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Projects 1934 LaSalle old school convertible coupe build thread

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by F&J, Jul 10, 2017.

  1. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    No, for sure.

    Number one...no extra funds. Number two, I sure don't like the two upper rounded corners of the framing. Number three, those are speedsters with side curtains, not roll-up door glasses...mine will have side windows, as I simply hate riding in a windy roadster!...this is eastern CT, where we have a 8 month heating season. :(

    I keep thinking I can come up with something by reworking the 35 sedan posts. They will need some serious trimming on the outside edges. The Convertible door "top piece" from the beltline up, does not even come close to fitting in there, so some of the post needs cutting before I can even fit the door into the doorway.

    The 34 W/S frame is flat single glass, and the super heavy cast brass frame assembly is a true engineering nightmare to try to retrofit onto a sedan cowl....but I don't have a spare 34 W/S framing setup anyways.
     
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  2. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Well, you just gave me a possible solution without knowing it, Bob!

    The hamb is full of ideas and people who "claim" that they are NOT builders...but that is not true. People who give the right clue to an issue, and if it really works out slick for the owner here...then bullshit!...You certainly ARE a builder/fab guy. Ryan fits in there to a T, inspiring more traditional rods and customs than any other person who ever lived...by inviting us into his internet "shop" here.! (Ryan said in a long ago blog, that he was not a builder, or something along that thought line). Of course, then Tardel shows up and gets the squeaky clean Atomic Garage all pigged up good! I was actually waiting for him to test a spraypaint gun on the white walls in there LMAO

    When I fist made post one last week, I said I had the vision of a lower hood or whatever, but no clue on what I should do about that, at such an early plan stage. I think it was TEN minutes for "Mo? to say: "channel the whole body" Ding! ...and then James ponied up with a blueprint that worked so sweet!

    Ok, my windshield issue was always a huge problem for me as well as my son, who has said twice now, "the posts are too bulky, the angle of the posts are too straight". He is right, despite me thinking I can mod them to "acceptable".

    I went out after Bob's Auburn statement this morning, to get some pics of how I planeed to mod the 35 posts...but one pic led to many more....then even outdoors in the mass of destroyed/cut up LaSalle remains.... DING ...the 34 sedan one-piece, flat windshield....and it's THIN-ASS posts!
    100_0325.JPG

    The posts are SO wicked thin on the side view,as well as frontal view, compared to the New for 35 Fisher body design with V-ed twin glass W/S.
    100_0326.JPG

    1935 fat posts:
    100_0306.JPG
    100_0308.JPG
    ^^^ Above pic was showing how the front upper tip of 34 conv door top, cannot fit up next to the 35 sedan fat door post (A pillar) without serious cutting/slimming..



    100_0334.JPG

    ^^ I already (excitedly), started checking basic dimensions...and this width is 100% exact as the 35 cowl! Ding. Then did some others...you get it by now.. all looking good "so far".

    this one piece flat W/S will give me the SAME look as a typical 40s built 1936 ford convertible/cabriolet! I dig the chit out of that look.

    so, let me get back on the Mercedes, then the C50 shit job....THEN I can start cutting some stuff up!
     
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  3. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,396

    catdad49
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    You are Truly a Man of Vision! This will be super sweet and I'll be following til the end! Love the sweep of the lower door edge on the '34, is this part of the plan?
     
  4. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Yea, Right...man of "lack of obvious vision" LOL

    I TOTALLYmissed the fact that IF I went ahead with the 35 cowl....the dam cowl is widere from viewed from the side! That means the front gap on the door would have been WAY too far back to have the rear body sit where it needs to be.

    I found that out just now as Joe G showed up to finish taking the last few bits off of the donor frame I gave him. While he was handy, I had him hold the 34 convertible door, against the side of the 34 sedan cowl!!! Holy cow, it fits!. The post looks nice an thin too, like a real convertible w/s post!

