Projects Kurt’s Puddle Jumper - 1930 Model A Extended-Cab Pickup Build

Again, 2 weeks since the last update. A cold snap and Thanksgiving got in the way. I do not want to heat the garage to a comfortable working temperature when it is below freezing outside. Takes 3-4 hours to do to get just a few hours of work.

I did get the headlight relay cover painted and installed.


Installed

 

Warm enough this past week to get a few days in the garage working on Kurt. Got the 2 remaining window garnish moldings cleaned up, primered, and painted. Also cleaned up the bottom channels on the door windows and got them painted as well.

Primed



Painted





Opps. They were supposed to be gray. Had to wait 48 hours to repaint.



As soon as I open the purse strings on Kurt after the Ney Year, I plan to get new window felt and glass setting rubber and get the glass installed.

 

Almost a month since my last update. Back from holiday travels. I did briefly open Kurt's purse strings and got the parts to install the windows and a 90 degree Speedometer cable adapter.

Spent a couple of hours in the garage yesterday. Trying to measure for proper Speedometer cable length. Any suggestions on how to find a GM style cable of a specific length? Looking at a long list of ATP cables online but they are not sorted by length.

 

Really inspiring build!
Plus keeping the DDs and MH on the road, never mind all the other jobs you’re doing too.
Fantastic work!

I’d love to see a roof chop before you buy the bits and pieces for the side windows though!

 

Thanks Althebass for the kind words. Trying to keep busy to stay alive. The consensus of the HAMB and the Bionic Woman (my wife) is to not chop it. I wanted to do a 3 inch chop. Another HAMBer did a photoshop chop.



Using existing glass so no $$$ being expended there. Been busy with other projects so not much done this week. I usually dedicate Saturday morning to work on Kurt while listening to Lynne Warfel's Saturday Movie Music program on MPR. I got sidetracked this week with another Bionic Woman project of making up a box to hold bells for some form of Christmas decoration. Spent the whole morning on that.



Did get the mounting rubber on one of the quarter windows.



Going to get super cold for the next week so don't expect to get a lot done.

 

Man,Thats a fine looking Bell Box...!

 

Happy New Year Roland! I am siding with the Bionic Woman... don't chop it! I get a lot of joy out of reading your posts and following your progress. I am praying for good health for you two in 2024! Stay warm!

 

Gee time flies. Two weeks and not a lot to report. Had about 4 good work days in garage but little to take pictures of. Spent 2 days cleaning and painting inside of doors in prep for gluing in the window channels.

Bionic Women's DD is acting up. Ever since I filled it with gas it has really run bad. In my defense, there is bridge reconstruction between home and the closest ExxonMobil station and instead of having a 10 minute delay I filled it with another brand. Took the fuel filter housing out of the top of the gas tank and pumped out 7 gallons. Did not change filter as not due till Tuesday. Put in a can of SeaFoam and filled it with Exxon++. Still not running right.

Got a sheet of 1/8 inch plywood to make door panels. Have vinyl coming Tuesday to cover them.


Got the Bell Box cleaned up and painted. Stick will hold a gold star but do not have gold Paint yet.

 

I also agree with not chopping it. And as a side benefit it will be easier to get in and out of as we aren't getting anymore flexible as we age.

 

Spent much of week on the Bionic Women's DD. Cleaned the MAF and Throttle Body and changed the PCV valve and it drives much much better but is idling at 1400-1500 rpm. Still waiting on the fuel filter. Left UPS last Monday for the USPS 40 miles away and has not gotten there yet. Bell Box is done.


OK, back on topic. Got 3 days of work in on Kurt (well maybe 2 days, spent most of one day cleaning up from the thrash on the DD). Got the passenger door glass reinstalled and the door panel cut, fitted, and temporarily installed. I shouldn't have cleaned the glass since you can't see it in the picture.





I though I ordered new inside door handles when I ordered the other door parts but somehow missed them. Ordered them yesterday. Think I need some type of door pull or handle to close the door from the inside when the window is up. Suggestions?

Got the vinyl to cover the door panels. Picture makes it look much lighter than it really is but a nice contrast to the other trim.



Cutlas Fan, not going to be chopped anytime in the near future.

 

Can you reverse the door caps to get the pull away from the glass?

