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Projects modern greenhorn’s ‘28 Coupe build

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by manitouguy, Aug 11, 2019.

  1. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Hi all - first posts here as I will document for myself and for your entertainment and much welcomed advice and comments the adventure of my ‘learn as I go’ build of my newly acquired Ford ‘28 standard coupe.

    I posted an introduction as well as suggested in the rules / guidelines. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/greetings-as-i-excitedly-dive-right-in.1160806/

    As of two days ago I have just trailered my first ever hot rod project home - a local Craigslist buy that I am sooooo excited about! I intend to finish it as a late ‘50s traditional hot rod if or as close as possible within my limited means.

    After many years of dreaming ... I’ve now dove in headfirst ... thrilled and a bit scared but looking forward to getting this done proper and enjoying the adventure and learning along the way.

    The seller turned out to be a fantastic guy - apparently he has been hot rodding all his life and is now about 65. His craigslist posting had just gone up when I first saw it - I admired the images longingly but I wasn’t in the position or the mindset to purchase anything of significance, never mind a project hot rod. A couple more days passed and I couldn’t get this car out of my head... late one evening on the spur of the moment I decided to call him and ask if it was still available and maybe ask some basic questions as I loved what I could see in his ad.

    I have always been passionate about the early Ford coupes - and I know it is cliché but the ‘32 three window has always been perfect in my eyes - as far as five window coupes go – for some reason I am partial to the shorter / stubbier ‘28 - ‘29 model so was taken instantly with his and what had been done with it.

    I was pretty nervous and quite embarrassed as I don’t have any mechanical background or experience with hot rodding or car restoration – but he was very kind and gave me the time and answered all of my questions patiently. From the conversation he told me that he had several interested parties but that no one had yet been by to take a look at the car and that the first one to arrive with cash in hand could have it - he also stated he was going out of town the next morning but assured me that if I was serious I could be the first one to take a look when he returned. Fast forward a few days and as promised I was the first to take a look and I am very glad I did because several others were lined up ready with trailers, site unseen. Without dragging this part of the story out any longer – I took a good look at the car and talked to him about it for quite some time then happily put down a deposit (his wife wrote out a sales agreement we signed) and with a good faith arrangement I would come back in a couple of weeks with the rest of his money and with a trailer to take the car away ( he was going away on holiday next day for two weeks - and I didn’t own a truck or a trailer to have there in the immediate).

    He had told me that he had purchased the car two or three years ago from an old-timer up in Prince George British Columbia. He said that his wife had noticed one headlamp poking out under some tarps in a barn and had asked the old-timer what it was - an ‘old chicken coop’ - she didn’t understand but her husband overheard and did understand and asked if they could take a closer look - they worked out a deal and trailered the car home – apparently a huge dust cloud trailing for several kilometres within which they lost the rear and passenger door glass -

    The old-timer had shown them a few pictures of the car over the decades – supposedly early on a very dark green and then a canary yellow and then light blue before black - The seller said that as he asked more and more questions about the car the old-timer started to get skittish so he decided to leave it be before he lost the opportunity to purchase the car. It would’ve been really fantastic to see those pictures! Maybe someone on here reading this will now of the gentleman in Prince George – maybe he is still around and has those pictures ... ? I will have to try and see if I can get his name from the seller.

    The seller showed me the original license plate but wanted to keep it for his collection – it was great to at least get to take some photos of it - it appears it may have last been licensed in 1956.

    OK as this is getting rather long winded for a first post – before I attach some photographs here is how the car was described to me -

    - 1928 Ford five window standard coupe - all original steel with some patch panels from back in the day ... ‘no rust’
    - Original and matching ‘28 frame
    - 1935 Ford headlamps
    - 4” super bell tube drop axle - era unknown - suspected ‘70s / ‘80s ?
    - rear ladder bars - era unknown
    - ‘55 Ford Monarch rear end
    - 1940 Ford Wheels
    - 1948? Ford pickup hubs
    - 1935 Ford split wishbones
    - 1937 handbrake - not installed
    - 1940s? Chevy tail lights

    Front brakes ? Older hydraulic ?
    Rear brakes ? Drum possibly w Monarch - mid ‘50s ?

    I will start doing them some research but at this point really don’t know if some of the above is accurate or not but I don’t see why he would misrepresent, other than honest mix up or lack of memory

    The car also came with the antenna pictured and a box with the radio and speaker – I’m not sure what era those are - maybe 50s 60s or 70s ?