    Here are pics showing that door mockup, and how much "longer" the 35 cowl is
    100_0338.JPG

    35 cowl
    100_0337.JPG

    34 sedan cowl is so much different on that side-width! This all should work out slick, IF I can graft the back side of the 34 A pillars which once were wood framed, up to the trimmed off 35 cowl which it's A pillar is steel framed.

    I just may be forced to use the entire cowl from the 34 sedan? Joe G made that call already.

    Back to work on the Mercedes...dang another triple "H" heat-humid day, not good for either of us, working outdoors. I did find a way to speed up the final mud work at the "body side detail line", with a 1/4" aluminum straight edge slammed in the rear door, then clamped through the taillight hole:
    100_0340.JPG
    ^^I ran the DA up against it, then ran the last skim coat against it. Should be done today, even if I go screw off watching Joe get something done. :)
     
  5. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,396

    catdad49
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    Kinda like a jigsaw puzzle, try different pieces until it all fits together like it was meant to be! Between you and Joe you guys will make it work! Have Faith!!
     
  6. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Yes, Joe and I work together pretty perfect now, not like when he just happened to show up here the exact first day of the huge LaSalle rescue! He asked why I was airing up the trailer tires, hooked to my 1966 K20 sitting there idling...he then asked in a very quiet tone: "do you mind if I come along?" I said dam well right you are going!...I need freaking HELP!" We made the first slam bang run on a Monday at 1PM just an hour or two after getting final approval from the head of the Estate...they said "we'd prefer that this car (my 34 conv) gets moved ASAP" I said "how about today at 1PM on location?" (an hour drive one way from here)He He

    Joe and I pulled that one haul off pretty fast and easy, but the next haul was totally out of sync beyond words, as we just plain were not used to working together, or knowing how each of us thinks, expects, or whatever...but we still managed to muddle through it. Joe, at 70, is likely the only friend of my MANY friends, that does not have at least one disability!

    That 2nd, and biggest haul was that Wednesday, clearing out a double deep 4 car area, packed so full with the bulk of the LaS collection of "stuff" that we were using two trucks and two trailers...followed by the final haul on that Friday! Then Joe got the signed contract to do a final 100% clean out and repairs to that barn complex that took him 3 weeks to finish completely.

    Ok, Joe and I just finished stripping the last few parts off his "new" chassis/frame at 12:30PM today, now he is going to see a shop out by his area, that is arranging for him to borrow 4 early 50s? Buick wheels with 16" tires, so that Joe can move the chassis to a sandblast guy. The LaS uses a very large center hole in the wheel at 3-7/8". We simply do not have enough good LaS wheels or even enough good tires to make that happen.

    I sure don't feel like working on the Mercedes this afternoon, but I suppose I will, as the sun is hiding right now, so I won't suffer too much..

    But, I SURE do wish I could go grab the 34 sedan cowl and do a test fit on the 35 chassis :) Like right now! "I bee's all excited at this point!". LOL

    If you wonder why we don't just use the 34 convertible cowl? ...... well, we simply don't have the cast brass W/S frame and posts. So we most likely use the entire 34 sedan cowl, as it makes more sense that grafting "this to that".

    34 conv cowl below:
    100_0344.JPG
    .
     
  7. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    You guys didn't really think I'd stay at the Mercedes job today, did ya? LOL

    Too much fun messing with the new idea of using that 34 sedan cowl. I did strip off the rotted twin horns on the firewall, as well as the old aftermarket heater...so it could be esier to get into the workbay as soon as my Son got home. he, he

    My Son was thrilled to hear that "that ugly ass 35 windshield" (< His Words!).... was being trashed! He LOVES the look of the flat, short 34 sedan windshield, just like Joe G does. Joe G even mentioned the old school 36 Ford cabriolet customs that had the LaSalle grille...AND a Carson top! I won't be doing a Carson for one HUGE reason: The LaSalle convertibles look their best with top-DOWN.... which cannot be done with a fixed Carson!

