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Projects 1947 Ford Sedan work in progress

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by redzula, Oct 21, 2015.

  1. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Friday night I got the seatbelts installed.
    Started by welding the nuts to the plates on the bench. Welds aren't pretty but they'll hold just fine.
    1460274121583.jpg
    1460274133073.jpg

    Then, I recruited my dad since he was around and he helped me by tightening the bolts while I held the plates from below. I decided not to weld the plates to the body as it wouldn't really add any strength it would just make installing and removing the belts earlier but how often do you really need to remove them anyway. If I ever need to I'll just grab a friend to help.

    1460274148904.jpg
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    Installed setup. I used bushings to allow the belts to swivel when installed and tight. Then it's a bolt with lock washed through the bushing which is a good fit to the hole in the belt mount tabs. I used modern style push buttons in the rear for the carseats. I don't know that it will really make a difference but for the kids seats I'd rather use a modern style. I used lift up style for the fronts because I think they look better.
    1460274175200.jpg

    Here's is how the plates look installed.

    1460274198394.jpg

    After that just washed the floor and dried up the main pools and let the rest air dry overnight and went home.

    1460274212418.jpg

    Tonight with the Floor clean and dry I starter at the rear putting the press and seal down

    1460274237221.jpg
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    A good friend came out and we talked about life for a bit so I didn't get as much done as I wanted but it was nice to talk to someone outside of family.

    After he left I finished the rear seat area and used spray adhesive to glue the felt over the wheel wells and put the rear seat back in just because. We'll see if I can get the rear door cards in with the seat back in but it might have to come back out. 1460274283697.jpg
     
    rodncustomdreams likes this.
  2. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Belts look good! And that's the exact stuff I used on my floor and etc. biggest suggestion is to go get some seam tape, it'll be in the AC duct row of the hardware store, and tape those seams up. Reduces any hints of smell and keeps the black from squishing out. I've had the car out in 100+ deg temps and my wife with a super sense of smell can't even smell it

    Keep on trucking :)
     
  3. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    I was thinking of putting a second layer down since it is a bit thinner than dynamat. Did you just use 1 layer?
     
  4. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    I used one layer on the roof and I think two on the floor. The toe board I took out and did one layer on the bottom and like three on top lol.

    I just made sure I rolled it out and then took a paint brush handle and stretched it into all the beads in the floor pan. Haven't had any trouble other than inside my passenger side door one section keeps popping off I must not have gotten it clean enough
     
  5. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    I thought I remembered doing 2 layers on the camaro I mentioned but it had been a few years and I couldn't remember.

    I got everything but the toe board covered once and about half done with the second layer. I want to keep the toe board separate so I can still remove it if I need to in the future.

    The hardest part so far has been cutting around the seatbelts but even that isn't too bad. It's pretty easy when the floor is basically all flat. I bought a proper roller when I did my dad's car which works pretty well. And I can just flip it over and use the hard handle to press the stuff into the factory stamped beads in the floor. I'm hooping to finish the main floor and get 2 layers down on the toe board tonight. Then I can start putting the carpet and interior back together for good. Barring another odd situation I should make this cars and coffee no problem. And good thing too it's supposed to be 76 and sunny on Saturday in Des Moines.

    Even test fit the seat and car seats.
    1460382749232.jpg
     
    rodncustomdreams, Johnboy34 and Tim like this.
  6. Looks like you got yourself a nice car there. Thanks for showing the updates.
    I was out of town last Saturday and didn't make the cars and coffee. Hopefully next month when it is warmer.
     
  7. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    There are a few around town. The one I'm working towards meets every 2 weeks, Saturday mornings, at REI on mills civic in West Des Moines. If you do make it down for one message me and we could meet up.

    It's by no means strictly trad. hotrods but it's always fun to roll up in a 70 year old car and watch the reaction of the kids with modern cars with paint jobs. Not that my car is any show winner but it's all fun and friendly to everyone.
     
    BigChief likes this.
  8. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Forgot pics..... recalculating
     
  9. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    It's basically all just more of the same. Peal n sealed the rest of the floor and toe board.

    1460475769642.jpg
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    Reinstalled the juke matting back where it was when I pulled the carpet and everything out.

    1460475817182.jpg

    Put the carpet back in and cut some holes for the belts to pass through. Got a little happy with the knife on the drivers side but the front seat has prayer kneelers on the back side for my rear seat passengers so the hole shouldn't be seen.

