Projects 31 Kustom Roadster (DIY duvall, tudor to roadster conversion)

Throwing tools is part just of the hobby !

 

Thank you ! I have to admit i am proud of that. Kind of the meaning of hot rodding or early automotives : Style and the looks, but also functioning and necessary part

-Markus

 

For you instagram users: @helminenhotrods https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=s6pyagg1xjte&utm_content=pfn7nhp

i started instagram account only for hotrod stuff. Pretty much same content as seen here, mostly on this roadster build. But dont worry, im going to be posting here for sure as i get new things done !

-Markus

 

Just for fun heres video of trunk lid handle/trim function

Hope the video works, had some trouble with this new youtube "short"

-Markus

 

Video worked as well as the handle did! Well done all around.

 

Time for some updates here ! For the last month or two i was working on the stainless steel windshield frame.

Let's start the process :

Figuring out the outlines for center post.


Need little work to get the right angle:

Then was time for baseplate :

Now theres outlines figured and solid, so time to start shaping 1,5mm stainless steel outer skin :

1,5mm stainless steel is real hard to shape. I used handheld airhammer :

After rough grinding and rough polishing it started to look good :

 

Upper part for the center post:

This need some straightening :
Much better :


First piece off the windshield puzzle done !

 

Beautiful windshield post, how did you straighten the bent part?

 

Thank you !
Straightening happened mostly with oxy/acetylene torch. Heat to the opposite side of the bend.

 

Some real nice work and ideas in this thread !

 

Moving on to the side posts :

Starting with 7mm SS
I wanted to make something special, something to stand out of "normal" duvall or hallock windshields. So i did an groove to the side post :


side post mounting plate :


And there are side posts almost ready to start figuring out the mounting:

 

I still wanted something more to the side posts, without making it look too thick. So here's what i came up with :
need some ( a lot ) work to get the angle right when tightening the mounting bolt

I'm happy how these turned out ! Makes it something different from being "just an duvall copy"

 

Those windshield posts are amazing.

 

Extra impressive if you carved those trenches into the side pieces with a barrel sander on a hand tool, looks like it could have been stamped or machined in. Steady hand, nice work.

 

God damn! Now your just showing off! Nice job!

 

One of the main goal for me was making it look like casted piece, not like sheetmetal. Details give some "deep" look to it

 

Fish plates on the frame for safety’s sake, next to that avatar- oh the irony! Love the build, like the axle stands in the early posts, nice to see things from a different perspective.

 

Seriously nice work, stainless is a hard material to work with, in every way, the work in those posts is amazing.

 

Thank you ! And thank you for the laugh, you got me there

 

Time for the middle parts.

For the first one did this mounting bolts, hoping it would stay in place/shape, but after welding and heat warp, the bolts were causing trouble so i cutted them off.
these really needed straightening with oxy/acetylene after welding:

 

better change your name to 'duVall'!!

 

Wow! Very cool build/thread. Great work! Not sure how I missed it early on...but will be watching for it now.

Thanks for taking the time to document the process and for bringing us along.

 

WOW! You've made some very nice shapes in your windshield. I would caution you though if you’re going to have a hood on your car, to mock up the hood before you are completely committed to the windshield. When the car has wheels, hood etc. you might wish that you had adjusted some of the shapes a bit. Thanks for sharing your pictures. It’s very nice!

 

Brent, these are amazing. NOW I want to play with some stainless!!!

1976, Friend Dave McBride (RIP) cast a pair of ends and a center piece in bronze for my old '29 Highboy.
I was past the rough sanding, into polish... when Bonneville Butch hastily changed my plans.
Car was transport to his shop and he and friend 'Uncle Joe' readied it for B'Ville, 1982.

 

Thank you. One thing i should do, is pushing the car outside and take a wider view. It hasn't seen daylight since the tudor days

 

Thanks ! I have been thinking about making cast aluminium versions of this

 

Welding pieces together. I did the welds spot by spot and cooling down to reduce heat warpage.

After grinding, sanding, polishing :

Happy to get it finally finished after couple months of almost daily work on it !

 

Beautiful, Your are an old world Craftsman. Thank You for sharing Your build

 

That is OUTSTANDING work. Thanks for sharing.

 

I think getting a look at the windshield outside is a very good idea. Your windshield will be the “star of the show” so be sure that the supporting cast (body, wheels, engine, etc) all work to make this happen.