Hi All, I am going to be posting on this thread in alot of detail everything i do to my 1936 ford 5 window.. Let me start by telling you how I got it and what i know about it.. Let me also say... to preface everything.. I am a young member of the more $$ then brains club... I have a successful design business and found a way to incorporate hot rods and customs into my daily work!! So hopefully that wont make it so crazy that is have a bunch of cars and then go and take them all apart... I had been searching for a 1935 or 1936 for 3w,5w or roadster for around 2 years... starting after I got my first model a.... Ill post about this one soon! I knew that i didn't want someone hack job.. or a modernized version... so i set out a looked at everything that came online and chatted up all the local spots... I got really close and almost pulled the trigger on a rusted out 3 window for 15K!!!! i was getting desperate.. It was close to my 30th birthday and i had been telling myself,, that i needed to buy a Ferrari before I am 30... ( ferrari, is more of a metaphor for some expensive rare car that only real badasses get to rive....) That's when i saw a listing on craigslist in san diego... It sounded too good to be true... 1936 5 window, sat for 30 years in a barn,,, late Flathead, all original chassis, suspension and brakes, old paint, original wheels.... no rust.... the dude that had before me.,.. cleaned it up and paid some guys back east to rubild the top end of the motor, rebuild the trans, celan up some of the wiring and did a new interior... ( cream color).... looks ok... but the material is cheap.. Price: 35k The pictures were from a cell phone, but it looked good... so i took the drive to san diego... and brought that baby home for 32k!!! Also 3 trunks full of old parts, starters, mirrors, water pumps... carbs.... so much stuff!! Here it is in front of my office a few days after i got it.. Its a killer car... but driving it for 10 min i found some issues.. 1. runs really hot 2. brakes don't work for shit 3. awful cream color plasticky vinyl interior and cream carpets... 4. doors have to be slammed 5. everybody stops and talks to me when i get gas or i am at a stop light.. ( would be a good thing... but its all old dudes.... never any hot young chicks...) 6. had a modern ididit steering column, box and billet wheel... gross!!!!!!! I was able to quickly adjust the brakes, Clutch and doors in a matter of a weekend... but the cream interior and billet wheel.... now we just have to do something about it.. So... a few weeks ago,, i pull the 36 on the lift and started gutting!!!.. gonna do a full interior, including headliner, put back an original steering column and box, and do a few custom items to really set her off.. my Plan is to show the car at the upcoming Customs by the sea show in Pismo in October.. http://customsbythesea.com/ Ill post in details step by step of what I am doing... hope you stay tuned! a
Step#1 Gut Took everything out... All interior, dash, floor boards, and 100% of the interior... Step #2 Clean Acid etched the floor --- really lucky... only needed to repair one 2 inch patch... Then Hit it with a coat of POR15.. ill come back with dyna mat later... Step #3 Originize laid out all the pcs and went home! Time to think about the Fabric... i am thinking... leather... and some kind of canvas.... I want the original look.. but a little sometime special...
Wow ! I thought that it looked pretty good as it was. Looking forward to seeing your updates to it. Thanks for posting.
Step#4 seat are done!!!! I found some really awesome distressed leather at the local upholstery supply house... and it was just enough to cover the front and rear seats!!! I had some interesting input from my upholstery guy... and had to redo some parts to stay on target.... Also, I changed up the way the rumble seat backrest fits into the car.... giving it more of craft look with more wood and leather straps.. Still simple and subtle... but different then stock... We spent a lot of time on the little details,, like the pull to access the trunk... and the side panel stitching... Under that leather, is a fully fixed up original seat frame, as repaired and reinforced springs..
Step #5 new weather stripping.. Prep interior for headliner install ( planned for this weekend!!) This is my second headliner,, so i know a bit more this time around... mainly, i taped off a bunch of ares that potential glue over-spray will hit, as well as cleaned all of the surfaces really good with lacquer thinner and a wire brush.. I am using a waxed canvas duck for the headliner and door panels, its nice and thick, but still has some stretch... It has a old look, but will last for a while since its embedded with wax.
That looks much better. Taking it in a better direction... Had my 36 for 32 years and would like to do the interior like yours. And upgrade to juice brakes. Too many other projects now. Keep us posted..................
Oh yes! I was impressed when I saw the first pics of the car. But you're making it even better. Good on ya'.
Are you going to steam out those wrinkles in the head liner or would that mess up the glue? Or does in just need a final stretch? Awesome color combo by the way!
I have a '36 tucked away in a corner waiting for my life to get out of the way. I'll be keeping an eye on this. X2 on the question about selling the interior. I'd may be interested if 2many projects is not.
Planning to steam them out... The material is used is a heavy weight waxed canvas,,, so it was really tough to stretch it.... cream interior is destroyed... was pretty beat... But its not hard or expensive to make your own!! Ill keep posing more!!
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