Projects 60's Era Street/Strip Model A Coupe

Brent. That is what I do, and all most of us can do. You have a great attitude toward this crazy old school hot rodding we do. It is a life style for many of us. I commend you on your never say die efforts. And as a side note, try to wash your hands before you tuck the kids in.

 

Brent, My Wife who has an acute sense of smell always says, “Oh, you smell like gas.” Nope, just the Model A!

 

Guys get your wives some of this perfume. It smells as good as old mohair, and Sunoco 260

 

You're not the only one, around here, telling me to do that! Haha. Thanks, Mike. I appreciate the kind words.

I take a great source of pride that my daughter (when she was 5 or so) would say that I, "smelled like metal" when I came in from the garage.

Hahaha! That's too funny!

 

Mirror Mounted in Model A Wood Header:

I started this mirror project a few days after I completed the wood. Bad move. Long story short, the wood was too soft when I went to put the threaded inserts in and I needed to do some repairs.



The tung oil did indeed penetrate and soften the wood. When I inserted the 1/4-20 brass inserts the threads bit and lifted the softer wood right out. I made some repairs and bumped up the size of the inserts. It's an ugly fix but it won't be seen (someday) when there is an interior. It happens...



My neat old mirror wasn't going to work with the bracket it came with because there's a sheetmetal lip. Even with the header covered with an upholstered panel it would still need to be bumped out. Plus, now I messed up the hole width, so I had to make something.



I made a template and sent it off to my pal, Carl, and he cut this out of some stainless I had. The stainless was for some other projects, which we'll see later. I wanted the shape to look similar to the original bracket, something that looked vintage.

A few days later, here it is:





I had to shorten some screws.

 

Chopped and Fitted Model A Ford Windshield Garnish:

This was actually a really fun project. It's something you have to take your time on and take a little bit away and fit and refit a hundred times. I didn't take any in-progress photos because it was tedious and if I picked up my phone, I'd probably get distracted by it.

Here's what I started with. I had these originals that were very thin. I messed around with them a bit a while back. There was a little more length to them but I trimmed off the bottoms so I could use some tape to help get the shape for the new ones.

As far as the new pieces go, they're okay but don't think you're just popping them into an uncapped car. I assume they'd need some TLC to fit well in most cars.



My car is weird as far as fit goes. With my 35/36 Ford dash, there was a gap that could be seen looking through the windshield and I wanted to block that. Also, my windshield had a little cancer on that lip on the back, so we removed that and added a piece of "trim" which actually looks like it is supposed to be there, now.

Anyway, I wanted to make it all work together.



It all felt like a bit of good fortune because I kept working away at the shape, slowly. I'd address one little area and then another and so on. I went from the back and forth from the car to whatever tool until it fit.



I was pretty thrilled at how well I got it to fit. It took me probably 2 hours. I wanted to continue because it was all fresh in my mind but I had to call it a night.

Here's the backside of the garnish. I hammered these to match how they are stock, they fit tighter.



I was a little nervous that this side wouldn't go as well. But, it went great. Still took a while but I had an idea how to make it all fit so that did help to make it a little faster.

 

I'm not even close to needing this stuff but it was on my mind. Plus, I was sending other things to be plasma cut.

Now, if I'm ever bored, I can sit down and learn how to hand polish.

This shifter boot trim came out kind-of neat. I am going to have a boot sewn when it's time, something simple.





And the brake lever boot trim:

This will be a simple boot, too. Nothing fancy but the trim will be shiny, haha.

 

Great stuff, Brent. When you have to sneak up on something to get it right, it takes Patience. Excellent trim work!

 

Patient isn't a word I would use to describe myself, but lately, I am learning. This car is teaching me.

 

Nice work on the garnish fella!

 

Precisely, why there are few trim carpenters!

 

Your work on the car is to nice. Makes my old drag car look like crap. Great work Brent. This is what it is all about, little victories . Carry on my friend.

 

Digging In: The Driver's Door Repair

Got the inner panel back from the blaster.

Before:



After:



I love freshly blasted parts. This one is in much better condition than the original panel in my door. It needs a little bit of work before it is installed, but it's all minor.







With that out, I can get to these dents.



I've never hammered out anything like this, usually it's been little dings. So, I'll learn and figure it out and report back.

