Projects A boys intro to hot rodding and 1949 Ford woody build

Pictures of the cracks in the first block.

 

So small update and more centered on keeping my fordor running. I recieved a new clutch, pressure plate, shocks, spark plug wires, and new air filters that I had ordered as I start preparing to put things back together. This weekend I am going to drop the transmission from my fordor and replace it with one of the stock 3 speeds I have laying around in hopes that it will survive through the rest of the year with my brother driving it to school. While I am in there I am replacing the clutch disk and pressure plate from the newer one that was in my woody. As far as my woody goes I should have some more information on my woody tomorrow night or the following night.

 

I think you GF is more interested in your WOODY!!! Oh sorry that woody!!! lol

 

No updates on engine as shop has been busy and has not advanced with it any. Unfortunately the shop I have been working at the past several years is shutting down this saturday so I will be loosing a bunch of luxury's but I am still hoping to buy a lift and some other equipment if possible. If I do get the ability to purchase any equipment it will put my project off for a while for money reasons. Today I got my Stewart Warner temp gauges and panel for my woody as well as jets for the carbs a fuel pressure gauge and lastly my third timing light in a row that doesn't work. I hate to do it but I may break down and buy a snap on one just because they work and I really need one. Just one little step foreward at a time.

 

That sucks to hear your place of work is closing. I know I used to get more stuff done in my old career as a bodyman. Nice heated space, paint booth, lots of help from other employees. Ah yes, car hobby life was good. Hope you have another job lined up also.

 

Yes I have managed to get more done there on my own stuff in spare time then you would believe. Having proper tools for everything even the old ones plus a lift makes working so much easier. I now have the ability to go to one of our other local mechanics but this is kind of a down time so I am not sure what work there will be. My other option is going to Jimmy McLane, Garry McLanes son to make wheels again. Working for them before has been fascinating with their history in racing and wheels how ever working there just isnt as much my thing as wrenching is. What ever I do it will probably happen this summer as I am having do dedicate my time to school at the moment.

 

So update on fordoor more then anything. Using the last day at the shop I had a very productive day. I changed out a CV axle on parents car did oil change then dropped the transmission on the Fordor got the flywheel turned then installed new pressure plate and clutch disk as well as removing the 3 spd OD and installing a regular 3 spd. Everything went perfectly intill of course the last part which included installing the drive shaft. For what ever reason, I am hoping the tail shaft is just a little too rusty, it would not fit on so I had to trailer it home to hopefully finish this weekend. As far as the woody goes I got the window trim polished and it turned out looking incredible Morenos did a fantastic job I will just have to have the bottom straitened a little bit more. Also I got the stewart warner temp gauges set up and ready to install. One piece at a time this is slowly coming together. Will give update on engine tomorrow when I find out its status.

 

OK so a bad idea but I'm making up my mind to complete things to a certain point before I reassemble the woody. I think I will go ahead and get all the chrome such as beltline grille bumpers etc straitened and polished or chromed as well as doing some of the body work that is much needed. I figure the engine will be a while so while its apart its easier to do everything I can. As far as the paint I may rattle can the firewall but the remainder of paint and any sort of interior will wait till some more of my stuff sells.

 

PutPut, examine the tailshafts on your O.D and Std. transmissions: I have a glimmer of memory that suggests the O.D is either larger diameter or more teeth on the spline...
A caliper will tell the tale, mean O.D. on the teeth, then straight in to the lower splines.

Otherwise, if rusted, soak the slip joint in white vinegar for 24 hours, wrappwd in a vinegar soaked towel. Rinse, lube, and slip it on...

 

Atwater thank you. After miking it the splines were the same and after a few more hours under the car with some grease I was able to get the splines to slide on so it was just mildly rusty and needed some time.

 

Well after a few hours of thinking I have decided that while im doing this I might as do more and more. What I am thinking is with how baddly the roof is damaged I will go ahead and just cut it off and then go to the spare roof I picked up a few years back. I am just not knowledgeable enough with body work to want to attempt repairing it my self. I figure while I am at that I would have to remove all the glass and such so I might as well have to body blasted and primered just so I have something that looks uniform. Any opinions out there as to whether I keep it just looking ratty and try to piece the wood on it or whether I should dive in and do what I need to in order to build a good car?

