Projects 1940 American Bantam Woody Convertible Build

I like the wood knobs. Very elegant. But stay away from that toxic wood, there's got to be another similar grain that won't harm you. Matching trim pieces in other locations will tie the car together. Just don't overboard like a Wabbit's style dashboard.

 

Alchemy, Thank you for the compliment. I just looked up what a Wabbit style dash is, and I would like to avoid that look. For those of you who aren't sure what a Wabbit dash is, here is a photo:

Wabbit Dash by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:05 PM

After doing a bunch of research, I ended up going with the cocobolo, because it was basically on par with everything else I was considering with regard to toxicity. It's amazing how saw dust can affect our bodies. While we worry about plastics, man made chemicals, and all sorts of other things; wood is often ignored as a harmful substance. I'll be taking a good deal of precaution working with this wood just to be on the safe side.

Between Olean, NY and myself, on a FedEx truck, there is a 3"x3"x8" turning block of Cocobolo heading my way. Luckily, I also found a place willing to sharpen my lathe chisels. Whoever sharpened the gouges last did a very poor job, after using them I learned that many of their shapes were very far out from what they should be. Apparently they had facets ground into the rounded surfaces which cause undesirable removal patterns. Hopefully the knife sharpener who was willing to do it knows what he is doing.

As for wood trim itself, I'm only planning on turning the two pull knobs on the dash and the shifter knob out of wood. It occurred to me that I could also make a matching pair of knobs for the window cranks. However, I don't know if I'll use them, but I'll at least make them on the off chance I decide to go that way.

The other day, I made a final test piece for the pull knobs combining the profile of the first knob, with the ribbed edges of the second, and a convex face. I think I like this best, although I may go a little deeper on the grooves when I make the final knobs. What are your thoughts?

WP_20141111_003 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:14 PM

Left: the better profile and grooving (although I don't like the concentric rings.)
Center: a profile similar to the original pull knobs which I don't think will really translate well to the wood
Right: An attempt to better the left knob, however the knob tapers too much for my taste and the grooves are a bit light as my chisel was getting dull


Also, I think I may remove the majority of the shifter neck so there is a more gradual and less visible transition from the knob to the shaft. These details mean so little when facing the mountain of work that is this project, but I want to set the tone of this project correctly from the beginning. No detail should be over looked, nor should any shortcut resulting in shoddy workmanship be taken. Here is a photo of the knob on the shift lever which appears to have too long of a neck in my opinion:

WP_20141109_002 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:14 PM

Finally, I'm adding a few photos of Bantam dashboards to show you the different set ups which I am considering. I don't want to go overboard, but I am thinking about wood graining the dash and possibly the door top garnish moldings. I think in the right pattern, it could look good.

11080737_10101464000523092_6505263897524390117_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:34 PM

1902755_10101464001301532_7518811636500659193_n by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

10257329_10101464002060012_4368233218509317091_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

10483807_10101464001680772_8430323961361204598_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

10551706_10101464000293552_6086540275573253555_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

10648976_10101464003616892_7476367160244414472_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

11079514_10101464003726672_134357006740507524_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

11080344_10101464000288562_5143462423806993118_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

11110814_10101464000997142_3960827550664739946_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

11133794_10101464003566992_4022600010598126488_n by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

41_American-Banttam-65-DV_13-RMSJ-i02 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:43 AM

41_American-Banttam-65-DV_13-RMSJ-i01 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:43 AM

A further thought with regard to the dash is the inclusion of a stainless steel insert which was an optional accessory that could be ordered on a new Bantam. I can only find photos of these installed on roadsters which have a different dash in that they are flat and the gauge portion is not inset like the coupe and convertible dashboards. Here is what the insert looks like:

11134050_10101464005887342_7834350808454423337_o by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

Also, as a note, throughout this thread, many of the photos may not be used with permission. If you would like your photo removed, please PM me.

 

I don't think "woodgrain" and real wood go together. Stick with the real wood. Can you get a thinner piece of the toxic wood to do an overlay of the lower part of your dash? Kinda like creating a "dash insert" but it would only be laying on the surface.

For the shift knob, look up 1937 Ford shifter knobs. They have a very nice feel in your hand (at least mine does in my hand) and they would be a good model for you to emulate.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. After staring at photos of Ford Sportsman convertibles, I've been wondering the same about the fake woodgraining, especially the lighter colorings used on most of the dash. I'll have to look into seeing what sort of veneers are available, but I don't know if I'd want to just piece in veneer onto the dash.

