That's great. When I saw the first picture of the seating position I thought damn he looks just like he's on the sand at Wildwood.
Had a really productive weekend taking care of small little details. I made a little blend panel to cover the rear frame kickup and fill in the gap between the turtle deck and the body. I was going to add on to the turtle deck but I spent some time reviewing old photos and most cars (like the Isky-T) have just a blend panel that sits over the frame to cover that area, so I took the simplified solution and I'm glad I did. I also slit the vertical bead on the side of the turtle deck and pulled it out a little in the center to match the curve of the touring tub. The original 23-25 body has a little more curve to it in the center where the touring back tub is more flat. Simple little fix. Yesterday I decided to work on laying out and grafting in a bead section under the windshield stanchion that was missing. To make sure the bead flowed from the firewall to the door I made a section of bead the went almost from the firewall to half way across the door. This way I could lock the new bead into the door and the front of the cowl to assure the center section flowed like I wanted. I welded it in at the top of the bead and then cut through the door opening once it was welded to make sure it all stayed in place. The end result is a bead that flows from the firewall to the doors I made and looks correct. It was a tedious job but it's super satisfying tying in small details like that that just make the car look better from all angles! I have a couple of videos on these two updates coming to the channel in the coming week so make sure you subscribe if you haven't already! Thanks for looking!
Been busy stripping paint on the turtle deck, fixing door gaps a little more and trying to get it ready for body work. Hoping to have it painted by the end of March! Found some time this weekend to do a little test of some junk I have laying around. 6" Dietz chrome lights and a set of old polished aluminum headlight mounts. I dig it!
IMHO: I think they would look better down half the diameter of the headlight and foreword toward grill shell, I think it looks bugeyed to me. Maybe you could graft some frame horns on it off a A . These are pictures of my tub and roadster. I hope you have a good friend to give you a honest opinion and not what you want to hear about your lights. But in the end it's your car and what makes you happy is what's count.
My headlight opinion: I believe that the top of the headlight should never be higher than the top of the front tires. Yes, the Isky T has them way up higher, but if that were my car I'd lower them; tradition and fame notwithstanding..
I have plenty of friends that tell me THEIR opinion on how I should build my car.. but it isn't their car. I think it's funny that we celebrate these old "famous" hot rods that were so iconic, but if a modern build doesn't meet the style that's "cool" right now; you're doing it wrong. A lot of what makes those cars so interesting is the quirky and unique stuff they did to them. I think if you guys look at the 50's hot rod thread on here and just scan the TRUE period builds the majority of them have the headlights up high like this. Very few have the lights down low. I'm not doing it because the Isky Car is "famous", I'm doing it because it's what's just right for the era/style I'm building the car to. I think little details like these are what makes building these cars fun and really nostalgic. Check out just the first couple pages of this thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1950s-period-correct-hot-rods.430894/ and take note of the headlight-to grill-to tire height.. I do enjoy constructive criticism, so please don't take my response as being negative or close minded; but if you look at 90% of the cars I'm using for inspiration they had tall headlights... it was just how it was done. To me the low headlight thing wasn't nearly as common and is more of a modern blanket modification done when building a hot rod now. I don't disagree that if we're talking about overall aesthetics of a modern build you'd put the lights down lower, but I LOVE the quirkiness of the 50's little books "Show-Strip" cars and a lot of them had lights mounted like this. I think if you're comparing them to a lot of modern builds they might not match the norm, but to me I think I'm on the right track. They're only clamped on for now to stare at them; so I can easily section them to be a little shorter, but if I do; it won't be a lot. I appreciate everyone's input; it will make me take some additional time to stare at it and make a decision.
Well, shame on me. I didn't go back and re read the entire post and assumed that since an opinion was given that opinions were requested. I'll crawl back into my hole now. Sorry...
Not me !! I love that sum b#tch just as they were hung. Accompanying photos, are icing on the cake. Bitch'n' !! @Tuck or @bobbleed @cactus1
Looks tits! These new shin-knocker headlights (and big ‘32 headlights for that matter) are a modern trend that doesn’t do much for me. But to each their own I guess!
I didn't live in the era, but my dad did. Headlight height tickets were a thing back then. While current rods (and drivers) get away with no fenders, low lights, Blue dots, off-road tires, straight exhaust and a bunch more stuff that is flat out against the law, those early rods and their owners had a harder time. https://itstillruns.com/height-regulations-headlights-5996942.html "The follow states mandate that headlight height be between 24 and 54 inches from ground level: Alaska, Arkansas, Washington DC, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas."
