Projects NOT THE TYPICAL '30 ROADSTER BUILD

Looks like your moving right along and its coming out good! I was lucky as the only bodywork on my 31 Brookeville body was the 2 front side cowl panels. Someone in its past cut the lower part free and then welded them back in to make it look more ratty. They ran the car in bare metal and it looked like crap to me so I replaced them.

 

Things are looking great! I gotta come stop by and check it out! Great to see you’re making progress


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Your repairs & modifications are coming out great! It appears you have a well thought out plan, and I look forward to following along on your progress. Also love your past projects..

 

That is lucky! Mine was overall good but typically rotted on the bottom mostly around the passenger side. It looks like it sat at an angle towards the back for a long time letting water sit in.

 

Welcome to come any nytime. Maybe next Tuesday, once all the rain dries up and I am back at it.

 

Thank you. Learning as I go.

 

Next on the list were the doors. Overall they didn't look to bad but once I started looking them over the many dents, waves and ripples became more and more difficult, in my eyes, to resolve
There were several larger dents, almost as if the doors were hit by a basket ball several times.

 

I couldn't get a dolly inside of them to do anybody work on them. After doing some research I decided to used a stud welder to try and remove the damage areas. I was able to buy a Harbor Freight one, almost new and still in the box, for $25.
The results were good in some areas but I wasn't happy with the overall It just looked like crap and obvious that it was going to need a lot of body filler, which I am trying to avoid.

 

I decided to re-skin the doors. I bought new skins from Mike's. Price was good and quality looks really good with the bead moldings matching the rest of the body.
Removing the old skin was fast and easy. With a heavy grit sand disc I went around the perimeter cutting the edge and separating the door skin from the folded edge.
There were a couple spots that had been spot welded but easily cut.
I kept the paper insulation that was originally inside the doors. Took advantage and epoxy primer the inside of them and apply a dynamate like material to the outside skin to help reduce noise.
The only issue I found with the new skins is these didn't come with the hole for the handle or provisions to screw the handles to the outer skin. I remove the old ones from the old door and spot weld them to the inside of the skin, after finding the right location.

 

Huge difference! You can see the re-skinned door on the left and the old door on the right.

 

Nice! Love it when you can get things repaired right up to snuff!

 

Great work, man!

 

I ordered a '32 Brookville dash. Installing it, by far, has been the easiest part of the build, so far.
This is the part where you measure three times and cut once.
The '32 dash panel fitted well, but I dislike the way the corners looked. There was a gap and a hole that just didn't looked right. I fabbed a little filler that is premaritally welded there.

The ensign dash panel looks good, in my opinion. I wanted to keep things simply and minimal.
I am still debating where will I mount the ignition with and headlight switch
I will likely use a a '32 or '36 column drop, which will take care of the ignition switch. Most likely I will install a push/start button under the dash and a single headlight switch to the left hand side of the dash. I will probably use a 4way switch to keep it all clean and down to a minimum.

 

Looking good, subscribed for the ride.

Like the others said, the tally sheet will be the death of you. I keep the slips for parts I bought but never added things up.

I don’t use my paychecks for garage and project work. I buy and sell and do some side work. It’s tough with a family but it keeps from explaining to your better half why a set of heads cost $750.00 and what’s wrong with the ones you have.

Good luck and keep moving.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Thank you Cliff, Nice Tudor build,

I am blessed. My wife and family don't question where the money goes or comes from. Her only rule is, no parts anywhere around the house, only in the garage.
I do my part and just like you said and only fund these projects by buying, reselling and trading other parts....it makes tuff tsometimes but it makes a lot more fun and challenging.

 

Great job so far!

 

My wife is the best, not sure how she keeps up with me but does she hate to see parts laying around.
When I built my '51 chevy, I was limited to a one car garage....and that was an old narrow car garage. I had to get creative, stacking parts, hanging other parts off the walls and rafters, keeping them safe after painting.
I had to rig pulleys off the ceiling to be able store the hood and yet be able to bring it down with ease, when needed...good memories!

I built a wooden cart on casters that would allow me to keep the truck still underneath it, while parked in the garage. I would pull everything in and out every time I wanted to work on it...just so the wife would not see any parts

The house we are in now has a 2 car garage and I feel like Peter Pan in Neverland.
We are thinking, in the next year or two, selling and moving and my only request...a 3 car garage!

 

Sounds like we can be twins!

 

im not one to tell anyone their vision is wrong but dayum..... rumble seat roadster is 1000% more bada$$ than a non rumble seat roadster. just my 2 cents, its your car and your vision. i know i dont get a vote haha but dang

 

That is a very nice ride.
What color did you used in the grill?
I see you did a lot of what I want to do. It looks great!

 

Do you like keeping the rumble functional with the seat in it or do you prefer when they use it for fuel tank/battery/storage?

