Projects ReBuild Of my 1928 Model A Tudor.

@drdave ,
Thanks for reading through my thread. I also have read your 4 door build, pretty cool there.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Hi all,
Haven't had time to work on the car and post. last year I got the glass for my car from a local glass guy, Todd at Vintage Glass in Rockville, CT. did all my glass and did a great job. I got the windshield in last year but all the side glass and related items were a winter project as is the rear window.

I have this about 95% complete now and i'm working on the interior panels and some fuel system improvements, here we go.

While I wish I took more pictures of chopping the windshield frame it was very straight forward. There are six screws that hold the top rail of the frame in place, on on the front and two on the sides. Take them out and tap the rail out and remove the old glass and webbing.

I measured down the 3" that I chopped the top and scribed a 45 degree cut and just cut the ends with my 4" wheel. I remarked the holes on each side (note, use ends you cut off as templates for the screw holes) I blasted everything, painted with the old reliable krylon appliance enamel black and got ready for assembly.

Cliff Ramsdell

Fitted the cut frame to the car for fit.

No picture because I was working alone but I wrapped the glass welting around the glass and put the split at the top center. I use cleat packing tape to hold it to the window in about six places, sprayed the frame and welting with my favorite glass cleaner and it pushed right in.


Tapped in the top rail, insert hardware and good to go.


I installed the hinge on the car first leaving the hardware loose ish and slid it in windshield frame assembly. attached all the small hardware and viola, done. Opens, closes, works. Onto the side glass next.

 

SO, as a preface to this next section I'll say this, If I were to build another car I would spend the money and buy the most complete car I could find. The nicer the better within reason. My body came with nothing, no latches, glass, regulators, rear panels, trim, nothing and this stuff will nickle and dime you (well more like dollar and more dollars these days) the living crap out of you.

I'm not going to say who not to buy from on the new repop stuff but I had excellent luck with Snyders and the quality of their parts, i'll explain more as we go. As for used OEM stuff, I tried to buy this stuff and it was either priced the same as new or so close that it didn't make sense or no go getting what I needed.

So, without further ado, we will start with the rear side windows.

Cliff Ramsdell

So, like everything else the bracket that holds on the side panel for the window regulator was missing on the passenger side of the car. I use a piece of 16 gauge, cut and bent, installed 10/32 riv-nuts and a cost of paint before the glass install. Prep also included removing the broken 10/32 screws for everything and tapping out all the holes.

Laying out for glass install included installing the glass channels, cutting down the felts 3" because of the top chop and mounting the regulators to the rear panels.


So, with everything out I installed the glass first. This allowed plenty of room to drop it down from the top. The tab on the bottom of the window runs goes in the bottom and I drilled for a screw in the top since we cut these down.

I sprayed the window runs with some silicone and slid them up from the bottom, installing one and then the other.



I installed the rear panel and regulator next. Since mine were missing I drilled out what was left of the rivets and installed riv-nuts there too, makes removal and install easy. All done with the rear glass. Repeat for the other side.

You'll need to glue the top seal in when the glass is installed. This allowed me the keep the window closed tight and hold the seal in place.

 

The front glass is next. Again, I had nothing so I had to buy the glass runs, window channels, regulators, everything.

I picked up a pair of glass channels from one of the specialty dealers and when I went to install them, well I thought I was going to break the glass doing it. No way, no how these were going on. One is bent all the crap and I finally gave up and spent the money for another pair from Snyders Model A parts.

Glass on the bench, spray with glass cleaner, install the welting and work from one side to the other, done. Both installed in like 2 mins.

Cliff Ramsdell

The ones with the black finish are the "lesser quality" and the ones with the zinc finish, well I will say that they are a better product and may have cost a a few buck more but... you get what you pay for.

As you can see this one didn't fair so well trying to install it. I only tried the one and I can't believe I didn't break a window.



The one from Snyders was smooth as glass, so to say to get installed. the windows are ready for installation. time to prep everything else.

 

Good luck with the weddings Cliff. It will be nice to have glass in your car. Will you cover the top too?

 

One wedding down, Monday evening. next one is Saturday evening and the third isn't till September.

I have two different top materials for the car. One is a canvas material as I had before, nice and light, good for keeping the beating sun off, not so good for keeping the rain out as we found a couple years back heading to the Old timers reunion in Lancaster, MA.