    1460475834029.jpg
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    Tonight I'm going to get the floor screwed down (PO just used trim screws that kinda hid themselves in the carpet and that worked well before so, I'm just going to redo that)
    And then recruit a helper to put the heavy front seat back in. Some trim screws here and there and the interior will be all back together.
     
    rodncustomdreams likes this.
  10. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Man that white wheel and dash trim looks bitchin! We are just now getting started in doing our interior your photos have got my jazzed for how different the car will feel with the new duds
     
    redzula likes this.
  11. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    It could all probably be redone. The white pieces are all plastic and so they are warped a bit. I wanted to do chrome at some point but we'll see.
     
  12. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Got the rest of the interior installed last night.

    1460579493243.jpg

    Had to take out the dr side rear window to remount the window to the regulator. That was the side that still wasn't working right.

    On the bench I fit it in the channels and started getting the regulator into the slides. One side went in fine but the other didn't want to.

    1460579545707.jpg
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    So I took out this screw

    1460579592698.jpg

    Then everything went well and I got it all on track.

    1460579580298.jpg

    I even remembered to put the screw back in.

    1460579563903.jpg

    But it still doesn't work right. It goes up and down fine but when it slides back for the smokers vent it will get off track again. I'm missing something but I'll deal with it later.

    Still need to tighten the shocks up a bit and cut a chunk of plywood to go on the rear seat for the kids carseats to sit on so they don't tear the fabric.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Apr 13, 2016
  13. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Looking good man, I think I posted photos of my windows out of the car on my build thread maybe you can see something your missing?

    I've got to pull my drivers side in a bit to stuff the felt channel back in it . I'll try to take a decent photo for you
     
    redzula likes this.
  14. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Started last night getting pictures of the panhard bar clearance as it was. Not great but neither was the sway bar clearance to the shock housing.
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    I definitely needed to do something about it. So I decided to pull the bar off and try and at least make the panhard bar better.
    Get it off and chucked in the vice to start heat bending it. Out of argon. Some idiot left the valve cracked a little. Not going to say it was me but I can't say it wasn't me.
    So I was going to try and use a little map gas/oxygen setup I have and see if I could get it to work. Ran out of oxygen about 2 minutes into heating, just going to be one of those nights I guess. I head out to menards to get more oxygen and noticed the shop next door still had the lights on and was generous enough to let me bring the bar over and use his torch. I undid the bends I put in it trying to get it to fit before as well as a bend that was in it when I got the car that wasn't supposed to be there. I left the short bend close to the axle end. Once it was back in shape I set aside to cool for a bit so I could undercoat it and let that dry before reinstalling.
    Reinstalled it's a little better
    1460732528840.jpg

    While that cooled I started working on the plywood for the seat. It's pretty straight forward.
    Here is the piece I had in my old falcon it was about 6" too narrow for my liking.
    1460732041438.jpg

    New piece marked a center line and puller my measurements off that so when I started cutting it wouldn't mess with my measurements. Similar to a datum line in bodyshop frame work. 1460732054957.jpg

    Started cutting out the sides to fit inside the wheel wells.
    1460732071218.jpg

    My awesome round cutting skills
    1460732080849.jpg

    Ended up needing to cut a bit more since the distance between the wells is closer further into the seat where I couldn't really measure.
    1460732093941.jpg

    It fit pretty well now so I round cut the front corners and then sander both sides and the edges to make it smoother and take off the sharp corners and edges.
    1460732116849.jpg

    I wiped it sown with a wet rag to get the majority of the sawdust off before putting it in the car.
    Then for install it just slides between the seat bottom and the seat back.
    1460732131643.jpg

    We didn't have a full width piece laying around but this is what the edge looks like in the car. It's pretty close to the contour but not close enough to rub or cause problems from interference.
    1460732151655.jpg

    Installed the seats. Even in modern cars I get in the seat myself to weight it down into the seat cushion as I tighten the belts. I get it as tight as I can with my weight and then when j get off the seat pushes back on the carseats keeping it tight. It'll never be like modern cars are but it's pretty good. Seats for the kids is one place where I skipped on look in favor of newer style push button belts. I just trust them better than a flip top buckle release.
    1460732300592.jpg
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    There is even plenty of room between the seats for me to be comfortable at 6' 230#
    1460732330823.jpg

    Drove it home and this morning my oldest had a special doughnuts with dad thing at her school so we drove the car and they rode in it for the first time. 1460732772913.jpg
    1460732793224.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2016
  15. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    That's exciting! Your pan hard bar now looks like mine does and should clear. Your spring is beginning to look like it's going to smile so I think that's most of your clearance issues cropping up, maybe?
     
  16. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Yeah I need to get one from posies pretty soon I think. Trying to reverse an already worn out spring doesn't seem like it's going to work out too well.
     
    Tim likes this.
  17. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,030

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Looking good, Adam!
     
  18. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Yeah I think a new spring, even just the main would solve your issues. With it that low, the way you've got it, your going to be hitting the frame and all sorts of shit when you hit an expansion joint in the highway.

