Projects 30 Ford coupe build

Hey that car looks just like mine! good to know on the swap meets. Are you going to chop your car or be a leader like me and leave it unscathed??

 

Haven't decided about chopping yet, want it mocked up much further. If I do chop, it'll be only 2 to 2.5" at the most.

 

Usually it's us Ontario guys going west to buy good cars. I had to go to Saskatoon to get my T. Way too much salt here. Good for you.

 

Chop it so the back windows are square! That's the best look to me.

 

Thread by "wex65" on here showing A coupe chops in different amounts- great visual presentation. I like 3-4 inches out; doesn't distort the 1/4 window like a radical chop does.

3" bye bye

 

well the car was from Montana so i rescued it from eastern punishment and brought it back out west! WAY too cold back there...... ha ha

 

it's funny, i always feel guilty if I start cutting original steel, even on my camaro. Not that i ever had to do much to it steel wise but i didn't even like drilling holes in the firewall. like cutting down an old tree, just something that doesn't sit right with me. don't get me wrong, i love the look like the next guy, just have a tough time messing with original tin!

 

I built this car 12 years ago, and left it un-chopped ( most East Coast cars were channeled, not always chopped, back when I was a teenage punk in the 60's).
I sold the car after 4 years of driving the wheels off it, and it got chopped by the new owner ( 3 1/2"). I just bought it back, and the chop SUCKS big time! But it is what it is I guess- may sell it and get a stocker and start over ( although I'm slowing down in the build dept.) Who knows what the future will bring. ( more cars??)
Good luck with yours!

 

Why don't you like the chop ? Also, was it channeled in the un chopped photo ? I like it both ways....the cars, I mean !

 

originally not chopped or channeled' and set up with plenty of room ( I'm only 5 11" but I like to stretch out my legs on a long drive.) So, the seat was back against the rear window panel, on a 3" riser, and the steering was set up to work at that height.
Along comes Mr. Chop @ 3 1/2"- the seat was destroyed getting it low enough, and the car is raked so visibility SUCKS, and the steering wheel is in the original build location( so it's like riding a bike with ape hangers.) And the work is crap- it all needs to be re-done at some point. I got excited at the opportunity to own the car again, and bought it pretty much sight unseen ( bad move).
But ; I'm working on straightening out mechanical shit right now so I can at least drive it, and go from there.
This will give you an idea how far back the seat was......

 

Sorry about that. I'm a little taller so any chop on mine will be small. I'm using a 32 frame, so unchopped it's going to look very tall with the height of the frame it's sitting on. No sense in being unhappy about it, like you said, fix it and sell it. Start over. You look younger than me and I'm just starting a new build. Don't slow down cause the next thing after slow is "stop"!

 

Have a ball, A new life ford it.

 

Three generations got their hands dirty today! Continuing with the brain washing of the boy! Got a couple more of the floor pans cut and mounted. We have made these pans bolt in so we will be able to access under car for various items down the road. Started on the last back pan to be put in before we have the gas tank but didn't like how we designed it after we started welding into place so it will be coming back out and we will make a few changes. Can't all go smooth right? Beauty is it can come out and get redone, just uses up a little extra material. The build continues!

 

Great to see your grandson in there. He will never forget this. Brainwashed for life. Looks great.

 

actually that's my Dad and son in the picture. I'm the smart one who takes the pictures so i don't have to be in them! ha ha

 

okay so it's been a while since i have been on! coming out of the busy season in our stores so haven't had enough hours in the day! went into the shop for the first time in almost 8 weeks! Got a bunch of parts i ordered in just before Christmas. new gas tank, drag link, socal steering dampener, 32 dash, front panhard bar from P&J and a ton of little stuff from Howell's sheet metal (who i won't deal with again) spent half a day in the shop on Sunday cleaning up the shop from the last work day and planning for the next phase of work to continue the car. Also getting ready to throw my new gear vendors OD into my camaro which should make driving a little more fun this year! lots to do! here are a couple pics of the gas tank sitting on the framing we fabbed in the trunk. Think we are good for clearance re the rearend and where the pan will sit. opinions?

 

I thought I was ok with 3" clearance between my rear end housing and gas tank support. I also had 3" clearance between my rear wheel wells and axle tubes in my model a hot rod. Well, I hit a big pot hole and crimped the rear brake line and bottomed out on the gas tank floor. I added another 2, 1/2"metal block under the rear spring and now I have 5, 1/2" clearance and so far so good.

 

we went back and forth with how much room to make. if you look close in the one pic showing the sideways view where you can see the frame, you will see that the axkle tubes would hit the c notch in the frame rails before it would hit the floor pan or tank where we have located them so i used that as a guide. guessing once i throw shocks on it, between them and the rear spring i should be fine. guess i won't really know until the car is going down the road! i hate potholes!

 

That axle is very tucked! It looks like you did it right though. Looks good!

 

Yup not a lot of room. Will need to put some beefy coil overs to help the rear spring. Hopefully it won't be too harsh. Built the frame for the fuel tank to mount to today. Used 1" square tubing. Happy with how it turned out and been a while since I burned some wire so good to make some smoke!

 

Got the frame fabbed up for the tank frame to mount to. This also gives me the raised area in the trunk to clear the diff for travel. Lots of room now in my estimation. Another day further along! Now to finish in the raised area with sheet to close up the floor in the trunk.

 

Got the tank bolted to the frame today and started boxing in the raised section in the trunk. bought an electric shear and put it to work today for the first time, damn that thing cuts like butter! I'm using 16 gauge sheet for the floors too so was impressed by how well it cuts. money well spent! took my time getting the sides cut so i had a nice tight fit. Will screw in the top part like the other pieces then weld in the bottom edge. The top sheet that will close it up will be removable to give better access to the diff and brake lines etc. Really enjoying the "freedom of expression" with this build. I'm not a pro by any means but trying my best and learning a few new things along the way!

 

Nice work

 

Bought myself an early birthday gift! Was on clearance at princess auto and is much heavier than my dads so decided I couldn't pass it up! Don't have too many beads left to do but figured it will last me forever so why not. Spent the day tidying the shop so I can have a clean start to tomorrow's full day in the shop. Going to finish the raised area in the trunk and start on the bulkhead to separate the trunk from the cab.

 

Finished boxing in the raised area in the trunk and cut and beaded the top plate. Pic of the general idea of the finished product and where I am thinking of mounting the battery. I will lay carpet in the trunk under the tank frame so you won't see any of the steel floor.

 

Mocked up the motor today to get the dimensions for the front floor pan and tranny hump. Played with the location of the steering box, where the motor mounts will go, how much room for the rad etc. I believe I need to drop the steering box in the back to flatten it out more and I know I want the drag link to be parallel to the tie rod. As pictured I am using a hurst motor mount so just trying to get it all planned out. Would love some feedback or pointers from anyone that has done this same set up. I will be running lake style headers so lots of room for the steering shaft. Taking my time on this part, want to get it right. Thanks for any direction or advice!

 

Thinking this is more like how the box should be mounted?

 

I would put the pump and fan on the engine just so you can see the fit with the radiator before you set the engine position. Cover that nice new radiator with a cardboard insert to protect the fins. Boxlooks about right to me.

 

yes i plan on doing that. with the new location of the box, i can come back a little with the motor which i am pretty sure i will need to do. that will make it so i have to cut the firewall a little to clear the tranny. was hoping not to but not much way around it.

 

My Olds in my 31 ended up to low and the fan look odd so I raised the engine up to compensate and to get better cooling but ended up making my own new firewall. Did not wish to do that but it was the easiest way to go for me