Here are a few photos of Ford Sportsman dashboards showing the contrast between the dashboard, the interior, the body color, and most importantly- the wood cladding:

161284_Interior_Web by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:50 PM

1947-ford-sportsman-woodie-conv-steering-wheel by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:50 PM

DSC08979.1080 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:50 PM

FL15_r0223_05 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:50 PM

Sportsman Dash by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:50 PM

1946_Ford_Sportsman_6437560539_73af6517c0_b by rg171352 posted Apr 15, 2015 at 11:04 AM

(Red sure does seem like a popular color for an interior. Original Bantam Hollywoods were fitted with a dark red leather. I've been considering either the dark red or a dark brown for this car.)​

Also, before I forget. For anyone else out there looking to do any wood working, make sure you consult this website first: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/ It's important to know what you're working with and to do it safely! This site provides a fairly comprehensive list of woods you may come across and how they'll try to attack you if you don't proceed with caution.

Also, attached are photos of 37 Ford knobs for reference since you mentioned them. I like the side profile of the wooden colored one. Thank you for the tip!

 

Here's the Hollywood prototype that Alex Tremulis built. Tremulis confirmed it was the same one he built by the repairs he made while en-route from Hollywood to Butler. He had rolled it in Texas and had to repair the stays. The white underneath was the original "Midnight White" with purple and orange tint. It was repainted maroon for the factory advertising.

 

Gyronaut,

Thanks for sharing that photo! I've never seen this photo before. I only heard rumors about the restoration and I'm glad to know the prototype survived all of these years. I'd love to know how bad the car was after the accident.

Have you ever heard the interview where Alexis Tremulis speaks about the road trip to Butler? For anyone interested, this recording is available through the Austin Bantam Society club store. It's a great recording, however I wish it was a little longer and more detailed; but I may just be greedy. A few photos to go along with it would have been great too. This would be the one instance in which a smart phone would have been more than welcome. If only I could see an archived version of the 1940 Alex Tremulis adventure blog...

I have to post some more information on where the project has been going later this week. Once things settle down I'll have a chance to upload a few photos. Hopefully I'll get into the swing of posting and working so I can slather a few more action shots with the car on here.

 

It's been a hectic few weeks, but alas, I didn't forget about you or my project.

 

I didn't realize it at first, but American Austins and Bantams actually have a significant number of differences. The body I am using as the foundation of my project started as a 1933-35 American Austin Coupe. Eighty years ago, it probably looked something like this:

1934-american-austin-1050x700 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:41 AM

Yet somehow, over time it became this:

A1 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM

A2 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM

A6 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM

A4 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM

A3 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM

Although this car's history is unknown, the rumor is it was some kind of show car back in the day, a small Bantam powered custom. However, no photos exist of this car's past and it is now nothing more than a relatively solid, hacked up, coupe. Although you'd think that a company with such limited means as American Bantam would have avoided making many changes through its production run, looking at this car, you would be amazed at all of the differences that occurred in just a few short years. As many of these differences that can be corrected, will be. I want to make my project as legitimate seeming as possible and equip it with the best Bantam had to offer.

Some quick differences on Austins and Bantams:

Each frame has a different configuration of crossmembers. The Bantam has a rear cross member which ties together the back end of the frame and keeps the semi-eliptical springs mounted properly. The rear of the Austin frame is actually not connected, and as a result, the perimeter of the frame resembles a V shape. The frame rails end a little past the rear end. The Bantam crossmember added to the rigidity, strength, and handling capability of the higher powered cars.

In the center of the frame, the Austin has two parallel crossmembers that require a 2 piece drive shaft assembly including a drive shaft and torque tube. By 1938, Bantam turned the second straight crossmember into a v shape, maintaining rigidity and providing clearance for the new style drive shaft.

1940 Bantam Truck Frame by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:54 AM

60331-500-0 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 10:54 AM

Since I'm building an open car built from wood and a Bantam; the Bantam frame is the best choice. I need as strong of a frame as I can get. The cut down coupe above was mounted on an Austin frame, with an Austin rear axle and torque tube, but it has an entire Bantam front end with steering parts. The Bantam parts I have, included a Bantam frame, missing the entire front end. It's almost like these parts were meant to be cobbled together.