    With it how it is your not going to find a tube shock short enough to work anyways with out some crazy tall upper mount.

    Swap the spring and then add a shorter tire or a dropped axle to get it back down is probably the best course of action.
     
  19. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,265

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    Nice job! I did the same thing for my '46 Woodie with the plywood on the seat for my grand kid's, you might want to put a blanket under the plywood. Every thing you did for the front end is going to make your car much safer. I didn't see a rubber bump stop that goes between the chassis and front axle, it screws into the bottom of the frame rail just over the axle. The front end looks really low a new spring should help. Lot's of luck with your car and enjoy the heck out of it!!
     
    redzula likes this.
  20. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    So I wasn't able to stay long at cars and coffee but I made it there. And then completely forgot to take pictures. Not that there was really much for hamb friendly cars. There was a few 46-48's. But most of the older stuff was muscle cars and bullet.

    Sorry about the OT stuff since I forgot to take any pics I have to go with the ones posted to the C&C Facebook page.

    1461095127206.jpg
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    Guy named Mike I met his sedan is a 48... I think. He's a local Des Moines guy not sure if he's on here or not.
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    Then 3rd of these bodies. It's for sale at an upcoming auction by American dream machines in downtown Des Moines
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    If you didn't look at the side you couldn't see the huge billet wheels on this 64. These things look good slammed though.
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    This guy is a regular to the classic car cruise in around town but I don't know his name. It sounds wicked though. 1461095223167.jpg

    Then oldest car there was this street rodded Model A
    1461095237263.jpg

    I left early to meet some friends for the Iowa State Spring Football game. As much as I like football I would have rather stayed at the show since I'm really a husker fan. But seeing out of town friends is always fun and I got fried standing in the sun all day at the game, don't feel bad it happens every time I see the sun.

    Back to my car
    The suspension noise is still terrible. I did tie rod ends on the cross shaft but the drag link needs to be replaced one end is a replaceable tie rod but the other in integral to the drag link and both ends are bad. I'm also going to try putting the longer shock length dog bone links on the sway bar to give it a little clearance where it hits the body of the lever shocks. Kind of a bandaid for now but if it works now it will still work when I switch to tube shocks eventually. Also on the to do list for this summer is getting a proper reverse eye spring from posies as my diy reversed spring is a little too far gone I think. I'd like to do that before the July 4th weekend when goodguys in town. But it will have to wait a couple weeks at least.

    Lastly if anyone knows someone looking for a fun project I'm still trying to sell our 62 Nash Metropolitan. I have it for sale on here in the classifieds.
     
  21. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Since the next meet up is 3 weeks away I took a short break from the car to work on other stuff out at the shop. Today though I decided to throw the girls in the back and take the 47 on an errand. It wouldn't start. Just crank and crank without every even trying to fire off. I tried pouring a little fuel down the carb and it would try and start but never really catch before the fuel I poured in was all gone. I decided to pull the top of the carb off and have a look. The bowl was completely dry. It's done this one or 2 other times but never this soon after driving. I drove it last Sunday but not much during the week cause it's been raining. Anyway I filled the bowl and put the top back on and it fired right up that is obviously the issue but I need to figure out why it's going dry so fast. There is a little weeping on the carb which I kinda thought was somewhat normal for an old 94. But there isn't any pooling or anything on the intake and the car started right up after filling the bowl so it doesn't seem like it's leaking into the cylinders and sitting there. I was going to start a separate thread for this but thought I'd start here.
     
  22. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    I gave in and ordered a posies reverse eye spring and the shackles it needs since they are different from stock. That 3 sets of shackles now lol. It came yesterday and I couldn't wait. I went out to install it last night. First step remove the old spring. I was going to try and just use the stock upper shackle mount since it's such a pain to press in and remove but the new shackles had the pins welded to one side so that wouldn't work I had to get the old ones out. I'm getting pretty good at this now after doing it a couple times. I remove the center shaft leaving the rubber and the outer shell of the upper mount. For those of you who aren't familiar with these. The stock upper shackle mount is 3/4" tube and a inner shaft with a thin layer of rubber in between. They are press fit into the bore that it part of the 46-48 wishbones. I start by removing the inner shaft. Then I cut off the slightly rounded end of the outer tube to give me a flat area the work a modified drift punch between the tube and the bore. I use a medium taper round punch. That I grind to have a point along one side. Basically making a chisel that's round on one side so it doesn't gawl the bore too much. I stick the point right where the tube meets the bore and work around the circle.once I have it all peeled a way a bit I use a socket smaller than the bore and hammer it out. I think I mentioned this earlier too. Oh well.

