Man, that's really coming together now! I'll be VERY excited when I start getting even close to where you're at! Seeing what you went through on that hood, I'm very glad I was planning to fabricate one anyway (I kinda have to because of the big six I'm running). Can you get access to an English Wheel or just a planishing hammer? The hammer will do it but a wheel would be better. I can't tell how deep the dents are but they look like you can smooth them out. Another thing you could try to shrink them, is slapping them with a large hammer handle against a big pipe or other big curved metal surface. EDIT: I meant a wooden slapper, not a hammer handle, in this application.
Nah, I was just giggling at how much bondo was there! It's a fairly common thing to have someone come in to have a hood louvered that is still painted, swear that it's "all steel" and "absolutely no filler", and after the first minute of stripping fall into the bondo abyss. Trust me, I know what every stroke of that putty knife smelled and tasted like!
Well, the fellas at allmetalshaping also seem to think it would be a better idea if I made a new hood. I spoke with Dan Pate yesterday evening and I'm going to meet up with him in the next few weeks to figure something. Dan runs the Metal Meets and is also a member of the Blacksmiths Guild so I think I might have found my new best friend.
Man, Beau, I have to compliment you on the way the cowl and door uppers came out on this car! They look positively awesome! Everything flows so well and looks like it belongs there... Not easy with a cut down cowl like that.
Thanks! You are the one that inspired the idea when you posted photos of your friends modified int eh "Modifieds Only" thread. If you didn't do that, I wouldn't have come up with the idea. I was on vacation this past weekend at an event called the Eelpout Festival. It was like a campground on the ice full of people partying. Lots of fun! It's a 3 day event held on the frozen lake. 10-15,000 people. Now back to the shop...
I didn't get a ton done this past week but I patched the drivers beltline and the old wheel well cut out. I also played with making some doors for the heater. Not a real good attempt but good practice. Not the look I wanted so it got shelved for the time being. And I got to use this monster at the blacksmith shop for the first time!
Looking good! Are you going to continue to beat on those doors or start on a new set with what you learned? I would suggest you try that shape with a step die on a bead roller. That power hammer is impressive.
Ill probably make some new ones. My bead roller would be a nightmare to use it the doors and since it needs curved in different directions it's easier by hand. Can anyone tell me if the radiator shell sides are suppose to goo to the frame rails? Should i spread them?
No, they don't. Your width is just fine on the frame vs. grill shell. For those building high boys in the aftermarket stuff out of a '32, they all offer a "pinched" deuce frame to handle the situation you are looking at right now. The gap you have is much more "correct" for an early style build.
What are you using for a shell? I've got a repop 28 style shell I bought from Speedway and a SoCal front crossmember. The shell touches the frame horns enough that I can play with mockup by wedging it in there and putting stuff underneath it for height.
Thanks. I pulled them today and it looked real goofy. So the repop radiator I bought is a damn noodle. Hardly a square edge in the thing. I figured out a way to get some mounting brackets squared up and finally have an idea on how to execute the radiator mount. On Saturday I'm going to Dennison, MN with the hood top and the infamous Dan Pate is going to help me fix it and hopefully I learn some stuff. I pushed the rod out of the hinge on the stock hood I trimmed waaaaaaay back in the thread. I just wanted to see what hood sides will look like. To my surprise height is close because of the channel. The stock Model A hood had a section below the beltline and since I channeled the car the height should be real close. I have a plan now for the radiator support rods which will double as hood mounts.. I'll need to extend the length 2.5" to match the hood top. I think I'm going to find a new set of sides, though. I trimmed the last ones with a stock length hood. The lady and I. We should be able to sit "in" the car.
I appreciate the replies. Thanks! The radiator has been a bit of a rough road, but after tonight I have a good plan and idea. I went to a local industrial surplus and supply store and found some stainless 1/2"x3/4" angle. I bought two pieces to possibly use as hood supports along the beltline. I drilled a bunch of holes in each piece and held them in place. They looked like shelf brackets. No go. So I decided to use the drilled pieces for the top and bottom pieces of the radiator support. After a lot of measuring and staring at it I have things lined up and square. I was only able to get the bottom piece welded in and everything is tacked it place for now. The top is going to be a lot more work. Tomorrow I'll be fixing the hood. It should be interesting!!!
I went down to Dan's and he guided me through the process of fixing the old hood. Dan welding At this point I cut out the old hood hinge that was welded up. Both sides were ground flat and Dan ran it through a planishing hammer smooth it out. We also did some passes through an english wheel. The old hood mount holes filled. After getting it home, I spent some more time getting some small dings out and using the slapper to smooth it out a bit more. Dan mentioned that I need to shape the hood so it sits on the cowl and shell without being clamped down and I'm getting it closer to that point. It will need some more work but I'm happy with it do far. WAY more time that I should ever spend but I have learned a lot. The hood is getting closer to fitting good and being smooth.
So glad you stuck with the old battered hood. Being able to make a new hood is a wonderful thing that anyone should be proud of...but taking an old original back from the brink is way cooler. It's a continuation from the depression, thru the war, the lakes era, the 50's golden era of Hot Rodding...right on thru till today! Making it new is damn cool. But theres no way it trumps the history (and now thanks to you, the future!) of an old part reused.
Thanks Hacker and Cactus. Sometimes being cheap isn't cheap, but it can be a fun. Using junk that's laying around shouldn't always have to produce a r@t r0d. Speaking of junk, reproduction parts are terrible. The radiator shell and radiator are crap. All in all I think I have things closer to where they need to be and closer to being square-ish. I salvaged the failed drilled out stainless hood supports!! The failed hood supports became the drilled out radiator mount. I cut it up a bunch of times and made it follow the top of the shell. I welded up all the cuts and ground it smooth. The pieces I drilled holes in are stainless steel. I plan to paint the whole thing black, then semi polish the inside of the holes. Hopefully it's not too street rod. It's a nice and tight fit and pretty square for a bunch of new reproduction garbage.
Amen to that! And Stainless doesn't have to mean str33t r0d either! I think that's looking good. I was considering a similar setup as far as securing my radiator. I'm going to take your method under advisement for sure. I'm thinking of making hood supports out of stainless or aluminum sheet with a flat brake along the top and an angled brake along the bottom then drilling it. I'll probably have to do it in 2 pieces since my bending brake is only 30" but I think it'll have a nice aviation look in the end.
I'm going to run the supports down the side, under the belt line. IMO flat stock or angle looks goofy for side supports. I have an idea that I will share once I'm closer to getting the sides on.
I gave the radiator mount a quick prime and paint, then use a step bit to clean out the paint an put an edge on the edge.
I have been trying a lot of different things as far as exhaust goes. I finalized my decision this evening. Using the headers I got cheap, I'm going to run the exhaust through the crossmember and alongside the rear bones.
Those look like torque tubes! I really like it! Are you going to have trouble clearing your pedals, clutch, & wishbone? Looking at the picture, I'm feelin kinna glad all I gotta clear is my starter
It will barely clear it all. Starter included. I started modifying the headers tonight. I gotta get some flanges and flex pipe. It's a35/36 Ford drive shaft.
The Jalopy Journal