Below are photos of the two variations on the chassis which I have.

 

Loading the trailer seemed like the hard part at first a couple of weeks ago. Once the parts finally made there over to the shop, everything needed to be unloaded from the trailer and turned sideways to come in through the door.

WP_20141128_003 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM

WP_20141128_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM

WP_20141128_007 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 11:13 AM

WP_20141128_008 by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM

Sadly, the car will have to come out the same way it went in, thankfully I have some time before I have to worry about getting the finished product out. However, all I can think about is Henry Ford trying to remove his quadricycle from his garage; only to realize that he never considered the width of the door and how that would impact getting the car out. My solution will be more elegant than taking a hammer to brick, but it won't be as practical.

Bagley by rg171352 posted Apr 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM

 

Although the body is finally in the shop, I'm not losing sight of my initial plan to start with the dashboard. The cocobolo finally came and I just invested in a nice respirator. In a couple of weeks, after work slows down a bit, I can get back to the knobs and gauges. Once I have those bits sorted out, I'm going to turn my attention to straightening and bracing the body so I can begin getting it ready for its conversion to woody cabriolet.

Keep watching, progress coming!

 

Some people wonder what the differences between a Sportsman and a Town and Country are. I found these great photos showing a Sportsman skeleton and wanted to share them with you. Without the wood, you can see all of the reinforcement and bracing which Ford included in these cars. My initial understanding was that this structure existed in all Ford convertibles and the sheet metal was skinned over it. However, I was wrong, this structure is proprietary to the Sportsman. Unlike the Town & Country which featured much more wood in it's construction, Ford must have found some reason to include some steel in there. Perhaps Ford chose this different construction technique, in an attempt to strengthen the body, hasten production, or reduce the bulkiness of structural wood in the car.

2009-9-9_RawSptsmnLRWeb-Large by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 9:04 AM

2009-9-9_RawSptsmnRRWeb-Large by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 9:04 AM

While it is still far off at this point, I am planning to follow the Ford path more so than the Chrysler one. I would like to add some metal structure to the wood, however there will be some portions from the wheels back which will be wholly wooden. If I'm careful, maybe 25 hp won't seem completely insufficient.

 

Here's a shot of Tremulis' original Hollywood prototype's dashboard, pre-restoration. Pretty simple...

 

gyronaut,

Thank you very much for posting the interior photo of the Hollywood prototype. I think I am starting to like the woodgrained dash again. I'm very curious what that thing is in the middle of the dash above the gauges and whether the inner door trim is also woodgrained. These are wonderful photos which I've never seen before and am very grateful you posted them.

More progress to follow, things have gotten busy and my workshop is almost back in order to restart on the project.

Happy New Year!

 

The lathe chisels are off to the sharpener and the respirator is ready to go. The drill press is almost set up and the wood is taunting me. In the next week, I'm hoping to begin turning the cocobolo shift knob.

 

It's been over two weeks and I haven't heard anything on my wood chisels. So, rather than be completely idle something has come my way to keep my hands busy.

Through my website, I helped a great guy find a Bantam for a really cool project he is working on. I don't know if he wants me to share any details, but it's going to turn heads. While I had been planning on using the windshield and doors from the Riviera coming in from California; this man has a windshield in better shape with the stainless insert and the correct doors with window frames for my project. For his project, the windshield and door posts are unnecessary. For mine, my rock solid doors needed posts. After some discussion, his doors are coming in and mine are going out.

Hollywood-1a by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM

P1070411 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM

Although not in the order I originally anticipated working on the car, I am finally getting to work on this thing. I started taking the doors off of my body and this week, I'll be working on removing the door side hinges from the car.

WP_20150124_002 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM

P1070412 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

The hinges on these doors are held on with the ever loathsome slotted screw. Amazingly, there isn't a slotted screwdriver in this whole county that fits this slot nicely. After asking if there are any tricks to getting Bantam hinges off, I began soaking them and using the screwdriver I already had.

Have you ever worked with a car body so light and flimsy that by applying pressure to the hinge screws you caused the whole other side of the body to begin lifting up? I have, and I realized that nothing good was going to come of my efforts, especially considering that the whole cowl has come undone from most of its attachment points to the body on the driver side. To protect the body, and myself, I pulled the hinge pins. Even with the added leverage, these screws do not want to come out.