    OK enough reading for now – here are the first few photographs from the craigslist ad ( respectfully I have already taken off the speedway front blinkers and I am planning to make the shocks look more traditional as well).

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    If you have made it this far – thanks very much for the time in reading my post – and please comment / criticize! I am very open to discussion and advice as I proceed with my dream build :)

    Cheers Ron
     
  2. coupe33
    Joined: Nov 23, 2004
    Posts: 663

    coupe33
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Nice body where are you going with the build?
     
  3. Hotrodmyk
    Joined: Jan 7, 2011
    Posts: 2,302

    Hotrodmyk
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Northwest HAMBers

    Looks like a great find. Read here often. There is a ton of build information shared along with plenty of pictures. What do you have in mind for power?
     
  4. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks very much guys

    coupe33 - as to ‘where am I going with the build’ - at this point I think first I want to make sure the frame is safe, and then need to collect some parts - I need a steering column, box, linkage and drive shaft ... also need to decide if I leave the ‘55 rear end - as for the body - neither it nor the frame has been altered and I plan to leave them that way - no chop or channeling etc - I am no body man but this thing seems very very solid and reasonably straight - however I am tempted to take it all back down to bare metal to see just what I have and repair anything that is required - it had rear fender well inserts bolted over the original quarters and as suspected when removed there is about an inch of panel missing on the original quarters along the bottom edge - rather than cover up with inserts I’m pretty sure I want those to be welded and patched properly - and it needs a full interior redo and roof

    Hotrodmyk - for power - my preference was to put a Ford flathead in it – although the seller suggested i might be much happier with a small block Chevy and more power I said I wasn’t looking for huge power – and I convinced him to talk to his wife about selling his baby that he had under a blanket in the garage which he had showed me

    It is a 1934 flathead that he had seen several years ago in Portland Oregon in a roadster - at the time he tried to buy it but the owner wasn’t ready -a few years later called him and they worked out a deal - it was supposedly rebuilt and runs beautifully but I guess I won’t know till I get it installed and fire it up

    I likely would have preferred a later 40s or 50s flat head but I am a sucker for early history and thought that it would do justice to honour this car and this engine by getting them together and sharing a new home – at least for now :)


    3C7BC594-CD7E-4B62-9F87-BB6D1B86E268.jpeg
     
    sko_ford, Tim, Stogy and 6 others like this.

  5. 55styleliner
    Joined: May 11, 2015
    Posts: 563

    55styleliner
    Member

    Looks like a great project and a good start. You may want to check this site for information about using a tube axle with split wishbones. Apparently tube axles do not have enough flex for split bones. You may want to switch to an I-beam, which is more traditional as well.
     
    clem likes this.
  6. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,253

    brady1929
    Member

    Great project, good luck.
     
  7. Phil55Kratz
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 175

    Phil55Kratz
    Member

    Very cool looks great! Can’t wait to see the progress


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  8. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks very much guys - 55styleliner - I will do some reading on the tube axle with wishbones debate - appreciate the heads up

    When someone else was looking at this photo they said it looked as though something was messed up with the front suspension geometry too ... (as an aside how can I tell what era the super bell axle might be from?).

    The speedway blinkers have been removed and I would like to put more traditional looking shock mounts and shocks too.

    4B1FFF00-98C3-440E-9DC5-DFB6AB0F473B.jpeg
     
  9. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Have spent the last couple of evenings starting a tear down to dismantle as much as possible - lots of parts quite rusty and crusty but still plenty of solid metal too ... I think the first step is to strip chassis and body to bare metal to see what we rally have.

    Self tapping screws seemed to be a fav ... and plenty of bondo lurking here and there too

    No wood mounting blocks, and it seems the rear of car was squished down over the frame - a makeshift reverse channel if you will?!?

    Rear quarter panel inserts were bulging out and when removed showed why - I’ve lifted the body with a couple makeshift wood shims to get it sitting so bottom edge of panels (and rear quarters - if they were there...) align parallel to top of frame rail - which I think? Is how unaltered body on frame should sit originally?

