Hi all! New here. As described in my introduction, I am helping the owner of a 36 Ford get his grandfather's car back on the road. This won't be a restoration or a hot rodding project, but rather to simply get the car back on the road, as if it had never been parked. It has lots of authentic patina and we are keeping it. The V8 flathead was restored years ago but never run. It's in the car. The transmission has been overhauled and is still sitting in a box. The body looks great. There's a fair bit of rust but nothing that compromises the structural integrity. The running boards and part of the fenders have rusted through, but we have replacements. We even have extra grills and even an unused bug screen, with the price tag still on it. I'll be poking around here to learn what I can before we get deep into this. In general, the plan right now is to start by removing the interior and and getting new seat and door covers, replace the windows that have started to delaminate, and other things we can do before putting it on a lift or jack stands. Mechanically, I want to remove the front cross member and go through the suspension and steering, and the brakes. Next we'll do the same in the back. Along the way we'll get the radiator looked at, the gas tank cleaned out, and so on. Any advice you can give will be much appreciated. Thanks, Mike
Its great you are helping him but I would focus on the mechanicals 1st before the interior. In particular getting the gearbox back in the car and getting it all started, running and yard driving. Before pulling suspension etc apart have a good look at it, it may just need servicing. Check king pins etc. Are the brakes still the mechanical or been changed to hydraulic? It might be a naming thing but unless its damaged some how and badly, no need to remove the front cross member. The suspension etc is pretty simple and similar on many of those cars so spend an hour or 2 on Irontrap Garage youtube channel watching his suspension videos.
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Sounds like a neat project! I do miss my 36. Don't disassemble the front end sheetmetal unless you really need to; reassembly can be a nightmare. On the crossmembers, they're part of the frame and aren't readily removable. You make it sound as if you think they are like some kind of clip, like a modern car. Well that's how it reads to me. Chris
I think when he gets under it, he’ll see what it takes to drop the front suspension. @m610 looks like a great car, I like the approach you guys are taking. Also visit the FordBarn. Many more keep it simple approach, not that the HAMB can’t do it, but it’s considered more of a “stock site” than the HAMB is. Just opens up many more options and advice.
Mike, Welcome and a hearty hello. The coupe looks like an excellent project As a suggestion I would follow your own initial words posted, ie: “As described in my introduction, I am helping the owner of a 36 Ford get his grandfather's car back on the road. This won't be a restoration or a hot rodding project, but rather to simply get the car back on the road, as if it had never been parked.” Concentrate on getting the car running. Install the tranny and make the car move again under its own power. Do NOT take it apart beyond doing what needs to be attended to in order to get it running. Repair its underpinnings (suspension, brakes, rudimentary wiring, radiator/cooling, etc). But do so in a way that you still leave as much of the car as intact as possible Most people can blow a vehicle into a thousand pieces. Few ever get them back together again. It’s not intended as a slight or insult Get a notebook, a white board or a napkin and detail attainable goals. Keep it as simple as possible so you can follow through I have purchased or been given at least 8 - 10 projects that were blown apart due to the guys being fired up initially then utterly overwhelmed and gave up when every corner of their garage and attic was filled with a zillion pieces of a formerly complete vehicle. Right this minute one of my Brothers has three cars torn apart and is suffering with serious health issues.
Thank you all for the suggestions. My reason for starting with the interior is I can do that with the car still on its wheels. We'll be getting a lift soon, and once it is here I'll start on the brakes, suspension, everything under the car. My experience with field-finds has been that getting the car running was the easy part, and focusing on that tended to make us neglect the rest of the car until a problem developed. In this project I want to make sure the foundation is solid first. I've got a notebook. It will be a diary of sorts, helping us keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done. I haven't gotten a good look at the underside yet, so as noted it might be simpler than I think, which would be nice, maybe. There's something to be said for being able to work on the steering, brakes, and suspension when the whole assembly is on the bench. And of course, be very careful around those leaf springs. The Opel GT has a transverse leaf in front and if you are not careful disassembling it you can break some bones. The brakes are mechanical and at this time the owner wants to keep it that way.
I understand the want to do the interior because its easy to get to, but, keep in mind. The transmission in that car installs from the inside, not the bottom, you don't need it on a lift. Also It has a Torque Tube, not a drive shaft, Meaning that the entire rear axle will need to be un bolted and moved back in order to install the transmission(the torque tube is part of the rear axle making the rear axle assembly about 8 feet long and 5 feet wide.). having pulled early ford rear axles out on a lift and on the ground, trust me it easier on the ground. The other question is, Why do you want to remove the front crossmember? it is riveted in. If you thought it was bolted in, that's fine, but if its is currently bolted in that will not cut it for a driving car, it either needs to be riveted in or welded in to be able to hold up. These frames have flex engineered into them and bolts will work loose causing all sorts of problems. The suspension is very simple and works remarkable well, really just check for condition of the leaf springs, kingpins tie rods and spring shackles and that's it for the front end.
^ Thanks. Parts f the flow are already out and the battery tray is open. I can see the back of the engine, too, the flywheel. I don't expect the finish the interior before starting on the mechanicals, but I can get the interior out and see about getting seats and door panels reupholstered, headliner redone, etc. They will go back in after everything else is done. I'm familiar with torque tubes. My Opel GT has one, but it also has a short drive shaft between the torque tube and transmission. Odd, to me anyway, that the transmission installs from inside the car. Then again, it isn't big. Thanks all for the tips.
We used to live by the credo "Do the the greasy stuff (eng. trans, brakes, susp.)before the shiny stuff (paint/interior), or the shiny stuff will get greasy" Transmission install is done for ease of assembly at the factory.
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