Hot Rods Is this a Brookville roadster pickup? Update: NO. Now building 1929 roadbriolet/cabrioster pickup

Is that where the ham (the pork, not the rod site) comes from?
Bought a Smithfield ham steak for dinner tonight, while we enjoy the view from our rental on Ozark Lake.

 

^^Yep. If it says SMITHFIELD HAM, by state law, it has to come from Smithfield, VA.
Enjoy it; it's a treat, too... but not the same as ice cream!

 

Smithfield Ham, Edwards Ham, Felt's Ham, along with Wakefield Peanuts. Gotta love living here...

 

Please forgive the LEDs(please delete picture if deemed too offensive) but this thing is so small I gotta make sure they see me!!
All wiring is completed except for the brake light switch which will wait until it is back in the air.
I've cleaned up the wiring big time but there seems to always be a few little things that could improve it.
Now to wire brake light switch and reexamine all of the wiring to make sure it is safe and somewhat secure.
Then to see if the transmission works... quickly followed by a test of the brakes!!
It is raining today so good excuse to review my work thus far.
I also need to check all nuts and bolts installed earlier by others... I know the radiator shell is not fully secured.
Anybody got a short truck bed? I might go that way depending on what I figure out with what I have before changing direction. It might all work with what I have except I'm not sure will be able to put gas in it.
Just fill it up first, I guess!
I got no plans to ever trailer this thing so the gas won't go as far as for a trailer queen.

 

Now I'm wanting some country ham on a biscuit.

 

Don, that is a great taste! One of the great fringe benefits of attending nearly any event in the county is that ham biscuits are usually somewhere on the serving table.

Brake light switch is wired and working.
Got a buddy that believes he has a spare brake pedal return spring.
He'll let me know tomorrow.

 

How about some "honey baked ham" flavored ice cream?...(kill two birds with one stone)

 

No thanks!

 

^^^Come on, Phil, step out of your comfort zone!
If they could come as close to matching the taste as they do with the deep dish apple pie, I would eat it for sure even if it was honey baked ham instead of Smithfield ham flavored!

Now, back to the garage... weather still iffy but might try to bust out!
If I do, I sure hope that isn't literally what I do!
Now that it will idle, I need to check the transmission fluid to be sure in proper range... yep, I checked it before ever attempting to start it to make sure at least touched some fluid with it off. I remembered my Daddy telling me many years ago that, while the fluid might be low; it was okay to start it as long as the dipstick at least touched the fluid. If not I might have damaged the newly rebuilt transmission during the week or more it took me to finally get the timing and other things right so it would start. Remember the bum coil from Speedway and the crossed plug wires on number 4 and number 6 cylinders?

I'm still thinking about installing some master plugs that will allow me to unplug the cab from the chassis.

 

“I'm still thinking about installing some master plugs that will allow me to unplug the cab from the chassis.“

That’s a great idea. (Don’t ask me how I know)

 

The brake pedal return spring issue reminded me of my "redneck brake return spring" I first came up with in 2017 when the similar spring broke on the 36 Fordy while at York.

So, I rigged up the following as a temporary return spring helper on the 29 cabrioster.

The more things change; the more they remain the same!

 

Old habits are hard to break, Al!

 

Use what you got has to be the ultimate traditional approach.

 

"No gain is so certain as that which proceeds from the economical use of what you already have."
Latin Proverb

 

...and you were the one who made fun of my "Flintstone gas gauge"?

 

Jack,
I just said your method of knowing how much gas was in the tank seemed a bit challenging while going down the road.
But, of course, I didn't allow for how agile and flexible Bonnie might be!

Here's the TWO gauges that came with the car... maybe you needed two because one kept being dropped while fishing around through the rear window opening for the gas filler opening while at speed!!

PS I didn't edit out the green wheels so favored by Jack.

 

My buddy didn't have a spare brake/clutch pedal return spring.
He did give me a tip about possibly finding a spring that might do the job at the local hardware store.
I'll try to get up there today.
Roads are wet again today... not good for cheater slicks! Also when leave my garage have to go up pretty steep driveway that normally has plenty of pine straw these days... add a little moisture... never make it!
Can't take test drive if can't get up the hill!
Opportunities!

 

As we get a few years on us, we all have issues “getting up the hill”. Oh wait, you mean the RPU, never mind…

 

Note that it is out of the garage!!
I drove it down to the corner... and back!!
Happy day!
Almost hit a snag due to low trans fluid! Thing got to corner and didn't want to back up... at first!
Tweaked the carb idle screw so now idles easily and allowed testing of trans fluid level while running.
Got it home and added 3 and half quarts trans fluid and now have in operating range.
Still a heck of a lot to do but it was certainly a giant step in the right direction.
Thanks for all the encouragement and guidance... I need all I can get!

 

From the back. Headlights came already wired but seem very dim!
Another opportunity!

 

They made tops for them. I bought mine from Last Refuge and top a tan top so I could stay dry and have AC

 

Hope you went and had some ice cream to celebrate!

 

^^It's not ready for prime driving... or ice cream!
Hopefully later.
BTW, my truck came with the bed and a top and the upholstery material and rear window.
And the roll up windows were already installed. I'm still sure how much real AC comfort is possible in the little truck but the cold air I'm sure would provide some relief on a hot day and the side windows and top would at least give you a chance. It seems to me it would have to be better than flapping side curtains and much easier to use. I'm not planning on AC, or heat!, right now.
I'm sure the brakes need further work and I still haven't wired up that jim dandy switch pitch transmission yet. I'm going to copy what I did on the 32 cabriolet that also has a Buick engine with a switch pitch turbo 400.

1-Shot, show us your Last Refuge pickup... I need all the pointers I can get!
Thanks in advance.

 

I can say, in my Dearborn Deuce, the Vintage heat/air works really well, for all seasons.
But I understand there are more important opportunities at this point in the build.

 

Is it just a crazy angle photo, it looks like the axle is way off to the drivers side?

 

Al’s got skills, pic taking isn’t one of them though

 

I think that's just the angle of the dangle.

 

Y'all happier?!
I angled the front wheels to not flaunt the fact that I haven't changed to more traditional wheels... yet!
Now that it is moving, I'll first focus on tweaking the mechanicals to make sure they are working correctly and dialed in properly. Then I'll work on making it a bit better looking.
Sorry the picture scared some of you!
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to take this one to the same place I got to bend the axle and align the 32 sedan delivery back in September of 2019... those front wheels don't look quite right to me... and not to y'all either!!
PS did you notice the radiator is now black?

 

The tip to check the local hardware store paid off. This looks like it will work and will cost me $3.89 and no shipping!

The spring was a bit short but I fabbed up a temporary bracket until I see how well it works. Might even be able to remove my redneck brake pedal return bungee cord on the topside!
I just realized you can see that the steering knuckle clears the end of the shaft in the steering joint.
I also hung a license plate on the rear spreader bar.
Back to the garage.