Model A Sport Coupe Project for the wife

Some more progress on the top.

We took a 1 inch strip of the aluminum and bent a 90 in it then gave it a good workout on the shrinker to match the profile of the back of the car. The back portion of the top was then riveted in place here and there to hold it in place. We'll be using aircraft rivets when everything is finished

 

a little more progress..getting there slowly

Picked up an english wheel and have been learning how to use it. Koz and I were able to get some nice curves in the top with it. Going to work on the front top piece tonight and the pieces behind the rear of the door frame.

When that last piece is made I'll put the back window in and metal finish the outside.

 

A little more done....painted my carb scoops, and installed the headlights and radiator.

 

Movin along good ---them headlights look familiar LOL

 

Great job, that dash is mint!

 

Your build is going great and fast. But I was wondering in build that would take longer and would be sitting on Bias ply tires, is it bad to leave it just sitting? Would it be a good idea to have the car on jack stands with the tires off the ground?

 

Cool project! subscribed!

 

Got a little more done on the top...I'll get some more pics up this weekend.

 

You are sure making some great progress on your sport coupe. Love the lines of that top. It is going to be one good looking Hot Rod !

 

I've been using a Whitney hand punch for all the holes on the seams. I'm completely sold on this little tool. I was able to punch a couple hundred holes in just a few minutes. It has a neat little built in fence for setting the punch depth on the throat too. Sure beats going at it with a drill one by one.



Here's a pic of the whole inside of the top right now. I was laying on the floor looking up when I took this

 

Was at it all day today and tonight with Koz...made some major progress...starting to look neat.
First, we had to shorten the panel under the decklid. I got an aftermarket one for a roadster but a coupe's panel back there is slightly smaller so we cut about two inches off and rolled the edge. Afterwards, I did a layout for the tail lights and drilled them out.


Next,
I installed my gas cap. Got this from The Hot Rod Company...great little cap that fits just right. Of course the damn quarter brace was in the way underneath ..but we got it in.



Then it was back to the top. We did a layout for the back window, taped it out, made an insert cut..and trimmed it out with tin snips. I then made a small insert piece from the aluminum and attached the rear glass frame to it. Then we riveted the whole back window piece in with two staggered rows. Koz was on the inside bucking and I was on the outside with the rivet gun.

 

Jerry, The top is looking really neat. For my RPU I was given a removeable metal top from the fities (?). Of course it is too tall. Afriend had offered to modify the metal tope and then make a composite top. Jury still out on that idea.

 

The top looks effin' awesome ! The rear glass insert looks even better installed than I imagined when I saw the piece earlier tonight .

Koz is outdoing himself on this one ... looks like he's giving up too many of his fab secrets though - He might have to lock ya up in his basement so you won't talk , lol !

 

That is looking REALLY nice!

 

Very inspiring, seriously. Most excellent gas cap, too. I wish I'd have known about that hole punch about three years ago...I'd probably have less tendonitis in my right elbow from drilling millions of sheet metal holes.

 

Nice to have them back Gary..thanks again

I don't know...I haven't had anything in one place that long. These are new tires so I think you'd be ok either way.

Thanks Dave for your continuing moral support!

He's a wealth of knowledge and is a true craftsman. I've learned so much about moving metal from working with him.

They sell them online at aircraft supply places..they are precise and fast...worth every penny. Here's the link to the web site for the ATF company....got the rivets, bucking bar, and rivet gun here too. They sell their rivets for about $8 a pound which is pretty reasonable considering you get about 3500 of em in a bag.
http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=45

That gas cap
http://www.thehotrodcompany.com/shopnow/show_item.asp?product_id=351800

 

Looks nice! Enough of the tease shots though, post a full side shot or a 3/4 view so we can see what it really looks like.

Hey, you could engine turn the whole thing...

 

Awesome pics & progress, dig the gas cap.

 

Holy hell - Jerry's arm would look like Popeye's arm after doing all that turning on the whole top !! Would look pretty interesting , to say the least .

 

Gonna Be One Great Car! That Dash Is An Awesome Idea. Great Work, Definitely a Artist / Craftsman. The Newest World Of Rods Mag Jan 2011, Has A 1929 Sports Coupe Turned Hard Top. Like these Cars Alot Also. So Many Choices!

 

nice little hot rod

 

Got the panel below the decklid in. Did some hammering on the quarter and adjusted the decklid gaps. Need to do some hammer and dolly work on the bottom edge of the decklid to get it to tuck behind the under decklid panel.

We decided to put the body back on the frame this weekend so we can finish the top. I'm a little worried finishing the side pieces with the body not in its final unstressed resting position.

 

Late night again in the shop. We spent a bunch of time on the decklid. There was some rot on the bottom edge of the inner panel that I wanted to fix. What started out as a little area to fix eventually led us to replace the whole bottem edge..mine as well do it right I suppose. We hammerformed a patch panel and welded in it. A little swipe of plastic and you'll never know.

I was also not satisfied with where the hinges were holding the decklid. The decklid was raised about a quarter inch from the pack panel of the car. I got a piece of aluminum plate and made some spacers on the band saw. Sanded and buffed the edges, installed them, and the decklid was right where it should be. Also did some hammer and dolly work on the bottom edge of the deck which is fitting much better now too.

 

wow Jerry.

I missed this thread somehow.

I thought you got a 32 coupe project. I didn't know about this one. Looks great!!!

I like the look of your tops proportions.

 

I admire the craftsmanship.

 

Some more progress.

We decided to replace the whole bottom of the outside decklid skin to get the gap nicer and to eliminate some rot. I needed to fill the trunk handle and fix some rot on the outside corners so a whole new bottom was really the way to go to do it in one shot. The trunk gap is perfect now too.

The sides of the top are now finished and the visor is on..just mocked up and not bolted down. In the pics the visor looks like it's sitting a little high..but that's because the bolts to hold it down aren't in sucking it down.

I'm going to add some wood bows underneath for some more support and also to get a better crown in the front section of the top. Not bad though..but it still needs work to get the look right.

We fabbed up some drip rails too for the top too and put them on

I also dissassembled and chopped the windshield frame.

 

Shitty cell phone pics...sorry...

Got the body back on the chassis tonight...we were carefull not to hog the painted frame up. I'll put the cowl top back on tomorrow and take a better pic

Sits pretty nice..need to do some door adjustment before ripping apart for paint. I'll probably take another leaf out of the front and back to drop it another inch. The passenger quarter is much better now too. Koz taught me how to use a shrinking hammer and dolly correctly and after he got it pretty much back in shape I took over and smacked it a little more.

Thanks to Koz, Buddy Palumbo, and Roger for coming over and helping me drop the body back on.

 

Nice I like the way it sits but an inch front and back would look killer too!

 

the top looks BIG from the side profile.. dont know why..

I'm sure I'll like it more in person.. which will be????

 

thanks Jeff..lots of work in it so far..lots to go..it aint done till it's done....

I think its because it's just a mild chop.. 3 inches. Didn't want to take too much out because it's going to sit high...would have looked goofy...whacked hard and sitting high.... Most of the guys who are putting them on duece frames or have their A bone frame Z'd hard in the back are chopping them 4-6 inches which has been the norm lately and I think is a great look too. I went a little more subtle I guess. It looks killer in person.

I'll be in the shop this weekend....cold beer....road trip for the woodie perhaps???