Once I've drilled out the screws for the hinges, my next plan is to remove the cowl from the body. Using measurements from more solid cars, I plan on straightening this cowl and repairing the internal rust damage. Once the cowl is square I plan to straighten the body to match. The donor car should be coming with the correct wheel houses and bracing which will give me an idea of how the back end of this car will need to come together.

 

Aright, the chisels are sharp! Wood crafting updates to come soon.

In other news, while pondering the wooden structure of my car, which has a long way to go, I stumbled upon an ebay ad with some interesting information regarding new wood for sale. It's possible that there are some good tips in it so I'm posting it for myself and others looking for every bit of information they can find on the subject.


" We believe and have found that it is better to use Stainless Steel Bolts to secure the wood to the body, rather than the blind nuts used at the factory.

We have specially made Bolts with a factory copy of the original head on them sanded and then polished to a mirror finish. FREE set worth $100 to $300 with any refinishing order.

The Process:

1. We photo the wood. (not going to help me)
2. We disassemble each and every piece of each unit. (not going to help me)
3. We inspect each piece looking for cracks, dry rot and discoloration. (not going to help me)
4. We then give you a "hard cost" for the work you want done. (not going to help me)
5. We number and mark each piece to be replaced.(not going to help me)
6. So that you retain the fit when you put your wood back on your car, we make a exact copy of each piece we are going to replace. (May be helpful if I make the foam buck I was thinking of)
7. We inspect each piece we are going to keep and fill and repair as needed. (not going to help me)
8. We hand sand, as needed, with 80 grit sandpaper.
9. We bleach the old wood back to match the color of the new wood. (It is our intent that it be vary hard to tell the old wood from the new wood, colorwise, after the finish is put on the wood. (not going to help me)
10. We fit to a very close tolerance each piece (new and old) into a "unit", screw the pieces together without glue and fit them on a shop car. (Good idea to dry fit)
11. We then make any adjustments as needed and glue each unit together using Epox[y] Two Part Glue. We are very careful that any glue lines do not showy glue lines do not show, whenever possible. (Is this a good glue to use? Good idea about considering what happens to glue as it dries. Don't want glue showing or expanding too much.)
12. We hand sand each piece and each unit with 100 Grit sandpaper. (Probably need this)
[]
13. If you want us to put a finish on the wood, we hand sand with 150 and then 180 grit paper and apply a light aged varnish stain on the parts to match them. (Probably need this)
14. We then put 6 to 10 coats of finish on the wood. We inspect after each coat and hand sand with 220 grit paper. (Probably need this)
15. Once the finish is on the wood we "color" sand the finish with 400, 1000, 1500, 2000, and then 2500 grit wet and dry paper. (Probably need this)
16. We then rub out the finish with rubbing compound, polishing compound and then put a very high quality wax on the finish. (Probably need this)
17. We let the finish dry for 7 to 10 days and then bubble wrap all the parts, and then pack them in a wood crate for shipment to you. (Definitely don't need this one)"

Although I'm not looking to buy this seller's wood (since it's for a 1950 Ford Wagon), it's interesting to see some of the steps they take in preparing the wood for installation. I'm sure everyone has their own methods, so if you see something that seems different from your recommendations, please feel free to chime in.

Here are some photos of the body with the doors up and the seats fitted. I was curious how I would fit in the car. It's amazing how much room is taken up by the seat. Until I had the seat in, my mind was racing with thoughts of improvements and accessories I could include in the car. I've severely abridged that list after realizing that knees need room too.

WP_20150126_002 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:23 AM

WP_20150126_003 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:23 AM

WP_20150126_004 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:23 AM

Here are also a couple photos of the inner part of the cowl showing the difference between the passenger and driver sides. The drivers side has some rot I'll have to address and the welds between the floor pan and cowl have separated. This may account for a great deal of the flexibility. When I'm ready, this cowl is coming off to be rebuilt, straightened, and replaced.

WP_20150126_006 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:23 AM

WP_20150126_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:23 AM

 

I am enjoying your thread. Looking forward to the pictures when the two cars first become one.

Now you see why I told you that this is step one for me when working on rusty cars with rusty hinges! Keeep the photos coming!

