Projects "Fly'nBrian" '34 Roadsterproject.

Thanks for the kind wishes Jeff. Indeed, the car projects took a back seat as the Spartan trailer came together, but it's done, I'm 100%, and nothing horrible on the horizon! The hip replacement slowed things down, that's for sure. I can (sort of) heat the shop, at least enough to paint the frame and bits, so having a finished, rolling chassis and running engine should be a pretty reasonable goal for spring. I've got to pick a color, I have a little file of '34 highboys and have some ideas. It'll be a busy winter!

 

So, interesting tidbit that had me scratching my head: The forward part of cowl doesn't rest on the frame, by quite a bit. Being that this is the first '34 I've had, and it's all reproduction stuff, I wasn't sure what was happening, but I think the original frame must have been "Z'd", and the lower part of cowl trimmed off, frame raised to meed the character line the flows from hood back down the rocker panel. So, I've got to make a new panel to follow the frame and body mout. Maybe Steve (Gear Jammer) can jump in and verify this?

 

This article shows the inside pretty well.
http://www.the34fordroadster.com/inner-cowl/
This will show the outside.
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1108...108sr-05-1934-ford-highboy-coupe-tape-measure
Your frame rail looks stock in the front in your pics.
I'm adding this one too, a good shot of why it is the way it is, in case you run fenders.
http://www.the34fordroadster.com/front-passenger-side-inner-fender/

 

Thanks Johnboy 34, I printed those pages off at work today in an idle moment and been looking at them too! Gear jammer told me that the car's original frame wasn't kicked, but had a simple "S" bracket under the cowl between the body and frame. For some reason, that body was missing that vital part. This a VERY old 'glass body, maybe a Speedway body, that was evidently bought without floor, bracing, inner panels etc, so it's not very "exact". ;-) I'll make it work, I'll probably make my own little wedge shaped bracket to incorporate the missing body mount, and sub-rail support that'll just pinch between the frame and the floor. No need to reinvent the wheel!

 

The problem, no "foot" at the bottom of the cowl to bolt to the frame. The fix, a bracket that sets on top of the frame extending back to the body mount hole at the front door post, to the edge of the firewall, with tabs to bolt to the frame. The tall leg on the bracket will bolt to the (solid oak reinforced) inside edge of the cowl as shown. Even just clamped on with vice grips, I can shim the cowl and have door alignment almost perfect. Bolted on, it'll be a cinch.

 

Wheels. I have these Dayton 15" rim laced knock-offs, that look like Jag XKE wheels. My plan is tall, like 7.20x15's out back and 5.00's up front, blackwall, and paint the wheels, leaving the knock-off spinners chrome. The WW's are a set of 14" bias ply's that on crusty old Ansen Sprints I was going to put on my T'bird. Steering column/wheel are '58 T'bird, so I think the Jag wheels would "fit".

 

the original "feet" look kinda like that, with the bracket in place. I'll shoot you a photo of mine later


-edit- the articles above show good photos of how the feet look from the outside of the car.

 

and I like the wires better, and in full chrome

 

Not to "street-rod-ish"?

 

I like the chrome wires, maybe looks a bit 70s ish, but painted could date the look older.

If you've any questions, as to the look of any parts, throw it up on the Photoshop thread.
Those crazy photoshoppers do an amazing job/service for the members here.

 

The foot looks great! I would suggest to box the end for appearance, you probably already thought of that.
I like the wires also, a little classy!

 

I thought about boxing them too, but, that would make it almost impossible to get the body mount bolt in and tighten. Tough enough as is, and with the splash aprons on, totally invisible, so , I think I'll leave 'em open.

 

Nice work. I also like the look of the wire wheels.

 

I like the chrome wires too. "Too street-roddish?" Buick Skylarks had them in '53, T-Birds (as an option) in '57, and some other mid-late-fifties cars as well. I think they look great! If the chrome is in good shape, I'd run them like that.

 

Thanks. I like the chrome but I though was maybe a bit incongruous with the rest, but if they pass the HAMB sniff test, the chrome must be OK. I like way they're laced, right out at the rim, looks exotic and different. Guys were trying to emulate British sports cars, so I guess they'll look legit. The chrome is very nice on them, and the Buick front drums DO look nice behind the spokes. ;-)

 

no, not streetrodish. And the look will depend on the rest of the car as well. If it's kept classy, they'll look right at home.
Open hood, blown engine, they would look out of place. Closed hood, clean body = classy

 

Yes!

 

Contact Tom at R&J Enterprises he makes new lower feet just like the originals. Just FYI

 

Go with the spokes, it'll give a bit of a European flare, like Edsel Ford tried to do in those years. Esp if you size the tyres accordingly.

Sh*t. I must be hanging around Captn Scarlet too much...

 

I think the chrome wires look great. HRP

 

The "Aye's" have it. Chrome stays. ;-) I guess trading that 14K mile 454 and 400 Turbo for them wasn't such a bad deal after all. ;-)
Now I'm going to have to save up for chrome for the w/s posts and frame! And, that grill shell is a bit gnarly...

 

One vote for the old slots!

Chrome wires are for low riders.

 

Worked all afternoon trying to align the hood and grill shell. I've come to the conclusion that this is an aftermarket grill that is NEVER going to fit properly. I can get it close, but it's just off about 3/8" in the curve at the top. Rather that trim the Rootlieb hood, I may just strip the paint from the grill bars, which have fair chrome, finesse the grill shell's hood mating area with Mar-Glas or Tiger hair to fit hood. The stamping isn't very "crisp", so I'm not going to be out anything, and I rather like a '34 grill painted anyway.

 

Here's the splash apron mocked up, it also "kinda" fits, but it does verify that the bottom, and the very top, of the grill/radiator are in the right spot.

 

IMO don't un-chrome the grille. Whenever I see a painted '34 grille I think back to the high-tech days of the '80's. Hot rod '34's are supposed to have chrome grille shells. Either make the hood match, or live with the gap. It's better than a painted grille. Take that with a grain of salt.

 

I was out looking at again, with a fresh perspective. It looks like I could pick up 1/4" if shorten the bulb at the back edge of the grill shell where hood circles around it. This grill shell looks as if it's already been cut apart and re-welded in this area, if I did that, each hood half could slide forward 1/4", still fit that "bulb", and sort of split the difference of the gap at the grill shell and hood union at the front. As it is now, the center of that curved forward part fits OK, with the 1/4" gap widening to where the hood rolls over the side to about 5/8". I'd be happy crowding the center, to get down to 1/4" gap at the sides. Shoving the bottom of the radiator rearward (too far) makes the bottom corner of the hood fit, but makes the gap at the curve worse, and I can't lean the radiator back any further because the hood tops hit that "bulb" grill shell at the center. This grill shell I'm sure is one of the cheap Argentinian knock offs, the stamping lines aren't crisp and it the chrome is thin and pitting. I'd much rather modify it a little and make it fit the expensive Rootlieb hood than cut the hood to fit a crappy grill shell.

 

I actually had the same conclusion when looking at the pictures. Certainly appears the "bulb" portion on the grille shell is quite a bit longer than the opening in the hood.
Also, the formed angle of the grill (center to the sides) looks slightly shallow at the top.

 

put your knee inside behind the Ford emblem, and bend the upper sides on the shell backwards. The center should rise up a tad, but you can gain some on the sides.

 

agreed. I'd rather see a slightly crusty grille, than a painted one. Especially with the chrome wires (that we are making you run....)

 

Haha!