The other is a heavier black vinyl material for the colder spring and fall seasons along with better rain protection to the limits of the top not being sealed tight.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

The front glass was pretty easy once I got the glass channels taken case of. Again new glass, runs, regulators and all.

The glass runs needed to be cut down like the rears but they have hooks top and bottom to retain them in the door frames. I measured and cut them down and removed the retainers and had to reattach them. I used 1/8" rivets and took the center out. I just used an anvil and punch to flare them, worked perfect.

All assembled and now the side glass is complete.

Cliff Ramsdell

They get installed in each side and there is a spot for the clip on the top and bottom. The originals I have hears are flexible and can be pulled into place. I just bent the tab slightly, hooked them on the top and tapped the tab closed.



With the window regulator installed, crank it all the way up with the arm sticking out the top like this. This will allow the regulator to engage the glass channel.




Crank the window down and the regulator will engage the channel. There is a top plate for the door that I haven't finished or installed yet but as of now the car has 5 of the 6 windows installed with some misc trim work needing to be done.

 

On a glass channel installation side note. I put the glass into the runs and marked the glass on each side so I knew where the glass channel should be installed. This allowed me to get it right without having to pull the channel off the glass. I used glass cleaner instead of oil, its messy enough doing this job, slippery too.

I hope all this helps someone else and that would make this worth the time posting.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Cliff you make it seem so easy. Pics are great.

Another day inside.
Good Luck with the weddings.

jim

 

You can pick and choose the pictures so you don’t see the huge mistakes and steps done like 4 times.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Cliff, your pictures and text will surely help others.

 

They sure make the path easier for some of us. Cliff has helped me with knowledge and parts ,plus videos.
Awesome encounters on the HAMB.

Thanks all,

jim

 

Thanks for all the pics and details Cliff! Big help. Redoing all the runs, channels and new glass is on the to do list for mine before I put the new interior in.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This is a huge help man! Between you and @Aaron D. I feel pretty confident in tearing into this stuff. Pictures are great

 

Thanks for taking the time for taking pictures and writing posts. It will help many in the days ahead!

 

Curious why you did the wood on a table saw. Seems like both more dangerous than necessary, and harder. An inexpensive 10” band saw from HF or Menards, with a good quality blade, would make those cuts a lot easier, and without the risk of kickback.


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Because that’s what he had, he’s talked about this more than once.

 

Awsome ReBuild there Cliff,My Hats off to you...!!!

 

David,
As @Tim said, I only had the table saw. I took the chance and was prepared for the potential consequences best as possible.

As with every build there is always something people don’t agree with. Cutting the wood was mine and while I didn’t agree some what, it was what I did.

Don’t condone it, don’t recommend it. Did it, lived to tell.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Thank you.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Thanks Nick.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

lots of great ideas and the pix to show it !
stopped by the local flee market every sunday morning,
found the $15 Sears tabletop ban saw I was looking for …
yet to need it but I will...
Now if your next project was a coupester would give me even more ideas... er, changes... ha ha..

 

Ha we all knew you couldn't put up with those inferior channels your build quality on all your projects is first rate ALWAYS.

 

Very cool Hotrod.
Thanks for sharing.
Other than being flat orange if mine I wouldnt change a thing.

 

Anything new?

 

Hi Tim,
Thanks for asking. It’s spring so my yard has taken over and work is 60 hrs a week busy.

I have been working on fuel system upgrade and mods so that’s next along with finishing the glass install.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Hopefully your getting some road time between chopping your yard down. It’s been raining non stop here for like three weeks. Barry have time to cut it before it’s three feet tall again lol

 

Same here, I hit the mowing on the days it isn’t raining and I have some exterior house stuff to get done. Pressure wash the house and fences, paint some house trim and such but I got a killer jump on things and had some time to work on one of my carbs.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Great stuff to say the least, anything new?

 

Got the carbs done and on the car. Been doing some tuning on them and driving it 2 to 3 time a week back and forth to work.

Fuel mileage was 9.7mpg local on my first tank. 500 miles or so later I have it dialed in to about 13.4 local driving, haven’t had it on a road trip yet, it’s been so busy.

Working on the top right now, I’ll post more as things get finished and have some more tech stuff to post.

Cliff Ramsdell