Projects turning a sedan into a coupe 1930

Evening!.. The grill cowl arrived from the states.. So time to properly position the motor.. I was worried about having the horrible "long nose" look.. But also don't want to hide too much of the engine inside the bodywork. One of the tricks has been to flip.. Widen and move back the second chassis crossmember.. Which has meant I can lower the gearbox a decent amount.. And thus the engine a bit.. I moved the engine about 5cm backinto the body and will have to entend the radiator support another 5cm (2 inches).forwards..the client wants to keep the original fan and water pump set up for the caddy v8.. Which is long.. Here's a couple of pix. I'll be working on reinforcing the wooden framework ready for floors etc tomorrow. What do people use for floorboarding over there?.. Pine or oak?

 

Great job and you have some impressive skills as a fabricator!

 

Oak, Ash, or Maple subrails... plywood floors... was the way...
I would use steel rectangular tubing and weld / rivet the a+b pillars and braces to them...
IMO... don't spare the steel channel shaped verticals, they help support the body to frame's rigidity...
x braces under the rear window and maybe a shallow X just ahead of the lower panel...
...
oh, and i like the way the body is looking.... and from a fordor at that...

 

Sorry for my absence guys. I've been doing a 1974 mini.. But now I need to get paid so back on the rod.. Working on the interior this last week
.. Fuel tank is in.. Fits tight.. Don't know what car it came from.. B pillars reinforced.. A pillars on the way. Tunnel mostly sorted.. Drip rails on.. Rumble seat sorted out.. Rear firewall panel sorted and recessed front wall.. I need the client to bring the seat in to locate the ideal position fit handbrake and pedals.. I've been enjoying it.. I like this part of the process.. It seems more creative. Here's the pix

 

Great job so far. I initially doubted the outcome, but you have proved me wrong. The car really does look cool!
Thanks for taking us on this ride with you.

 

Thanks mate.. I wasn't too sure myself still tons to do but enjoyable stuff

 

been following your build, excellent workmanship. I built a pickup from a 29 Murray Fordor .

 

truck looks to be of Canadian manufacture... go pp go !

 

Odd kunji on the mini, Japanese owner that loves England?

 

I like the chop, how tall are the window openings now? Bob

 

I'm pleased it's readable.. Something I made up with a Japanese friend.. The overall aesthetic is based on the Japanese zero fighter planes

 

I took 8cm out.. As I remember.. I'll measure it when I get back to the workshop

 

27cm inside the front window opening.. Nearly 11 inches in your money remember the frames are arched on this

 

Seeing your mock up i notice that your grill and lights will mount forward of the front crossmember by about 4".
prop some wheels where they will be to see if you like it...
around here some guys will run a cheaper S10 frame, but unless you move the engine back it forces the grill and light too far forward of the wheels...
a local '29 Essex might be the prime example that we have seen around here....
looked like a doeberman with its ears taped back...
i am guilty of running a pinto front end, the rack bolts force the grill to be a few inches too far forward... pic...
makes my coupe look a little nosy...
i would change it "today" if it weren't so much work...
if it bothers you, now is the time...
.

 

Yep I know sloppy it my biggest worry actually.. I want the car to look squat and compact. Actually the 27 hood fits perfectly but as I remember my 27 had a narrower cowl which would explain why it fits.. The axle set up is ordered and should arrive in a month or so.. I can't push the engine any further back without it also looking dead weird.. It'll be a case of bending the rules but not breaking them I hope

 

so those shrinker - stretchers won't stretch your frame ? ... damn!

 

Mock up.. Pretty nosey.. But I reckon it still seems more or less trad!?? I think the grill needs to come down a smidge!

 

You have the reverse of this car, you have a 28-29 Fordor cowl and normal hood, note the bead in the hood tops that mate to the cowl bead. Bob

 

doesn't look nosey... the grill seems to sit over the crossmember, that's good !

 

The cowl feels a little long, but not hating the car at all. Still putting fenders on it? Its really come a long ways, your're making great progress on it

 

Yep the hood is one I have hanging around.. It won't be used as such but helps with the geometries it's the hood that tells me the grill needs to be lower

 

Yep he still wants the full works.. Although it'll be takeoffable.. The fenders will open a whole new can of worms I'm sure

 

Threw some primer on so I can see the mistakes easier.. My eyes aren't what they used to be

 

The 1928 - 1929 Fordor/Cabriolet cowl is the longest cowl in all of the Model A's. Just checked one of my doors and if I cut 3 1/2 inches out the windows will look the same.

Bob

 

@sigfurniture fenders will be a pain for you, but they will really seal the deal on how the car looks.

 

That cowl would look a lot better shortend

 

The thing is if the cowl was shorter the hood would have to be longer.. So it would still look the same.. I'm at absolute minimums with the cadillac engine

 

i say no, don't shorten anything... the quarter windows are a little longer , with a chop top the longer cowl goes with the rest...makes it a special model a ... i like it stretched...

 

The "Long Cowl'' is a really unique feature, just think of the work Ford put into it to, same wheelbase on all A's and they shortened the doors to adjust things so the same length hood would fit.

Bob

 

OK I need some help from you guys please as I'm flying blind here.. The fender kit that was bought was not from this exact car also its quite bashed up.. So I'm trying to figure out how it should sit.. The rear seems straightforward.. But the front seems way too long. Bearing in mind its all set higher up towards the body.. Give me some clues please. What should line up with what...?