I'm still undecided but might get someone to come in and plug weld all holes where I have bolts. (I don't want to do this with my gasless mig) Would love to get it hot rivited if I can find someone to do it.
This build is gettin me keen to start collecting rod parts!!! Need to stay focused on savin money for the truck!! Lovin what your doin though mate
Thanks everyone, slowly getting there Yes I will be home Outback, do you have my address, will pm it anyway
Started on the sub rails Anyone know if the centre crossmember that's on the forward edge of the seat has the outside edge bent at 45 degrees to match the outside main subrail? I'm leaving the subrails at 3/4 length (they are from a phaeton/tourer/roadster with about 2 foot cut off) so I can use the back hole as a reference point. Once the subrails are all together I will cut off both sides to match the cab length.
Sub-rail assy, started to screw together Holding it together with tech screws Using a front floor removed from a A Model being steeled out to help align everything Time to try the seat frame, my 5yo decided to try it out Now trying the cowl It's all falling into place, had some trouble with the left sub frame being out a bit but used the right side for reference. For parts that have never fitted together before it's coming together great The roadster pickup seat frame, rear cab and floor all came from a RPU with timber sub floor, all parts will need work to fit together but going better than expected
Everthings looking good Ritch.Looks like your making a lot of progress. I like that seat ! Going to look good. I think I am going to put my full fenders & running boards on mine. Well talk to you later Ritch. Keep up the good work man. Bob.....
Hi Bob, I have a complete interior for it so that's a big saving. Have complete roof, side, door and kick panels. That colour dictates the future body colour.
Hey Rich, was good to catch up the other day, thanks for showing me around your place,..... And for running me about to try to fix my Harley
More parts, now have my 9" housing back, it looks good Also now have a set of 46/48 rear radius rods and late 30s wishbone. The radius rods will be made into lower trailing arms for the triangulated 4 link. Found out the 2 F100 axles I had were rubbish, have big nicks out of axle under the bearing retainer. Some butcher used a angle grinder to remove the bearing retainer. My diff builder has found another axle and should find another later.
I'm back working on the cab build. Have the roadster pickup back section and doors out of storage There is some unusual work done to create this cab And a weird bracket Will have to do some creative cutting to get this all to work together. This RPU cab was built up 30 to 40 years ago on a Aussie wood frame and has quite a history in Sydney NSW, must get some photos of the cab in its previous life. For my built I'm using a all steel subframe. And some good sub rail patches for anyone with a roadster or phaeton. Will list them on eBay
Not working on much lately, more cleaning things up. Had picked up my reverse eye main a month ago and had all the other leafs blasted. Many many hours with a grinder and sanding wheels I end up with this All the leafs ends have been smoothed and the small notches where the leafs rub against each other have been blended. Now have this It's a deluxe 10 pack (sedan) and have removed 2, I do intend to actually put some weight in the back at times so hoping 8 will work out. After blasting it's surprising to see the Ford script on most leafs.
Another little project, making spring hangers. The parts I had plasma cut out were not even, I tacked them together and ground them to match. The tube I could not find in the right size, I ended up using smaller tube inside and split it to fit inside. Now have this, just need to finish it up. Total cost was $42. If I was to order in any spring hangers from the states it would be well over $100 with freight.
More on the cab build, amazing how much time it takes to get everything to line up, this cab is made of many parts that have been reworked, that dash rail was near bent in half when I picked it up, cowl posts have had top and bottom completely replaced. To fit things together I'm using any factory holes that are close to lining up, jamming in a screwdriver to align than putting in bolts into any close holes that line up Swapping tanks Getting there Need to get stanchion posts next, have to go new
More on cab The seat And door fitment Looks like I still need to move the cab back 8 or so mm forward then shim for correct angle. My bolt on spring hangers They still need some work, but they clear the backing plates and wheel cylinders. Have a eye to eye of 47" and with a bit of work might gain another 1/2. So with my reverse eye spring being 1 1/2" shorter it should be ok I want to be able to swap diff housings without worrying about welding brackets
Some more on the trim The seat base was no touched but the seat back has been rebuilt on a new plywood frame. The seat back trim was restiched with new vinyl inserted to replace the top and bottom where it was damaged.
Might be a big change, I just listed the cab on evil bay as more a expression of interest. I'm out of rebuild money now and about to move back to Melbourne. Keeping everything but the cab and trim. If by some chance it sells, will try and hunt down a more family friendly tudor body. If anyone in Australia is looking for a RPU cab with trim or wants to trade a tudor cab with cash adjustment just let me know. Might be a new build thread up here shortly.
The front axle assy is all together now, F1 brakes on and drag link. On the Ford Pilot axle I ground off the big boss on both sides of the axle, no idea what they are for (sway bar mount?) as it had quite a bit of pitting in this area I removed this also. F1 brakes, steering, F1 tie bar, 38 style wishbone all mounted with no aftermarket parts other than the spring perch. It works out that the Pilot axle would be the same age as the F1 brakes from about 1949 or so.
I'm 2 weeks from moving down to Melb for work. Have just squashed everything from the garage into a 3 x 2.5 metre storage shed Once I am into the new place that thankfully has a 2 car garage, time to make a roller out of it.
Take care Rich with the move, I hope that the move will be a benifit for you, are you still looking at selling the RPU panels? if so how much? If you head back this way feel free to drop in, Cheers Glenn
Hi Outback,,,,I don't know if I will sell the cab, will be keeping everything else and making a roller out of it. That I know. The cab I had listed on EBay for 5 grand with the complete interior, had quite a bit of interest in it but took the listing down (long story) Being back in Melb makes buying and selling easy but will miss living in Echuca as I love country living. I do have a 30 roadster cowl also I can use for a build (do love the improved A the most) really want a 30 Tudor more than anything and would love to swap my cab for a Tudor. Once I'm working and everything in my new garage will work out my direction.
No stress, There was a 30 4door sedan that went cheap up this way a few months back, which would have been ideal if you could cope with the extra doors! Also, there were quite a few cool bangers at chopped this year, did you get there?
Yea a moredoor is good too I went to Maldon on the Friday morning to pick up the axle, while over that way was going to just go into Chopped for 1/2 day but after seeing the 2 ks + queue to get in I though it was unfair to drag my 5 yo daughter around. Next year,,,,should have never sold the 1958 carapark van
Now living in Melbourne, today have picked up the last of my parts stored 200 kilometres away. Finally get to see how my modified Wishbone worked, I flipped the ends over to give steering clearance When on my Pilot axle (looks like a 34 axle, not the A axle in the picture) it will just clear the steering Also picked up some parts from the sand blastes, some to keep and some to sell. The 38 heavy truck handbrake and steering box come up great. This RHD steering box must be a very early AR part, I have stripped a few standard model A steering boxs and have never come across one welded up like this. Next week starting the chassis build up
Had a few hours to play with it all and wished I just stayed in front of the TV. Picked up my A spindles from a local place just to get the old bushes out, charged me $50! Picked up a slinted brass top hat bush I was using in the steering column as a top bearing. Opened up the top of the factory column bearing between the spark and hand throttle and it seated nicely. Everything looked good so started assembling the steering box, pushing the steering shaft through the new bearing,,,,cracked the new slinted bearing just as it seated,Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Need to buy a small lathe and make things from scratch like I did at school in the mid 80s. Started working on getting the spring perches in the axle, no go, just too tight on the Pilot axle? So then tried the perches on a old A axle I have and also looks too tight for it too? Anyone know if spring perch spaces are available commercially or at least know what dimension the spring spacer will need to be? (A wishbone on 33 style axle)
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