Projects Project 1946 Ford Tudor

That's a Limeworks column shift for an automatic... retains a mostly stock look.

 

Got the rest of the dash pieces and windshield trim painted to match. Install on Sunday morning.

 

keep up with the good work

 

Worked a 16 hr graveyard yesterday and got a few hours in on the car this morning. All the stainless and guages should be mounted for the last time. Drilled some holes for the tach.

Also made some aluminum block off plates for where the choke and wiper pulls came through the dash on either side of the wheel. I will only be using a headlight switch and an ignition switch.... block off plate has 1 hole in each side for what I will need.

Wiper switch is mounted up and down under the left side of the wheel so it is hidden.

 

Unused holes.



That's the block off plate, twin goes on the other side. They will get polished and should look pretty custom when they are done.

Horn button will go in that last hole on the left side.

 

One last pic.

 

oooohhhh ahhhhh. Vintage Air unit mounted up... had to make a longer bracket for the rear support. Gonna hang it off the center bolt for the cowl vent. Kinda bummed it will make the vent non-functional because I always liked the idea of flowing fresh air through but thats just how everything is going to have to fit for awhile.

 

One from the other side. Got the block off plates polished up and the turn signal switch mounted as well. Shopped around until I found an all metal turn signal switch with the art deco style knobs. Looks like a nice unit but that hose clamp connector gave me headaches for about 30 minutes. Every time I would tighten the screw clamp it would twist the metal band and bind up.

I need to find the clips that fit around the column to hold the signal switch wiring like the ones used in late 50s or early 60s for trucks as the last step to clean it up.

 

Very cool build! It sure has come a long way.

 

Nothing too interesting to update today. Got some of wiring put into looms and mounted the junction box between the alternator and starter. Found the missing trim piece for the glove box on eBay and got it mounted. Punched a couple holes in the passenger side of the interior kick panel to make room for some of the wiring bundles and AC hoses.


None of it really translated to pictures.

Hopefully next week will be more interesting.

 

Missing trim piece installed.

 

Passenger side kick panel under the glovebox, mounting plate for trans controller.

 

More punching holes, fitting grommets, wrapping looms, snaking wires, zipping ties.

Wiring continues.



These little magnet deals work great for holding the wires where you want when you can't get a good clamp fitted.

 

Tracy finished the radio delete project while i pulled and wrapped more wires.



Tracy copied the shape of the govebox door hinges and fabbed a bracket to hold the arms.

 

Pretty trick feature of the car now. Spring loaded for the time being to hold the door closed. Little more alignment and maybe a small shim and its all set.

 

It would be a nice spot to put a head unit but I think after eye balling it that the electric wiper motor is going to interfere.

Exploring some options for a simple Bluetooth type receiver or a small boat/UTV type receiver. I'm not a huge stereo guy... don't need all the bells and whistle.

 

Spent some time getting this wrapped and tucked neatly, fed the wires to the battery through grommets and zipped tied in real pretty.


All as practice for this...



Working my way through and at least trying to get everything pointed in the direction it needs to go.

 

Just realized I didn't post the side by side pics of the door opened and closed.

Pretty trick.

 

Back at it next week...

 

Staying home this week out of an abundance of caution. Kids were sent home from school after being "exposed" to a potential infectious person. Miss the normal days.

 

It is looking great

 

I assume the young lady is your project inspector?

 

Hey @DRUGASM any updates?

 

Nothing this last week or next week. I got daddy duty for a kids birthday party last week and Tracy is at the big show in LA with his coupe.



I'll be back to pulling wires in February. Being patient and visualizing routine and bundling, splicing and sodering in my dreams.

 

More of this.... I feel a little bit like the waters at my chin and my feet aren't touching the bottom anymore. One wire at at time, do it right and do it once. It'll all be worth it later.

 

Set yourself up with a harness board. I made mine from a scrap piece of plywood, about 18" x 30". I made a centerline where the steering column is, then marked out either side where I wanted the breakouts to be. A few out the firewall, the rest to the dash and one to the back of the car.

I used finishing nails to route the wires, it made the job a lot easier than playing with spaghetti.

Establish a main bundle that you can secure up under the top of the dash. I zip tie that to start things off.

 

Oh man oh man! She's back home. All the heavy fab stuff is done and I felt like I was just taking up space at the shop. Brought her home to my garage where I can have more free time to take her to the finish line.

Now all I have to do is do it.

The board idea for wiring is actually something I had been considering and may have to lay out.

 

You'll like the harness board. You first have to establish the main bundle, which is likely up under the dash and horizontal. I had only about 50 wires so it wasn't that bad.

 

Back to the drawing board. Someone pointed out that it wasn't a great idea to have to lengthen every wire from the trunk and instead to mount the fuse block under the dash like most people typically do.

After some beard scratching and some time laying on my back staring up under the dash,... the best place to mount the fuse block will be right where the AC lines want to through the firewall.

I broke out the cardboard aided drafting supplies and came up with a mount I hope will work.

 

I think I can mount the fuse block on some steel bent up to space it off the fire wall and tuck it up under the cowl. The empty space behind the bracket should all enough room to run the AC hoses to the under dash unit.