fourspd2quad on here made some custom designed hubcaps for me. Cast aluminum, and the man is an artist. He made them thin, which I like, keeps them from looking added on, if you follow me, but he was worried that there wasn't enough meat to let me drill and tap in the center to bolt them to my stock hubcaps, so I angled a pair of 1/4 20 bolts into the ears. I'm tickled. As always, I have pictures.
Thought I'd offer an unworthy opinion. When I saw the wood with the light colored filler I thought "what a shame to do that to the wood". When I saw the whole car painted grey with the orange wheels " oh yeah, that's awesome!" Well done, thanks for sharing. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Thank you. To the people who have mentioned it, I never really considered having this thing be varnished wood. First of all, that is a really labor intensive finish to maintain (unless you go with some hi-tech two-part miracle goop, which would break my self-imposed rules, which I already kind of broke with the epoxy and the alternator, but they are my rules, so...). Second, I just don't want this old thing to have that shiny, show-off feel. Nothing against that, just not to my taste. I am going to eventually go over it with some more fairing and sanding and paint (brushed on), just to smooth things up a bit, but this is an intentionally low-buck project. My main rule is to use my own skills and stuff I have lying around (which kind of brings that epoxy and alternator back into the fold), which was the rationale behind the wood, in the first place. Anyway, enough rambling. Thank you to everybody who is following along here. It really is nice to have some feedback. I don't know any hot rod types personally.
Back at it. I wanted to do something about the steering wheel angle and height, so I bent and welded a bracket that moves the steering box above the frame. Now I'll have to unbend the drag link I bent a couple of pages back. That's kind of normal for me, though. My projects tend to evolve. Anyway, I think the pictures kind of tell the story. The last ones are before and after, lined them up as much the same as I could. I guess it's pretty subtle, but it was bugging me. I'm going to take the bracket to a welder friend and have him check it out. It's a little too critical for me to blindly trust my farm-boy OA skills. I'll get a full profile shot for comparison this afternoon or tomorrow.
1. I'm loving the homebuilt! Your journey has given everyone an idea on what to do when you see an "A" frame and engine on Craigslist. 2. www.Brattons.com is in Mt. Airy, MD and is one of the largest east coast suppliers of Model A parts used by a lot of the restoring crowd, loads of tech knowledge too. They can solve your brakes and have new made shocks, probably pricey, but may know someone in your area to rebuild what you got. Good luck with it! Richard
The bracket looks a little light to me unless there are gussets somewhere hidden from sight. Otherwise looks like the right move , wheel positioned exactly right!
RB, thank you for the link. I'll look into it. DIY, there is a right angle in the front that doesn't really show very well, and an extra bolt going through the top of the frame rail. I drew a picture of the parts and phone-camera'd it. I still have to bend the back part around and weld it (the dotted line and little arrow in the picture). I ran out of acetylene (figures), and Airgas isn't open around here on Saturday. I hope it will be strong enough. I'm planning to keep a pretty close eye on it.
Yep, after enlarging pic I can see the tip of that flange. You're on top of it. Thumbs up ! (Nice artwork too!)
Here are a couple of full profile before and afters. Like I said, it's subtle. I only lowered the wheel about an inch, but it makes a big difference to me, aesthetically. Couldn't have lowered it much more without impeding ingress and egress. Spent too much time this morning starting my column drop piece. I'll clean it up after the glue dries. That mirror is one I had laying around, don't know the history of it. Needed it, though. I was getting tired of looking over my shoulder. Spinner hubcaps look good to me, too.
Well, don't judge me, but while I was taking the trash to the dumpster the other day, lying right there on top were a couple of long leather belts with nice brass buckles, some kind of horse or wagon tack from one of the plantations around here, I guess. A quick look around to make sure nobody was in sight, a quick snatch, and they were mine. Got them home, washed them off, let them dry, rubbed in some mink oil and had this: Figured they would work to hold my hood down. I pondered on it for a few days, got up this morning and pondered some more, and came up with a solution. Each belt had a kind of kink in the middle where they had been led around something in their previous occupation, and they were pretty set in their ways, and I don't know what kind of exhaust I'm eventually going to run (well, I kind of do, but I don't know exactly where the pipes will end up, more on that at a later date), so I decided to not go over the hood. Came up with this solution, which leaves me a couple of nice lengths of leftover leather for who knows what, and also serves to break up that 90 degree angle at the hood/firewall junction that was kind of bothering me. Before you ask, the front is held down by these 1/4" pins that catch under the edge of the radiator shell. There are two more on the ends of that frame that don't show in the picture. It might be a bit rattle-ish, but should work for now, at least. I can always shim them with some thin tubing stretched over. As always, thank you for looking.