 

Ok so here are some pictures of what I am working with. I can do some body work such as welding in the holes on my roof and semi straitening them but over all the amount of work needed to make my roof presentable seems daunting. I am posting some photos that show a little but its far from all the dents and smashed drip railing. Next I am posting pics of the other roof I have and am thinking of using. While it is a lot more strait the back is still dented and creased as can be seen in the pictures and some of the drip railing is fairly messed up as well. Any one on here know enough about body work to advise me which way to go? at this point and time I am not sure whether to make a call one way or another.

 

I am not a body man by any means but I think fixing the roof that's already attached to the car would be easier than replacing it and doing close to the same amount of work to straighten the spare one.... I'm the guy that tries to keep it simple

 

much less work to bang the dents out on the roof thats on it !! get yourself a dinging spoon or slap hammer what ever you wanna call it and a dolly and work the dents out , you will have alot more to straighten out after all the welding to put the new one on

 

Hmm thanks for the input. Most of the smaller dings I will be able to work out Im more worried about the large dents in the roof the I have since poped out but continue to flex in and out as the metal is stretched.

 

Still waiting on other block to see if its any good. I have made some progress with my car as you can see in the pictures. I have been removing the windows, seats, and wood so I can weld on the roof with out risking damaging it. I hope to sand down the window frames and begin wood graining them as well as beginning on repairing the roof.

 

Some good news my last block maged two cracks but neither are bad. Since I acquired the starliner the engine rebuild may have to be put off a little while but I have one good block finally.

 

Like a kid in a candy shop. Got a large portion of my stainless trim back today and man does it look amazing. A big shout out to Morenos for doing a fantastic job. Also I will be looking to sell extra pieces that I will not be needing.

 

Ok so I have finally sold enough stuff to purchase the parts I need for the rebuild. The two sources I am looking at are egge and H&H for parts as they seem to have what I need at competitive prices. The block ended up .10 crank .10 rod and .80 for pistons. Thinking rotating assembly from egge and valve train from H&H. Quick questions that I have are: OG Johnson lifters are best right? For valves chevy 1.5? 1.6? or the other one I have heard of is i think pinto valves? And last but not least would getting a reground cam have any downsides? I would buy a new cam for it but my hotrodding budget has a pretty tight budget at this time. Thanks.

 

Quinn, it took me 55 years to get my Woodie, you are one lucky guy. Take your time and before you know it you will have one of the coolest rides around. Have you joined the National Woodie Club? Remember, everybody wants a woodie!

 

Yes I am a member of the NWC thanks. The woody is the absolute coolest of cool its just given me a perspective on projects having spent the amount I have on it thus far then figuring I easily have another 20k to go on it while a restored woody is going for close to 30k on ebay. Building a car is really a labor of love.

 

Morenos polished the entire third member of my Winters rear end on my roadster. Those guys aren't afraid to work hard at all.

 

Great job. In the summer of 1968 I bought a 1950 Ford woodie sitting in an abandoned gas station is Sun Valley, CA for $50.00, minus engine. I bought a used engine from a junkyard for $25.00 and drove it through high school. It used oil but it ran good. Keep up the good work. I think your woodie came with one tailight and the lever style door handles. Mine had two tail lights and the push button door handles.

 

Alirght so months later I am finally in a position to move foreward with the engine build. I am looking at this kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-239-Fl...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item231137849f.
From what I see it has everything I need and for a lot cheaper then I could piece it together. My one question is it lists two wrist pin bushing sizes, .805 and .817, and I dont know which one I need. Can anyone lend some advice?

 

I will bump this because I would really like to figure out what wrist pin size I need.

 

A bump for you, because I would also like to know which size you need, and how to determine the same. Glad to see you posting again, Putputboom.

 

Anything done on this in the last few years?

Steve

 

any updates?

 

@Putputboom hasn't been here since January 2021.

 

Updates?