Projects 1933 33 34 FORD, 392 HEMI - SOMEDAY CAR BUILD

I have started the "SOMEDAY" build. It is really good to be getting into this project. It is a journey for me since it is my first rod, but thankfully I have some good help to go along with it. I have gutted the entire car and have the doors off finally. Probably will get the body off the car this week and then remove the drivetrain. Also been spending time on restoring/rebuilding my dash and the rear panel below the trunk lid. Took about a week to get the dash all repaired and set up to accomodate a 1934 Plymouth Instrument Cluster. The rear panel is finally set and I will be cutting the holes for my 51 Buick Tail Lights tommorow, along with finishing up the brackets on the inside of the dash to hold the instrument cluster in there.

With the 1957/1958 392 that is in the car, I figure that realistically puts me in a 60's type build (since I cannot believe many were yanked out of other cars right away) so that is the plan for right now. If anyone gets the Rodder's Journal, (I only have a couple issues) check out Issue 36, page 100. That is really the look that I am going for, less the same wheels and tires.

Anyways, my first question is regarding the brakes. It has disc up front and drum in the back. I believe what is on the car now is some late 60's or early 70's AMC disc brakes. I'd like to run some vintage disc brakes and not something I buy off the shelf that is new. I could have these restored/rebuilt or run something else.

Any recommendations?

 

Cool car, those AMC brakes are probably as vintage as anything else you'll find to replace em, street car discs appeared mid/late 60s. Earlier race car discs are practically made of gold and probably don't work as well as the AMCs.

If they're installed properly you might wanna use that time & money somewhere else. Shouldn't be too hard to ID what's there and refresh the calipers.

good luck

 

Looking forward to seeing this one come together, Brian....

I would leave the AMC brakes if they are properly installed.

 

It will take time, but it will be a great learning experience. It may not end up like everyone else would do it, but I hope I am satisfied when it is done. Here is a picture of the car the day I picked it up. It sat in this spot for almost 20 years, untouched. There was as much stuff in front of the car as you see on the left side of the picture. It took a couple hours to move it all out of the way. You could barely see it when we first opened the shed door.















Initially I parked the car in a shed I rent from a guy until I had room to put in my detached garage/building. I did not like the idea of the car not being where I could keep an eye on it so I finally manged to squeeze it into my garage. I did not have a lot of room to work, but enough room to start tearing it down. I started by removing the seats, all of the interior, the dash, all the original garnish mouldings, the tack track for the roof insert, the glass, the header panel, the gas tank, all the wood, the window regulators and the floor. May not sound like much, but it took a bit of time to get things removed, especially since many of the screws or nuts had not moved in years and I did not have all the perfect tools for the job. The floor was pretty solid but pitted enough that I knew I did not want to keep it. Also started tearing a few things off the motor. The drivers door had some rust out at the bottom, basically the back half. I managed to find a rust free Arizona door for this side. It is a thing of beauty to see a rust free 33 door! The passenger door was really nice, just some small pin holes on the bottom, outside and inside. My plan is to just replace the lower portions of this door. Here is a picture of the car as I was tearing it down.



I have now moved the car to a guys shop that I worked out a deal with. I get to use his shop, all of his tools and pick his brain on any questions I have. He is very experienced and very knowledgable. He is a blessing even though I may seem like a burden some days (when he is trying to get something else done, that is). We started out by working on the dash as I described before. That is pretty much set until I have the 34 Plymouth dash cluster restored to my liking. The rear panel is complete and ready for my 51 Buick Tail Lights. Our biggest challenge was getting the doors off. Those pins are a pain in the butt. We mangaged to get all of them out without damaging anything except one hinge on the passenger side. The pin broke off inside and before we knew it, the hinge was getting bent. I manged to find the portion of the hinge that bent the most and we will be able to repair the other part of the hinge. Ordered some new door pins and they actually arrived today. Today I pulled the motor and transmission. I used a plasma torch to cut the fixed mounts welded right to the frame (No, we won't be putting it back together that way, that is just how I found it) I spent the rest of the day building a stand to roll it around on (which really means it was my day to learn how to weld!, so that was cool). Lots to do, keep you posted.

 

Awesome!!!
Man, I love this car!

Nice to see you making headway on it.

 

Very neat. You were lucky to pick that car up with the disc brakes as it is, I would leave them.

 

Hey Brian its great to finally see the car. Its was tough to picture it when you
were giving me the details the day you were here.
I like it. Its cool. Keep pluging away buddy....it will get there.
later on, Mike

 

Oh yea!!! Thats gonna be sweeeet.

 

Looks like a cool project. Can't wait to see it as you go.

 

awsome coupe . I love the hemi.

 

Great find.

