Projects 1930 roadster-esque pick up

Looks great! I would have been tempted to make the panel behind the door longer......as the interior space is usually quite small otherwise.

 

I did... added half the difference between the 2 wheelbases [2.5"]…
would let me run a '32 bed... but what are the chances of stumbling onto one of those ?

 

trimmed the A pillars and added to the dash to let it fit flush with the A pillars... added extra to start and now the dash will get trimmed to hide behind the roadster dashrail... …

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Extended the dashrail 1.5" in the center, still needs grinding...
added about 1.25" of curled end from another dashrail [thanks hamber] to each end of mine to let it curl down to the door top...





cut curled and trimmed the panels to connect the dash to the door top...

going to cut the door from the dash at a convex radius, the upper half will be part of the dashrail, lower half stays on the door...
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Just bought a .75" dimpler…
will run it through the door cap, where the stock side curtain anchor goes....
a 3" long 10-32 shaft ...
upholstery retainer washer" then a spring, another washer and finally a 10-32 lock nut...
will screw a door lock knob onto the top of the shaft...
a clevis screwed to the lower end of the shaft that will connect to the bear paw latch...
what seems like unlocking the door will un-latch it...
will be mounted about 2" from the B jam...


pix when I build them...
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I cut the gap on the right side, built a double layer of weld under the dashrail as a spacer, welded in a step, this gives clearance for the doubled up sheet metal door end to overlap it and still sit flush with the door cap...
with the door swung open you can see the step...
going to make a smooth strip to box in the step...

ship luck but the Vicky panel between the w/s frame and the tank has the same radius as the dashrail...

left side welded, will cut it, weld it, step it and box it tomorrow …

 

Excellent, thoughtful work going on here. Good to see.

Mart.

 

mart,
I don't know if you remember me as we have never met, but years ago a buddy peter b. used to have conversations with you on the internet... he emailed you pix of my piles of crusty, rusty and cut up early ford tin... he told me that you brits would sit around consuming warm pints and identify parts in the pile...
… jolly good fun !
I only have a small pile but i'll pm you a couple pix Wednesday...

 

Yeah I remember.. I'd have loved to pick through your stash. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

Carpel tunnel said no Thursday,
but played a little today...
cut the left door to dashrail gap, welded double row under the door half, double weld and a step welded to the dashrail end...


had to add to the total width... maybe 3/8" or so.

adding to the width gave me a chance to improve the gap on the right side...

 

I really dig the Ford script firewall. Model A roadster trucks are cool. My mom has one and drives it all over north Texas and she is 73!

 

thanks jrs50...
Welded the bear paw latch panels into the B jams, latch pins and door latch openers next...

 

I've done them so the push-down opens the door. So your hand just grabs over the door and it opens as you hold it. Like your idea, I stubbed a piece of stainless rod up, turned a bullnose for the exposed tip and it was springloaded to stay 'up', when pushed down it opened the door. It didn't stick up much, and looked all the world as a door lock.

 

Welded end caps on the dashrail ends...
added a flat washer and then drilled and tapped for a 1/4"-20 thread... to bolt to the A pillars...
welded T nuts to 2 tabs that align with the 2 outer countersunk holes in the dashrails face...
then welded the 2 tabs to the top of the '48 truck dash...
but you can't see any of it,

 

I like your build and have been contemplating the same thing ever since acquiring my Model A. I repaired the doors and built cab corners but trying to keep some of the metal work to match the previous. Mine is a cut down tudor that was used a as truck on a friends berry farm, was last licensed in 68 and has sat for 40 years in the barn. He was killed in a tractor accident two years ago so I want to finish it close to the way he drove it for years to market. Eventually build up the chassis with hydraulic brakes and warm up the banger. One thing I need to complete the back panel is the measurement across from door to door at the top of the door jamb. With all the drawings available it does not include the width. Keep up the good work when you can, we should have listened to take care of ourselves younger and now pay the price.

 

Cool project and your paying tribute...
my cab is a little narrower, I ran the doors at the angle that matches the flat edge on the subfloor...
used a '29 sport coupe if I remember it correctly, my cab back is 48" wide at the beltline, buddy's closed cab truck is 51"... start a thread as there may be other rodders out there that could use some of your ideas...i'll be watching.

