up and ask for some relays when there was cheaper solutions out there for my application. Like if there's a cheap NAPA realy for my fuel pump instead of the $38 one Hot Rod Company sells then I'll go that route.

 

Yeah, don't buy that. I would use one for something like a 1996 chevy truck....to be honest I usually use the Junk yard relays as well.....Last Time I went picking I bought 5 or 6 brackets each with multiple relays. and I think they were around 5 bucks a piece. I'm not even really sure you need a special one for the fuel pump. As long as it is rated for the current/amperage.

 

Looks great man, keep up the good work!

 

I'm really diggin' what you hvae done, great job! Can't wait to see more.

 

Thanks guys!!! As usual I really appreciate the feedback.

I'm currently in Philly hanging out in a friends loft at Market & 3rd waiting for Wedding rehearsal to begin in a couple hrs. And since I am downloading some work off an FTP I have a little bit of time to kill.

Wednesday before I left Jeremy my good buddy and part time spiritual advisor got the dash back into shape from when I messed it up with the heat. It went from looking like a piece of bacon, back to a metal finished panel with only one very tiny imperfection from where the stud was brazed in. No biggie at all....honestly it's all way too nice for my level of build but those guys don't know level 5 or six. They are on ELEVEN all the time!!! So I think that now we have that back into shape we have decided building a cage out of round rod to set those gauges in would be our best bet. So expect an update soon on that.

I think I might have mentioned that I ordered 20 feet of the painless wiring POWERBRAID so that I can loom that wire for the headlights as it comes out of the firewall. I need to order 3-4 different lengths of cloth wiring for the wires that come out of the regulator and to the Generator, coil etc. I'll get that from HRC probably and will probably do so in the next couple days....or hrs if I get bored enough.

My last few chrome pieces (except the garnish moldings) went to the tweaker/chrome shop on Wednesday. So that's another $185 I need to come up with for next week. What went to him was...

-Original '56 exhaust manifolds (driver & pass)
-Generator Housing
-Windshield crank knob
-Distributor Pieces (cap hold downs & brackets)
-NOS voltage regulator which needs to be re-chromed since the factory stuff is shit.

Can't wait to see those manifolds back after seeing Terd Ferguson's Cad ones come back. Stoked for his engine as well!!!

After a pretty rough couple weeks from my son Memphis' surgery, Davina's broken foot, a paycut at work (which I haven't even had time to wrap my head around) and last nights incident with Memphis's black eye (head shaking) I did get some good news that my radiator look good and checked out at the shop so all it's going to cost me is $50 for the dip/clean/check/ paint. That was an issue I was really worried about since a new one from Walker is like $750!




I'll be hopefully wiring the car in the next few weeks and with any luck might have it fired by July.....don't count on it though. Next week is father's day so I plan on spending that day with the little guy.

 

Little man's first shiner! He doesn't look too much worse for the wear! They're tougher than you think they are...he'll be fine in no time!

Glad you had a little time away with friends. Enjoy! The Wizard waits patiently at home. Spend the REAL quality time with M and D! You guys have earned it!

 

Let me guess, one of the other babies in the neighborhood called the Wizard a rat rod and Memphis had to throw down.

 

Gotta love the shiner, my son had a few of these also (he's 7 now).
Once again great job with the car, I look forward to the updates. Giving me great inspiration for my 31' Tudor I just picked up.

 

You already had to pop him one, huh? You're in for trouble if he is already trying to fight you.....

 

depends what you want it to look like or is it seen, I will use the metal standard ignition relays is you can see it and a plastic relay under the dash if you want. if you want the bosch style plastic ones you can buy them anywhere (pep boys, marine store, ebay), just make sure it comes with the holder pigtail and it's about 40 amps. you could also spend the day in the junkyard cutting relays and pigtails, but if you have to replace them they might be expensive.

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just need a 40 amp circuit breaker

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i do like the hrc kit has 10g wire were the other ones are 12g and 18g wires.

 

Jeffy, check this out...

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=45