 

You got this Brent. If I may offer a suggestion, watch some of Matts youtube videos at Iron Trap Garage on metal panel repair of old cars like ours. He is very knowledgeable and works for the Eastwood Company.

 

YouTube is a great resource. Matt seems like my kind of guy, too. I started out on YT and this morning Matt Seret and I chatted a bit. He puts things in terms that I get.

After a couple texts and 5 minutes on the phone, I got after it. The kids have the day off, so I got shop time during daylight! Haha.

Knocked 75% out, had some oil canning where it wanted to stay bent in, heated it while holding a hammer handle pushing it out. Put a straight-is edge on it and saw where it was out a little, worked that in and it's a night-and-day difference. Still need to play with it some more but it's a ton better. Plus, I have a better understanding - not much - but better!

Here's where I am, currently:



Those marks near the end aren't where I can work. The door frame is behind.



And worked some other dents out.




My goal is to work as many dings and dents out to reduce the amount of filler (and to learn) but there will be some filler.

I understand how people end up with 200k in work into their cars... hahaha.

 

Body work is another place where Patience comes into play, pretty soon you will have the patience of a Saint!

 

I love following threads like this. Keep up the great work! And a special thanks for documenting it all too.

 

In a few months you may just find me hovering above the shop floor, meditating. Hahaha.

Thanks, man! I appreciate that. It's been a lot of fun.

 

Best news of the day was when this Connecticut Dragway license plate frame showed up. I have wanted one of these since I got my driver's license.



Thanks to a HAMBer, Ron - I own one.

One of the influences of my car is Frank Maratta's Model A Coupe - "Maratta's Missile" (fenders, stance). Frank opened and operated Connecticut Dragway for nearly 20 years. I grew up in Connecticut and I remember seeing just one of these frames and never another until many years later when his A was found and put back on the road.

Running this frame will be a tip of the hat to The Missile and Maratta's style.

 

Looking good Brent. The plate frame is perfect. Very cool.

 

Chopped Model A Coupe Rear Window Garnish:

The trim came from Snyder's. It's a pretty quality piece.



I could have sworn the rear window was only chopped 3" and I assumed that the wood and the garnish would both have 3" taken from them, too. No, each one had some different amount taken out of it. I'm going to continue telling people I only took 3" out of the rear window, but I can't remember anymore. And these parts certainly aren't proof, hahaha.

I found center on either side, made some marks and taped off the portion to be removed.



Measure twice came into play, here. You can see the marker that was wiped away. Haha. Also, a little tip for anyone who makes a mistake with sharpie on hard surfaces. Mark on your mess-up with fresh Sharpie and quickly wipe off. I do it often. I like to remove any marks like that to avoid confusion/mistakes.



As soon as I cut the frame on the band saw, the frame sprung out, out of square.



Some clamps helped me mock up. I used a grinding wheel to square the cuts and to get the fit tighter.



My pal, Brian, zapped the frame together and also, heated a corner or two to get the frame back into square.



Tonight, I filed down the welds and gently wend over it with a Roloc. After that, I blended it with the sander.



One side came out perfectly and the other is decent and will likely have a little wave in it when it's chromed. Which is probably perfect considering the original quarter window garnish has character, as well.

 

I'm a sucker for little details.

The little "bump" or "stop" that's pressed into the original bracket keeps the mirrors from rotating on the painted steel. I wanted to preserve that so the mirror worked/adjusted/held the way it should.



This little piece is smaller than a Tic-Tac.



And with the mirror fastened.

 

This little gauge mount is something a few people have asked about but I don't think I've ever really talked about it in this thread.

This cast aluminum bracket is really neat and it's likely I'll never see another.

When I first moved to Utah, I worked for a company installing and repairing commercial laundry equipment. We were working at a beryllium mine, way out in the middle of nowhere. These places have laundry facilities on site and the miners' work clothes are cleaned for safety/health reasons. Anyway, there were these ancient machines still in service, but barely. These were beasts, well built from the end of the era where style and artistry were part of craftsmanship. A time when style wasn't reserved for the mainstream.

We were decommissioning the old stuff to make way for all new equipment. Because beryllium can be quite hazardous, nothing was to leave the site. After we pulled the machines, they were hauled off to their dumping site. As soon as I saw this mount, I knew it was coming home with me. I disconnected the gauge it held, removed the bracket, washed it off and tossed it in my tool bag. It screamed 1950s/60s.