    Here is a mockup from yesterday, showing a set of unknown top irons I do hope can be fitted. The side glass and chromed window frame is a single one-only 1935-only LaS convertible part. I also placed one of a good pair of 34-only conv vent glass frames. I will not use a vent, I will make one piece side glass frames to have a cleaner, custom look, as well as it will be so much easier to deal with these gutted 34 Conv doors I have 100_0333.JPG :
    100_0331.JPG 100_0332.JPG

    here are some pics late today of the 34 sedan cowl features like the bizarre wood joinery angles of the A pillars. I will be doing steel, but not square/rectangular tubing like I normally do on A pillars. I will steal an idea from a customers 36 Chevy coupe Fisher bodied car. That builder used a simple flat steel plate, quite thick, maybe 3/8" to run from top to bottom. On the Chevy, the A pillar is the hinge pillar, not suicide hinged like the LaSalles. That plate system was very unusual to see there, and I found it to be so simple, but also very apparent that it was so super ridged. Sure, it will take some think-time to get the chromed 34-only dual door wedge plates fitting right, as well as getting a rock solid anchor for the chromed 34 strikers. I have all that 34-only stuff as spares, too, in pics to follow.
    100_0347.JPG 100_0348.JPG

    some spare stuff...some stuff not spares, is also for my 34 conv:
    All spread out on a shipping blanket on the hood of a 69 Dart 4 speed conv trapped in the LaSalle room. It has a 340 six pack in it, and does still run, but needs complete full cosmetic resto.
    100_0354.JPG 100_0355.JPG 100_0319.JPG
    100_0329.JPG
    34 conv is parked "front end to front end" to the Dart. The other junk 34 door is on that other car only to set the distance for the rough wood kit that came with the car. I needed to get the finish length, by installing a lightweight door skin. I do have a nice pair of complete/(very/too heavy for "mockups") doors for my 34, shown hiding here:
    100_0330.JPG


    I took a bunch more pics today, but I am tired of typing right this moment, and this one post is getting "too long" as it is. I will do more on the proposed 34 cowl with a 35 dash swap later today. Bye
     
  8. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
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    Since the 35 cowl is deeper than the 34, try a chalk line on the 35 where you'd cut it to drop the intact (or mostly) 34 cowl and windshield in place. The profile may need some massaging but it might be quite close.
     
  9. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Ok Jamie, another good strong coffee and I am ready to one-finger type some more...as well as pics for those hoodlums out there that can't read.. LMAO.

    I need to use the 35 LaSalle dash gauges, for two reasons...One is that I prefer to save the second-best spare 34 gauges for friend Joe G's 34 rot free sedan body. I gave him that body instantly, the moment it came into the sunlight on day two of the haul. we never knew it was a desert-dry car!
    DSCN0892.JPG

    he asked that "IF" I ever would sell it, he would like to buy it... I blurted out "It's YOURS". He said WTH?, I said I cannot do this haul without you, your fully equipped Doge truck, and better /newer 18' trailer with wood sides, and a winch smaller than mine but still did the tasks. I explained quickly, that I could not get a local wrecker/rollback service to haul from one hour away. They won't haul rotted cars falling apart for liability reasons, nor do they want to be "off duty" 1/2 day from their normal business areas. So, It was a no-brainer to give that cherry body away to Joe G. Joes 34 sedan was originally used as a parts car, the cherry pit-free chassis was restored out in Minnesota and placed under my 34 conv then. His body is missing the complete dash, but the wiring was never cut, so there is more tech info there when we rewire both 34s.