 

Thank you Greg. I can definitely understand why it would be your first step. I am hoping to get outside soon to buy a good center punch. However, I was on the phone with Lynn the other day and he mentioned the idea of using a center drill. I hadn't heard of such a bit before. I may try to pick one of these bits up; partially for this task, but mostly for countersinking some of the bracketry I am expecting to have to make.

Also, the other body is making its cross country trip in the back of a FedEx truck. It's in Illinois and is supposedly held up due to this lovely winter weather. There is a chance it may not make its anticipated Friday delivery to NY. Some other essential parts are also criss-crossing the US in another FedEx truck. Either way, by mid next week, I should have some of the major Bantam pieces that make a Hollywood.

Optimized-DSCN0255 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:44 AM

 

The last few weeks have been full of frigid temperatures and the flu or something else equally detestable. However, in between the shivering and coughing; a boat load of parts came from very helpful and friendly people whom I don't know if I thanked sufficiently. These new pieces will really let me start moving.

Among the parts that came are:
1940 Hollywood doors

P1070412 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

1940 Hollywood windshield with stainless insert

P1070411 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM

1940 Riviera Body

The body looks great in the photos compared with reality. However, it will serve as a donor for many pieces I need. Every panel on the Riviera is damaged, but it has some cast bracing that was only used in the convertibles which will be making its way into my project. The Riv also utilized the same wheel wells as the Hollywood, so although they are shot, they'll be grafted on once they are patched up.

P1070374 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

P1070386 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

P1070385 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

P1070382 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

P1070380 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

I'm now in the middle of drilling out all of the hinges from my Austin coupe doors and the tops of the Bantam doors. I'll post some photos of that endeavor once I have some better photos. All of the hinges from the Austin doors are off, but the Bantam parts seem to be another story.

P1070425 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

P1070426 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 8:57 AM

By the way, after working with these hinges, I am very tempted to buy a set of Wescott bronze hinges as replacements. They are very similar to Austin hinges and have the added benefit that when mounted, there is little to no chance that the paint will chip and rust will run down the wooden doors and stain them.

May the project begin again!

 

My posts may be a bit dull at times, but my hope is that if I document all of my steps, if I'm doing something really stupid, you'll let me know; and if a good idea pops up, maybe it'll help someone embarking on a similar project .

My Austin Doors have officially been replaced with Bantam doors. It took some work, drilling out the hinges, but I can finally start getting on track with this project. When you compare the rake of the Austin windshield post to the rake of the door post you can see how much more streamlined they made the Hollywood. Now that I've tested the doors out, they'll go into storage for a while until I get to repair the door boxes, skin them, recreate the encased side windows, and re-skin them in wood.

WP_20150216_016 by rg171352 posted Apr 8, 2015 at 7:37 PM

My two main goals for the near future are:
1) Prepare the interior knobs out of cocobolo wood.
2) Remove the cowl to straighten it, repair rust damage, repair old patches, and add in supports used in open Bantams to make this car structurally sound.

The wood part sounds less important, but my attention was turned to the dashboard initially while I was waiting for the body to show up. Since I have everything ready to begin turning the knobs, I believe I will start here first.

As you saw in the earlier posts, my plan was to use cocobolo wood to craft durable and attractive knobs rather than plastic replacements. In the coming posts I will be turning a shift lever knob, a choke pull knob, a headlight switch pull knob, and two knobs for the window cranks. Once all of these are finished, I can store away some of the tools that will not be necessary for the rest of the build.

I am posting a photo of one of the new Model A victoria window cranks I purchased which are supposed to be very similar to what the car originally came with. Thinking of experimenting with wooden knobs, I bought a spare to work with. My hope is to find a way to remove the knob from the pin on the handle. If you have any suggestions as to how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.

WP_20150228_006 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:14 PM

WP_20150228_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:14 PM

WP_20150228_004 by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:14 PM

The plan for this wood:

P1070594 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

1) This week, cut the wood I have into appropriate sized blanks for each of the knobs leaving extra material to engage the pieces in the lathe chuck
2) Before putting the pieces in the lathe, I am planning to drill each blank in the center so I don't mar up the finished knob by trying to hold it steady in a vice
3) I plan to turn each piece so I can use the three jawed chuck and then finish the end of the piece properly
4) Work each piece to the final shape and polish the part

I'm not sure how fast I'll be working, but I will be posting some slow progress pictures. Tune in for more.

