Projects How not to build a hotrod - My '33 Plymouth

Step 552:

Procrastinate.

Step 553:

Procrastinate a bit more.

Step 554:

Finally work on the other door and door opening. Don't quite finish it all the way. Use a wood screw to hold the door shut because installing a latch just seems...like...unfun...

Procrastinate.

 

^^^Nice "procrastination".
Andy

 

Step 555:

Almost worked on the coupe on accident. Better sell the Shovelhead and start on another bike.

1948 Harley. It's fun making all the bungs and spacers and mounts in the lathe.

The engine and tranny are currently in a thousand pieces. This should delay coupe progress quite nicely.

 

Step 642:

Cut a big chunk of 18 gauge steel. Hit all the things with hammers on your ghetto sheetmetal brake (aka whatever metal tube you can clamp down)

Use the fancy Harbor Freight shrinker/stretcher to curve the thing. Realize you are a wimp and don't enjoy holding a huge panel at shoulder height for hours.

Next step, I need to make 4 long strips of 18GA and bend them 90° and curve them to make the lip that the outer skin will be folded over on. It's gonna suck.

 

Great ride. Beautiful build. Kick ass work. Did I forget anything. Nope.

 

forgot: entertaining

 

forgot: terrible decision making

 

Terrible decision making makes for great stories.
Oh and awesome build threads.
You remind me a lot of myself. Keep up the great work and entertainment


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Don't be so hard on yourself, I'm sure plenty of people like you.

 

Step 643:

Bump stops, baby!

 

I like your 33 build. Been helping a friend with his 33 Plymouth build. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/uncle-ricks-33-plymouth-project.680682/
Looks like you had a little more body than we did to start but the condition of what you had may have been a little rougher. Nice work keep it up and have fun with it.

 

I remember reading your thread several years ago. It was your post that gave me the idea to buy '34 Ford wheelwells for my car. So, thanks for that.

 

I’ve damn near perfected horrible decision making. Wish I could say the same for great entertaining stories.
I get that though from your thread.


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The bump stops here.


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Step 644:

You have a slow drain in the bathroom. Use a plumbing snake and get it stuck. Call a plumber. Hang your head in shame.

Step 645:

Start making the flanges for the inner decklid.

 

Step 646:

Weld the angle things to the other thing. Make support things. Mount the latch thing. Trim the sides to make an even gap. I gapped the inner panel about 1/4", it may have been a bit wide, but it looks fine.

Step 647:

Cut out a giant piece of 20 gauge. Invite your friend over to help you run that steel on the English wheel.

It's important to not know what the hell you are doing here. It's more interesting that way.

Spend 3 or 4 hours sweating and cursing. Weep softly because your shoulder hurts and you are a pansy. Try to not show your friend you are crying. Fail.

Accept that you aren't very good with the English wheel. Who cares if it's tiger striped and a bit lumpy? It'll putty out.

 

You my friend have a nice hot rod sir.


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I can't decide which is better, the car or the story!

 

Step 648:

Mothaf@#$ing hammer time! Cut that flange down and start thinking about your elementary school bully. Show him who's boss! Hit the things with hammers!

Stop every once in a while though. Your arm is gonna get sore. You're not used to actually working on things. Watch a show about Egyptian pyramids in the garage while you work. So mysterious and wonderous...

 

Step 649:

Get a running start and throw that mofo on the car.

Be careful. The decklid now weighs approximately 3 metric tons (tonnes?) now, so try to not get a hernia. The 18 gauge steel may have been a bit of overkill.

Marvel at your luck that the stupid thing actually fits. It may be lumpy and has more tracks on the skin than Miles Davis' arms, but the gaps look good.

Celebrate and don't accomplish anything else for a while.

 

Looks promising! You're doing great!

 

Hahahahahahaha!!!

Oh... I'm sorry, Mr. Sparkle... I'm not laughing at you. I'm just so happy for you that you were actually able to cobble that decklid together in spite of your limited abilities, lack of concentration and organization. I think you'll be okay, though.
Just don't take yourself so seriously.


Decklid looks great.
The coupe is awesome.

 

It only took me 7 years to make that decklid. I'm really hitting my stride now. Within the next 400 years or so, I'll have my metalworking skills at a nearly "acceptable" level. Fingers crossed!

 

The decklid looks great. Original ones had a series of holes on the inners skin. Maybe if you cut some similar size holes in yours it might lighten it up a little.

 

Yeah could you bust out the dimple dies on that with the curve and all?


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Decklid looks great, will it come apart easily so you can punch it full of louvers? Remember to mark it top & bottom.

Bob

 

This has got to be one of my favorite threads ever.

 

I thought about holes to lighten it, and thought about dimple dies, but basically I just wanted to get the whole thing over with. I'm covering it with a panel eventually anyway. I'll just hit the gym so I can handle the weight.

Nope. I didn't want any chance for water to get in the trunk, and this panel is definitely not nice enough to louver anyway. It's gonna require a skim of bondo to be kinda close to right.

I can't say I'm super duper proud of the decklid, if I'm honest, but I'm happy to have it done. I figured I'd at least show that even a moron like me can make something that'll work if you hit enough things with hammers and use some cheesy Harbor Freight tools. I guess that sums up the whole build, really. Haha.

 

Love this thread

 

I suspect most of us would be delighted to make anything close to that nice. Looks great from here.