Projects "Fly'nBrian" '34 Roadsterproject.

Hey Brian, what are all those holes for in the windshield frame? Looks like the Bonnie and Clyde car thread.

 

I have no idea. Between them and the rust, it was made largely o air.

 

Crows feet in the wheel well.

 

LOL. Did you add the crows feet? My speed 33 body doesn't have them and I was thinking about welding a set in. Worth the hassle? I added the cowl vent and door hinges which was sort of a pain but I'm glad I did. I think those touches give a repop body some extra style, not that I'm trying to pass it off as a Henry steel car but I appreciate the original version enough to copy it. You evidently do too. Love the car, keep it coming!

 

Yeah, these wheel wells, like most 'glass bodies, were flat. I filed a notch in a bondo spreader with a half round file, and followed lines I drew on the wheel well (after I ground the paint off down to gel-coat). They're short strand glass fiber, and the skim coat of plastic over that. This body has a cowl vent, and I have a steel one, but it doesn't fit (?) even though it appears to be exactly the same. I don't think it'll be worth the time to make the steel one fit, so I'm not gonna use it.

 

I cant tell from the photo but are your chicken feet raised or recessed? They look raised? You may have said earlier so I apologize if I don't recall but what color are you going with outside and inside? I remember you like the purple hue, still going that direction? Firewall color? Sorry for asking so many questions but we are right about the same stages on these 34 roadsters.

 

It being hard to mold 'em in reverse, they're inside out! ;-) I guess I could have cut the glass with my router down into the plywood that's boded to the inside, and glassed the routed areas in, but this seemed like an OK alternative. And, if anybody points out that they're inside out, I'll tell 'em I did the best I could with a bead roller on fiberglass. I have a couple of black leather hides, and 10 yards of "Blackwatch" plaid outdoor fabric, so it's going to (at least we think) these colors. The exterior will be black, and I have the chrome 15" wires, and a set of 16" (well, I have two Fords, I need two with chevy bolt pattern) and 16" big and littles. I have a cool set of 14" Astros and wide whites, but they don't fit the Buick drums.

 

Any updates?

 

1933 ford wheel wells did not have the crow feet only the 34 ford. If the car is a 33 it should have smooth wheel wells

 

UPDATE! I've had a week of caring for my 93 year old dad, so nothing happened. He's home from the hospital, doing very well, although I went to my folks place to help out in the morning, I spent the afternoon in the garage. I got the "chicken-foot" detail done in the fender wells (This car wears a '34 hood and grill shell, so, I wanted to make it look "correct"). I think they turned out well, and although they're "inside-out", it adds a little authenticity. From there I went to the dash and steering column. The car came with a '59 T'bird column and wheel, which I really like, and the column drop from the original build, a flathead connecting rod, chromed. The wheel was too close to the seat back, and a bit too low. I made a 1" square tubing brace that bolts to the oak bracing under the w/s posts, that follows the curve of the '32 style dash, about an inch forward of the back of the dash. A tab on it to support the column drop moved the steering column forward and up, so it's much, much better now. In addition, I can now make a steel brace and tuck that inside the 'glass A pillar, tie those to the oak 2x2 brace at the floor, which will stiffen the body up immensely. Lots of cowl shake as is, this should fix it.

 

I like the wheel, the dash looks great! I don't think it's too much...

 

Thanks! Looking at the '32 style dash behind that T'bird wheel makes me happy. That's what determined the late 50's/early 60's build style I'm going with, and reminds me a little of my favorite model car when I was a kid, Monogram's "Big Duece". Gauges in the firewall too, another nod to that little car.

 

Who wouldn't smile sitting behind that wheel and dash combo cursing down the road? Joe

 

If I was driving that car I wouldn't be cursing. I'd be smiling.

 

OOPS fat fingers got me again! Joe

 

Great build Brian! I really love it when you take all these really cool details and old parts on a glass body , it gives it soul ! It must be weird not to have to fix rust though!


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Thanks koolkemp! I am making almost enough work for myself ironing out this 40 year old glass body as to have started with a steel one! Although, I know that's not really true, as my buddy "Millersgarage" is doing a '34 cabriolet, steel, and he's practically building a new body, it was so rusty. He's sent me photos of his, which has helped me with the little details like the body seams and the wheel well details that'll make it look a little more "real". Are you back on your projects after your health issues? I sure enjoyed your '47 build, very inspiring.

 

It's warm enough here today that I could be painting the chassis. If I had the shop cleaned out enough, and the T'bird, Riviera and Pontiac wagon covered up... There'll be warm days ahead soon, and I'll be ready.

 

Health issues aren't going away anytime soon , maybe never so the garage is keeping me semi sane ! Takes me forever to do anything but at least I'm doing something and not watching TV. Frank Zappa has helped a lot the last few weeks. I'm picking away at the 47 , I've gone through the whole shop turfing out junk, organizing parts and making room to work. My brothers coming to visit for March break so the front clip and doors will be back on the car that week for sure! I forgot how much I like that car, still abunch of things I hate and want to redo ! Instead I'm just focusing on getting on the road as easily as possible. Details can come later.


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Good on ya ^^^. ;-)

 

memory says it and a '32 roadster were cover or centerfold cars...

 

Getting the paint rack ready...

 

,
So, here's a thought. The w/s posts I did a quickie DA and buff on the bronze casting. The w/s frame is rusty, I brazed the holes up, and (mostly) filed the braze flat and DA'd it with 80 grit. What if I do a finish buff on the posts, then polish and blue the w/s frame with brown, rather than traditional blueing? I like "raw" metal finishes, and while it's not traditional, the browning would sort of match the polished bronze posts, and the contrast might look interesting.

 

That "browning" sounds cool - I'd try it just to see the result.

Steve

 

I have no excuses now not to start painting chassis parts.

 

Cool then can't wait! Joe

 

If it helps Brian, here is a picture of the cowl brace inside my Speed 33 body. Ignore the dash bracing, that was the jog I had to put in it to add my glove box due to the hinge. Nothing cool comes easy. You can see the size of the bracing they installed in this car to brace an all steel cowl. It is probably overkill but I hope it helps.

 

Thanks for the photo. My '32 dash has no glove box, so I could keep it simple. The door post brace is similar to what I'm doing.

 

I smell PAINT! Warm today, I was able to get the frame and hardware primed. I have some blocking and glazing to do, but having in primer feels GREAT!

 

Went back and checked it out...
She was centerfold car from Springfield, Ma...
Street Rodder July 1983....... COOL !