 

Thanks for the measurements. I hope to get back working on the model A in the spring and will start a thread then. For now I will watch your updates and wish I could find the time.

 

Now to box in the back sides of all this...
not looking forward to it...getting 3" to 5" of early snow... ground is not frozen, can't plow....
I am not dreaming of a white thanksgiving... we had one last year...
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got to weld the latch pin panels into the B pillars...
ship luck, the planned location for the lock knobs in the doors [2" from the rear edge] is right over the latch actuator...
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upon further review a simpler door opener is in the works...
the actuator unlatches with about 1/4" of travel...

for the frugal, I will probably use brake shoe anchor springs and cups...
…. nope too stiff...

 

I admire your work. Where can I get a complete functioning cowl vent? prefer used

 

by complete do you mean with the cowl top ?
I have a '33 truck cowl top / vent, but it has a home...
… any hamb rodders got one out back ?

 

boxed the back side of the dashrail ends...

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ship luck... I found a spring, 2.5" x 7/16"... cut it in half... a model A upholstery washers from the A pillars are a perfect fit... work as retainer to keep the spring centered around the shaft...
soon as usps gets the "dimpler" to me I will assemble and install the door openers...

 

Still waiting on the dimpler tool… $27.50 .
ordered one, shipped, lost, re-embursed, ordered another one, shipped, waiting... errr.
so I fabbed up the linkage while I wait...
[1]10-24 shaft, [2] 10-24 nuts, [2] small hole flat washers, [1] spring... each side.
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Adjust the shaft to have the threads rise above the door top enough to let the knob screw on, and put a little tension on the spring, when all is set, double measure and then weld another flat washer on end so it aligns with the latch's actuator holes...
retired from GE 20 years ago, stumbled onto the [2] brass, knurled, blind , end caps... they were 10-32, but because I got them from GE, I re-tapped a 1/2" on the shaft end to 10-32... screwed 'em on !
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boxed the underside of the dashrails…


welded in the bear paw latch mounts...

roughed out an inner door skin...

sharpie line is where the door opener shaft will stick through...

the door opener knob will be directly above the actuator's hole...
my linkage will slide up through the dimpled hole and then mount to the actuator hole and has adjustment nuts that keep the spring pressed up against the inner door top...
Jo-Ann left a dimpler tool in the box this am... thank you j-a.

 

Don't want to be a negative Nellie, but if the latch is released by pushing down, are you not in danger of releasing the door by accident when you put your elbow on the door when cruisin'? Do you think you might need a relay lever to reverse the action so it is a pull up that would release it?
The ends of the dash rail look great.
Mart.

 

Thanks mart,
little extra work on the dashrail but when all is done it should give it more of a quality look...
i mounted the latches and brackets on the opposite doors, reversing the action... mine open when lifting [unlocking]…
I did so because of the same reasoning you had, did not want the door to open when used as an armrest...
note the extra slot cut into the latch opening, clearance for the jaws when open... it pointing up or down determines which side...

 

Any update on the bed?

 

because it needs an extra garage bay to do it I am going to attack the bed after I stow the coupe for the winter..
won't be long, got a dusting of snow last week, more coming this week.... errrrr.

 

Picked up a pair of school bus seats as my cab is narrower than stock, need 2 to make it wider and they have thin backs... bellyroom !
also got a line on the back half of a '30-'31 coupe... made an offer, fingers crossed...

 

The only reason to wish for snow, to see the whole thing come together.

 

Got a line on [2] '30-'31 coupe/sport coupe quarters, spent Monday doing my best to take the bow out of the sportie quarter I have now... think I can use it... I am going to cut the truck's subrails off 2/3 of the way back, graft in some subfloor patches and go back to the sportster rear clip...
in the end I would rather have the sportster...
even better with the potential of having another quarter on hand...
by leaving all the subfloors with the cab back it will make grafting a cowl, doors and 2/3 of a subfloor relatively easy when it's number is called...
truck cab .
sportie .