    Here is the 34 sedan cowl, mocked up with a spare metal dash from a 34, and note that the closed cars had a thin upper garnish made of steel. I only have this one "real good" steel garnish, and the convertibles used a similar one, but made of genuine mahogany wood. So, Joe gets this steel one, and I will make a new mahogany one for the 35 conv, exactly like the new repro one that came with my 34 conv.
    100_0349.JPG
    Houston, we have a problem: This cowl has rotted lower parts of the windshield garnish set. Joe's car is missing that garnish altogether:
    100_0350.JPG

    Ok, so I took stock quickly today of donor metals for patching this lower part, We have side door garnish set for the 35 Fisher, as well as some random 34 Fleetwood sedan garnish:
    100_0353.JPG 100_0352.JPG

    here is the 35 dash stuff I want to graft onto a 34 steel dashboard: The 34 gauges are curved glass like old SW, but! ... The 35 uses the glasses turned backwards so the glass is curved inwards, or convex! Pretty sexy for the year, I'd have to say:
    100_0351.JPG
    I do have some better spare 35 gauges, so I hope I can end up with a cleaner/non-discolored set.


    Ok, so dam much more to say. This LaS collection is by far, the biggest pile O' stuff I ever tackled in my years in the hobby. Joe and I have worked our tails off trying to sort, determine what we do and don't have, then keep dragging stuff indoors in prep for winter! My Son and others said "why are you thinking winter so early?" It is simple, this stuff takes SO much time, and Eastern Ct is way overdue for another super deep snow winter! When we first starting hauling, the cars and parts were quickly dumped wherever, then after day three, we started moving the parts cars and the biggest piles of big pieces to better locations. Then at that point I thought we were only building TWO LaSalles, not three!, and I had the 34 and 35 sedan lined up alongside the back 1/3rd of my 90 foot long main building. I knew it would suck in deep snow, to have to shovel into the cars to get a part or look at something. Well, we are to the exact point ..within days, of having both sedans gone from there!


    Cataloging/sorting must continue still, for not only the obvious, but also the fact that even after the 10 years time since this monster LaSalle collection came out from Minnesta to the NYC area, the hauler/flipper/and long term good friend of my estate guy, STILL has parts of this collection on Ebay to this day! I figured out right from the beginning, the stuff had to have come from this guy I knew of there, for a variety of reasons too long to say here. I have purchased 4 items so far, all were once part of the Minnesota stash! A stainless steel early repro LONG muffler that LaSalles used to have them be so quiet! Here are three; one super long rusted one from the rotted 34 sedan, a cherry used one, possibly original 34 LaS? (shorter one) that was tossed into that barn, and the new one.
    100_0339.JPG

    I also bought those super rare luggage rack brackets for my 34 conv. Those originally were on the rough convertible body when new from the factory!! They still had the old manila string tags saying "34 LaS" that most all the other Minnesota stuff still has! I also bought a pair of clutch disc linings, and I still have NORS rivets from my Dads auto repair shop he had during the 1950s! and I just saw them a few days ago, so I even know where they are..lol

    Then I just bought the original rumble seat hinges from the rusty conv body! they still have those old tags!
    Pic taken this morning on the Mercedes trunklid:
    100_0304.JPG
    Oh, and that spare MB trunk latch was leftover from yesterday when great best friend Bob Jr helped figure out what the heck I did wrong on the clip swap, and fixed that issue! Bob ran his own service station shop for 20 years, so he knows car stuff :)


    By the way, the NYC guy refunded the shipping on the last two purchases...he now knows it's me, and is helping me out! ... and now he is apparently going though a bunch of small LaS stuff leftover from selling on Ebay for a decade..... He just listed two very small rechromed "34 LaS parts" and I know he did that just for me. He is so very hard to contact by phone, as he is by far, the busiest guy I have ever known.. I do need to make a list and get it to him, as all his parts are marked in his listings as to which "box" or "crate" they are stored in. That means there must be lots more of slow moving parts still in his NY warehouse! Maybe garnish moldings? , etc, etc, who knows??


    tired again, so rest I shall :)
     