Matt, Really like this build. Trying to be true to the era can be challenging for a lot of guys. Make one compromise, and it will lead to others. All you will end up with is a not so "Traditional" traditional hot rod. Good Luck on the project!
Please don't be sorry, I welcome opinions and constructive criticism. Don't take my firm response as me being angry or saying people can't give their opinions. I just felt like I had to share some of my inspiration photos to maybe clarify where my vision is. I appreciate anyone that checks the photos or videos out and I expect there to be differences in opinions! Thanks for the input guys, I really do appreciate it! -Matt/ITG
I lowered mine- but... I know there is a lot of old rods with headlights up high and totally agree that some goofiness is a good thing- it makes it legit It can add some charm. At the same time I just thought it looked a little too bug-eyes for my taste and altered it. It’s a conundrum- I also cut down my grill shell but looking back at it I’m good with the changes! Glad I did it.. If it’s bugging you change it... if it ads charm and it’s something that feels right? Leave it. Tuck
From a traditional and functional point of view the small high mounted sealed beam lights are better. Big reflector lights mounted super low looks better today but the style of today isin't exactly historically correct. I love the look of the high mounted lights.
I am absolutely ate up with this build so there's that... I like them high, and like the examples. It may be the angles of your photos, but they seem further back from the grill face than some of the examples, especially those with no hood. I think you can get away with more set-back with a hood than without, but it is really subjective. I'm not there... you are. So far this build has been exactly how I would go after a real period correct T of this style, so I'm confidant you'll nail it. Keep steppin! Sent from my SM-G930V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Awesome build Matt!! 99.9 % of the vehicles on the HAMB are great to me even though some are a little street roddy to me(my vehicle included). I must admit that I find it difficult for me to understand the full traditional build. Been following your youtube videos and you are showing me the difference!! Your teaching this old dog new-old tricks!! Again Awesome job!!! Pete
Thanks guys, I'm not saying I wouldn't adjust them some, just was clarifying the super-low headlight look isn't what I'm after. I do agree the lights could be moved forward a little more, I have a little room to move them forward some so I may start there. I thought I was on the home stretch of major metal work and then we stripped the turtle deck of paint.... We found a quilt work of bad repairs, entirely too much filler, and some cave-and-pave spots where I think they had a high spot from bad patch panel fit and they just caved it in with a pick hammer. They had lap welded metal into the top of the deck on either side of the lid opening and it's all fucked up. I'm trying to save it and reduce the filler in the decklid and just run with it for now until I can find a better one. Here's some progress photos of how I'm tackling the damage. If you look towards the front/top of the decklid you can see how bad the lap weld repair is. I'm taking a thin cut off wheel and cutting through both layers of the lap seam and peeling the bottom layer off. Then I can butt weld the seam shut with the TIG and actually hammer and dolly the seam to get it close. I'm hoping some time with the planishing hammer will get rid of the real crazy waves and get it closer. This is a total bummer, but the nature of building this old junk out of junk. Hoping I can bust ass this weekend at get it at least acceptable.
I think your right on track and they look great, the modern inturpatations of of the traditional rod have gotten the cookie cutter look.
That was a really Cave and Pave job. With the price of filler today I try to do more finish work on the metal. We have to buy our own materials here where I works I try to get as close as possible.
I'm remembering your comments from the video about the previous owner getting a bit indignant about the deck being og paint... so much for that! You'll get it. It's just time
Gauges all Mounted up. 1936 Nash Lafayette. I made tabs to mount to the back of the gauge and then welded studs into the dash to hold the the gauges in from behind the dash. Need to find someone to put a new capillary tube on the temp gauge and get a speedo cable. I'd love to learn how to do the capillary myself if someone local is able to teach me! I've read tech articles, but I'd learn better watching someone.
Watched your video on the turtle deck repair. Looks good so far. Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
While @IronTrap has researched his choice of headlights, mounts, positioning and has settled with a certain look the lower mounted lights are also not a modern phenomenon...I just want to clarify this...and believe he also acknowledged this. We do many times however miss proposed direction by hopping into threads without reading back to what is being planned...or that detail proposed may get lost or innocently forgotten after the thread progresses into multiples of pages...
The Jalopy Journal