I feel that in following this thread and seeing 'you' in all your creativity and skill sets that I might have found a friend. Nothing but good going on brother Keep spreadin the gospel Tim
Well, if it should be rattle-ish, then it's a great success. Haha. I feel like I've made a whole bunch of friends since I started this thread. I've mentioned before that I don't know any hot rodders down here. I've driven past a couple of "ratty" looking shops, but I've never stopped to chat. It's really nice to hear feedback on what I'm doing. I had a hard time deciding to start posting here, but I sure am glad I did.
Big time score on those belts! Somebody wanted you to have them that wasn't luck that was meant to be!
Thank you to everybody. As far as the number, I think 5, if I decide to do one. We have 5 kids, which probably helps some of you understand the budget nature of this whole thing.
I'm getting more envious all the time. Must be about time to start checking out craigslist and the local 2nd hand stores for a worn brown leather sofa to be skinned for upholstering materials.
Hey Wes, I am loving your build and really dig seeing my cast caps on your car. That last shot from the tree is just killer! For a guy who is new to old rods you sure have a feel for it. Keep going!
Not much progress this morning. Both sons got in for Spring Break last night, hadn't seen them in a while. I did finish up my steering column drop. The wooden part runs up the back of the dash a few inches, it's rebated so that the front face will be flush with the dash, epoxied in place. The bottom is just copper strapping secured with long brass wood screws. The column itself is lined with some of that belt leather, trimmed to fit. Not the stoutest arrangement, maybe, but its tight and I think it will do. I did go for a little clandestine blast down the road this morning, just to try out the rear tires and the bodywork and the steering drop. Got a wiggly front rim, but not too bad. No bad bouncing or darting around, all things considered. It sure does attract a fair amount of attention from other drivers, especially older ladies on the way to church. Or maybe that was just me?
Well, another weekend without much progress. Off topic, but I had to put a fuel pump in son #2's 2000 Firebird so he could go back to school today, which was a pain in the ass. Also, my mother's diesel Jeep Liberty decided to eat it's serpentine belt, and I had to fix that. That was a bigger pain in the ass. Good thing I'm not a bodybuilder, I'd have had to take the radiator out if my forearms were any bigger. I did get to knock around on the speedster a little bit this morning, though. Mike's had brake rods on special a couple of weeks ago, so I bought a set to replace my three originals and one home-made one. Didn't have time to jack it up and go through the normal procedure, just adjusted them as close to an original front and rear one as I could, and did a few dirt stops. They are noticeably better, strong skids on the passenger side front and rear, but I'll have to adjust them the right way when I get a chance. I'm encouraged, though. I cut up a couple of the old ones and used them to make a pair of those little rods that brace the radiator. Waste not, want not, I guess. Anyway, that's it for today. Got family obligations. Enjoy.
Started wiring this morning. Don't expect fancy, if you are just joining us. The headlights are from a Triumph Spitfire, I have the Triumph buckets inside the gutted Model A buckets. Rings are from a Volvo 544. Stuff I had on hand. There's a cheapo 3-way switch to control them. Up is brights, middle is off, down is low beam. The brake light is a $5.00 special from Autozone, just for now. Fabbed a bracket up out of an old strap hinge, again, just for now. I'll eventually get some kind of vintage thing. The wire is old extension cord, I'll wrap it with fabric tape, I guess. Just a couple of in-line fuses, no fuse box. I still have the little Kubota alternator stuff to wire, and the brake light switch. Maybe tomorrow. Almost time to call the insurance company and go see about a tag. Woohoo.
I just couldn't want that tail light, so this morning I robbed another box store special from an old boat trailer, stole the guts out of my new one and transplanted them, and wired it up. It is about the same proportions as a Model A light, which I will probably end up with at some point, and to me it fits the car better. Still a temporary solution, but... I also replaced the burnt out headlight, so I thought I might as well show how that Spitfire amalgamation works. The new bucket is held into the old bucket by the bolt and acorn nut arrangement. It allows me to use standard 7" lights and, surprisingly to me, doesn't seem like it wants to rattle loose (so far?). Has a slight nipple-ish look, though. Is that a bad thing? Probably done for today, it's supposed to rain, clouding up already.
I really like how you made this Little A into a pretty cool Ride!! And on a Budget!! The straps look like off a Halter that was a nice touch. The whole car is one that I would be proud to own.. Very creative and keep up the Great job!!
At first I wasn't taken by the orientation of the gas tank and the shape of the body around it. I have to admit that I really dig it now and it gives your car a unique look. It reminds me of a bee stinger. The placement of the tail light really makes it look right and ties the whole rear together visually. Nice work!
The Jalopy Journal
