Projects My '32 5 Window Project - Done and Cruising!!!

Are you running a 11 gal. tank on your car? Classic instruments? If so, may have some time saving advice for you. D

 

Yep, 11 gallon Tanks, Inc tank and Classics Instruments.
Educate me, always willing to learn from other's experiences.
SPark

 

Didn't want to butt in, but I just went through this with my build. First, if you haven't already, cut yourself an access hole in the trunk so you can get to the sender and fuel pickup. I sure am glad I did. My car is going to be full fender with frame covers and bumpers so it would have sucked to have to pull that apart to get to the sender.

Put the sender unit in a bucket of gas and make sure that the float comes to the top of the liquid. Mine would only come up to within about two inches from the top. The float would float if you took it off the sender and put it in the bucket by itself. I cured this by opening up the hole in the plastic side of the sender to 3/32 where the pivot pin for the float is. I also got a spring that had wider coil spacing to take some of the tension off the pin to housing. After these mods the float would float at the top of the liquid.

I put five gallons of gas in mine to see if it would read around a half tank. 'Bout an eighth is what it was doing with the float and sender set to the specs on the sheet that came with it. Found that eight gallons put the fuel level right at the half way mark in the tank, but the level still showed way low. Also found out that if you fill it to the low side of the filler neck, it will hold 13 gallons at that point. I guess that they mean 11 usable gallons as 2 gallons in the bottom of the tank is probably only about a half inch deep.

You can draw this up on paper to get your ohm readings to know where the float should be in relation to the gauge, but try 4 7/8 for the "B" measurement and 3 7/8 for the "C" measurement and it should put you in the ballpark. Be sure to have clearance on the back side of the sender as there is a baffle there.

Mine read full with the fuel just touching the lower edge of the filler neck and when I took five gallons out of it, it read 1/2 tank on the gauge. I also raised the stop on the empty side so the float didn't hit the bottom of the tank before showing empty.
HTH, D

 

Great info. Haven’t cut my access hole yet but one is planned. Thanks for the heads up on the float mods. Much appreciated.
SPark

 

When I started asking questions and opinions before starting this project, several hammered me on "real steel" and "vintage parts only". I get it. I just explained I'm 60, have had cancer (lost a kidney to it in 2009) and a heart condition (AFIB). I don't feel I have 20 or 30 years left to chase parts and wait on things to fall into place. I want something to enjoy now, I may not have a later.

As if to prove my point, my cancer is back. Next week I start meeting with oncology doctors to decide a path of action. All I know right now is eventually it will have to come out again and that will involve cutting me in half, again. Trying to get as many things done as I can now so when the time comes for the treatments and surgery I will have lighter weight things to do.

Very glad I started down the path of this build when I did. I'll beat the cancer and build my car at the same time. One will be therapy for the other.

Next step is meeting the upholsterer (hopefully this afternoon) and ordering a seat he's comfortable working with (I'm leaning towards a Bengels seat) . Will be working between treatments and appointments so time may be hard to find. Stay tuned!

SPark

 

Man I wish I'd seen this before I put mine in the car. I'm having problems with the float and getting an accurate reading. This is good info. Thanks for posting!

 

On the subject of fuel tank floats, mine wasn't reading accurately. When I uninstalled it, the rod was so short it didn't reach the full or empty areas of the tank.
I replaced it with one of the new tubular, floatless senders. Just buy the longest one that will fit in the tank and has an ohm range that matches the gauge. I think I got mine from the auction site.

It works great, but don't let anyone see it because it is definitely not traditional.


Phil

 

you sure CAN beat it, if you 100%"know" you WILL, without any if's and's or buts.....

.

 

Not much on the build side. Swapped the fiberglass cowl vent for a United Pacific steel one. Still needs a little adjustment but it's going to work fine. Playing with steering angle/wheel placement. Seat ordered from Bengels, should have it in 2-3 weeks then I can nail down the steering. Heater/defroster ordered (need it for state inspection), shifter ordered....waiting on parts might be the worst thing right now.

