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Projects My 29 roadster redo. From Rat to Track!

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Pat, Jun 4, 2016.

  1. Jiminy
    Joined: Oct 25, 2012
    Posts: 473

    Jiminy
    Member

  2. el Roach
    Joined: Mar 6, 2003
    Posts: 588

    el Roach
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Pat - I've loved your roadster since TRJ article. I had a 27 modified at the time with a Chev 6 in it.
    Man you're doing some great work!! Keep going with the updates!
    Rick
     
  3. bengeltiger
    Joined: Mar 3, 2012
    Posts: 469

    bengeltiger
    Member

    Gas cap is schweeet!
     
  4. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg View attachment 3262023 I cut off all the mounts and the framing that supports the windshield across the cowl to run my homemade Hallock. After I unchanneled the 29 I decided to change the windshield back to a flat style. I came up with these pieces so the cowl will match the stock windshield frames lower curve. 1/8 flat stock welded together. image.jpeg View attachment 3262020
     
  5. Nice work man!!!
     
    falcongeorge likes this.
  6. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,094

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Clever solution!
     
  7. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    image.jpeg The Miller built V-16 L-29 Cord front drive prototype. The firewall mounted spare spark plugs gave me the idea to do something similar. image.jpeg Originaly intended for the firewall until I realized it wasn't gonna fit. Ended up using it to fill the empty void of the drivers side door panel. image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg Basic hammerform. Sure this has been covered on here many times before so I won't go into detail.The only thing I can add is after it's roughed in the pick and file and hammer and dolly patients make the difference between a good looking part and a not so good looking part!
     
  8. Looks great, just out of curiosity what gauge plate are you using?
    Cheers,
    Drewfus
     
  9. Jynx_pig
    Joined: Feb 6, 2016
    Posts: 1

    Jynx_pig

    Very nice work and looks like a very cool piece of art on wheels.
     
  10. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    3003 h-14 .063 aluminum. I anneal it for most of the deep drawn forms.
     
    Drewfus likes this.
  11. Thank you for sharing. Awesome skills.
     
  12. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    iphone 040.jpg I found a good shot of the windshield post being welded together. 1/8 flat steel. Hard to see, but I curved the front and side of the post with a 3 lb sledge before I welded the sheets together to get a slight curve. iphone 042.jpg Fully welded and ground. iphone 043.jpg Side view.
     
    brEad, FlatJan, volvobrynk and 7 others like this.
  13. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    More front end construction shots. Picture 012.jpg
    The photo above shows where I welded the nose together. Didn't mess with grinding the center, grill cutout coming soon! 4 main pieces then added the frame blisters. Side panel blister just welded to the side panel. Aluminum really is the friendly metal. It's easy to planish and I hammer and dollied the warpage out with no shrinking. If you're on the fence about using it. Just do it! once you get past welding it you can make just about anything with it. Picture 004.jpg After I roughed out the nose I felt it was to short length-wise. So I added an extra 3" strip along the back edge. An added bonus was I pre stepped it where the hood top and sides will meet with the H.F. bead roller before I welded it on. I was sure I would mess the nose up trying to step the back edge. iphone 030.jpg Dash was made with a hammer form also.
     
  14. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    Detail shots of how the hood latch works. Picture 015.jpg
    Picture 017.jpg One hook in front and one in rear. Pointing towards each other to keep the hood centered. On the upper part of the center bell crank I added another rod that goes into the firewall with a knob. Picture 016.jpg
     
    volvobrynk, Stogy, kiwijeff and 5 others like this.
  15. waxhead
    Joined: May 11, 2013
    Posts: 1,172

    waxhead
    Member
    from West Oz

    Nice work on those windshield posts
     
  16. ed_v
    Joined: Jun 2, 2008
    Posts: 242

    ed_v
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Pat,

    You are a talented man. I love the car as it was, but I have a feeling I'll like the finished version even better.

    I have a couple of questions:

    Would you mind explaining the process you used to form the transmission tunnel trim piece? Also, what drivetrain do you have in it? From my understanding, it's a GMC inline 302. What trans?

    Thanks for sharing with us.