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    brEad and Aaron D. like this.
  10. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Ok - question? Or opinions please ... these headlights came on my ‘28 and as one of the members described it here I’d like to keep as much of this car’s ‘soul’ and re-use as much original stuff as I can from it

    Someone just covered up the original paint and plenty of rust - I sanded down through one to the steel but am thinking of cleaning them both right up and getting replacement innards for them

    The chromed rings are actually in very good condition - buckets are solid but pitted - even with a few pinholes right through which honestly I don’t mind

    The lamps are toast - smaller sealed units with an adapter kit to fit these ‘35 truck lights? One was a Lucas and one a t-3 which sadly was broken inside

    [​IMG]

    D8229D7A-93D0-4C7A-A986-8405F69FFE95.jpeg


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Tim and Stogy like this.
  11. Looks like fun!
    Subscribed!
     
  12. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Still slowly learning how this thing was put together as I dismantle it bit by bit

    FC6990EF-7344-48A9-98DA-ECB0FFE454FC.jpeg

    Is this a Dana 30 rear end? Was told it came off of a ‘55 Monarch ...

    1DA5535A-9C8A-48AA-96C8-60429C5A2066.jpeg

    And this was a big win for me - couldn’t figure on how to get the windshield out - searched on Ford Barn to see you DON’T need to remove all the screws - mine are seized / rusted badly ... but make sure the hinge end isn’t pinched and just slide it out - last night I soaked it down with liquid wrench and was pleasantly surprised this evening when I was able to gently pull it free on my own after opening the passenger side of front hinge
     
    nunattax likes this.
  13. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    6D89858E-63F9-4BB2-A748-FEE22180CE3F.jpeg

    And another shot of the rear end from the underside ... what do we have going on under here ... hmmm
     
    brEad likes this.
  14. raven
    Joined: Aug 19, 2002
    Posts: 4,698

    raven
    Member

    You have a good start on a cool hot rod. I would suggest swapping the front axle for an I-beam for many reasons. The rear axle looks good to go. It won’t take much work to get this one on the road. I’m jealous.
    r


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    nunattax, Stogy and brEad like this.
  15. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks Bugguts and Raven

    Had fun blasting the buckets - I believe I went through five, maybe six colours - using these as a ‘learner’ - will go chat with some guys today about filling some pitting and then primering

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    And - still disassembling to see what we’ve got and where to start

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    nunattax, Tim, Stogy and 3 others like this.
  16. hfh
    Joined: Oct 22, 2012
    Posts: 475

    hfh
    Member
    from Western MA

    Congratulations. You have lots of fun ahead of you.
     
  17. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    Good for you to rescue such a project.

    These are opinions, keep the eng trans, re,get a wood block kit for the body to frame, modified F1 shock brackets, use paint stripper to get to bare metal,keep going as you are.

    Takes time ,then more time, plus lots of money.

    Use any or all of my suggestions,or none. Not trying to tell you how to build your dream.

    You write very well, good story.

    Good luck,

    jim
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
  18. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks hfh and 48ford - and 48, yes to all your suggestions as I had already planned that route - except was thinking of having the body and chassis blasted to metal rather than paint strip -

    I’m trying to figure out ‘how bad’ the work on the rear quarters was - and how much needs to be corrected ... I’ll have to go to the macs catalogue to try and understand if these are home jobby patches or proper sub-rail set ups?

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  19. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    Ck some of the other places for patches.
    Blasting has reached big prices with the guy I Used to go to.

    Good luck,

    jim.
     
  20. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Hi all - taking my time and planning my build - thanks for the input and comments so far

    Question ... is this wheel ‘too far gone’? Or worth having a run at restoring? One of my fav styles and I came across it today - ‘40s Ford?

    Maybe with some clean up and dremmeling and por type epoxy putty and sanding?

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  21. Aaron D.
    Joined: Oct 27, 2015
    Posts: 1,037

    Aaron D.
    Member

    Looks fixable to me:)
     
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  22. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks Aaron - went back to your thread and saw your wheel is very similar -

    After I posted the pics yesterday I went right in to beginning a restore on mine - I got it all apart and am sanding the main wheel down - it appears to have been at least white or cream and then black in the past ... will see how nice I can make it

    I think it is a ‘46 wheel - the center buttons and variations on trims must have been for different models in the ‘40s ?

