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

I know how y'all like to study pictures so I'll tell you about the air pump hanging on my wall in the background.
That is the same air pump, as far as I know, that was used at my Daddy's service station since it opened in March of 1955. After the building was no longer used as a service station, I brought it home. That air pump was in the plans for use in the new garage from the start. Still works fine. Carries me right back to my much younger days!!

 

Very cool!

 

Al, no, the '30-'31 didn't have cowl vents. Gas cap same position as '28-'29. No, don't know who made the tan one.

I really enjoy your cars and posts!

Dave

BTW, I have two '31's and one '29.

 

Dave, I knew the 30-31s didn't have cowl vents but I was guessing that whoever made the body offered the cowl vent as an option. Speaking of 30 Model As; the first hot rod I built was based on a 30 tudor. I put the cowl vent out of a laundry truck in it which had the novice thinking it had to be a 32 with a cowl vent. It got to be fun when you saw a couple guys debating whether a 32 or not and then they approached to look inside; the saw the 34 chevrolet dash and shook their heads and walked away!
I've been having fun with cars for a very long time. I first got that car on the road in late 1973 or early1974.

 

Shucks! Just when things seemed to be going so well! When I got the pickup, I knew I had a set of 15X5 yellow powder coated wheels still in their rappers. Then, while scrounging for something else in the parts area that is beneath my garage(I live on a hill); I spotted two more yellow powder coated wheels that I assumed were 15X7.
Don't get ahead of the story. So I ordered the tires this morning and they were to be ready either late today or tomorrow morning if I brought over the wheels. Things went fine until they got ready to mount the wheels... it seems they were 14X6s that came off another pickup long ago! I did measure the width when I took them over and realized they were 6" and not 7" which would better fit the tire but I had them so said to mount them and see how they looked and if too bad; we would go another way.
I got the call about 5PM with the news.
Back to the parts area and pulled out some 15X7 rims that should work... after I clean them up and paint them!
Well, they are clean and painted and drying in the garage. I'll take them over first thing and maybe we'll have some different wheels and tires on by late tomorrow; maybe Wednesday.
This was truly an "oops"portunity!!
Dummy Al

 

Hey Al, I've got some candy (translucent) blue I can send you...if ya spray it on them yellow rims...could be a nice shade of green

 

Dear Al,
"It" happens.
Sincerely,
Forrest Gump

 

Well Al, you’re not alone, years back a trucker friend of my dads asked if I’d break down his tires and mount the new ones he’d just bought.
So, I break down the steering wheels, he’s of BSing with my dad, and I holler for him to bring me the tires.
I flip one over on the wheel to start mounting it….slides right over and doesn’t even touch the wheel.
He had 22.5’s and bought 24.5’s.
For years when he’d give me shit about something, I’d tell him “you need to just go sit in your truck or you’re gonna look stupid again”.
Yes, I remounted his original tires for him…

 

Thanks, fellas, for trying to make me feel better. Stuff does happen but I've managed to dodge most of it.
Anyway, I got the wheels cleaned and painted and turned up the heat in the garage to help them cure a bit quicker. I delivered them a short while ago to the tire folks. We all had a laugh and I sheepishly brought my jim dandy bright yellow 14" wheels back home.
Later today I hope.
I'm thinking of throwing a black towel over the front wheel and posting the pkp on the black on black on black thread!
Now I have to go to my other storage area, about 25 miles away, and scrounge up some other steel wheels for the front. I think I still have the ones that came on this car when I got it in 1986.

I'm sure the wheels I have were not on the car when this picture was taken.
It had a Corvair front end and IRS Corvette rear when I got it! I installed a narrowed Nova front clip on the front and, with Chassis Engineering's help, installed a Nova rear end, too. The dang Corvette rear ran straight down the road but the wheel on the passenger side was an inch further forward than the one on the driver's side!
It was a cool car with a very long history... the trunk was leaded in in late 40s or early 50s. I think about the same time as it was chopped... by the owner; shown above. He was a great guy and became quite a friend over the years. I didn't buy it from him... he sold it in late 60s. I bought it in 1984 about two weeks before our annual trip to the mountains to watch the leaves change (and gather old car parts!). I thrashed to get it roadworthy enough to drive up there. He was amazed that I had it!
Here is he and his lovely bride in the car.