    Anyway I got the new shackles, spring installed and everything back together in just a couple hours and put it back on the ground. Items 3" higher than it was. The reversed stock spring minus one broken leaf was just plain worn out. That meant that the sway bar roster really close to the shock body and was hitting while I drove the car. I took out the new setup and it's super smooth now. No noises on bumps like it used to. I have a before video and I'll have to take a video of it after of the sound it made to show you guys the comparison. It's good to go now. Except now it's sits level which to me from how it was feels like it's nose high and I want to keep this as a hot rod not a tail dragger so I'll eventually install a dropped axle but probably not until after I'm done driving it for the summer. I might even be able to wait on tube shocks for a little while now too which will give me time to compile the parts.

    I also ordered a steering drag link and new dog bones which should be here later this week
     
  23. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Before
    20151031_224131.jpg
    Before height at the bumper
    20160426_230004.jpg
    Before height at the wheel well
    20160426_225946.jpg
    After its hard to see in this picture but it up a bit from what it was. 20160427_020910.jpg
    I'll get measurement pictures later but it's about 3" up. No its not real dragging the tail or a nose high gasser look, it actually site pretty level. But from where it was to now sitting in I feel like it. But for now I'm just going to deal with it.

    As it sitsao.
    The back is stock spring with extended shackles about 4" lower than stock I can measure the shackle length I'd anyone is curious

    The front is stock shackles with a 3"drop reverse eye posies spring.

    Just out of curiosity how much would a drop axle drop the front? If I remember right a 4"drop axle doesn't equal a 4" drop in the cars ride height.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2016
  24. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    I'll go re read that later when I have more time but I will say that I have the same front spring and over the last almost four years of driving it it's settled quite a lot. It settled a noticeable amount just sitting for s month, and then a little bit more after a year of driving. i think they just need a bunch of miles to get broke in and settle. Mine rides great, I'd say let it break in for a year or so before messing with the spring. I'd do the dropped axle before messing with that spring.

    That being said you could always run a shorter tire in front for a season or two ;)
     
  25. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Lol I tend ramble a bit trying to get my words out. I'm more of a I'll draw you a picture to explain something kind of guy.

    I'd rather go with a dropped axle to bring it back down. As indont want to pull leaves out and have it sagging back down tonwhere i was before. But that will have to wait a while I think.

    Any idea how far yours settled down Tim? I always heard that the aftermarket springs didn't settle much.

    Don't get me wrong though I'm stoked that it doesn't make a crap load of noise anymore. Maybe my wife will actually want to ride in it now and not be scared it's going to break.

    Shorter tire? Hell I thought the fronts were already too small. I want to go to bias plys and I'd like to tuck a little tired. To me that gives the illusion of being lower than it actually is while still being drivable as a static drop. All future plans though as a set of WW bias plys are expensive.
     
  26. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    I'm running a 27 inch tall tire and tuck a few inches up, that spring settled at least an inch if not two and still rides great. A stock dropped axle is about 1 5/8 more drop but you can get a 5 inch dropped axle from magnum <- super bell and get it way low though Then you need bolt on steering arms and etc.

    When I think about it next I'll measure for you on my car the different height wise from the cross member center to the bottom of the spring eyes so you can get a good idea of how much it settled. And honestly if anything it rides even better now

    Edit: the magnum dropped axle is 5" as in an inch more than a 4 inch so roughly 2 5/8 drop
     
    redzula likes this.
  27. Steves46
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 533

    Steves46
    Member
    from Florida

    Looking good! Keep going and have fun.
     
    redzula likes this.
  28. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    image.jpeg
    Ok so right off the bat that top arrow should go all the way to the next line.

    I measured the difference from the bottom of the center of the cross member ( bottom of the flange drawing arrow is wrong in pointing to the top ) to the bottom of the spring eye.

    I did the best I could with a flash light and my head turned side ways and it looks to be 2 1/8 inches. This should translate to your car directly because that measurement doesn't have anything to do with shackle length, tire height or anything else. Just a stock cross member and the "super slider" 3 inch drop reverse eye posie spring

    Curious to see what yours measures as I know this one settled a fair amount over the first couple years but I have no idea how much. I do know visually it changed looking at the spring itself so I assume it's sizable
     
  29. redzula
    Joined: Jul 6, 2011
    Posts: 1,225

    redzula
    Member

    Mine measures 1 7/8" which if yours is 2 1/8" after settling.... wouldn't ending weight affect that though cause you're not running a flathead are you? Either way I'll have a good base line to measure after a while to see how much it's settled.
     
  30. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,040

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Yeah I've got a small block. I'm surprised yours is that much different right off the bat. Oh well there your base line I guess. Lol

    How did your measure yours? I measured from the ground to the point and then subtracted to get the difference
     

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