    Cheers Ron
     
    Aaron D. and Tim like this.
  23. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    Your car is an excellent start!
    I have been driving my avatar for more than 20 years. Its got a hopped up Model A engine with self energizing, self adjusting brakes, which are lots better than Lockheed brakes. I insist on a radio in all of my antique/hotrods but not in my A. Its just not needed, even on long trips and I have driven to 4 states.
    Your front shocks are good, just paint them black. The shock mounts look very good for a hotrod.
    The correct way to fix the rot on the wheelwells is to only use what you need from the wheelwell insert /patch panels.If your rot is 2 inches,only use 3 inches of the inserts. After installing these patch panels I like to fill the 'cup' with POR15. The cup is formed where the patch panel is bent upward inside the subframe.
    Do NOT dissassemble the car!! Complete one thing at a time. Its quick and easy to take a car apart and many never get put back together.
    You already know self tapping screws are undesirable.
    The 'chrome' rings on the headlights are Stainless Steel. You only need to buff them to look good. Bondo sucks. I use JB Weld to fill pits. Yes its expensive but you are using tiny amounts.
    Its not a good idea to sandblast the body.That causes enormous warping.
    Stay away from Macs! Those are some pretty sorry people. They want to make their profit from shipping. Theres lots of good suppliers. Snyders and Brattons, Mikes Affordable and others. Theres no need to deal with Howells sheetmetal. They are not geared to selling to individuals so you get better service buying their parts from Snyders,Brattons,etc.
    Yes, use a beam axle.
     
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  24. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,086

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Good stuff! Just glanced over everything and looks like your headed down the right path :)
     
    loudbang likes this.
  25. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    One other thing. For my metal roof insert,I used the roof panel off of a 1966 chevy II 4dr. It laid down perfectly, I just trimmed it to fit the inside of the 'trough' so that the roof looks like a Model A. Its tacked down in numerous places so that it can be easily removed if needed for new wood or other repair. I filled the trough (I think I used rope) then sealed it with a sealer. Dont use silicone sealer. It has acetic acid and will eat the metal.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  26. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks Manyol and Tim -

    Manyol - thanks for all the tips / comments too. Re bondo ... buckets ar almost done w glazing putty and seems to have worked out ok so far - will try jb next time! A piece of tinfoil with a bit of water polished the stainless nicely fyi

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    Had fun at a local swap meet today - learnt a lot from chatting with some others and picked up a few more bits to possibly use

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    Ford ‘49 / ‘50 tail lights? To maybe take the place of the chevies that came on my coupe ... a ‘49 / ‘50 ford - merc wheel with nice simple merc horn ring (here I learnt that my other early wheel is keyed ... this one a bit later 40s not) and a nicely shaped ‘50s? Tinted rear view out of ... something ... but i liked its curves!
     
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  27. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    loudbang likes this.
  28. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Not much to update - however I am quite proud of the restoration process I’ve made on one of my early steering wheels (1946 super deluxe ... I think) - most likely pretty basic stuff to a lot of you guys but first time for me having a go at this and seeing where this wheel has come from the condition it was in has me very pleased!

    I dremmeled open all of the cracks that I could find on this old wheel and wire brushed out most of rust - in the process a couple of very large chunks of the original wheel let go from all of the moisture / rust in behind - I had the local auto supply order in some POR 15 two part epoxy putty and got down to work.

    Several hours of sanding and shaping and all the wheel needs now is a final fine light sanding and it will be ready for primer - Will remove the remaining flaking paint from the original plastic centre insert and might have a go out restoring that as well – and still noodling with ideas for the pitted chrome horn ring too - but all in all a great learning exercise and quite relaxing and enjoyable.

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    Still a bit more filing and shaving for a proper fit of the trim bands but almost there - silky smooth

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    And the quiet time working on this has been giving me plenty of opportunity to consider all sorts of options in my head for planning my overall build details from regular rummaging through some of my reference library - of course keeping in the spirit of the ‘traditional’ hot rod :)

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    Tim likes this.
  29. scotti32
    Joined: Jul 13, 2009
    Posts: 284

    scotti32
    Member

    Looks like a sold body, great start, have fun
     
    nunattax and loudbang like this.
  30. manitouguy
    Joined: Jul 28, 2019
    Posts: 59

    manitouguy

    Thanks Scotti - yes pretty solid but I think it is going to need a fair bit of love - taking apart and putting back together ‘better’ - some patch panels and inner supports and mounts quickly booger welded etc etc - and gooped w bondo in a couple of places too - I’ll have to be patient as I’m a stickler for trying to do things right even if it means going backwards a bit - maybe ‘right’ isn’t fair to last builder ... perhaps more to ‘my standards’ or goals :)

    I am thinking that I’m about to go into a ‘parts search and gather’ phase here as I rethink my build but loving all the learning as I disassemble and see what I want to improve

    Oh so much to learn - wish I would have taken the plunge 25 years ago but happy I’m in now - late to the party or no
     
    loudbang likes this.

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