Progress Report 22 Well, we are back at the Brock-inspired '42 convert as of a week or 2 ago. The car was moved from "deep storage" up onto my 4-poster and administered the NAILHEAD BUICK medicine. Seems to fit pretty well. I have new motor mounts on order, so progress had to stop at blocking the Nailhead into position and then off to happy hour!! Some of you true believers have watched this project a couple of years ago, but I got pretty sick and had to sit out a bunch of months. But I am back and have set a goal of installing the Nailer, tilt steering, and '54 Ford dash assembly. Not a bad plan for an old guy. I really like the HAMB and feel connected to all you guys who show so much talent and commitment to our old car culture. Junk Rods Suck. Russ V.
Progress Report #23 Today, I picked up the replacement 12 gauge crossmember pieces that I had bent up for the Ford, and then pulled the '54 Ford dash apart. (Pretty easy when you have access to the back side). Waiting for the front sheet metal to be available to verify nose-to-radiator clearances, so I am concentrating on fitting the '54 dash and mounting the steering. I think I was getting burned out when I was working on the channelling, new floor and rocker pans, etc. But now I am back!! Pics tell the story. Russ V.
Glad you are back at it with this car. I have been looking forward to see some more progress on it. Have fun!
Progress Report #24 The X-member replacement pieces were massaged into position today..... had to cut in a dog leg on the driver's side to allow exhaust clearance and fabbed in kickups on each side to clear the floor pan. Not a really big deal and now I am really ready for motor mounts! Still need to get hold of the front sheet metal for fan-radiator clearance checking.
Progress Report 25 The front sheet metal was added back to the car and a '46 radiator stuffed into the remaining space......once again, good thing I insisted to myself on verifying just how much clearance I had to work with. Looks like I need to hog out a good bit of firewall to slide the engine back about 2". I am a bit bummed, but this is another reminder to me of the need to go slowly to make sure I don't over-commit before checking out all the variables!! Pics tell the clearance story. (The Nailhead is a bit longer than the SBC!!)
Well its either that or have custom radiator built that is a little narrower, allowing it to be moved forward. The looks like a nice firewall, it'd be a shame to cut it up. Just a thought fueled by a few Longboard Lagers...
Progress Report #26 After marking out the required cuts, I pulled the front of the car apart and relieved the firewall. The engine/trans was re-set into place, 2 1/2" further aft, re-centered and re-blocked into position. A rear tranny mount was then made up and tacked into place to make the new location of the engine somewhat permanent. Front sheet metal was put back into place to verify fan-radiator clearance, hood set in place to verify adequate upper radiator clearance. (This took a lot longer than it takes to tell it!!) With all this done, I took the hood, radiator, front sheet metal back off the car and fabbed up front motor mounts and tacked them into position. The Nailhead is now in its final location and looks ready to go to work!! Next task is to lay in the tilt steering column and steering shafting.
Progress Report #27 I took the empty '54 Ford dash, cut it in half and mounted the driver's half so that I could get a feel for how the GM tilt column would fit up....(I work alone and dealing with half of the dash seemed easier....) After determining that I was on the right track, I narrowed the dash 6" and remounted the full width unit. Next, it was removed again to fab up a column mount into its lower edge. Steering column was next. Getting closer to being able to steer the car! After the column was bolted into the dash and everything back into the car, I added Borgeson U-joints and Double-D shafting to join the column to the Mustang II rack. A set of low sitting seats from an '85 Cougar were brought in from the local wrecking yard and now I can sit in the car and make "Nailhead noises" . (Seat heighth seems comfy, but the seat backs are at least 6" too high. Disassembly and shortening will come with reupholstery. I am now building a rotissary from a couple of heavy duty military engine stands to mount the body for final welding, etc and also go to work on final welding, prep on the chassis. My progress was good this past couple of months, but now it is time to put the convertible into storage for another season. (We go south to Yuma each winter to escape Montana winter weather.)
PROGRESS REPORT, SEPT '13 (lack of progress) To all the faithful followers of this project....I have been busy working on a sectioned '50 Ford Club Coupe this season...and the convert stayed in the sleep/rest mode all year. I have absolutely not abandoned the project and hope to get back to it during the '14 building season. Thanks for your loyalty. Russ V.
Well it is 2014, and my '42 Ford juices are still not warmed up. Have been working really hard on a '50 club coupe shoebox that my son and I sectioned 4", added a Nova clip and a '54 Ford dash assembly. Plus, I spent a good part of the winter in Arizona working on putting a '40 dash into my '29 roadster pickup. Pics are offered to serve as excuses for not getting the '42 on the road. Watch for progress somewhere, somehow. Russ V.
The shoebox is looking good Russ, but that convertible needs some love too! Hope to see you guys at the swap meet.