Projects I just bought my last one.....a shoebox

Glad you got this fine Coupe! There was always some surprise to every old car I bought, sometimes nice surprises, more often not so nice surprises. But this is a beautiful coupe and I think it has found the right caretaker to tinker and fix it. Have fun!

 

There's some big things coming for the coupe.

1. I'm going to get all the factory gauges functioning. Hopefully the dash units are not all burned out. It looks good, at least the temp gauge is resting on H. That's where it should rest. That's a good sign.

To get to the gauges and under the dash I'm going to pull the front seat. I've got some material to cover the worn and damaged seat bottom. When the seat is out I can address some minor holes in the floor. I'm also going to pull out the rear seat and cover the bottom of it.

For the gauges I purchased 3 sending units. The two temperature units and a oil sender.

Above is the King Seely Temperature sender. This is the working part of the gauge. This unit goes to the passenger head and it's the one that actually measures the temperature.

This above is the King Seely temperature switch. This works in conjunction with the temperature sender. This goes on the drivers head and the temperature circuit runs through it. This switch does not measure temperature like the sender, rather it trips and sends the dash gauge to hot. Basically it's set to trip if the engine gets too hot.

Last is the oil sender. This too is a King Seely unit. This will go in a vertical position on the back of the block at the oil outlet. It's best these be mounted vertically but if they are mounted horizontal they need to be in the correct orientation or they could read wrong. That's what the dot on the top of the sender is, It should face up.

The factory Ford units made by King Seely were very good units and were very accurate. It's really fascinating how they work. I chose to go NOS as they are still available and the reproductions are not the same quality.
I do have a little guilt in a way. The temperature switch has been in it's little box for 70 years. It's a little collectors item but it's going to be used as intended. Of course I'm going to save the little box.

I hope my wiring is not deteriorated. The brake switch wire just crumbled. Hopefully the main harness is repairable. I'll see when I get under the dash.

2. I'm going to put a restrictor in my oil filter inlet line.

This restrictor forces the oil through a .060 or 1/16 hole. This keeps the oil filter system from robbing too much pressure from the main oil gallery. This restrictor is commonly missing. The factory restrictor can look different and some versions had a place for the oil sender.
If you run a flathead with a oil filter, make sure you have a restrictor before the oil filter cannister.

3. Brakes and wiring the brake light switch.
I know I will have to re-wire the brake switch. I have no idea yet what I need for the brakes. I will not know that until I get into them.

After all this is done there will be things that will slightly change the look of the car. I cant wait to share when this is done.

 

Years ago, I bought a "kit" to do the brakes in my '51. The shoes wouldn't fit; they were too thick to fit in the slots in the adjuster mechanisms. When I looked at the shoes I had taken out, I saw they were the original riveted Ford script brake shoes. I had them relined and sent the "kit" back.

 

I ran into that with wheel cylinders for a '65 F100. Those cylinders simply would not fit the backing plate. It's possible that the wrong cylinder was boxed at the factory. No matter, they did not fit.
The cylinders were in good shape so I put kit in them. Basically, they were just dirty.

The parts now are generic parts to fit many makes and models. Each year the more specific parts drop off. What we get instead of quality parts that fit a specific vehicle, are mediocre to poor quality general application parts that fit nothing well.

 

Very nice coupe, a great starting point! I have a similar one!

 

That's a very beautiful car Nifty One.

 

"Nifty One", after seeing your coupe, I think I'm going to have to put some lowering blocks in the rear of mine. The "Rake" is getting old.

Very nice looking car.

 

After a second look, I am also seriously considering removing the bumper guards.