I love the way the rumble seat looks too. My daughters love riding in it.
When I was first looking for a Model A, I came across a deal that couldn't pass on a '29 and now have one of those too.

 

i prefer functional, something about that is just so hot rod and reminiscent of a long gone era where riding in the trunk was okay haha idk i think theyre cool as heck! i spose before making it a trunk id use it for storage just to keep the look but ive always been a function guy...plus for slow cruises its the coolest place a kid could ever sit

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/47-coupe-build.1133545/

 

Good points Thx

 

The deck lid was a twopiece purchase. I bought the outer skin from ePay and the inner skin from Brookville.
I really like the louvers. Based on what I have read, they have the old school profile to them.
I ended up sending the outer skin to Brookville to have them install their inner skin...I didn't feel comfortable bending the edges the outer skin over the inner skin and have them come out right.
Brookville did a great job and I am very satisfied with the outcome of it. The quality of both pieces is great. I had Brookville also cut the hole for the truck handle.
I got to say, Brookville has a great customer service and the price I paid I felt it was very fair.

Looking back, and knowing what I now know, I would have rather done it myself since fitting the deck lid to the body has become a task of is own and just maybe I could have avoided a few of the issues, if I would have put it together myself and would have test fit pieces first before sending them to get put together.

The dimension of the deck lid was originally correct at the corners but too wide in the middle, or the body too narrow. in the middle, one of the two.
In order to make the middle of the deck lid fit I would have to open the back so much that the corners, especially the bottom, would have get expanded leaving a really large body gap at the corner.s
To resolve the issue, I decided relief cut the both rear quarters, about an 1/2" away from the belt molding (lengthwise about 12") and pull the middle open. The cut allow it to move without moving the distance at the corners.
The cut allowed me to keep the profile of the belt molding straight and intact, and helped keep the corners from spreading.
Because I don't have a porta power I used pieces of wood that I incremented in size and wedge as needed to help me open the width of the rear.

As you in the pictures to follow the idea worked and the deck lid now fits.

You can still see the gap between the deck lid and the body at the sides, going up and down is not consistent but it now fits.
I will be reworking the body gaps on both sides, especially at the corners to make them all die and even.

The next issue is the bottom of the deck lid. Facing the deck lid, the gap wedges going from perfect to the right too tight on the left side., almost making the deck lid look to long by an 1/8".
I am going to wait to have the body on the frame to cut it, weld it and shape it correctly, as needed.

Also at the bottom of the deck lid, besides the gap issue, the profile at the bottom where it meets the part below the deck lis is different.
The deck lid is straight at the bottom; however the piece below the decklid has a curve to it. Brookville actually pointed this out, but unfortunately I had already bought both pieces and now the only option is to make it right.
If I would have know I would have both the piece below the deck lid straight as is the deck lid

Once I get the frame and the body mounted I will rework both pieces to have a better transition. As it sits now, looking from the top, you will see a gap of about 1/8" in the middle of the deck, where the deck is straight and the piece below is curved...more to come on this

 

The deck lid support arm is a nice little feature. I can see it open at a car show and making it easier to throw a couple chairs in the trunk...easy access for the battery and fuel tank

Only problem with the arm...it broke after I raised the deck lid 2x
Looks like when they put it together the rivet barely had any shoulder to it and won't hold both pieces together.
Easy fix, back in business in no time.

 

An A frame stops over the rearend, there are only 2 bumper braces and the sheetmetal between those you care about and some yahoo that wants to get real close to show his buddy the old car...
years ago the dust kept the car behind you back 10 car lengths...
now they are on your arse and at higher speed..
also if your rod is fenderless anyone in your rumble can get fingers hurt thinking they can touch the tires...
if for looks cool, but if you think it is a safe place for family members... well ?

 

I agree. Those rumble seats seem very dangerous to be use with today's high speeds and highways. I can only assume that even back in the day they had to be dangerous.
My kids love riding in it, but then again, they've only been to a couple memorial day parades at very low speeds.

 

Spent sometime reworking the gap around the united pacific cowl vent. The gap between the flange the vent itself is very inconsistent and kept on bothering me. I use some lead to fill and then filled to acceptable.
Decided to also get rid of the indentation for the fuel filter on the firewall. Originally I was going to leave it and use the original cast filter bowl plumbed to the carbs.

Got some good news today.! Gary emailed me to let me know he is almost done with the frame. Soon will be taking a trip to Blackboard Hot Rods to pick it up.

 

Gary sent me an sneak preview of my frame. Looks like I will be picking it up next Friday/Saturday

 

With all the rain this week in LA, I haven't done much other than day dream.
Not Kindig it Designs by any means but my own rendering for sure. Not bad for my first trial.

The more and more I see it, the more I am liking Washington blue for the body.
Ford Maroon for the interior, wheels and grill insert.
Wishbones, axles, brakes and other parts will be argent silver.