To say they were happy to see their old Ford is a great understatement!

He's on the right with his cousin and his son I think.
When I first rolled up, he leaned in the window as asked if it still had that old hot Flathead he had in it? I said not exactly! SBC with a four speed at the time. When I rolled up to his shop, I drove right on into the shop!
I told him that as soon as I came over the hill, the old Ford must have recognized where we were because it headed right for the shop!! Even though I had both feet on the brakes!
It was tremendously rewarding to bring a forgotten happiness to the great older couple!

 

What a great story! I love stories like that. I've managed to talk to 3 of the previous owners of my '40 going back to the 60's. I've owned it for 32 years, but it's always a treat to find out some little nuance about the car or hear the stories from them about what fun they had with the car.

 

I am sure if these old cars could talk some of them would really have some tales to tell!

 

Before:

After:

Apparently has some special stuff in the rear.

But, it also had a few bolts that needed to be tightened on the passenger side!
Driver's side was fine. Also went ahead and painted the chassis behind the wheels... this chassis is truly getting painted "one piece at a time!"

Gonna be a hot rod for sure. Sure nobody wants some nice cheater slicks? The first lead didn't pan out but we tried! Thanks for the effort.
Two more wheels... if I can find them!!
Opportunities!

 

Found them! I think they still had the same tires on them as in the pictures above when the car was green. These had L78 tires on them so they were on the rear.
While not pristine, I think they will work fine.
Now for the best part:


They are both 15X5"!!
I've washed them and cleaned them up and they are drying in the sun.
These two wheels have been together for a looonnnggg time. No idea what they came off of so long ago... before they came off a green 36 Ford!!
I've got some other cool pictures from that visit... if I can find them!
I also sanded down the orange patch on the cab and primed it again.

 

Front wheels off then noticed "Made in China" on the tires. Nope. I'll order Nexen later this morning.
Tires might be fine but couldn't find a date code so I'm staying with the same tires as used on some of my other cars.... and made in USA.
As I'm aging, I'm paying more and more attention to the aging... of my tires!!

 

Dang tires not available locally.
Be here Monday or Tuesday... I hope!

 

Not a pristine paint job but much better than it was.
Sanded and painted behind the door on the passenger side. Cab is painted except for back panel that faces the bed.
Sanding on the tailgate... boy, it has some brackets and nooks and crannies!
It looks sad jacked up with no front wheels... I guess no trip around the block this weekend!

 

Replaced the Chevrolet like light switch with the more simple universal kind of switch... and eliminated the extra power feed required by the original switch. And I found a chrome knob for the new switch that matches the fuel pump chrome switch knob.
Also doing minor body work and sanding.

 

First round of sanding and touch up of front of frame rail. Figured was a good time as the front wheels were off waiting on new tires.

Working my way back to the rear of the frame rail that was painted earlier when the rear wheels were off for new tires.

 

Boy, that gloss black shows up everything!

At least it is black. It is a start and progress though it all will need to be revisited sometime in the future.
I'm ready for those tires!!

 

You sure busy Al! I admire your energy and enthusiasm!

 

Great progress report! Keep it up!