 

Ok, I'll keep adding pics as I move along here slowly.

For my dash that I previously discussed, we started out by welding a plate in the center of the dash where a speedometer existed, when I found the car. We then welded in another plate where the stock gauge cluster was and filled a bunch of other holes that were in the dash. I then cut the opening again to accommodate my 34 Plymouth Instrument Cluster. Photo is in the process stage, but had to go back and slowly clean out the opening until it fit the Plymouth cluster just right. I then went on to make up some tabs on the back of the dash for mounting the cluster (process incomplete in the photo). When I get some time and extra coin, I will be sending the instrument cluster out to be all restored (rebuilt, replated and tested)







The rear panel was in pretty good condition (pics show 1/2 media blasted). The last inch or so off the bottom end was a bit crusty and I did not need that portion, so I just cut that right off and we welded in a stainless rod along the bottom. At some point I will be going back and sealing this up well to prevent moisture from getting in behind the rod.
Some of the screws in the panel could not be removed so I decided to just remove them all and have new nuts welded back in place.







Once most of the panel was restored, I then starting laying out where I wanted my tail light bezels and buckets. Took a bit of time to get everything right to accommodate my tail lights/buckets, but overall it turned out good and they will fit very nice. Also custom built some brackets to hold the buckets in place since the brackets that I have for my buckets were junk.



After I removed the engine and transmission, I started tearing off the front end. I suppose I could have torn it down piece by piece, but it came out easy and was not too much of a problem to take it all apart on the floor.



The front spring was chromed at one time but looked to be in poor condition. I took the springs apart and media blasted them and then did some fine metal polishing/sanding on them. They look pretty good, but there is some pitting on the lower springs. If I paint them, it won't be a problem. If I decide to have them plated, then I will probably be looking for a new spring(s). Too early to tell what I am going to do here yet.

Removed the steering box and tore that down as well. Cleaned up really nice and is still nice and tight, so my plan is to put it back together and see how it works. Were a few cracks around what I'll call the adjustment screw, so I dropped that off at place (guy I know) that can weld cast iron. Once that is back and my gasket set for it arrives, I plan on putting back together.

The straight axle was also chromed at one time. I probably will have this rechromed, at least that is my thought at the moment. I decided to drill out the axle since it just looks cool. Once I got set up on the milling machine, had the axle level and was taught how to move everything around with the digital display, it was not hard at all.



I then went on and did some fine polishing on/in the areas that I want to have smooth. Still have to do some filling and polishing on the axle were someone previously welded bolts to it/through it for shock mounts.



Today I started to work on my passenger door. The door is not in too bad of shape for a 75+ year old Wisconsin door. Minor rust on the bottom outside and a bit more on the inside.



I managed to get the rear skin off the door today and began fitting the inner panel/skin. Tomorrow I plan on removing the lower outer skin. My schedule won't allow a lot of time on the car this week, but I think I should be able to finish the door possibly this week or at the latest, early next week.

 

Looks like like you're making great progress. Looks like a nice solid body. How did you find it? I'm guessing that you're going to spring over on the axle. I was trying to figure out why the front end looked odd.

Mat

 

Nice progress, Brian!
I like that axle. Moar pics!

Andy

 

The only issue with AMC brakes are some part houses will have to order them if you ever break. Other then that, keep them, its a good set up.

 

Well, spring came and I got busy with work, family and just life, so I have not had much time to put into the car.

I have manged to get a few things done, so here is where I am at, at the moment.

I finally manged to pull the frame out from under the car so that I could begin working on it. It is a solid frame, but it has a bunch of junk welds on it from others who have molested it over the years. Someone had massive fenders (prior to the owner I bought it from) on it and the remains of the braces were left welded in the inner wheel wheels and on the frame in this area. So, that is why you see big chunks of the inner wheel wheels missing. I had to cut these areas out to get the body off the frame.

Once the frame was removed, I got it on the trailer and hauled it over to a guy that does sand blasting. We bartered on some things years ago and it was time for him to even up his end of the deal. It blasted up really nice. Some pitting in some areas, but that is to be expected I guess. I have begun grinding off the chunk welds on it but have a ways to go to make all the repairs I want.



Since front floors were out of the car and the rear floor still has to come out, I ended up hanging the car so that I could work on it (and get the frame out). These bodies blow in the wind when not tied together tight and this ended up being my solution. Portions of the original firewall were missing so I removed that one and found a solid replacement from a HAMBER in the Milwaukee area. It is just clamped onto the car at the moment. Currently have the doors hung and have begun to get those aligned. The drivers door is tacked in for the gap dimensions I want. There is a perpendicular piece of metal welded to the center of the tabs that fit between the door and body to hold the gaps I am looking for. Once I have the lower door skin on the passenger door, I'll set that door. Slowly will move around the car, repairing or replacing the inner wheel wheels, lower rear quarter patch panels, rockers and at some point in the maze (this winter), weld in the firewall and begin working on the floors.

