Hot Rods Ex-Don Kendall's '28 Roadster going in for gloss black paint...

I am the lucky caretaker of the late Don Kendall '28 Ford Roadster and tomorrow it goes in for gloss black toner paint with a hard clear over top...just as Don would have done had he not suddenly passed.

Follow along with this thread as I post up progress pictures,should be ready in about 3-4 weeks...I love this little roadster!


Last time in black sealer:






I may even do some flames on the sides...the car came with a 5" stack of receipts and drawings and in there were some of Don's drawings of flame patterns so I'm pretty sure they were in his mind for this car as well...stay tuned!

 

Great roadster

 

Thank you, it was hand-built by a guy with a real passion and vision for true hot rods...and I'm very lucky to own it...I'm just following up finishing it the way Don would have wanted.

 

Love it. Please post an "after" pict. once you get it back from paint.

 

Oh trust me...I'll have almost daily progress pictures posted here in this thread.

 

Great of you to finish the car a a tribute to the late previous owner. Can nerves go wrong with gloss black as far as I'm concerned. Can you possibly pass along the brand and size of the tires on the car. I think I can make out the word radial on the sidewall of the rear tire but the tread pattern is not overly modern looking, at least to me. Looks like a nice compromise for longer road trips. I love the look of bias ply tires on a fenderless car, but not the "performance" for highway driving. Not trying to start another tire debate on the site . Keep up the nice work.

 

I guess if I am patient I'll find out my answer but are they going to pull it apart for paint? And like rockfish I'm also interested in the tire info.

 

I don't know the sizes, (But I'll guess 5.00 and 7.00) But the tire brand is Excelsior, and it's the in house Radial that looks like a bias ply from Coker. Pickup any Coker catalog.

 

That is correct and I believe the fronts are 5.5 but obviously the car isn't here in front of me to double check,LOL...they are radials though and the car drives straight and true.

The car is getting blown apart for paint, all the panels are removable and the custom-made duvall-like windshield will be removed as well...tons of stuff has to come off and the underside has to be COMPLETELY masked because the car is totally finished underneath...that is my biggest fear...and the bodyshop's biggest challenge.

Don's wish was to have the car done properly in gloss black, I know this from speaking to several of his close friends and everything else on the car is finished...except for the body panels...so glass black toner it is!

 

Looks like a nice compromise for longer road trips.

 

Roadsters Rule. Do it proud.

 

No news to report guys, been at the body shop now just over a week and an emergency job took precedence over the roadster but no worries, I'm not rushing them and hopefully I'll have some progress pictures to post soon!

 

Finally some progress to report, car has been in the shop for 2 weeks now as they were catching up on projects that were behind, the disassembly started today and by tomorrow, she should be completely apart...you can see their tech trying to remove the windscreen which I think I will bring home and hand polish...now would be the time!

Slowly but surely she's getting closer to gloss black!

 

what a great lookin hot rod.love the windshield.

 

That car is so ''RIGHT'', can hardly wait to see it in glossy black. What shame the builder will not see it finished................he would be pleased you are doing it the color he had in mind.

Frank

 

Thanks, Don hand built that from billet.

Frank, I'd like to think that Don is looking down and approving this change in his hot rod...it's what he would have done had he had the money and not suddenly passed.

 

Car is getting blown apart, I took home the windscreen,radiator grille,mirrors,taillights,door panels and seats for polishing/cleaning...coming along and they hope to have it in primer by the wknd:

Damn Sexy...don't you think?






The more we get into the car, the more you can see the little details Don put into it that no one would ever see, the attention to detail is absolutely amazing...all the little hand markings, scrolls and writings are like opening up an ancient tomb.
Very happy to own this car and I hope we can do Don proud, the shop knows they are doing a show car and I'm on top of them daily.
Thanks guys for looking and check back often for updates...

 

Only one update photo today but car is coming along, they found a small crack in one of the side panels and welded it up, should be fully in primer by the wknd:

 

Well coming along...but damn, just the look of all that sanding dust in my car just about makes me faint!
It should be totally in primer by Thursday, then the block sanding process begins...great, even more dust!



By the way...GREAT article in the new HRM about secrets of the perfect Black paintjob, where they talk to three top shops for advice, technique and the care and upkeep of maintaining a Black car...what I took from that is that basically I'm screwed,LOL!

 

Today's update...hopefully she'll be in full primer by the end of the week.
These guys are really doing a great job and they know that cleaning it to get rid of ALL the dust and then masking the bottom completely will be paramount before any paint is applied:

Will get blocked several times for absolute straightness...

 

Such a great looking, well-built car. I was sad to hear of Don's sudden passing not long ago.
Very cool that you ended up with his roadster! It was very much an inspiration for my own. Don had answered a couple of my questions along the way....


Malcolm

 

Thanks Malcolm, Don helped out many here on this board as well as locally...great guy and yes, quite sad of his sudden passing.
You car looks fantastic, is there a thread where I could see more pictures of it...?

 

Here's a thread covering most of the build up...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/malcolm-model-a-roadster-build.567286/

It's still not done, but a blast to drive!
..And not nearly as nice as your new roadster.

 

I do love the look of you car...great stance and will be awesome when completed!

 

Is this the Don Kendall that had a Corvair powered "T" bucket that he built a trailer with glass on one side of it at Dan Woods shop in the early 70s

 

What a good site to see. Not often are people's plans carried out.after their passing, cheers to you sir!

-Matt

 

Yes Cheesegrater, same Don Kendall and Dan Woods...both relocated here on the Monterey Peninsula several years back from Chicago.
With the car came a 5" thick file with all the receipts as well as many of Don's previous builds...here's the famous T-Bucket you were referring to that graced the cover of at least one magazine I have a copy of:

 

Thanks Matt...I'm just the caretaker now but yeah...I think Don would be smiling now if he could see his car being completed in the style he envisioned...

 

Today's update...really nothing under the sealer that Don applied and certainly no filler so the body is pretty much the way it came out of the stamping dies at Brookville...still on track and looking good:



Door jambs getting smoothed out:

 

I know your body guys are pros, but have them double-check the doors in place after they add filler to the jambs.