I remember unboxing my 35/36 Ford dash, well before it was ever modified to fit the coupe and digging the bracket out of a box and seeing if it would fit. It's crazy, it looks like it was designed for the dash.



I always imagined sneaking one or two gauges or a gauge and an accessory switch or a vintage idiot light on a polished or chromed panel.

Back when I had the stainless pieces cut by my friend, Carl, I had him make an insert. The first one had the gauge 3/8" more away from the edge, but it didn't look "right". So, I had him cut another, luckily I had some room left on the stainless sheet I'd brought him.

I hesitated to show it unfinished but it will 100% fit the era and look like something someone purchased at a speed shop. So, we'll have to bear with its awkwardness, right now. I just dig this thing and wanted to show where it's at.



The studs are 1/4" stainless weld studs that are tacked on. Rather than make some offset tab/washers, I had my kids go through their piggy banks to find me some 1960s quarters. We struck a deal and I paid them a dollar for each coin. My daughter is pretty slick, even though I already had the two coins I needed, she upsold me on another 60's quarter she found and made 50 cents on that one. I'm a sucker for a great pitch. Hahaha.



There was a lip around the edge of the original gauge opening. I hit that with the Roloc so the mounts would fasten flatly.



I'm not sure of the orientation of the panel, yet. Once that's chosen, some material needs to be removed so the gauge will fit.

 

Great work and detailing @-Brent-...truly inspiring journey you're sharing...

I have trim to chop and fit...I will look back to these pages when that reality says hello to me...

 

I see someones job was a bit spotty...or was that the 2 position model...

Bet that was all day at the drill press 500 pieces and a tad tedious...




​

 

Are you talking about how the hole is not perfectly round? That's from the plasma cut starting. With a small hole like that, it happens. I could've drilled the hole but Carl programmed the piece to be cut with holes and so I didn't have to spent any time at the drill press. Haha.

 

Love checking in on this thread and seeing such awesome progress Brent!

 

The bracket looks great - will you repaint it? Or maybe leave a brushed or as-cast finish to contrast with the chrome on the shifter, gauges & center waterfall? What would a '60's racecar builder have done??

Your story reminds me of a technique an old HAMBer (probably emeritus) suggested:
He looked for "car part shapes" in odd places. A small aluminum kitchen cup is the same shape as a tach cup. A kitchen funnel or a desk lamp shade are the same shape as the flared cone at the top of a steering column.

It makes accompanying Wifey in Walmart or Bed Bath & Beyond almost kinda fun!

 

I'll spray it black. The insert will be polished.

This car will have certainly have shiny/showy bits. Some of the race cars that I love, Maratta's Missile, Stone, Woods, and Cooke's and lots of others of the era had chrome and clean details that grabbed attention.

This is a street car first. I wouldn't pretend anything else. If I were to do a 60s era racecar, I would have kept it a lot more raw and simple. I've always liked double-duty cars.

I've always envisioned it as a sort-of Super Sport Model A. (I've called it that in my head forever.) A clean street car that could hold its own at an armory car show or at the strip.

 

Thanks Pete.

Progress over the these last two months has been slower than I'd like. Hell, I'd like to be out there 10 hours a day but life has been a roller coaster these past few months. I had been pulled out of state a few times and when I got back there was a bit of one-step-forward-and-two-back going on. But I'm blessed to be an eternal optimist, so somehow I always move forward.

There's a bit of that going on with the coupe, at the moment. I was working some dents and had a flash of genius to see if a pointless dent removal guy could work on a part of my passenger door because they have tools that can access hard to reach places.

Anyway, after I made a few calls, I found a guy willing to take the door.

At his place, I was showing him what the door needed (we were standing out in a downpour) and he points out a line of pinholes in the door top. Pinholes? I'd never even seen them in all these years, but the door top , where the top of the window rolls into, has probably 2-dozen pinholes. MY HEART SANK!

I'll do a proper post on the door and such but for a moment I was dealing with a punch in the gut because I'm getting close to rounding the corner on the metalwork. I've got a few areas to repair from the body shop that wrecked some spots prepping the car for sealer and some unfinished chop touch-ups but all those I had a solution for.

A couple days and some calling around, I have a door and a plan. These last two years have taught me to just keep moving forward, so that's what I do. Haha.