 

Update, chrome knobs it is. The wood just doesn't make sense on the window cranks...

 

I hadn't said anything before, but I'm glad you're sticking with the chrome.

 

The guy driving the forklift and in the other pictures must be one ugly SOB, either that or he is on the FBIs most wanted list and doesn't want his mug shot online

 

Very nice.
Reminds me of when wood shop was taught in schools.

 

Blue One, I think I may need a new camera. The autofocus doesn't work, and all faces seem to come out that way. ;-)
Actually, I didn't ask my Dad about putting his photo up here so I figured doing this would give him the privacy I think he deserves.

19Fordy, Thank you very much. I'm hoping my wood skills will be much better than when I took wood shop 14 years ago. Let's just say I had a knack for creating avant-garde wooden items and that was all.

Peanut 1959, Me too. Thank you for reinforcing the choice for me.

 

The past few weeks have somehow devolved into a buying frenzy, as well as a time to catch up with work. I finally decided what light treatment I want for the rear end of my car and have been trying to make a decision on the parking brakes on my car. I'll burden you with the brake discussion at another time....

As for the rear lights:

On the production Hollywood, Willys/Indian motorcycle lights were used. I'm not a huge fan of them. On a correctly restored car, they look fine and I wouldn't try to undo that. However, given the nature of this build, I think I can take a couple liberties here and there.

Hollywood Taillights 1 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:37 AM

Images by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:38 AM

11133794_10101464003566992_4022600010598126488_n by rg171352 posted Apr 4, 2015 at 9:36 PM

The original Tremulis prototype looks to have used either 39 Ford or Plymouth lights, but I haven't seen any dead on rear view shots. They seem to have the tear drop shape, and low dome, but it's difficult to determine which of the two brands they may be.

Taillight by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:32 AM

The 39 Ford units are surprisingly hard to find photos of mounted in their natural habitat, here's the best I could find:

39 Taillights by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:44 AM

The 39 Plymouth lights are particularly striking on their original application:

39plymouth10 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:51 AM

I actually like the shape of the Plymouth units better, the broader shoulders lamp and the taper make them some how sleeker to me. Funny story on these lamps, I had a pair from when I was doing a 39 Plymouth coupe. I hung onto them for quite a while after parting out the car thinking I'd use them someday. I sold them about 2 years ago and recently remembered how hard it is to find all of the pieces, especially the back side retaining bucket that keeps them clamped onto the fender. At some point, there will be a segment on rebuilding the 39 taillight assemblies I lucked onto.

For taillight lenses there are multiple options. From the factory, the Plymouths came with lenses having small nibs and mayflower ships embossed in them. The Plymouth logo may not be the right detail for a Bantam.

Oem Lenses by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

The aftermarket was saturated with smooth lenses having neither a nib nor a mayflower.

Nors by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

Yet, the 39 Plymouths bound for export ended up with a nibbed lens having five fins.

Export Style 1 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:51 AM

Export Style 4 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 8:51 AM

Secondly, the photos of the prototype also show a different license plate lamp than what was used by the production models. Since I will be mounting the license plate in the middle of the rear trunk similar to a Ford Sportsman and my trunk doesn't open, I needed a separate lamp and plate bracket. The plate bracket I decided upon was a 39 Plymouth unit remembering it had very clean lines.

MM_ls2UtZKN8UaMFnBwzVGA by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:07 AM

Looking for the bracket and a lamp to illuminate the plate from the bottom led me back to Plymouth again. I found an NOS 39 Plymouth Sedan Delivery lamp which is perfect for what I want. By the way, do you realize how few period options there are for license plate illumination from below without a trunk handle? I could only come up with: 37-39 Hudsons, 39 Plymouth sedan deliveries (of which there is a surprising dearth of photos), and 37-40 Willys coupes. None of these applications allow for an abundant parts supply and make doing a Bantam seem easy.

Light 1 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

$_12 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

When the body is being mocked up, you'll have the chance to see the plate lamp and bracket in better photos. However, here are a couple of photos of a 39 Plymouth taillight mounted in a Bantam fender. Note, a portion of the fender is absorbed by the body and will not be visible once it is attached to the car.