  10. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    ha, ha, Mo, I thought I cleared that up with you before LOL, NO dammit, I dig the lines on the 34 ass end, and don't dare mess with perfect asses LMAO...besides, James ran his photodshop with stock rear fender location, and it sure looks sweet to me. Ok, though, you just now sparked a comment I forgot to say during today! The 35 is 120" wheelbase, the 34 was 119"..AND as most prewar guys know by experience, that most all cars have the rear wheels slightly too far ahead. On 32 Fords in particular, builders always set the rear axle back 3/4" from stock on "full fender 32s'" just as I did on the 32 my son now owns....so....if I put the 34 complete stock body(with 34 sedan cowl) on the one-inch longer 35 chassis, I bet the fender issue will/should be dead nuts perfect! Time will tell, when I get there. If not, it is so simple to drill a different pin hole for each rear spring center.
    BuiltFer, we are not on the same page it seems? I am now NOT using any of the freshly channeled 35 cowl or firewall...I will remove it as soon as I get a helper. Then the complete 34 sedan cowl gets channeled the same and also gets it's A pillars redone. I may redo the A's after it is on the chassis. I need to stay on this task, as the 35 loses it's stay in the main workbay by mid August when Ron's 37 Cord arrives from Central New Jersey for barn start/engine repairs and whatever. I am really looking forward to that job for sure, and it will be a good time to "get away" from the constant, "full tilt" LaS thrashing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2017
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  11. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Hi Mo, a couple more things about raising the rear fenders. I just cannot see how raising them "won't" really mess up the build!

    Because I am the only guy on this thread that has LaSalle cars to really study close up....the front tip of my rear fender, with NO running-boards, and because that front lower tip used to sit on TOP of the back end of the board..... : So, that front tip will already be 1-3/4" too short!

    Well, Frank Kurtis knew that for sure on the 34 Speedster build!! Take a good close look at this side view of the first version of that car! See the chromed front fender extension much like James D had insisted a filler be added in his rendition? Now go rearward, and see the very small front lower tip of the rear fender.... ALSO has a chromed extension! It just would look so wrong IMO if the rear one was not done with that 1-3/4" tall mini extension. So, if we follow Frank Kurtis, he knew that the rear edges of the 34 rear fenders MUST stay in line with the massive fronts. If we raise the rears, it will look crappy? I'm not going to ask James for a new photoshop, as I already can picture it in my tired overstuffed head!

    .....bear in mind, in this fuzzy photo, there are actually stock/very rare today, rear skirts with an actual hubcap attached to the outside of each skirt! That hides a bit of that mini-extension.
    ls34kur3-vi.jpg
     
  12. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
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    I thought you'd need the front of the 35 cowl to match up with the (shorter?) 35 hood and hood sides etc. It all depends on what pieces parts you have forward of the cowl. The 34 cowl and doors look like they will work together well, maybe I read too fast but I thought you had only 35 pieces for the front sheet metal.
     
  13. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
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    Ok, now I understand. Yes the grille shell and at least the hood sides are different than 34, but I tend to think the hood top is the same length.

    I need to measure that in the morning, now that you mention it. Thanks on that issue.



    I do wish I could get the new cowl on then, but I simply need a helper to lift the old and new. I may do the channel in the AM, just in case I do have a friend show up in the afternoon, or wait till 4Pm for my Son to help. I am sure he will want to see it with the new improved windshield. :) I sure do want to see the change!
     
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  14. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    I am glad you prompted me to check hood lengths... well, it sure is different!

    here are the "total length at center" measures written on the 35 hood top:
    100_0364.JPG


    I believe the hood needs lengthening only at the front, but will check more later.

    I did get the tedious job of removing all the wood from the 34 cowl. Boy it was a tough job because the wood framing was built and bolted together before the cowl metal skins were nailed on. There were so many bolts and screws coming in from so many angles, that I had to split each wood piece into tiny pieces to get it all out.

    there were two types of door jamb plates in the way, and were awful to get them removed;
    100_0366.JPG
    ^^the lower ones are thin tin, but the uppers are made of heavy steel which I just might straighten the cureved back part, and reuse them on the back side of W/S posts...maybe.