 

Dumb, dumb, dumb; I could not figure out why the door caps were not flat when I was cleaning them up and painting them. Have not sat in Kurt with the caps installed and windows installed so always just pulled on the door opening. Don't have to reverse them, it works as is. Only down side I see will be occasional figure marks on the glass. Thank You Vtwhead.

 

Got the driver's door panel fitted. Had to see what the vinyl will look like so temporarily taped it on the passenger door panel. Have to get some contact cement to attach it to the panel. Have some fancy oval head screws and cup washers to attach the panel.




I think it looks great!

 

It does look good! You can be proud to tell everyone that you did it yourself.

 

Thanks Dick,
I have not done any upholstery since about 1960 when my Mother and I redid the door panels on my 51 Chevy with vinyl. We did them in black and white vinyl stitched together. My mother did the sewing machine work.

 

Installed the drivers door window but found I could not roll it all the way down. The lower channel on the glass was catching on the winder mechanism. I knew there had been a lot of rust on the channel but I was hopeing it would work. It has spread the channel too far.


Ordered a new channel and installed it yesterday. What a Pita. Soaked the setting rubber in oil. Had to double it up on one side to get it tight enough. Trying to position 2 pieces of rubber setting tape and the channel soaked in oil with 2 hands that were black in the first 2 minutes. Finally got it in place and let it sit overnight. Nice and tight this morning. Installed the window this morning.

Got all the escutcheon fitted on the door panel and got all but 10 screw holes drilled and the fancy screws and washers installed.

 

Got the driver's door panel all ready to install. Vinyl fitted and glues on, escutcheon installed, BUT? Vinyl was on the wrong side of plywood making it backwards. Oh s@#$! Quit for the day.

 

Practice makes perfect.

 

Redid the driver's door panel. Was able to salvage the plywood. Door panel now has vinyl on both inside and outside. Got vinyl glued up on windlace and installed.

 

A bit behind on posting. Raining so I don't want to head to the garage right now. Got the pass door panel finished and installed.


Started on the inside quarter panels. Had to remove the seats. Drivers side fitted.


Vinyl applied and started install. Need to glue up the windlace before finishing the screws.


Fitting the wood for the pass side. Have to order more vinyl. My screwup on the drivers door made me short.

 

Driver's side panels almost done. Need screws to hold quarter window frame and windlace between door and quarter panel.

 

Falling a little behind in posting. This first pic happened last weekend. Driver's side interior quarter panel is done with windlace.


Didn't get to work on Kurt for a few days with spring yard cleanup projects. Was walking in garage getting a flat shovel and heard a load "crack" sound. I wondered what that was? Walked back around Kurt and saw this Oh Sh$% minute. Must have tightened down to hard on the screws on the front trim piece.


Got the pass side interior quarter panel with windlace done.


Sat the seats back in to see what it will look like.



Started work on the headliner. Was going to use a white vinyl but decided to use the same as the doors.

 

Got all but the rear panel of the headliner fitted and ready to cover with vinyl. The rear panel I need to bend. Not sure what I'm going to do yet in the corners.

 

Got the rear panel of the headliner fitted and installed. Need to fit the trim piece under the back edge and then on to covering everything in vinyl. Yes, the right side above the rear window is crooked. Screw for some reason not grabbing. Must investigate when I pull it apart.

 

Good weather most of the week so busy on Spring yardwork. Got a few pieces covered with vinyl this morning. Here is a sneak peak at what it will look like.

 

Got eight more pieces covered with vinyl yesterday. Hope to get the remaining 5 done today.

 

Taking longer than expected to install headliner. Did not allow enough gap for 2 thicknesses of vinyl. Have had to peel back, trim, and reglue to fit. I'm also getting ahead of myself. Need to reinstall the left rear quarter window glass before I go further so I don't have to take things apart again. Phineas the Perfectionist is not proud of how it looks. I have to keep reminding him that it is a 94 year old truck and not meant to be a show car.

 

Got all of the headliner panels covered and installed. Need to do the windlace on the top of the doors, reinstall the rearview mirror, redo the one trim piece above the driver's side quarter window, and reinstall the seats and that project will be complete.



Above pic was shot thru the quarter window.

 

Looking good! Great progress!