1937 Ford Coupe build

I did, a "blast" it was not, just loading pics to photobucket and am uploading now. Sweated my ass off and found out why there was 10 gallons of bondo.

 

So got the car blasted, never bothered with the front fenders or grill because I found a nice set from my new HAMB friend 37slantback that I am picking up friday in Spokane, thanks again Don.

I have never in my life seen bondo abused like it was on this car, it's a crime. I bet there was 10 or more gallons in the car. Unreal.

I started on the passenger side, I was getting a good vibe because it is actually pretty decent, not including the rear fender. The quarter looked good as did the door. After I removed at least 1 1/2" high bondo that they used to "mold" the fender to the body I was happy to see that they only tacked the fenders to the quarters. It will make the removal that much easier.



Decklid also in very good shape, here you can see the tacks on the fenders as well.



The hood was also in really good condition and thankfully my guess on it being only tacked to the sides proved true, removal from the sides will be easy and I'll be able to save the hood thankfully.




Here's the worst, the drivers side, beyond what I was expecting but it can be fixed. I'll have to make a new quarter from scratch in the English wheel and shrinker/stretcher. Not the end of the world but it will be a lot of work. Looks like some kids had a nice day shooting a .22 at the old girl.




So it looks like actually fixing metal was beyond the prior builder, I will cut all this out and start fresh this winter and make the panels myself. I will be looking for better rear fenders and am hoping I will find a set this weekend. The passenger door is pretty good but I wouldn't mind finding a better drivers door as mine is pretty butchered. The running boards are original and also not bad.

Still happy with the car, it's getting saved and I didn't pay a lot for it. Anything can be fixed and I am looking forward to the metal work when it comes. Noticed lots of brass work and lead in the car as well, assuming someone was trying to fix it up many years ago before the bondo man got it.

 

Couple more:

Worst of the roof, nothing a simple patch can't repair.


Lower panel under decklid, pretty messed up.

 

and those hoods are a real treat too! I wish they would hose them out once in a while ....wow they sure hole punched that thing...

 

Those holes look more like slide hammer attempts at pulling out the dents
On second thought, possible holes for holding bondo/body putty.

 

Got back from the Spokane swap yesterday. Sure had a good time and met up with a fellow HAMBER 37slantback who sold me a really nice set of front fenders and a near mint set of front and rear bumpers. Can't thank you enough Don and had a great time hanging out with you on Friday

Also scored an excellent driver's side door for the coupe as well as a nice 55 Ford dash which was complete that I plan on sectioning and using in the coupe. Got 6 decent 50 Olds caps as well as some other things (bezels NOS lenses etc) that I plan on using on the build. I'm just stock piling for now and things may change a bit but I have a pretty solid foundation in my head on how I want to build this one.

Today my dad came by and we decided to see if we could get the old small block to fire up! About an hour and half later we had that old girl running, sounded pretty solid, no knocks and no smoke, it was a cool day and I really enjoyed hanging out with my dad, thanks again Dad.

Wrapped the body all up until I finish my 31, with any luck it should be in paint in 2 weeks and then it isn't much to finish the glass and interior and call it done.

 

Dean, that was a great day for me. Your Dad, brother, and Rick were a lot of fun! I had to laugh when I saw the two cops down the street from the hotel after your Dad told me about Cary(sp?) ripping out of there with the T-Bucket.

The door was a great score. If I come across anything else I will let you know.

Did you buy the Firestone sign?

-Don

 

Yeah Carey got lucky by those cops after laying a 30' patch of rubber, lol. I did buy that red firsestone sign and the other blue patina'd one on my way out, got it for a good price. If you come across anything that I may need that would be great, looks like the grill will be coming this week and also got a 4x2 intake for the SBC from another hamber, supposed to be shipping it this week. Parts are starting to pile up now

 

Cut the hood free from the rest of the front end, it's in very good shape and put the rest of the old front end in my backyard for now.

Got a grill coming and a 4x2 intake. I'm looking for some 94's to rebuild if anyone has any decent cores. Also looking for good rear fenders.

Next I'll be stockpiling some more parts including the 560-15 whitewalls and sorting out the parts to do the bigger 11" brakes on the front. Looks like I'll just need the bracket to mount the calipers and the rest I can source locally. Dropped spindles. Also gonna start getting the air ride stuff bought and put away, thinking I'll go with slam specialty bags. I will be re-doing the MII that has already been installed in the 37. It sits too high and the welding looks so so. I want it to sit on the running boards so it may not please the purists but it's all good.

Now that I know the motor runs good since we fired it a couple days ago I'll be pulling it by the end of the month and getting it on the motor stand and strip it etc. later this fall/winter.