    Ok, the other part is the only small fragment left of the passenger side rear door edge with a broken off-but brazed at one time...upper hinge. That is the one exact hinge I need for my two good conv doors
    , but it is junk. We did get so lucky at day two of the haul, on the final look right before we left for home....we went back in, kicking dustbunnies, leaves and bits of old barn debris...looking for any missed small metal parts. My shoe hit a dsolid item, and it was the only complete original hinge from the junk convertible body...so it will be the replacement for the one I need.

    So, I had been looking at all our extra sedan doors, seeing if any of them have the exact shapes as the 35 conv will need. I got lucky to find out that the rear doors only, on the 35 sedan, have the closest match for the new 35 conv doors. All the other hinges on 35 and 34 sedans are way wrong.


    pics below show some hood differences.
    100_0359.JPG
    100_0360.JPG
    pic below shows that the 35 hood side does not have a huge front notch like 34
    100_0361.JPG
    100_0358.JPG
    100_0362.JPG
    100_0363.JPG

    I had to quit at 10AM. I simply must finish the Mercedes, so in case that Kenny calls to help to get the engine in Mass, I will not have this job hanging over my head.

    also, my son is going to replace our house water tank late today, so even if I get the 34 cowl notched for the channel today that may take just 20 minutes more, we just won't have time or desire to test fit the new cowl on the 35 tonight. So, I choose to stop busting tail in this awful triple H weather. There is no need to keep pushing at this point.

    I also did trim back the roof above windshield, hoping to reduce some weight as well as look better in mock up.
    100_0365.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2017
  15. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
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    Glad to help. I thought you would add the 3" to the cowl, not the hood, (by splicing the front of he 35 to the back of the 34), so that all 35 stuff in front of the cowl would "just fit", but it depends on your available pieces and such. Hoods are often hard to add to without messing up angles from cowl to radiator shell.
     
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  16. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    Because the whole body is so very rough, which is already a huge challenge, I was trying to keep everything else very simple so the car won't seem so impossible. I would never try adding to the cowl for that reason...getting into a perhaps tricky splice, and may screw up.

    Ok, so I darn near finished the Mercedes except sliding the rear bumper back on...so, I did have some investigation time on the LaSalle hood parts.

    I need to scrap that 35 grille shell in favor of a 34 which we have several extras. So, that means a 34 shell then a 34 top hood , then going onto a 34 cowl...done deal. But I am not finding any great 34 hood-sides, so I did lay a 34 as a pattern, on top of the longer 35 hood side. I think if I get the hinge butterflys aligned properly from the 35 side to the 34 top, then trace it out and trim the 35 to a 34 size. (if that hinge is the same between two years?)

    Still way too hot/humid to figure out tricky stuff without me making a big error...so I may just take it easy today for a change.
     
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  17. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
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    Sure, 34 parts from cowl forward makes a lot of sense. And taking it easy makes sense too, you've been pushing pretty hard.
     
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  18. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    I will be "pushing harder" today... I want my sons USELESS POS eastern block motorcycle the hell out of my only small fab area in my workbay! I WANT to do the fun fab work on the 34 sedan windshield post trasformation today, but that POS is STILL a thorn in my ass. It is always broken, never kick starts for shit, has a lame starter system that cannot even start the engine, so why does it have one? I want it thrown outside today, let him deal with where the hell to store it, instead of making boo-hoo excuses on why it's in MY freaking way! Somebody come help me push it out of there...PLEASE! :)
     
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  19. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    Hio Bob, can you measure your three Cadillac wheel discs?

