Projects "John's build thread" '29 sedan on '32 frame

an a/c compressor that looks like a generator? a driveshaft driven compressor?

 

AC, if it happens, is gonna get back-burnered. I gotta build it, drive it, and get a ticket in it first! Then I'll put mufflers on it!

 

this sounds like one sweet a-bone. love the open header idea. i'd use zoomies. loud pipes save lives!

 

I like it! Great work!

 

Today's update.... spent a few hours finishing up the rear crossmember. Added small bits of metal and welded everything in place. Grinding and smoothing, it finally looks good!

In these pics, the frame is still on the jig upside-down.

Also welded in the front bones mounts, which were just tacked before. And boxed in the front frame horns.

 

Just this "little" bit of work took 5 hours, but it sure is fun!

 

I found a set of '56 F100 front hubs and brakes, got them from a friend for $100. Also found out '50 Mercury rims have the same taper as the '54 Chevy rims I reversed for this car. Saves me having to redrill to Chevy pattern! Looking for 3 more 50 Merc rims now........

 

Looking Good John! Come get your change anytime you want! Glad the rims worked to your liking.

 

TODAY'S UPDATE:
Spent most of Black Friday doing what one's supposed to do on such a day: work on your hotrods!
Got the frame flipped back right-side up and started on the 1956 F100 front hubs.

First step there was to modify the back of the inner bearing to clear the fillet found on the spindle. I wrapped the bearing in masking tape, cut a hole through the center and ground the edge until it slipped onto the spindle and bottomed out against the knuckle.
Of course I got carried away and didn't get a pic of this, but it's just a bevel made with a die grinder.

Unwrapped the bearings and made sure they were clean. Packed with grease, new seals and ready to install.........

 

Hubs and drums mounted. No brakes in there yet, main goal is to make this a roller first. What minor funds I have need to remain focused on having this thing roll and steer.....

 

With the frame back on the table, did some more minor finish welding and grinding. Starting to really look like something!
Also waiting on a flathead to T5 adapter I ordered, and borrowed a T5 for mockup from my friend Bart. (52pickup here on the HAMB)
I'm actually planning to just go ahead and purchase this trans from him.

 

So next to be done is steering, engine and trans mounts, rear end located and sprung and rear '36 bones located.

 

Looking good John! You should give me a call this weekend. I'll be around.

 

John,

Congrats on selling the Met. I'm sure the money will come in handy with this project. Looks like you're making nice progress. Keep up the good work.

Mike

 

Thanks Mike. Yeah I got a couple bucks out of the Met, enough for a flathead T5 adapter, front hubs and brakes, and a few other things. Put my daughter in a Civic, she loves it.

We get the drivetrain mocked up and then I can build mounts and locate the front of the rear bones and the rear axle.
Funny how each part requires the other part so you can locate the third part!

 

John,

If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Can't wait to see it rolling around.

Mike

 

Bad or not I'm putting it on my 8-BA when it finds a car to go in. Too many years of roasting my ass off on road trips and getting beat up with wind and road dirt. Now that I can get the sr discount everywhere it's time for some comfort.

Trouble is I want an A sedan on deuce rails and the wife wants a fat fender.

 

Minor update: Ordered and received my flathead truck hogshead to get the flatty closer to the T5 transmission.
Started fitting my rear axle mounts I'm making to connect the '36 rear bones to the banjo. I'll keep pressing forward on these and take pics as I go. Also found out I need to piecut the bones near the axle and take some angle out so they don't cross up front. That's my after-work plans this week.

 

Not much to update, got my Dwight Bond adapter, so now we have all the pieces to mock-up the mounts, crossmembers and stuff!
Still working on the rear axle mounts, life's been busy, hoping to get them done next week. Something so simple taking too long!

 

I love the look of open headers but lakester pipes are even better. Many times people will use open headers but plumb in rear pipes and make caps to put on the headers. A Y pipe from the headers is what I've seen if your wife wants to ride with you. For the AC A friend used an externall unit and put it in the trunk. he runs two Alternators for 24 Volts and runs the AC off that.

 

In Tucson, I would want AC too. You could put a York style compressor on it to keep it somewhat traditional looking.


Nice build, keep the updates coming.

 

whos droping axls in detroit area ?

 

OK, got back on it over the Holidays.
Took my very solid subrails and brush painted them in POR-15. Since I had the can open and the brushes out, I coated the door edges, cowl edges and the windshield frame/cowl section where no paint will go. I found some numbers stamped in the subrails, so I kept them clean.
The sixth pic shows the door bottom rot, that'll be an easy fix! Similar for both doors.

 

Made some rear spring U-bolt straps and got the spring in place.
Nothing like a classic Craftsman grinder and a section of railroad track!

 

Had both halves of the axle mounts I made TIG welded (tacked) together, they are trapped yet rotate around the axle so I can set pinion angle later.
Mounts fitted to the '36 bones.

The top edge of the mount is unfinished, and will receive the top triangulated tube, which will run parallel to the lower, original tube. They will meet further forward.

 

These two pics show the coated subrails set on top of the frame.

 

Went to the shop after work and got the engine, adapter and trans bolted together. This isn't my flathead, but its similar and works for mockup.

Set in place and after some adjustments put it where it's gonna reside. Looks good to me, minimal floor trans hump with decent clearance.
Used engine mounts that Peter had in stock at the Old Ford Store next door. Randy welded them in real nice and I'll grind the tops flush later.

Trans mount is next visit. 'Twas a fun night for sure!

 

Got the body assembled and mounted to the subrails and fitted to the frame. That took a few evenings. Initial placement was wrong, too far back.
After cutting the subrails to fit the frame, it all tucked in real nice back there.

(The rear axle isn't located yet)

 

After getting the body in place, we realized the engine was too far forward.
Oh well, cut and weld!
Set the grille shell on it to see how things would look. It's an Essex Super Six and operates like a Pines Winterfront

 

I took a premade transmission crossmember and added some flanges to it so I can drop out the center for easier trans removal later. Made the flanges in a couple of hours at home and welded them in place this morning with everything aligned true.