 

I didn't know you picked this one up! You're right they didn't do too bad on the front grill as I thought it was stock til you showed the close up pic.

Where'd you get it blasted or did you do it? Doesn't look like warpage was an issue at all.

 

I blasted it myself at Consolidated in town. It never warped but as you can see the driver's quarter will have to be re-made from scratch. Other than that and the lower rear panel under the decklid the rest is pretty good. I've already got a lot of really excellent parts (fenders, bumpers, grill, door etc) I picked up for it. Just gotta find some decent rear's I can work with.

 

Hmm perhaps if I'd read page 3 a little closer I would have had my answer

 

Just needs a little lovin'

 

37 coupes are one of my favorites. Looks like you have your work cut out for you on this one!

 

Wow man lotta work there. Cant wait to see progress

 

Good for you for wading through all the mess made by previous efforts.

 

It will be but in all honesty I think it will be less work than the last two, at least this time I don't have to build a chassis from scratch.

Thanks, it will be worth the efforts, I love these fat fendered coupes and there is no sense just covering it all up. Might as well take a few winters and make it right. I got lucky finding good front fenders, grill and bumpers, along with a 4 deuce intake and other parts all from HAMBER'S no less Will keep stock piling parts for the suspension and motor for the next few months and tear into this one in winter.

 

Just found this thread. The body looks good once you got rid of all hack work! Good luck with the project.

 

Thanks, got a ton of parts piled up for this one. Gonna bring it in this winter and tear into it.

 

Hey Stranger, how is it going? Did you find the rear fenders? I think you said you had a line on some.

 

Great save, love the 37 coupes, I`m watching your build, mine has been almost done for ten years but can`t stop driving it ...LOL

 

37's are a favorite with me--can't wait to see your progress

 

Great moves on the car so far. Looking forward to seeing it at the Calgary area shows when your done.

 

After finally finishing my 31 A coupe, I'm slowly starting on the 37, gonna be pulling the motor and re-doing the front suspension. I'm gonna build this one as a full custom laying boards. Lots of metal work to come.

Removed what was left of the front fenders from a lousy flip front end set up and cut most of the suspension out to get ready to install the new one so it lays frame. Had to throw up one of the fenders I scored in Spokane to get a feel of how it will sit. Gonna run 50 Oldsmobile caps with wide whites.




Picked up a nice set of "unkown" rear fenders I'm gonna cut the crap out of to make work, plan is to stretch them 6" at the back, narrow at the running boards and widen at the rear. That will all come in time.



Gonna run a 4x2 setup on this one.



Designed a rear notch in Solidworks and cut it out on the CNC Plasma table today, this should have the back laying flat out





Also cut the inside pieces for the frame, they are long now and will be cut to fit the contour of the frame rails when I install it.



Got lots of other goodies I've been collecting for the build from swap meets.

 

Keep your eyes on that notch as you weld it up, it's gonna want to warp all to hell with that much weld.

If you sequence your welds properly though, you can keep the pull working against itself and end up with a straight part.

Good start on your project.

The body of my '36 got caught in a wind storm about a month ago that blew it right off the skid it was living on and down the hill a bit.

It's now setting upside down in the tall grass (though it seems to be happy there at the moment). Got a new dent in the roof corner out of the deal.

Am sick of shitty weather.

 

I'll be sure to stagger the welding and take my time, I teach welding for a living so you're advice is appreciated and is the same as I'd offer to someone doing it. I'm confident it will come out straight. Cutting the pattern with relief cuts will be way less work than cutting individual pieces and fitting and welding combined.

Bummer on your 36

 

Every once in a while you see something and think, Hey, that's real slick!
Your method of building that notch is one of them.

Bet you can't wait for our f'n relentless winter to be over
to log miles on the other one.

 

Tudor sedan. And a very rough one at that. EDIT: HA! That's what I get for reading the text of the subscription email and not what was written here. I answered a question you didn't ask! /end threadjack

I did the multiple pieces method when I fabricated the spindles for the chassis that will eventually go under that 36, and about half way into the first one I was wishing I'd done them like yours here (I was going to do it like that but thought the tabs would be more trouble than they were worth, they aren't ).

Everybody I explained those spindles to told me they'd warp all to hell, but like you just said, pacing and sequence are everything. And you won't be chasing a bunch of pieces around while you're tacking.

Hope you have a good result. I will go back to lurking and reading the updates.

 

Thanks. Yeah it's been a brutal winter this year, looks like some nice days ahead, hopefully I'll be driving my 31 soon.

 

I hope those fenders serve you well. I don't know what else I have left over. Looking forward to seeing your 31.

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