Projects Project Flat Hat (27x, part 3)

Gang,
Here are the first pix of what I hope will be a pretty quick build-up on my phantom 27 pickup. We hope to have it done by the NSRA Nats here in Tampa in October. Lordy.

Most of the hard work and mock-ups are done, as best we could, so... hopefully... from this point forward most of the parts will just be getting painted, plumbed, fit, tested and/or polished. The frame and diff got their final welds yesterday (in "Area 51" - Kirt is THE man!) and the frame is due at the powder coater next Monday. The body, bed and grille are already at the painter and work on the engine starts tomorrow! Later, Gary

FYI, the previous build threads are at:

Part 1
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303648&highlight=27x+pickup

Part 2
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355854

 

Friday update... how many balls can we keep in the air? This is fun, the paint is going on, the radiator is being worked, engine parts are being massaged, sheet metal is being fit, window glass patterns are being made.... Gary

 

In the more than you wanted to know Department... we finally got the gas tank back from the welder and test fit... just a day before the frame left for powder. The gear on it still needs to be installed but the overall fit is ok. I think it will hold 10 gal., but I'm sure hoping for more. Gloss black for just about everything on the frame and suspension. Hope to get the frame and all the other parts back here on Friday and start the build-up "officially" this weekend. We also visited the painter yesterday and the dark red color (BMW Imola Red) is just great, not at all like the previous images I posted that were washed out by the camera's flash. The bed is done, the body half-painted, and the grille, hood / scoop and toneau are next. ETA end of August. Gary

 

looking good gary , cant wait to see it start coming together ! and in color !

 

Thanx...ME TOO! I just can't wait to drive this puppy. Gary

 

Doug the painter makes cameo appearance... starting to see red in the good way. Woo Hoo. Gary

 

Doors are on... buffed and shiny! Gary

 

Duh... and here are the pix. Gary

 

Damn! That is an amazing Red!?!?!?!?

 

Tman, it's hard to tell from the photos, but it's just one of your darker than average reds. Not at all what I think of as a bright, or re-sale red. Some Honda Accords, ricer coupes and even some Ford trucks seem to have this darker than your average red, too. I saw this BMW color (405) on a Cheetah continuation car last year and just loved it. The painter's place is a few miles away, but I hope to see more of it this weekend and take more pix. If all goes to plan, it will be on the frame and back at my friend Guy's garage in a week. Thanx, Gary

 

I am not usually a red guy but that color has me thinking!

 

Wow.. Hell of a project

 

Glad you dig it. Gary

 

Sweet project. I like what you are doing with it. Great color and cool frame too.

 

Thanx, and I see you are a truck fan too... Gary

 

Teaser pix... just one for now! More later. Doug did a FANTASTIC job on the paint. Pix was taken about 11:15 EST in Florida. Other than one hit on the sharpness button, and a small crop, it's color is UNALTERED in photoshop. My build's future is so bright, I'll have to wear shades. Later, Gary

 

In the words of Virgil Fox, "If you aren't prepared for a happening, stand back!" Doug makes another cameo appearance with more photos taken today of is great work. He is the man. The roof and insides are just as nice as the outside. The only thing left is the grille shell - where more of his magic will be requred to save that baby.
FYI, the glass Russ Nomore body has an inner roof built in and, unless it gets too noisy, I'm leaving it just this way, without a headliner.
Also, we got a little tricky with the glass visor. It is bonded on and the header is painted gloss black underneath it to help accentuate the holes. Like it? Gary

 

The build up commences... part nr. 1 is back at the shop, awaiting goodies. Boring pix, I know, but it is a milestone of sorts. Gary

 

The frame looks good Gary, Now ya gotta get hoppin'

 

Yep... still hoping for Monday to get the body. Speaking of hoppin' - how's that grille going? Gary

 

I just put on the last coats of primer before lunch. Ill sand and paint her tomorrow.

 

Wow. You must feel like a dentist now, getting all the teeth straight for a good smile! How's the top look without the ridge? Gary

 

I'm liking that red A LOT!. Keep the pics coming.

 

Me too, the red is just so right. Teaser pix from Doug... the grille shell is now done, completing the body work and paint for now. The hood sides just may have to wait awhile, I'm afraid. Doug removed the ridge at the top to smooth it out and the old Ford emblem was buffed and cleared.

No problem on more pix but I'm having so much fun putting it all back together (plus meeting the Sunday deadline to have the chassis a roller again) I've been lax in taking more. We have most of the back half of the frame reassembled. The fuel tank still needs some sort of a leak / pressure check, but we had to put it in now in order to fab up the brake and fuel line runs. I think I'll take it out again soon to get it painted, but it looks pretty sporty as it is.

Anyone have any tank testing for dummies tips? Later, Gary

 

We were just too busy yesterday to squeeze off a lot of photos, so here is one quick snap of the guys working on stuff - Steve making patterns for the rear frame sides / aprons to enclose the frame rails and air ride junk, and of Guy on the brake lines. The guy in the red hat is just hanging out and asking too many questions! I expect we will get the front suspension on this AM and wrap up the fuel / battery routing today (that which runs under the cab anyway) and we might even get the engine / trans back in the chassis. Off to work... Gary

 

Time-wise, this is about all we can do before the body goes on tomorrow. Seems we can't find the torque converter (unreal) so the engine and tranny will hopefully go in after we get back to the shop. The black powder coat sure hides a multitude of sins, but all in all the results are looking pretty sporty.

OK kids... let me know what you think so far, now that things are a little bit shiny and moving towards completion - nomex Long John's at the ready.
Gary

 

Ok! It's Bergie time. We got the body, bed and all the rest of the red parts from Doug this AM and I'm feeling like a proud Papa. The final shimming and fit will come after the air ride stuff is working and we can establish a standard ride height for cruzin and work from there. Still, I'm VERY happy with the way things are turning out. Thanx again, Doug. Gary

 

Got the long block and tranny in today... going on vacation! Gary

 

Back from Indy... the Quarter-Max crew made the finals by a whisker. Flat Hat-wise, I got the radiator last night and it looks like it will work with a few mods later on. Painter Doug smothed out the 33 commercial grille's top pretty nicely, eh? Final shot from the first round of eliminations Sunday... Rickie got a hole shot on Edwards... but the writing was on the wall even before they staged. Gary

 

Nice streetrod.
r