WP_20150328_006 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

WP_20150328_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:01 AM

 

Beyond buying parts I need, my progress has mostly been in my own head. It's very hard to share that sort of thing without boring you and blathering on. However, yesterday I finally set a saw to the Cocobolo to begin the process of making the knobs. I set up the saw outside so the saw dust wouldn't get into my HVAC system and coat my home in very irritating dust.

P1070599 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

The saw made quick work of the turning stock and exposed the beautiful dark grain of this wood.

P1070601 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

Hopefully, this week I'll have some more progress, but for the next day or so, I need to decide on which sections of grain I want for the knobs. I made a couple of cardboard cutouts to hold over the wood to get an idea of what the grain pattern would look like on the largest surface of the knobs.

P1070604 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

P1070610 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

After hours of staring yesterday, I realized it may not make a difference anyway which section of grain I choose for the knobs as I started liking one photo over another only to realize they were the same photo. I guess the decision may not be as hard as I thought.

P1070597 by rg171352 posted Apr 7, 2015 at 9:07 AM

 

It's been four days since I first cut the primary blank which was to be further cut into blanks for the shift knob and the smaller pulls. As I picked up the block, I found that in just a few days it dried out enough to cause very noticeable checking. Cracks thick enough to slide paper into have thwarted tonight's wood working endeavor.

WP_20150402_012 by rg171352 posted Apr 9, 2015 at 9:21 AM

Working on a Bantam has proved to be great especially in one regard. It's pretty easy to get the body off the frame on your own. I don't know if I'd try moving it on my own when it's all finished, but in this shape, I'm okay with it. I pulled the body off of the frame today. If it didn't get snagged on the shift lever it would have been much faster work.

WP_20150401_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 3, 2015 at 11:11 AM

As you can see, I've ditched the plans I previously made. Rather than start by cutting off the cowl, I will attempt to work on this more intelligently. I had been afraid that there was not enough room to store the body separately from the frame, however I was wrong. On its side, I can have both the frame and body apart in my shop.

The plan is to patiently strip the frame to its bare bones to begin this build where it should have months ago, from the ground up. I first have to check the frame for any cracking or deterioration. Then, I need to make sure its straight. Hopefully it is, as straightening it is something I'd rather not have to deal with. The question is how far I will go with the frame before I turn my attention to else where. As this is my first project with a frame, this is all new territory for me.

WP_20150401_006 by rg171352 posted Apr 3, 2015 at 11:11 AM

WP_20150401_008 by rg171352 posted Apr 3, 2015 at 11:11 AM

At this point, I'm thinking of getting the rolling frame together as an epoxy primed unit with all of the running gear installed, although not rebuilt. I've heard there are clearance issues between the engine and the firewall, so my hope is to get the chassis finalized to ensure a correctly fitting body. I'd rather not end up having to take a hammer to the firewall after painting the body because I didn't think about the head.

Any suggestions are welcome. As I've noticed in going through this thread and reading my list of to-do's on my cork board; I've changed my direction a few times. I'm sure I'll change it again, so I'm looking forward to your input. By the way, the dashboard is still a work in progress!

 

Here is a great link regarding convertible tops which should provide a good deal of insight when I get to the point of making a roof for this car: http://www.rasnivelydesigns.com/1940FordConvertibleTop.html

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1936-chevy-convertible.968745/#post-10909928

 

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a reproduction stainless steel dash insert for Bantams. Originally, these inserts were made from standard steel, and although they were coated with something after being engine turned, they usually were rusted over and discarded. This particular batch of repros require some modification to better fit the gauges. Also, it appears that these may not have been used with the coupe dashboards as the top contour does not match that of the top dash rail.

I also picked up a pair of bezels, which are correct for a 53-56 Ford truck, which I felt would dress up the usual pull knob bezels significantly.

Without bezels:

WP_20150407_018 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

WP_20150407_019 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

With bezels:

WP_20150407_014 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

WP_20150407_017 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

With insert and no bezels:

WP_20150407_009 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

WP_20150407_007 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

With insert and bezels:

WP_20150407_002 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

WP_20150407_005 by rg171352 posted Apr 11, 2015 at 8:59 PM

With these pieces, I have everything for the dash. In between other projects on the car, I will work on reconditioning each of these pieces to make the focal point of the interior as aesthetically pleasing as possible.