Hot Rods Model A body on ‘32 chassis WITH FENDERS- Help!

I think your biggest concern is possibly pitting on the gauge chrome...internally I suspect they are fine its just external grime on the glass? When you had this out years ago did the gauges function?...Again you are rebuilding a survivor, pitting is just a part of the territory. My Ole Sport Coupe has all kinds of age visible on the original parts its allowed...

This fella you have working on the car may have some suggestions...You certainly could take matters into your own hands...do some searching into cleaning chrome on the Hamb...

Many have chimed in with their love of the old battle scars and all...I many times think of @Runnin shine who doesn't find anything shiny new appealing and goes out of his way to age things or restore to a driven look without calling it a patina job. He's working on a Inspired Vintage Vision of a Hotrod that could have existed and it's quite interesting following his build. So perhaps you can be that detailer who gets those carefully selected cleaners and Q-tips and brings out just enough to get a firm grip on acceptability.

Below is a post in his thread where he was gingerly dealing with some classic gauges similar to yours......Take some time to look at this guys thread like so many here he is an amazing talent.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ribute-to-gramps.983704/page-55#post-12442241

 

Used to see a lot of panel lights similar to these on old engine and equipment panels. Same idea as a Model A panel light; but on a much smaller scale.

 

I had something like that in my mind and yes I recall seeing them now as you said on Model A dashes...Thanks Rich.

 

Deuce he was talking Gauges not the Gauge panel itself...But paint stripped and polished up that would contrast nicely with a painted dash.

 

Oh, that's good! I mentioned before http://williamsons.com/Tachometers.php for gauge restoration and/or repair. The old Sun transmitter box is driven by batteries that are no longer. Ron can convert that box to 12v and have constant power to operate the Sun tach.

 

The gauges in your panel are a definite mismatch. You have a couple SW Deluxe series, and couple SW Standard series, and a Sun tach. None of them are the really ancient and sought after style (winged logo, or big logo). Personally I would clean the lenses with a spritz of Windex, then polish the bezels with an old sock and some Simichrome. I'd also give the insert a gentle cleaning with Windex and see what happens. Maybe a easy swipe with Simichrome on that too, but realize too much rubbing will erase the pattern.

The only thing I might consider doing different than your original build is having the panel chromed. I bet it was chrome when the car was originally built, but it probably had pits and someone painted it later. It will cost a mint to rechrome that pot metal panel, but it will be worth it.

And, remember that any and all of these gauges could be replaced with the exact same part at a later date if you find a better one. Or yours stops working. Or you win the lottery and want to have all the originals rebuilt. It can be done in steps during the winter off season.

 

You did not say if the panel is aluminum or not, is it? Your gauges are mismatched some, personally I wood use them cleaned up as best they will. They are not worth updating. I hope your gauge panel is aluminum so you can engine turn it your self and be proud of it! If you decide not to use the gauges I would give them a new home right here. You are doing fine mostly, keep the faith, Gary

 

...great info fellas...not my Hotrod but I certainly appreciate the knowledge being put forth...thank you

 

Unless a lot of dust has migrated behind the lenses or the outside has overspray, a dampened soft tooth brush will usually clean up the glass and a little chrome cleaner on bezel should have them looking presentable. If the mis-match of the fuel gauge becomes bothersome, standard fuel gauges can be found without to much trouble; you can ID the older ones by the needle that comes out thru a hole in the face vs an arrow on a pointer on the new ones. Attached picture is an old one.
Of course, not everybody is overly concerned about gauges.

 

https://www.speedoservice.com/ I haven't used his services, but he's here on the HAMB. As for the other gauges There has to be someone here that does them. I would find a way to check them out before tossing money at them. You may get by with cleaning and polishing them. Those old ones like that seem to be pretty robust. As far as the aged "dingy" lettering and needles are concerned I think to an extent it adds character as long as they aren't illegible.

 

I've read that those control arms are also designed to flex, alleviating the concerns of binding or breakage.

 

Re he gauges, I'm with the other's here that says keep those gauges. You can have them rebuilt if they need it, they can be opened up and cleaned, any damage can be repaired and they will work better than new gauges and have collectibility value the new gauges do not have.