    Ed
     
  17. hasty
    Joined: Jul 5, 2009
    Posts: 1,411

    hasty
    Member

    Amazing workmanship - I am in awe. Will be following
     
  18. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    Thanks! So I got a scrap piece to show you. image.jpeg Bent to about 90deg with the brake. image.jpeg Woodward fab shrinker-stretcher with the stretcher jaws. All the cheap ones work the same. image.jpeg Keep stretching evenly across to get the curve you need. I made a poster board Template of the curve I needed and held it to the trim until it matched. Word of caution, it's better to creep up on the curve than to go too far. Real pain in the ass to undo too much! Then it's filing and sanding to get a nice finish.Engine is a .080 over 235 Chevy 6 with a muncie "short box" 3 speed. Rear axle is a ford truck banjo that had open drive. After my drag racing mishap I built a halibrand q.c. center and safety hubs. I'm building a 54 261 short block with gmc rods,Ross Pistons and Dema Elgin cam to swap out soon.
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2016
    brEad, Stogy, kidcampbell71 and 4 others like this.
  19. ed_v
    Joined: Jun 2, 2008
    Posts: 242

    ed_v
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Thank you so much for the info Pat. That's great stuff!

    Ed
     
    Pat likes this.
  20. Hello Pat you have fantastic metal work skills
    and your ideas are fantastic to

    you´r the Man

    and sorry for my bad english
     
    Pat likes this.
  21. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    Artistic Craftsman.....doesn't get any better than this!
     
    Pat likes this.
  22. youngrodder1929
    Joined: May 28, 2006
    Posts: 435

    youngrodder1929
    Member

    Top notch ! Great looking track nose !
     
    falcongeorge likes this.
  23. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    This is a fantastic automobile!! Such great work and attention to detail!

    I got to be honest, you've given me a much needed inspiration boost. Although I feel like a blind monkey with a hammer most of the time ...
     
  24. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    I'm trying to wrap up interior pieces. I couldn't decide on the quarter panel trim. Either upholstered piece that ties into the roll on the bench or aluminum trim to cover the top edge of the inner panel. I decided on aluminum trim. image.jpeg I glued plywood together then cut it to the profile to fit the quarter. I would have it padded and covered to match the seat , still might. image.jpeg Plan b was the trim cover. image.jpeg Starting the bend with a vice and mallet. image.jpeg image.jpeg Further shaping on a piece of track I scored at a job site last week! image.jpeg Bent fully now. Tricky because the quarter panel top is curved and not flat. This step took some time. image.jpeg Giving the outside edge a rolled lip to look finished. Track edge worked great. image.jpeg Filing to find highs and lows. image.jpeg Next is pick and file. Pick end of hammer to raise the lows. I do this on dolly meaning dolly directly behind hammer. I had to repeat this a couple times. image.jpeg image.jpeg Sanding is next. Hand is best but time consuming. 3" grinder with scotch Brite pad can speed things up but it's got be pretty straight. They seem to make high s and lows worse sometimes. image.jpeg Finished trim. Took a while to make in one piece. If I had a edging die on a bead roller that would really speed up the process. I might make the other side in 2 pieces, it's kinda cheating but easier!!
     
    brEad, volvobrynk, Stogy and 6 others like this.
  25. Nice work there Pat. A true craftsman.
     
  26. Fedcospeed
    Joined: Aug 17, 2008
    Posts: 2,011

    Fedcospeed
    Member

    Holy Crap!! This build is cool.The metal work should inspire everyone here. I love handbuilt stuff with a custom flair.Not only functional but very creative and unique. Fedco
     
  27. 08racer
    Joined: Jun 13, 2005
    Posts: 863

    08racer
    Member
    from Gilbert AZ

    Those windshield post are made from flat steel?!? Holy hell man

    And yes I'm inspired. But I lack the talent to pull anything like that off.
     
  28. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Really like the three eared wing nuts you made for the windshield posts, and the trim pieces around the back of the cockpit. Jeez, I like it all!
     
  29. Fedcospeed
    Joined: Aug 17, 2008
    Posts: 2,011

    Fedcospeed
    Member

    Nah,The only way you are gonna get to any point is just do it.You can beat a piece of metal over a rock to get a shape.Inspiration is where it starts. Fedco
     
    Jet96 likes this.
  30. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Very well said! I am in the process of trying to refine my skills in this area right now. I am lucky in that I have a spiritual guide, and that speeds the process a lot, but in the final analysis, you just gotta get in there and start bending and shaping. Get a big bin of scrap pieces and start hammering. I am a hell of a long ways from Pats level, but I'll sure as hell never get there by sitting back and saying "wish I could do that".
    Totally 100% agree with Pat about H3003 too, I LOVE working aluminum.
     

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