Projects Progress on Rocky's 34 coupe..last update 9/30/2020

Getting the car ready for it's trip to the state DMV for a VIN inspection. Any car with an out of state title must go through this inspection process. They're not inspecting for anything but the VIN matching the VIN on the title. I once drove my 53 F-100 to be inspected with no front sheetmetal, no box, no glass,no doors and one light vice gripped to the bare frame rail. Raised some eyebrows but I was legal...got my new title too. Here's how it's going to be presented to the inspector. I took off anything that could possible fall off or be blown off on the trip. I can just see me loosing the radiator/grill and the guy behind me running over it. I have the use of a buddy's trailer and my sons big ol 4X4 GMC pickup to tow.

 

From this point I'll be going backwards. I'll yank the body off the frame before the snow flies and store it at my kid's house while I concentrate on the chassis. I'll do all the finish welding on the frame and finish the boxing. Gotta run all the brake lines, whip up some kinda clutch linkage and front shock mounts and shocks and about a million other small things. Slap some urethane primer and sealer on the chassis after it's done and start on the body in the spring...get some gray urethane primer and sealer on it and hopefully be driving by the HAMB drags!

 

Are you now going to fit Falcon Slotter wheels ? Sorry I just had to ask.

 

Actually Simon, I do have another set of wheels for this car. They're IHC 16x5" wheels from a 50s IHC 1/2 ton pickup. They fit my 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern and take 40-48 ford passenger car caps. I'm gonna drill them for my 16" full moons too. I'll run big & little Firestone "gum dipper" bias plys and switch hubcaps back and forth as I feel like it. I'll prolly widen 2 for the rear and run a pair of 8;20s.
I need one more wheel to complete my set as my 4th wheel has been run with loose lugs sometime in it's life, egging out the mounting holes.

 

That’s a cool wheel, has the 40-48 ford outer but the inside pattern in the center is so soft

 

Your wheel choice sounds good. Pity about the one that has been damaged.

 

In Fremont, NE. I talked them into sending the inspection deputy to my garage. I had to remove the VIN tag from my '29 Studebaker, to install the motor mounts, so I put pop rivets through the holes on the tag, ground the backs off, and double sided taped the tag to a new location on the frame. It looked riveted on and fooled him! They said it had to have an engine and trans, so I loosely bolted the block in, and held the trans up with a jack. It passed! They now say that was the last time they will come to my home for an inspection, due to the crime work load of the deputies. Our tax dollars at work!

 

Damn! What a day! Left the house at 5:30 am , grabbed the trailer and loaded the coupe...took it to the DMV to be inspected and the guy passed the title...he passed the VIN on the frame but when he found it didn't have the original engine he said I'd have to have an "assembled" title. WHAT??????? It's a long story that I'm not going to get into here. Let's just say I'm not finished with this bidness yet. Disappointed, yes but definitely not finished. And thanks, RustyButt for the turn signal photos.
To be continued:

 

Lookin good Rocky!!!

 

if it is like any town or state procedure out here, you will go back and they will tell you "you didn't need that" or "ohh, you just need to come back after doing [fill in some annoying little something]" at which point you go back and "you didn't need that" will apply.
good luck.

 

Bullshit. I’d either find online where that’s not the law and print it off or I’d borrow a flathead to wedge in there for the inspection seeing as if you go back with no motor you’ll probably get the same dipshit

 

I've got some alternative plans....heh heh.
Hey! Maybe I should return it to old stock car racer status! Don't need a title, registration or even insurance for that.

 

Big news! I was finally able to get a real live ORIGINAL 34 ford model 40 Nebraska deluxe coupe title for my car. All that bullshit is over with. That done, I immediately began getting the body ready to pull off the frame for finish welding on all my suspension attachments, shock mounts, boxing plates etc etc etc. There are a lot of holes to weld up in the rails too. I built a low cart to put the body on for storage...has casters for ease of moving it. I think Sunday is "lift-off" for the body. My son's neighbor is loaning us a trailer to move the body to my son's garage where it can sit 'till I'm finished with the chassis. Got some friends lined up but could use some more muscle if any Omaha guys want to help Sunday afternoon.

 

I like the progress and would be there to help if only I was closer to you.

 

Oh, c'mon, Simon...you could catch a plane and be here by Sunday afternoon....our Sunday, not yours. Bring leather gloves and a vegamite sammich.

 

I run the same rims on my coupe, but with 700 x 16. Seem to be okay. Didn’t consider widening them.
Didn’t use them on the front as I felt that they were too wide, but still looking for a 4 inch wide version.

 

That’s great news!

 

Was told by the inspector in Papillion last year that to get a bonded title for my '40 that I had to have an engine and trans in the car before they'd look at it. Considering the fact that I bought a roller/basket case that never had an engine or tranny in the thing since I bought it in '79, I ask myself whether I throw in the '40 truck flathead I have (have the trans but number doesn't match frame) and mock it up, or throw in a SBC/original trans + adapter to see what they say. My luck would be same response, i.e. rebuilder.

 

Will you fire up the BBQ for those who come to help?

 

Congratulations! I bet you will sleep better tonight. HRP

 

Rocky they have washers for the egg shaped holes, you might give them a shot.

 

Thanks, Bob...I'll look into finding some of those washers. Tomorrow afternoon is "lift off" for the body...got 6 guys lined up.

 

I can see my help is not required. I'll stop looking it to flight schedules. Make sure you have some one to take photos.

 

Just for U Rocky.: Macs parts

 

Thanks! I'll definitely buy a set.

 

How’d it go?

 

Still waiting to see the body off photos.

 

It went almost without a hitch. The trailer we used was reported to be 6 feet wide...it showed up being 5 feet wide. A quick measurement said my coupe body would fit with an inch to spare on each side.....whew!
I had 7 guys to load the body after I pulled the back wheels/tires off the car...gave more room to maneuver and we didn't have to lift that heavy SOB over the wheels. We put the wheels and tires back on the chassis and my son drove the body over to his house about 6 miles from my place and 6 of us removed it and put it on a cart I made for it....rolled it into my kid's garage and it'll stay there, with a fresh coat of Gibbs oil 'till the snow goes off next spring. I imagine I'll prolly bring it back mid April so I have a few months to whip this chassis into shape.

 

And now the bare neckid chassis sits in my garage with about 10,000 little tasks that need to be accomplished before mid April. I'm totally looking forward to doing all of 'em!