Projects '63 Falcon, and '39 Chev gassers

Just sent you a PM that might be helpful ironing out your passenger door. Good job on the "home made" dent puller.

 

Thanks Baron! Got it!
I'd love to have one of those stud pullers, but considering how little bodywork I do I can't justify it, so I make do when I need to.

 

If you were a little bit closer, you'd be more than welcome to borrow mine. I also have a cheapo dent puller that I welded some vise grips to(25 yrs ago) that works as well as any store bought tool I have. Weld a few tabs on the dented area, pull the dent out, remove the tabs, little grinding and your good to go. Unfortunately, none of these tools work on my 57 Corvette.

 

I almost bought a cheapo HF stud gun, but was afraid it might not work well, or would die quickly.

 

Love your falcon, My winter list is also being knocked out. Just installed the 471 blower, but now need a smaller water pump pulley. It never ends but is fun!

 

Thanks Mad Mikey! That 4-71 blower should add to your fun factor!

 

OH YEA!! Just wish it was not 10 degrees here. Makes it hard to warm up the shop. LOL

 

Tell me about it! It's a balmy 35-49 here for lows and highs, but since I work in a canopy tent, I run my propane space heater constantly to keep it warm! Especially now while doing bodywork! During mechanical work I ran it in the mornings, but it was tolerable by midday to shut it down. But the filler needs more warmth, so I'm running it full time now, and it does keep things toasty warm!

 

that is way cool!!! I like it.

 

Thanks Paul!

 

Just spent this am going through this thread, congrats on a great job! and my vote for best car with valve covers (as I'm not into valve covers he he). Love it that you did all this yourself, that's what its all about................

 

Thanks Carl! Hope we can get together sometime at Eagle Field and visit! Enjoyed watching you run there last fall!-Vall

 

I love it when a plan comes together! Nice hotrod.

 

Thank you!

 

stop by anytime......

 

Back on the never ending sanding/filling process today! Getting the worst of the dents and repairs gradually taken care of. Started laying down some glazing putty today for the finish sanding and feathering.
This door and front fender are the worst, but still minor.

The two rear fender lips I did on the radius are the next time consumers.

 

DENT! What DENT? Looking good there nice job as usual!

 

Thanks oldsjoe! Takes me a long time, as I have a bum right wrist, and every day of sanding takes a couple days to recover.

 

This is the first I have seen your Falcon build. Wow, it is a really cool car and what a job your doing on it. Keep it up.

 

Thanks! Appreciate that, and really enjoy your Fiat build, and what you've accomplished alone!

 

Vall.... I KNOW EXACTLY what you mean about "recovery" time. Whether block sanding by hand OR using electric and/or pneumatic sanders the results are the same..... OUCH.

In fact using power sanders seem to make matters worse due to their constant vibration.

After LOTS of hours of sanding smooth three split logs (I made into a rustic looking coffee table) I also striped-off all the layers of paint off of my El Camino my hands were a mess.

Ended up needing surgery on all four fingers on my right hand.

 

Yeah John, it's Hell getting old, but I've found I need to keep pushing myself or risk not doing anything at all on the hotrods! Seems the more idle I am, the harder it is to get back into the build mode!
Had another minor(?) setback yesterday, which will change the direction of things here on the Falcon. Was just cruising down the freeway in my Austin gasser and a rod started knocking on the 327 engine! Oil pressure looked great at 50 lbs., and after getting home I pulled the valve covers and saw plenty of oil to the top end, and all the rockers, etc. looked good. It sounds like a rod bearing or wrist pin, and makes noise even at idle, but worse as rpm's go up.
I'll be swapping places with the Austin and Falcon in the canopy, and changing gears to get the Austin's engine pulled out soon. Not sure if I'll pull the 327 apart and see what's wrong, or what direction it will take yet. I'll shoot some primer on the bare metal of the Falcon's body, and put it on hold for now, until I can decide what funds the Austin may draw from my budget. The Falcon may become my primary cruiser if the Austin isn't back together in a couple months or so.

 

It was so nice here today! Sunny and high 50's, so did some musical cars and moved the Falcon to the attached garage, and my Austin to the canopy to begin the engine tear down. Pretty sure I'll be swapping a whole new rotating assembly into the 327, as it's cheaper and quicker to get things going.
No work on the Falcon for awhile, as I can barely get around it in my tiny garage. The Austin has tons of room in the same space, and I forgot how much different in size the two cars are.

 

I played musical cars today! Not near 50 here upper 20s I had a couple REAL SIMPLE small jobs to do. Had to make it quick the snow is supposedly not far off! Surprisingly that neither job snowballed into anything too major as seems to be the norm!

 

Dude... have a new love for some falcons now!

 

Glad your jobs went well!

 

Thanks! I wasn't a Falcon guy before I decided to do this project, but always thought the early Falcons were good looking little cars.

 

Staying tuned to your build I now have a hankering for a Falcon Rancharo to gasserize!

 

Thanks Oldsjoe! May be awhile until I get back on it. Really want to get this 327 out of the way, and at the same time I'm building another gasser style Nova for a friend, that is close to road ready. Busier retired than I was when I worked for pay!
I ordered urethane rod ends for my ladder bars yesterday, as I want to get rid of the hard banging when I drop the hammer under power. I'll only change the frame end to isolate it from the noise.

 

Any pics?