 

^^Thanks, fellas, for the kind words. I don't remotely operate at the level I used to operate but the key is to try to stay on it even if it is just in small bursts. Try to do at least a little something everyday... doesn't have to be major to be progress. Even if isn't perfect, such as my bodywork and painting, the project is advanced to a significant degree anyway. I build cars to get to drive them and share them with others... that is a lot of the fun of having the cars to me. I'm still learning and getting better, I hope!, at sharing the building process. I came up with what I called a gas cap tip many years ago that stopped the spilling of gas out the neck of my 1936 Ford chopped coupe. It is still on my web site at Anti-spill Gas Cap Tip (36fords.com). A friend shared it in a magazine he helped run and many 36 Fords quit losing gas on corners... especially at speed! It worked on any old car if the filler tube was large enough to hold a trimmed down plastic gas cap below the regular gas cap. I was told it worked well on some pickups, too. I also shared other projects and found it was fun, and a bit embarrassing at times, when an "oops"ortunity surfaced!! I think putting that big 425 Buick, including the switch pitch turbo 400 transmission in my 32 cabriolet was among the most challenging thus far but managing to complete it all in my own shop; mostly right by myself, was very rewarding... it wasn't all that fast but it was successful and I got a lot of good tips and suggestions along the way by sharing the project.

 

That’s what it’s all about. You’re my hero, Al.

 

Thanks for the kind words.
^^I'm no hero... I just like old cars... and ice cream!!

 

Pay attention! Especially when picking up additional paint!
Yesterday, I'm merrily sanding and painting my chassis. I ran out of paint in my spray can so reached for a new can. I did couple test shots and proceeded to continue painting. Didn't look right! Seemed to have green tint!
I looked around for hotrodjack33!!
I took the can back this morning only to have the clerk say, "Al, it says Charleston Green on the back." The dang top looked black to me! I apparently grabbed the wrong can when I was picking up several spare cans of what I thought was gloss black.
So, don't be a dummy like me; check the name on the can every time.
It's fixed now and drying.
Another "oops"portunity!!

 

LMAO Al. I prefer to think it's the "Universe" getting even with you for a previous misguided "green removal event"

 

One side done.
Dang tire america! Bought last week on basis would be delivered Monday; maybe Tuesday.
Call Monday to check and Dario, whoever that is, says didn't pick tires up Friday as planned but did plan to pick them up Monday. He assured me he would call me later Monday or Tuesday morning with an update... no call yet and it's Wednesday!
Did get an email yesterday saying tires were shipped and gave a FedEx tracking number which said would be here by end of today, Wednesday.
This morning, I clicked on the same FedEx link and it said tires would be here by the end of the day, TOMORROW!!
The good news is that I found another place locally where I can get them next time.

 

They seem like idiots! I don't know if it is Tire America or FedEx but the tires that were originally promised for this past Monday, maybe Tuesday are still not here! I've yet to get another email or call regarding my order since I spoke with them Monday.
So, I go back to the email from Tuesday and clicked on the Fed Ex tracking number this morning since the tires were not delivered by the end of the day yesterday as promised... again!
Guess what? I did get an update on the shipment. Yep, they shipped the tires to GA!! Why tires shipped from SC to VA get sent to GA is beyond me!
And, to add insult to injury; they said the shipment has been delayed! What genius came to that conclusion and figured I needed to be told that?! Now they are saying the tires will be here by the end of the day on Saturday!!
Sure, anybody wanna buy a bridge?
Tire America can kiss my business goodbye forever. From a local guy I could have had them tomorrow.
Buy local if you can. Avoid big time incompetence.
SC to VA via GA!! Dummies!
I'd say there is a chance that ANY, maybe ALL!, of Y'ALL will see my tires before I do... keep an eye out for a wayward FedEx truck.
I'm going for some ice cream!

 

Al, I live in Alabama, and anything that is on FedEx coming to me has to go to Ellenwood GA before it gets to me, no matter if it’s coming from instate or CA, it still goes to Ellenwood first! Ellenwood is 200 + miles east of me, so that’s usually and extra 400 miles they haul my stuff around, and an extra two days! Makes as much sense as flying out of Birmingham to Atlanta to go to Texas! I don’t understand their business model, guess they do it so they can charge more!

If I buy tires online, I use Discount Tire Direct.