 

I don’t know what I was thinking when I asked if there was an option for “digital” gauges. What I meant was to leave the gauge face, can, glass, needle, etc. the same but replace the mechanism inside with a digital system. Sorry-dumb question.


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You would be surprised how reliable those old SW gauges can be if they are in good shape. Just because the outside is dirty doesn’t mean they won’t work well. Give them a cleaning and try them out.

 

Here’s a better photo of the bend in the rear bones. It looks like the previous builder cut and welded this bend to run the bones parallel to the frame. Maybe for straight line stability for drag racing? The welded tabs on the rear axle that the bones connect to are clearly designed for a more triangulated set up, with the rear bones meeting towards the center of the car. The forward ends of the bars are very thin metal and the threads are pretty worn, so it’s going to take a lot of fab work to cut and weld the the bend “out” of the bars and replace the ends with new inserts. I may consider Duece’s suggestion to buy those straight bones or scrap the rear bones and go with another method.


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If it didn't work...if...I would seek out period original replacements...perhaps matching them as it has been alluded they are mixed and this is really quite representative of what your Father may have identified as possible upgrades to this Hotrod he had acquired. Pegging your Hotrod into the 63 to 65 period the SW gauges that are matching no doubt were made for many of those years with that face.

So there are several sources to acquire these from swap meets to The Hamb.

Here's a Stogy......gauge moment for you...I was in a huge local Antique haunt and asked about old car stuff and the Owner told me where to look so I sifted through many items and found 2 SW mechanical tachs $15 a piece...took them both kinda thinking I found some Hotrod gold......I thought I would offer them to Hambers as I didn't need them...

Low and behold when I got home I was looking at the RPM and I think I bought Tractor or Boat Gauges......So now Stogy's stuck with a couple of paperweights...I know a few of you will get a chuckle out of this...I felt a little bit of a Dumbass myself...

 

No-that was fate telling you that you needed to buy a new tractor and boat for your gauges!


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Or maybe a Flathead!

 

^ that’s exactly what I though

 

I'd fix those as they likely are not rusted on the inside.

You can carefully cut the welds where they meet the forged rear ends, then I'd bet if you chop off just the bent part, it should be close enough of inside sizes of the tubing, to be shoved back onto the internal stub of the forged part. If you are not familiar with front or rear "bones", there is an extension from the forged piece, that gets slid into the bone tube. Take your time trimming off the weld & bone end so you don't lose that forged extension.

You need to be careful buying 35/36 arms from a wetter climate, because if you see deep pitting on the outsides, then the insides are rusty, too. Then they are pretty weak.

 

This is exactly why I snagged them as Alchemy pointed out that Riffs Tach is a Sun so if he wanted to change it out to a complete set of SW and what I had was applicable I would basically sell it for what I paid for it...but again I think these are not for a small block application and they would have to match period. One might the other has to much color. As you can see they have chrome issues as well BUT they are authentic......and no I am not buying a boat or tractor...​

 

So @alchemy those dash plates were all die cast/potmetal?

 

Riff I'm still chuckling at myself and I'll bet the antique guy was Real Happy to see me...he even wrapped them nicely in paper before he placed them in the bag...

I will say you do have all the necessary bases covered in those gauges in the dash plate.

 

@F&J may have a good suggestion as they do look pretty clean with only light surface rust with no pitting.

 

Original Pierce Arrow panels are diecast and chromed.

 

I think he’s right-dash surround looks like pot metal and insert/backer sheet looks like aluminum



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HAMBer Duece found some rear bones for sale, but after looking at all the photos they looked very pitted towards the ends. Am I right in identifying this?



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The bottom one is pretty bad. These 35/36 arms all have a couple of factory holes where water & humidity can get in and then stay wet for decades. The rust inside can often be worse than the outside, as the piles of rust flakes stay wet in there.

That pair likely came from a car sitting on dirt with no wheels. I would avoid those for sure. .
.

 

That's my kitchen floor! Bones are blasted and unprimed. Here is another shot of the bottom one I took 5 minutes ago. Bob

 

I would not be afraid to use those ^^^^^^ if they were made into a ladder bar style. The weak link is near the rearend. Here is excellent thread about bones...https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ctures-of-failed-35-36-rear-wishbones.663784/