Starting tomorrow I'm getting immunotherapy for the cancer. That will take 1 day every 3 weeks for 6 months. It's not supposed to make you sick like chemo but has some rough side effects that hit about 25% of those trying this deal. Hopefully those pass me by. Talking to the Oncologist last week and basically had 2 options. This, which is brand new and was only approved in mid April and should add 3-3.5 years while they look for other options as they develop. Do nothing and be gone in 6 months. Not much of a choice.

Waiting on parts, working as they show up, pissed and crabby.

Later,
SPark

 

Sorry to hear about the cancer returning. If you ever need help, I'd be glad to make a little road trip and lend a hand. I'm not sure where you're at but, I don't think you're terribly far from me.

 

Not too far apart, couple hours. Appreciate the offer. I'm still feeling good, we'll see if I'm still saying that after tomorrow. Have most things lined up, waiting on parts. The car is what is keeping me sane right now! Takes my mind off how mad I am!
SPark

 

Keep on keeping on @LM14...positive thoughts your way to experience and realize your goals.

We all have our reasons for the directions we choose. Do share that great moment down the road with many more as they happen.

 

Swapped the fiberglass cowl vent for a United Pacific steel one. The 'glass one looks the part but this looks better when you really study it. Started shaping the cowl to match. Been too hot to get much done, hitting mid 90's every day and high humidity. Rain coming for a few days so hopefully it cools off a bit to make things a bit easier to tolerate.

SPark

 

Been feeling pretty crappy for the last few days. Got into the Oncologists office and I'm having a reaction/side effect from my first infusion for the cancer. Incredible group of doctors. Extremely impressed with them. Tests showed it started killing my thyroid (fairly common with this mixture of drugs) so that explained why I have felt totally awful. Came down to my blood pressure being slightly up but what concerned them the most was my pulse was at 145! Got me on some meds for it and pulse slowed down to normal and I almost feel like a human again.

Parts have been showing up but I felt so bad they have just been lying in my dining room. Got the hood in from Rootlieb but they sent me 2 front hood hinge catches and none for the rear (got the rear catch coming). I've had it for a week but didn't feel well enough to even play with it.

Also picked up a fresh rebuilt 5.0 roller motor so I don't have to waste time building the one I already had. This one was done by a reputable shop and the guy simply switched directions so I feel I got a pretty decent deal on it. Nothing fancy, just a basic long block. Got a one piece fuel pump eccentric and Comp Cams timing set to put in it. Need to get it assembled and painted so it's ready to go.

Got a Pertronix II distributor with matching wires and coil. Still waiting on a set of Crane Cams 1.7 roller rockers.

Found out my seat shipped today from Bengels so looking forward to that, too.

Slow but at least I felt like walking out to the garage and at least working for a little while today.
SPark

 

Hotrod looks great @LM14...Tough going for you but keep rollin with the punches as best you can...

 

Got the Rootlieb Henry hood mounted. No welting under it so still a little out of line in places. Now to decide on how to mount the rear latch. It's coming along.

SPark

 

now that is looking good.

 

Great build! Now, do you have to go back and change the 'little' Deuce too?! Looks like you can build them in All scales! Thanks for sharing, Carp.

 

it a 32 always bad ass Good Luck With Your New Toy Enjoy

 

Got a pile of parts delivered today! The big one (actually delivered yesterday but I was at the Oncologist office getting my meds changed). Had it shipped to a good friend's shop just in case I was getting treatments on the day it arrived and it worked well.

Bengel's Hot Rod Seats makes a nice seat. Very happy with it, the service I got and the way it was shipped. That thing was packed and zip tied into the box! Took longer to get it out of the box than it did to assemble it. Great product! Got the low rise, flip up bottom, adjustable lay back with sliders. Think it will work great.

