Technical Cheap solution when 1936 Ford spare tire removed.

I removed the spare tire from my cabriolet and wanted to cover up the holes left in the rear deck without having to mess with modifying and painting the body. I just stumbled across a solution that worked out pretty well for me and kept me from having to do anything to the body and the result looks pretty good to me.



Here's a close-up:

I used the rear license plate bracket for a 1940 Ford pickup and bolted it to the back of the car with the part that originally attached to the back of the taillight in the second hole from the top of the original spare tire mount. I put a rubber washer under it and a larger washer on top to hold it down. I then used a few washers to space the Bob Drake license plate out a little from the bracket so the bolt heads will not touch the paint. I had to play some games with the bullet head screws that holds the whole works together but I'm sure you fellows can figure it out. The wires from the license light go through the topmost original spare tire bolt hole. The wires were just slightly visible so I cut a short piece of vacuum hose and sliced it so it would fit around the red wires and hide them.

The best part is it hides all four of the original spare tire holes and nothing to do regarding the paint.

I hope this helps others. I was putting it together as a temporary solution but like it so well I'm leaving it.

 

Looks good.

 

looks great...any more pics of the car?

 

Looks like it came that way from the factory and doesn't have any sort of done as an afterthought look to it, nice.

 

Very nice.
What brand artillery wheels are those and what hub caps are you using on them? I have considered getting some of those for my '36.

 

I bought the wheels, adaptors, and hub caps from Wheelsmith. Still working on just what and where to have some pinstriping done but I really like the wheels. They look a lot like original 1936 wheels to me. I only buy from Wheelsmith... for over ten years; no complaints.

 

Great job and very cool 36...,

 

That's a great idea. HRP

 

Wonder if that would work on my sedan?

 

Wheels look great.. Pinstriping is way overdone.. Your 36 doesn't need it IMO...

 

Looks perfect, you have a beautiful Ford.


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You could use the same procedure on a sedan IF it had the same mounting holes as the coupe/roadster/cabriolet which has two holes at the top that are vertically aligned and two more holes below them that are horizontally aligned as shown above.

Post a sedan pic, too, if you have it so we can figure out if it will work for a sedan as well.

 

Al, thanks for posting picture of mounting holes. My spare tire is still mounted on the car but found some photos (non digital) of the car when I had it in my paint booth and the mounting holes are the same pattern as you show. Going to order the Drake light tomorrow, free shipping till the 31st. Drake says it may be months before they have one in stock, tried the other vendors no luck either.

 

Try Dick Spadaro--he brought one to York for me.

 

Here it is from the front. Summit crate 302 w/GT40 heads, c4, mustang rear. PS, PB, and Vintage Air.
Thanks for asking. I'm honored. Al

 

Cool idea and a very nice '36.

 

Al, tried Spadaro today and unable to get through on the phone, guys on the HAMB fear he may be very ill, brain tumor possibly.
Were you able to get the 302 in without cutting the firewall; have read the 302 is a much bigger challenge than the SBC? A FORD just shouldn't have a SBC in it IMO.

 

Thanks for the idea, Al. I was thinking of using one of the old after-market lights but this is even simpler.
Beautiful cabriolet; love the o.e.m. color. Red factory belt line stripe is all you need, i.m.o.

 

Wow, that looks great!!

 

I would say that pin striping CAN be overdone, but in many ways it can be quite tasteful. Restraint is the key.

Cosmo

 

My cabriolet and my 4 door convertible sedan both have 302 Ford engines. The convertible sedan has a Snow White water pump kit on it that shortens the engine considerably. I haven't studied the front of the cabriolet to say for sure whether a shorter Ford racing water pump was used. The firewall is recessed for both but am not sure if they are the same. I will try to get some pics and measurements for you. Both cars use electric fans in front of the radiator which I would prefer not to have but both came that way and work well so I am not going to worry with fixing either one right now if they don't break.

In the past SBCs were the general rule for all hot rods due to economics and relative ease of installation versus a SBF. The hobby has evolved now to where any number of engines can be found in our old Fords from later model SBFs to early Hemis, Buicks, on others. Late model SBC and BBC still find their way into many great cars.

To me, it doesn't matter what engine you use so much that you get it on the rode and DRIVE IT!

I still have one SBC powered Ford but the rest have SBFs; something I just wouldn't have believed 30 years ago.

Enough bull shipping! It the owner likes it, I like it and I hope he's not offended by whatever choices I've made for my car or truck. Having fun with these old cars and trucks and the people who like them is what it's all about in my opinion.

Here's the engine in the convertible sedan.

 

Similar to what was done to my 39 way back when. Except of course the missing bolt.

 

That car is drop dead gorgeous. Don't change anything!!

 

Hi Al, I used the exact same procedure as you did when I removed the spare tire on the '36 cabriolet that I bought from you. Worked out great.

Mike


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Great idea, I did the same thing to my coupe, didnt want to mess with the body work.

 

Dang! So many great minds!!
Mike, glad to hear you are enjoying the green one. It is a sweet car and I love that hopped up 36 engine.
Did you get the shorty bumper arms, too?

Funny how we all find solutions when we have good or relatively good paint to start with. Like many "opportunities," you just have to take a while to THINK about them.

 

one thing we did in the old days, we took all the bolts out but one , that held the spare mount, then
turn it upside down, put one bolt back in, mount now sits at different angle and sits lower,, more desirable. we liked it !! in the "old days"

 

nice nice nice!!!!!!!!

 

I'm trying to install a spare tire on my 36 but can't find a picture of the actual mount. Any chance you have a picture of the mount that you unbolted from the body? Thanks

 

Necessity is the mother of invention, I just used button heads in my Chevy after I removed the spare tyre bracket and lucky they're down low on the tail pan. I still have the rear bar for the spare tyre on and couldn't be bothered changing it over.