Projects 29 cabriolet build thread

I do some side work after regular work and this is the latest. I will be working on it a couple hours a night, 2-4 nights a week. We will see how much progress I can make on it. It is a 1929 Model A Cabriolet (oops Sport Coupe) that will have a Merc flathead in it and run full fenders. The guy wants it low and it will have steel wheels. Here are some pics of the Dagel frame and x-member with the flathead, Flat-o-matic adapter and C4 trans mocked up for engine mounts.
Jim Ford

 

Here are some earlier pics that I found. The body is in good shape and the paint is ok. It has been in storage for about 30 years. The plan is to fix the cracks in the sub rails at the rear body mount and under coat the floor. The driver door has some rust and a bad repair at the bottom that will be fixed and that is about it for the body. The paint stays as is with some repair so that it looks like a survivor but with all new frame.

As mentioned earlier the frame is from Dagel's. It is made from about 1/4" thick material and the x-member is made from 11gauge or 1/8" material. everything looks to be made in a press brake. and then the bottom transitions were welded and ground. The body holes have nuts welded into them from underneath and it all looks like quality work.

We are not boxing the frame because of the thickness and the x-member and the fact we are only using a flathead and automatic for power. The rear end is an 8" Ford out of another hot rod but I think it came from a Mustang originally.

 

The engine is a Merc as can be seen on the heads. It looks to be in good shape but needs to have the valves done as they got rusty from sitting. We are also looking for a reasonably priced 2 carb intake with carbs for this build. I have some leftover parts that I think we will add to the mix.

A Mustang steering box that will be set up in the arm up position and it came with the pitman arm and 2steering arms. I also have a 36 front axle and wish bone that we will most likely use along with 37 spindles and a 37 wish bone that might end up in the rear as part of the rear triangulated mounts and buggy spring arrangement that we are going to build to get the back to sit low without cutting the body if it all works out as planned.
Jim Ford

 

WOW! Nice body, not that it really matters but that is a Sport Coupe, with a fixed top, the Cabriolet had an all wood framed body and folding top. Who made the front crossmember, I could use on of them. Bob

 

Oops and I knew it was a Sport Coupe Just tired and not thinking clear. The cross member came from Dagel's also but I think he gets them from Pete and Jakes, Chassis Engineering also has them as does SoCal Speed Shop. Not sure who makes them but they have the low cut radiator mounts on them so the will fit 28-29 and 30-31 Just add a 1/4" spacer. It also has the 7 degree caster built into it so there is no spring bind.

Jim Ford

 

Thanks Jim, I need to order a crossmember. Nice old tag on the front of your motor, can you post a closeup? Bob

 

Just my two cents. Put a higher stall converter in you tranny. You dont have to put anything radical in it but dont use the stock converter. I have a 52 8ba with the speedway c4 kit and a c4 from a 77 granada in my 26 T modified. The car is light but I cant get the tires to break loose from a standing start. Not saying thats what you will be doing with your car but it is a hot rod and a guy should have a bit of performance built in.

 

I will get more pics Monday. The Flat-o-Matic Kit from Flat-o-Products in Salem, Oregon comes with a special torque converter and is a bell housing type adapter.
Jim Ford

 

Here are some more pics of the frame in mock up stage

 

The frame is welded together and the front motor mounts are done. I want to get the rake and ride height figured out before I finalize the trans mount. The front axle is a stock 35 that we are going to use 37 spindles and split wishbone on. We have a reversed eye spring that will get it lower.

 

I finally got the pictures downloaded and resized. Here are some of them.

 

We did spring in front of the axle and used a 37 front wishbone strengthened with a piece of 1/4" flat bar stood vertically down the length of the bones and a Model A capture for the ball. We made our own 35-36 style attaching points to the axle. Lower shock mounts are welded to the bones and the flange of the rear cross member was heated and flattened to create room for the shocks.

The rear cross member is a stock Model A part, the spring is from a Model T and the spring perches are aftermarket and set at 48" wide like a 37-40 rear end would be. Here are some pics of the frame after powder coat.
And as always my little shop dog is in there patiently waiting to go home after a 12 hr day.

 

Ran the brake lines this week. I used the copper/nickel tubing for the first time to do it and didn't use a bender only my thumbs. This stuff is so easy to work with that I will probably use it from now on. Here is a good write up on it.

http://www.copper.org/applications/automotive/brake-tube/brake.html

Some pics of the lines.

We also installed the Flat-o-matic adapter and C4 trans tonight and then turned the engine upside down to install the pan after we make a cut out in the bottom of the bell housing area for access to the torque converter bolts.

 

Here are some more pics.
Here is a shot if the tie rod area. We used my 7 degree taper reamer to bore the steering arms from the top and we flipped and pie cut the 35 split bones to give the axle a 7 degree caster angle and clear the tie rod. (I hate dropped bolt on steering arms because the flex too much IMO)

Here is a close up of the rebuild tag

 

Very nice work

 

Well Charlie (the owner of the Sport Coupe) Didn't think that it had enough rake so he bought a So-Cal Speed shop forged dropped axle. That brought it down about 2 1/2" and he is happy. I will get some pics later.

 

Jim,
Any update on this build? How did the copper nickel tubing hold up?

 

Copper/nickel tubing is holding up well as it is still in the build stage. The body is on, steering rebuilt and in. I made a floor pan and am waiting on the shifter so we can finish that. The fuel tank had about a hundred holes in it and is being repaired. I will try to remember to get some more pics next time I work on it.

 

I know this is a old thread.....But I noticed the rear spring u bolts are installed wrong

 

Had no choice because otherwise the bolts and nuts would have hit the rear end housing

 

Shifter, floor pan, fuel tank, pitman arm and drag link are all done. Fuel and oil lines are run. Throttle pedal, wiring, and gauges are next. To install the gauges I am building a panel that goes around the wire chase under the fuel tank. I am using mechanical oil and temp gauges, the fuel gauge is stock.

 

really nice but need more photos those rear shock mounts will be up though the floor?

 

It's a rumble seat car so the seat pan gives clearance for the shocks. I had to extend the front of the seat pan because I moved the rear cross member forward on the spring ahead design.

 

so they just sneak into the bit behind the curved panel?

 

Rumble seat floor comes forward at an upward angle, then steps down about 4-1/2" to the flat floor in front of the cross member. The floor is made different from the trunk style flat floor with the hump for the cross member.

 

righto thanks

 

The car has been finished for a while and the owner has it up for sale for $21,000. I will see if I can find some pictures of the finished car.