    Our LaSalles use a different disc with the valve hole at the outer rim, but we are more concerned about your total diameter. Ours need to be 15-1/2" exactly, so they can drop into and under the wheel outer rim hoop. We can weld up the wrong valve stem hole and move it out to the edge.

    here are all we have, so we can make one set of 5 for my 34, and one more set of 5 for Joe G's 34 sedan.

    If yours measure OK, can you pull them off that site, to sell to us outright? Thanks, Frank
    100_0370.JPG
     
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  20. i have a set from a packard that i can measure today.
     
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  21. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
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    Rats! My disks measure 16 3/4, so the stainless rings differ too. Bob
     
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  22. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    Bob, the 34 Cadillac discs were used to cover up the Cad genuine wire wheels. On the 34 LaSalle, the LaS wheel was a special-made, flat centered disc wheel with a cone shaped tin hub that the disc bolted to. I am thinking that the Cad must have used a bigger diameter wheel, than the 16" LaSalle wheel. Thanks for looking though!
     
  23. Man, you built and gave him your deuce! Shove that scooter outside. You two are square!
     
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  24. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
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    Oh, don't worry,,, the bike was outside by 3AM this morning!
    I've been on 3rd shift for almost a week now; I get up almost right at the exact minute each day, at 12:30 AM! Why? ... no clue, but it works for me. ...especially when it has been so awfully hot/humid by 10AM lately.
    100_0369.JPG

    Ok, so I decided since the bike is out of my way, I'd clean that whole area to set up the cowl and door, right near my 4 foot brake and other metal tools
    100_0367.JPG

    I knew I was out of clean, new 18ga steel sheet, so I decided I'd go to the local metal recycle place 5 or so minutes though some back roads. They started stocking some new steel items, besides just steel sheets. I wanted to also get several sets of HD casters and some used steel square tubing to make some LaSalle engine dolly's.

    Oh, my son borrowed my 1966 K20 a day or two after my last haul, to go kayak fishiong with a friend of his. When he returned, he said "the White truck (it's nickname) is leaking oil really BAD!...it left a big oil puddle in a tar lot while we were in the river!" I know I said that is not right, as I just did 3 hard pulls in a one week timeframe, and yes, it burns a bit, but does not leak. Well, just last night he asked if I looked at it yet, as he wants to go buy a clothes dryer...and HIS project truck sits abandoned in our lot!

    So, I go to the upper building where it is,...nope, no oil spot under there...then I almost did not check the dipstick, but decided I'd better....nope, not down any more than usual... LMAO...thinking it over? He PARKED over someone elses oil spot! What a maroon, as Bugs Bunny would say:) I can't wait to come up with some BS tale when he gets home and sees the truck backed up to the workbay! Maybe tell him I ran it out of oil and it ruined it, or whatever..

    Here is the scrapyard run I did at 7:30 AM:
    100_0371.JPG

    ^^^^This is a trailer body with the limited selection of new steels. The sheets of 18 were where I marked in yellow.



    100_0372.JPG
    ^^^ here is inside that trailer with better look view, I bought one 24 foot of the 1.5" x 1.5" by 1/8" thick for my rear body "kickups". Those act like outer subrails, and 1/8 sounds a bit beefy, but I need the weight that all that wood had. Oh, I said I need it cut in half, so John, one of the two partners, (both named John...which works ok, since the place is called "Johns scrap removal") LoL... so anyways, John says he needs to go get a tape to mark it at 12' halves...I said, "you can use this (my wooden folding 6 foot folding ruler)...he says no, he needs a longer one.... Geez, I was thinking we could just make a mark at 6', then do anudder. LOL

    and before I committed to buy, I asked how much for the 4x8 sheet of 18 ga, and the 24' of square, as he already saw their cart sitting there, that I already had loaded up with 8 heavy duty casters, and a pile of used square tubing...I said "I'm not sure I have enough cash on me."

