Projects 1938,39,40 Sloper Custom

Sounds great , I'm a sloper fan

 

So here we are with rear fenders, a bumper, somewhere for a plate and a problem.


This gap:




But the solution is at hand! BTC...

 

So the plan is to make a pan that rolls out to the bumper, with a nice radius where it blends to the body and fenders.
In this whole deal everything is going to be molded: the fenders, pan etc.

First up, as is often the case, cardboard, to establish the gap to be filled.




I then transferred this pattern to some MDF, cut the shape and gave the edge a 15mm radius (a bit under 3/4".)
I cut some material and proceeded to bash the metal over the form. To do this it was sandwiched with more thick MDF and lots of clamps.


After some time and hammer driven persuasion I ended up with this:


Trial fit:


Looks like it's going to work.


With a bit of trimming it was sitting in place okay. This is as far as I'm going to finesse the pan until I get all the panels to the weld together stage and while it needs a little more trimming and so on, I'm happy with how it's just sitting there for now. At the ends I'm going to add a 90 degree turn down.

 

Looks great Tony!

 

Terrific solution, and we'll executed!

 

I like it! That's not what I was expecting. I thought you were going to turn the edge down ,not up. But I see where you are going with it now. Great job!

 

Excellent! Very slick!

 

Thanks fellas, appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Nicely done. That flows really well with the leading edge turned up.

 

Looks great , the gap isn't nice to the eye , my sloper had a 40 filler panel in that spot when I bought it if it didn't I would have fitted one it just makes the rear look finished

 

Amazing how a relatively small part in the scope of the entire car can make such a huge impact Tony. The devil is indeed in the detail!

 

Tail lights mounted.



Now that the rear bumper location is locked in I can also finish the exhaust. After contemplating various ideas, I think it's going to come out something like this:

 

Great work. Tony....anyone would think you've done this type of thing before.

 

So nice

 

I do like that tail pan Tony, the cars looking excellent!
I gave myself a boost recently, tucked a halibrand under the rear fender and stood back, admired, took a couple of pics, then went back to the rust repair.. definitely a shot in the arm tho, a glimmer of the light at the end of the tunnel..

 

Funny you say that. I've built hot rods and restored late model (60's) cars, but never done a custom.
Truth be told, I've been dreaming about building one since I was a youngster reading the Spence Murray build stories about his '36 roadster in R&C. There were also several pictorial articles in R&C and Hot Rod annuals about early customs around that time too (early 70's.) That lit the fire.

It's been a long time coming.

 

Bumper looks like Buick rear with front uprights and cross bar….??

 

It's a 47/48 Ford rear bar with same years front bumper over riders and cross bar.

 

Close is only good enough with hand grenades and horseshoes….

Ray

 

Another project, a fuel filler door. A 46 -48 door is the go-to but they are available in varying amounts if shittiness and cost $. So, I liberated a door and hinge from a few year old Falcon (Cadmad’s wrecking yard) for cost zero and proceeded to make a new door and surround. The Falcon door was rectangular, too large and too flat, so not useable as-is. Anyway, to the pictures:

As always, cardboard to start:


I took out the Falcon hinge assembly, cut and shut it to make it smaller and modified it to suit a more oval door.




The recess for the door was fun to make. I’ve got no idea what I’m doing but I got there in the end. It will need trimming obviously.


…but I think it will work. At least the shape matches the crown on the fender.


Next, incorporate it into the fender and make the inside part to accept the hinge, latch and filler tube.

 

Hey mate... they are great looking tail lights !!!

 

I’m not buying that line where you said, “I’ve got no idea what I’m doing”. It sure looks like you do. Nice work.

 

Over the years I’ve picked up rotten ‘48 rear fenders destined to be gas door donors at swap meets. Usually just a few bucks. I haven’t installed any yet.

I can imagine old Ford parts can be harder to find down there. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

Any I come across locally are usually pretty shitty for the money, need repair etc. even though that was my initial plan. In the end it was just easier to get on with it and make a door and use a free hinge. And release latch.

 

Well done!

 

Extraordinary as usual! I agree with ronsmtrwrx I think you know what you are doing

 

Now to make this work, remembering the first cut is the deepest...


And sit the recess right about here...




Tacked in...


And with the door just sitting in place, no hinge yet. I was feeling quite happy at this stage.


I then needed to make a box like thing inside the fender to mount the hinge, latch and filler tube/cap. I forgot to take pics of that process.
Anyway, I now have a functioning gas door, catch and filler connected to the tank. The electric/manual catch I robbed from the same car as the hinge works well, which is good for a clean look. I still have to weld in the internal housing, hence the screw heads. Plus some trimming an finessing of the opening.

 

That turned out very nice!

 

Nicely done!