Hot Rods 31 Model A Victoria Build w/Pics – Miss Vicky

that is a beautiful car sir. You should be proud. That is a lot of time, money, & hard work. Thanks for letting me see it.

 

Awesome Dave, looks like flow-through ventilation. Is that an optional feature??

 

I broke the windshield glass installing it in the frame, so I had to have new glass cut Robert. This car is fighting me every step of the way.

Frustrated with my broken glass and motor problems, I decided to work on something else just to continue forward progress. So I whipped up this removable transmission tunnel so I could service the transmission and clutch assembly without removing the engine or body. I didn't take a lot of pictures, so there will be a few gaps in the supporting photos, but the written parts should make it clear.

1. I started out with a good size (maybe 36 x 36) piece of 20 gauge scrap that a buddy had run through his slip roll. So it was basically a big, slightly conical half cylinder. From there I worked the diameter down by bending it against my knee, leg and a 3-1/2 inch piece of pipe, to a smaller circumference, resulting in a tighter half cone shape. (sorry, no pics)
   
   
2. Then I bought some 3/4 x 1/8 (Lowe's) strapping and laid out several pieces to form the flange shape against the floor of the car. I clamped the strapping down to the floor and tacked all the pieces together. (sorry, no pics)
   
   
3. I took the flange out to finish welding the pieces together, and grind them smooth. At this point it looked like one continuous piece of strapping in the shape of my trans tunnel. (sorry, no pics)
   
   
4. Next I drilled the holes into the flange and screwed it down to a thick, flat piece of plywood. This gave me the the outer structure to fit the sheet metal cone into. I proceeded to bend the cone ever tighter, and cut the overall size down to an inch or so too large to fit into the flange I had screwed down to the plywood. (sorry, no pics)
   
   
5. From there I just bent, test-fit and trimmed until the sheet metal half cone fit into the flange. Once I was satisfied with the fit, I tacked the cone to the flange. You can see the cone, and the 3/4x1/8 perimeter I welded together. Here's a pic of this stage:
   
   
   
6. I didn't want to have to grind/dress a continuous weld down the entire seam on the top since it would show, and likely distort the 20 gauge, so I made a welding jig by cutting a hole into the plywood big enough to put the arch of the tunnel into, but small enough to still screw the flange down. This also prevented the flange from distorting while I fully welded the seam from the bottom. Here's the cone welded from the bottom in the plywood jig:
   
   
   
   
   
7. I made the spherical end from the outside of a 90° bend in a piece of left over header pipe. I cut and test fit until it was close, added a few pie cuts to get the contour right, and welded it in. (sorry, no pics before I welded it in) After grinding and filing, it looked pretty good:
   
   
   
   
   
8. I ground the welds on the bottom so the flange still sat flat on the floor of the car and then marked and drilled the holes into the floor. Once the tunnel was bolted down, I measured and marked where the shifter hole needed to be. again, I started with a very small hole and just made small adjustments to the size and position with tin snips so the shifter was perfectly centered in the hole:
   
   
   
   
   

 

Sweet!

 

Hey Stranger, I trailed you into town earlier this week, the tunnel looks real good!

 

Yeah, I thought that was you Bruce. You should stop by sometime and check out the progress. I'll fill you in on all the problems I've been having.

 

I'll try, been so busy, ever since I retired ...

 

I started installing the interior this weekend. Still gotta fit the carpet, make and cover the side panels between the windows, and make some sort of headliner.

 

Nice work Dave!

 

Looking very good, Dave! I like the tranny tunnel .... keep on moving. Me - I take two steps forward, 3 back ....

 

Me too Tom. In fact, I've had to take a HUGE step back with the motor. The heads are off and back at the machine shop. It seems that the rocker shafts were not adequately oiling the rockers and valves, so the rockers galled to the shafts and an intake valve galled to its guide, then it stuck open and the piston smacked it and bent it.

 

Awww sh#t !! Well ... with the heads outta' the way, we can re-admire your pretty firewall. Hope the repairs don't hurt you too much. That blows man. Sorry to hear that.

 

Keep making progress, that will get the job done.

 

Sorry for your engine woes - like Sam says, just keep moving forward as best you can. Anything really worth doing is not without its setbacks - part of the challenge of doing it in the first place. At least that is what I keep telling myself ....

 

The interior is Sweet! Do I see pin striping on the garnish molding?

 

Thanks Lee, and no, you're not seeing pin striping on the garnishes, it's reflections on the edges of the factory deco details on the pieces I had chrome plated.

Been working on the interior panels above the belt line. Make pattern, transfer to panel material, cut out, bend, and fit. Then I have to cover them in black vinyl.

 

I bought some more black vinyl today and started wrapping the panels I made for in between the windows. But first I glued the xmas trees from the back so they don't show. I've got four more panels to wrap tomorrow.

 

I wonder how many nagas went into making that vinyl?

 

I know it's been a long build but you are closing in on the finish line,the car looks great as does the interior. HRP

 

Interior is looking good. Sorry to hear about your engine woes. Been following since the beginning and really like your build.

 

Wondering about the upholstery materials, the white pleated material, is there a place you can buy that or did you sew all the pleats? Also, are you going to have a wind lace around the doors, thanks.

 

You lost me ... nagas? Oooooohhhhh, naugahide.

I made and fit all the the interior panels, built the back seat out of plywood and modified the front seats so they tilt forward to gain access and egress for back seat passengers. I also figured out the upholstery design (the black and white areas) and drew it onto the panels and seats with a white paint pen. Then I took the whole pile to the upholstery shop and had them do all the sewing. So no, I didn't sew the pleats. They made an attempt at installing the seat and door panel covers, but I wasn't satisfied with their work, so I've taken all the vinyl off and restretched it. So basicallly, the upholstery shop did the sewing for me.

My plan is to wrap and mount all the black vinyl pieces that go above the belt line and between/above the windows myself. Then I'll make a rigid panel for the headliner and have the upholstery shop sew more 2 inch pleats in another piece of white vinyl. I'll then wrap the rigid headliner backing with that white pleated piece and install it. The white insert should lighten up the interior and create some light colored reflections in the chrome garnish moldings so they don't get lost in all the black.

For the floors, I'm leaning toward black wool square weave carpet, but I'm also considering a black textured mat cut to fit. The edges on either will be bound by the upholstery shop after I've cut them to fit.

 

Interior looks great. Lol, just noticed the rear cranks, didn't even realize till now that A Vicky quarter windows actually rolled up and down.

 

You can buy this pre-made also, but I'm not sure how it looks compared to the "real deal":

http://www.garysupholstery.com/foamback.html

Other than that, this is a great project I've been following with interest for a long time!

 

Got the rest of the panels wrapped today. Now on to the headliner.

 

Thanks D-Russ,you sure do nice work.

 

You do very nice work, clean and tidy too.
Sorry if I missed it, but what is the panel material made of? And do you just bend it by hand, without heat or anything?

 

Thank you very much!

The material is 1/8 inch thick ABS sheet. It's for upholstery panels and I t bends with a little heat. I use a regular heat gun and bend it around whatever's the right shape. I cut it by scoring with a utility knife and snapping the scrap off.

 

As always, nice work Dave!

 

Thanks! I've never seen it before, but it looks brilliant.
Keep up the good work, not much left now!