    He said "how much you got?" so I laid it on the chop saw table, and had Two 50s, 2 fives and eight ones...he said "I'm sure we can work something out" he, he. He weighed up the used stuff, then he did the math on $55.05 for the 18ga, then $49.02 on the 1.5" 24 footer, and with tax was at $110.68...so he said "close enough on the used stuff"...so that was a tick over 7 bucks for it all. See? old time businesses rule!

    Here is small truck body with all stainless and aluminum, (no mild steel), some of it is brand new from defunct machine shops:
    100_0374.JPG

    ok, just a small area of the yard in pic below:
    100_0373.JPG

    on the way out, I grabbed these pics of how they heat the huge recycle building...with the worlds largest wood stove that they drive the forks into with a skid steer, to load in these un-split pine logs:
    100_0376.JPG

    sorry for the shitty Kodak pics, that company sells a really well thought out product! they don't even include a owners manual in the box...you need to go online! ... which I simply have not done so yet. Idiots! we wonder why our Country is falling apart as far as losing old companies that "used" to have decent products? Oh, and it does not come with a chip either! you need to go find one yourself! Epic Company, Eh?

    100_0377.JPG



    the scrap place is a very quick trip, IF you take the tight back road, which until two years ago, was a washed out dirt old Colonial wagon road! It sure is tight on the nasty totally blind corner!
    100_0378.JPG
    100_0379.JPG
    ^^ I just noticed my expired "Exempt from smog test sticker" We don't need those anymore. That is the whole reason I built my 66 back in the mid 90s...we had dumbass idle-only testing, which back then, had insanely long waiting lines to get tested...and Idle tests are just plain idiotic, as we don't have those never ending traffic stoppages like Cal and some parts of NY.. such a joke back then, before they finally went to better tests.

    Hey, I did just now, build a sweet engine dolly for the junk 35 motor hat has been sitting in my way in front of the 35 since I pulled it out. I will take some pics later today
     
    brad2v, chryslerfan55 and biggeorge like this.
  25. You're a mad man. I enjoy this thread! Lots of detail and stories. Keep it up!
     
    brad2v, chryslerfan55 and Hnstray like this.
  26. patterg2003
    Joined: Sep 21, 2014
    Posts: 864

    patterg2003

    I am enjoying the zig zag, back and forth process with all the thinking laid out. It is like we are standing behind you listening to you talk it out. Nice work and eager to see how your creativity & metal collection evolves into a unique set of wheels. Keep on keeping on & thank you for sharing.
    Glenn
     
    brad2v, Hnstray, brEad and 1 other person like this.
  27. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    Hi, F&J. I, too, had thought the matter laid to rest, as I saw no reason to belabor my point.
    But since you brought it up, and called me out, I'll try to elaborate my view.

    As you pointed out, there is already an existing gap between the door bottom (lower body line) and the running board.
    Eliminating the running board further accentuates the disparity between the lower body edge and the lower fender edge. Raising the rear fenders is to bring this into alignment. After all, if the front fenders are raised, why not the rears?
    Valley Customs did a slew of cars this way, all of which (IMHO) were beautiful. Here is a link to one (at Rikster's archives) in an article on channeling. The profile of the rear contours of the car are diminished not in the least.(Again, IMO.)
    http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_...custom_cars/valley_customs-1/channeling_a_40/

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  28. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    Mo, if I follow what you wrote correctly? That "existing gap" will be totally gone with the channeling...at least I thought so...but I am working two shifts here....and I may be wrong on that. Let me get a bit further into the build up, so we can see.

    The reason I said I liked the rear body lines, is mainly that I like the top of rear fender to be "down" from the deck, like it is when stock.
     
  29. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    Oh dear me...I was hoping I did not have to say where I was a couple weeks ago... LMFAO...(inside joke for those that DO know "where" I was)

    It's not my creativity really, I am putting up ideas, or thoughts, and the people here , as well as people who show up at my shop, are doing the actual creativity "inducement".
     
    tb33anda3rd likes this.

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