Hot Rods Rich's Coupe - a ten year odyssey

Just followinng up.

In that second pic the shrinker marks are visible to achieve the needed curve
in the panel. I meant to add this pic of the bead roller. I use step dies to form the curved
body line.

 

More follow up pics.

 

This car has been finished, an sold.


Had to post a couple pic of Butch's ride. He is HAMB member. After
many years, and miles he sold it this past year, and has 2 projects
going now. He's the guy with the white beard.

 

Speaking of doors (were we?) -- 30 years ago when we built the sedan in my avatar, I'd replaced/repaired the door bottoms. Now, after many trips to the salt, it's apparent that it's advantageous to put drain holes in the bottom.

 

Nice fab work!

 

• Stan Back: 28 Mercury Toledo Salon ? I like your attitude! Lol

Glad to see you made it to the Salt, it was on my
bucket list.
Rich

 

Excellent work! I read your whole thread and will follow along.

 

I'll try to get back to the regular programing.

More 16 gauge, and 3/4" sq. tubing, I had to repair some original floor
around shifter area. I don't know if I mentioned before , but the
Muncie 4 speed I'm using has the tail shaft off of a early Nova. They
have an xtra set of mounting holes 2" foreward which helps with
gear shift placement.

 

Made a hammer form for the trans cover. It will take 3 pieces to do the job.

Heres the tools I used to beat the snot out of it. The cheap muffler gun has a
quick release collar,and a 'planishing head' available on e-bay. It helps make a tight
definition around the edges.

After initial planishing it's close, still needs a little work.

 

I always knew I was going to cut the piece off here, but the hammer form had to
shaped to get the proper form in this area.

 

Had to use 3 pieces to fill that area in, but happy with it.
Made a little tool to counter sink the mounting holes.

 

Found this on a trip to the junk yard. It's from a 96 Chev Geo Metro. It has a built
in stop, and return spring. They had 4 cars in a row, bought them all 20 bucks,
already gave 2 to friends
Second pic:
This a new (old style) Flaming River Column that I welded a piece of 3/8" stock on
that will index into a notch in the tubing welded to the firewall.

 

This shows how the column indexes into the firewall piece which clocks it with
the turn signal, and proper depth setting. There is a locking screw on the engine
side of the firewall, plus the column drop.
The gas pedal has been bent, with a tab welded to catch the cable carb linkage.
There was grinding needed on bracket to get full stroke needed for carb.

The round pedals did not give me enough room, so I fabbed new rectangular metal
pads, to fit rubber pedal covers I found on line at Summit. I welded a spacer into
the column drop to fit the new column, and added braces to the firwall that are
not visible in this pic. I made a hold down for the rubber boot on the shifter.

 

I wanted to finish covering the rear suspension. This piece ties into the rear panel
covering the tail lites. There is a removable cover for acess to tank sending unit,
and fuel feed. The card board simulates battery box.

This piece has inset removable plates to acess body mount bolts, and upper coil
overs. Making card board template seal off passenger compartment. Had to be
in two pieces , would not fit as one large piece.

 

I needed to fab a battery box, and a mount for it to sit in.

 

I decided to go ahead , and make a battery box.
I get most of my solid rivet supplies from Aircraft Spruce.

I used #2 cable, and clear plastic for a vent line, none of this will be visible.

 

The Toledo Salon was the lesser model. This is the sought-after Torpedo Salon.

 

Wow, amazing workmanship and vision. Fascinating thread!

 

I’ll have to Stan Back, and be corrected!
I should have known better, Lol

Rich

 

I wanted to add a pic that might show the steering column set up a little clearer.

 

I had shown the steering stablizer attachment to the drag link. I
didn't like it, and changed it around a little. These half coupling
lock spacers are from the local Sears store. They bite into a standard
size drag link tubing, and do not slip. The rest of the pieces are standard
clevis, rod ends, etc. That is a small piece of drag link to set things up with.

 

Subscribed, Rich. Wow.


Walt
Outsiders CC

 

I wanted to get an idea what shape to make the hood blisters, and the placement
on the new side panels I'll make.
I wanted to visually see the blisters so I glued some particle board together, and
shaped with the DA. Dusty, but shapes very easily.

 

More particle board glued together for the hammer form.
I used .063 alum. for the blister. I'm anealing it with a soft torch
flame to soften the aluminum. I had to do this several times to keep from
tearing metal.

 

Cheap Harbor Freight planishing hammer, but it does the job.
The foot ball shaped dolly in the vise is used to fine tune the blisters. The red
laser dot shining on the dolly helps find the sweet spot. I picked that up from
the guys on the Metal Meet forum

Heres the laser stuck in a piece of 2 x 4 screwed to the ceiling

 

After a little prime, and block.

 

All the above is destined to be repeated in steel only larger !
Great practice though.

 

Wow...great build and craftsmanship..

 

I used epoxy primer, urethane single stage, and clear from Eastwood with a cheap
gravity gun. I plan on shooting the frame with the same stuff.