Finish hanging the heater and I can get this thing mounted and make VROOM VROOM sounds.

SPark

 

Looking good. Great selection of parts, and doing a nice job of fit-up.

 

Been feeling much better since they found out what was happening to me with the cancer drugs. Got me straightened out and back to work on things. Weara out fast but just make time to rest and cool off Making progress!

Modified the seat feet to sit on the cross rails molded into the body. Mounted the seat and it fits great.

Started playing with steering column angles. Think I pretty much have it where I want it with a couple of tiny changes. Started out with a shorter column drop and need to go longer. The longer one will actually give me a better mounting solution, too.

With this roughed in, started playing with shifter locations. It's tight but I think it's where it needs to be. Drop it in low and put the seat all the way forward and it clears just fine (short wife). Put it in park and slide the seat all the way back (farther back than I would have it while I was driving) and can still reach everything easily and comfortably.

Few good days of progress sure messes up the shop though! Time to clean. Parting shot is a view out the windshield, finally.

SPark

 

love that steering wheel. glad your feeling up to getting some work done. do you have any padding under the blanket to get you close upholstered seat height?

 

You are building an amazing car. Sorry to learn that you are battling cancer. Your accelerated pace is impressive. It is a life lesson for all of us with snow on the roof to get in gear and get the things done that we want to enjoy now. I hope you get to enjoy your car for many years to come.

 

Have several thick throw rugs and some moving blankets down. About 3" or so. Should be fairly close to the finished upholstery height from talking to the guy that's going to do the work on it. The wheel is a Con2R wheel and is a nice size. Actually bought it for my unibody project years ago and liked it better on this.
SPark

 

I am liking what you are building....So keep on keeping on. I know cancer sucks big time but you can beat it. Just this last June the Doc's gave me a clean bill of health on my bit with cancer. So now back to hot rodding...

 

You have a great build going. I too have battled cancer and have returned to my deuce project. Hang in there.

 

After sitting in the car every chance I got the last 4 or 5 days (no I wasn't making Vroom, Vroom sounds....that was the shop cat) I decided the steering felt "right". Swapped in the correct column drop and welded a mount for it to the dash brace bar. Mounted the bottom and marked the column to cut down. Removed about 5-1/2" from the Ididit Old School column and the DD shaft inside it. Bolted it back down and got the steering u-joints in. Actually turns a lot easier than I thought it would. Great clearance and leverage, think this will work.

I've been looking ever since I started this deal on what to do for front turn signals. When you're sick and have no energy to work but still want to sit there and think....you come up with ideas, sometimes. Since I don't sleep on the drugs they have me on, I'm usually up all the time (sleep 2 to 3 hours a day, maybe 5 once a week) and found some United Pacific LED dual filament marker/turn lights. Perfect! Ordered a pair. After a few minutes measuring I made a cardboard template. Then after fine tuning that a bit I made one out of tin. Bent it up and bolted it on the back of the shock bolt. Walked around it the last couple days and it doesn't annoy me. I didn't feel like I needed to rip it off and start over, that's always a good sign. Dug in the scrap pile and found a little chunk of 1x1x1/8 angle iron. Drew it all out with a couple little revisions (to better hide the nuts) and made a pair of reversed twins. This will eventually be welded to the back of the shock mount bolt hole on the headlight stand. Don't want to weld it until I have the radiator back out so I can clamp a straight edge side to side to get them exactly the same. You basically have to be lying behind the tire to see the nuts for the shock or light. Looked at them from several angles and I think they are keepers.

Next up, more heater work, wipers, battery box (have to decide on battery for sure) and make covers for the MC under my feet and fuel pickup/sending unit area in the trunk.

Also listed the other glass '32 project I have for sale/trade. Making progress!!!
SPark

 

They look great mounted there.

 

lookin' good. how'd you train the cat to do vroom vroom, all i can get out of mine is rrrruu rrruu rrruu...