 

Looking good, nice work so far...on a neat old rod.

I bought some axle parts last week from a guy who still has his fenderless 33 5w since... 1956! last driven in "67 or 68" he said. He hopes to finish it soon...and it's not for sale.

 

Cool old rod you have there. Lots of updates please!

 

Dang, nice progress. Good job on polishing up that diamond in the rough.

 

Nice Job, great looking car...please keep us posted.

 

Too cool

 

someday, i will have a 4-2 hemi intake just like you...

 

Ok, finally getting back at this car now that winter is here. Tore my motor down last week. It had a broken ear so I took it to a guy that can weld cast well. It turned out beautiful. You can't even tell it it was touched to be honest. Needed to get the ear fixed so that I can make/determine where the motor mount supports need to be. Found an original set of Hemi Motor mounts. Just bought actually, so they should be here soon. Once they arrive, will mock up the engine and tranny to the frame. As soon as that done, the engine is heading for the rebuilder.

Sent my tail light bezels to a guy that chromes diecast last week as well. This week I sent out my instrument cluster to be restored and calibrated. Probably be a couple months before I get these items back.

Been moving along on the frame as well. It's been blasted and I have slowly been welding shut all the extra holes in it and removing junk welds from others. Need to do some work on the cross-member yet so that it can be removed and do some boxing on the frame. I told my son he needs to start helping me if he wants to drive it someday. He seemed to be enjoying it, so I'm sure he will be helping me again.






Left off before with my passenger side door. I removed as little of the lower door skin as possible. We took the skin and created a shallow crease so the original skin would overlap the skin nicely. I then took a body panel glue and glued the panels together. I then went back in behind the door skin and used wooded shims/blocks to establish the curvature of the door. I let this set for 24 hours. We then went back in and welded the door skin to original panel. This worked out really well and I would recommend it over just trying to weld your panels together with no curvature established. Still though, the metal shrank and I had a lot of pounding to do to get it back to near normal. Overall though, it turned out well. Still need to get the inner panel on the door, but that will happen down the road a bit.





My original Grille was cracked at the bottom and missing one grille bar. My buddy Bill is seen beginning to work on this for me. We first built a jig from another original grille I have so that when we welded it back together, we knew it would be true. We also welded in some flat plates on the inside/backside to insure it will never crack at the tip again. Probably repair the grille bar (have an extra) next week. We then have a bunch of filling and polishing before it goes off to be rechromed (that will be when I have the cash!)



Started working on my rear tips today. These little buggers were very hard to find. I started by removing a bunch of the inner metal from them that I do not need for my build. I then slowly fit the tips to the car. Thankfully I was able to line up two original bolt holes on each tip to the car. These are just mocked up here. Eventually they will be media blasted and will probably be one of the last things welded to the car.





Lots of pounding to do on the rear quarters. Someone welded large fender flares on this car years ago...right to the car! Oh well, we'll get it fixed.

Plan on ordering all of my sheetmetal next week. I really think this car should start to take shape in the next month. Keep you posted.

 

Awesome project! I love the pics you took when you found it, they are classics.

 

Looks like a great project! Maybe some Buick finned aluminum drums in front? Discs may be needed with that kinda power though. You're kid looks a lot like me when I started working on stuff- make sure you tell him to close his mouth when he's grinding. My dad didn't (and I wasn't smart enough to do it either until I got a mouth full of sparks.) Those are some great memories!

I'll be looking forward to updates!

 

Ya, those would look cool, but I know I will end up running discs on the car just for the stopping power. I really want to drive this car places....more than just around the block. Ya again on the mouth thing, he started to smile when he realized I was taking his picture.

 

? for you guys though. I have been thinking about what I want to do with my windshield frame. The car is going to be a silver/natural metal finish color when done. I'm not sure if I should chrome plate it, nickel plate it or paint it black. Pretty much will have a silver and black theme to this car.

 

Still moving along. I'll get more pics out when I get a bit further. Decided to scrap the rear 1/4's and I'm going to replace them with 1/4's from SAR. The more I thought about it, with all the work I'm putting into the car, I did not want be pissed at myself for not making the body as pristine as possible. Now is the time to do it, not later!

 

Brian...it's time to bring this back up top. Let the fine people know what's been going on with your build..still planning to use those Steve's Restoration quarter panels? Yours are not saveable? What kind of 4 speed transmission/clutch/adapters are you using?
Inquiring minds MUST know!

 

I vote for nickel plate, just because it's not chrome and it looks so vintage.