Projects Kurt’s Puddle Jumper - 1930 Model A Extended-Cab Pickup Build

I apologize for wasting all of your time. I took another look at the spindle lock situation. Trying to insert from the front would not even start in. Tried the BFH and it started in. A few more whacks and it when in all the way. Must have been paint buildup inside the hole. Now have one side the way it is supposed to be. 105 views of the post and no one suggested the BFH?

Still looking for comments on Gibbs/Paint.

 

Finally got back to work for a few hours today. Screwed up my back somehow, so had to rest it.

Got the gas tank cowl top cut up and some initial cleanup on it.

Looks like it was a pretty good tank inside.

Saved a few parts from the tank if anyone wants them for the price of postage.

 

Ideally with the full weight of car on the springs, your shocks should mount at the half way point in their range of travel .Further, the top and bottom shock eyes should line up parallel. It has been my experience that you cannot have "too much" suspension travel.

 

Still working, just have not caught up on posting. Up in MN retrieving daughters car which will donate an engine and tranny. Holding off building upper shock mounts till have engine installed to see ride height.

 

Been too long since an update. Been doing a lot of work, but have not taken the time to document the progress. Bionic woman required some maintenance the last 2 months. I just looked at my calendar and see between her and myself, we have had 35 medical appointments.

Been working on building framework to mount underdash brake pedal and cowl steering box.



Took a week off to go retrieve my daughters donor car..


Had not run for 11 years so spent a day getting it running before pulling the donor engine and transmission.

Have a few more hours work on the pedal framework before I can pull out the firewall and test fit the engine. Then on to build mounts.

 

I just found this thread...fun read. Keep up the good work!

Any help out there for @rgclouse on how to prep Gibbs coated raw metal for paint? I too would like to hear about the process.

 

Taking the morning off from working in the garage to catch up on posting. I finished the underdash work needed to pull the firewall and test fit the engine. A few things were readily apparent.

A lot of the work on the pedal assembly mount was going to have to be redone and the brake pedal was too close the the transmission. No room for a gas pedal. Will have to notch the front crossmember for the crank pulley and work on a couple of other tight spots.


Built some temporary front engine mounts. Planning on building side mounts.




The stance of the truck is much improved now that it has the weight of the engine and transmission.




Got to work and redid the brake pedal framework moving the brake arm to the left of the steering column. Piece of flat bar in picture is temporary, need to get more 3/8 inch stock.


Being cheap, I built a mount for the steering column rather then buy one. Not bad for using a drill press, hole saws, and an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, but at my age, I decided I should not invest $$$ in tools.



Next up was to manufacture a steering arm for the cowl steering. Again, not bad for using a drill press, hole saws, angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, and tap. Still needs a bit more grinding to finish it off. Can now measure to order the drag link tube.

 

Sorry for the double posting of pictures. Don't know how that happened.

 

Hello neighbor. Jasper tn here. She's looking good.

 

Thank you WTF really for the encouragement.

 

Worked all week getting the engine in final position. Decided I needed to move it back to have room in front for a fan. Had to notch the firewall for room for the distributor. Hand rolled the insert around my argon tank.




I don't think I did too bad for welding 16 gauge metal. Need to do some more grinding on the inside edges. Anyone have a tricks for cleaning up these welds?


Not that you can really see the welds very much behind the distributor. Now I have to get back to making the engine and trans mounts.

 

Back to work on the A this week after the holidays. Santa came late to TN with parts for steering and to plumb the brakes.

Been working on building side motor mounts. Could probably have bought some easier, but what's the fun in that.
Not proud of my welds. Need to get back into practice.
Got passenger side done and parts cutout for drivers side. Need to get some 2 1/4 inch grade 8 bolts. 2 inches is too short, and 2 1/2 is too long.

Next up finish drivers side. Then on to trans mount and then back to steering and brakes. Have steel coming today to start building floors and bulkhead.

 

Drivers side motor mount completed.

Temporary mounts removed and new mounts holding engine.

 

Took way to long, but got transmission mount built and installed. Decided to notch the back side of the crossmember for some more u-joint clearance.



Installed a wooden driveshaft, LOL. Just to help see clearance needed for building floor.

 

It Steers! Been working this week finishing up steering. Got sidetracked for a day and a half with battery problems in the OT stablemate of the Model A. Replaced the battery 10 days ago and wife tried to start it and its dead. Spent a day searching for a parasitic drain before deciding to replace the battery again. So far, so good.

New smaller steering wheel give clearance getting in and out. Not sure if I will shorten the steering column somemore or not.


Still need to finish welding bung in steering arm. Will not install safety wire on the bolts on steering arm until after teardown and painting.


I'm not sure if I'm just lucky or I planned perfectly, but wheels turned to full stop have 1/16 inch clearance from tire to drag link. These are just rollaround tires, so final tires may be narrower. Also, steering arm and tie rod end just clear the cowl sheet metal at full stop.


Next up start work on floor and brake plumbing.

 

Time for my weekly (or so) progress update, but I noticed this thread has been viewed over 1500 times since the last person commented. Really, I can take criticism or praise or should I not continue to post?

Thank you brEad, WTF really, nunattax, fauj, Just Gary, Jrs50, and kidcampbell71 for the "Likes". I think I may need new glasses since I never noticed the likes listed in small type at the end of my posts.

Worked this week on framework to hold the floor and rear bulkhead. Some will say it is overkill, but since there was nothing between the frame rails left of the body, and the ladder bars stickup to high, the floor is really suspended from the middle bulkhead support.


Just tack welding everything together for now till it is all fitted.


Cutout templates for the bulkhead and front floor. Front floor will be dropped about an inch to increase foot room.

Time for a question. I have sheets of 2 feet by 4 feet 16 GA. The bulkhead is 50 inches wide if extended against the inside of the quarter panels. How do others usually seal off the ends of the bulkhead?

I could fit a wing on each side to the inside of the quarter panel and overlap the large bulkhead sheet an inch of 2 and then use aluminum sticky tape to seal to the quarter panel.


Picked up some steel Friday to cobble together a sheet metal brake to bend the bulkhead and floor pieces. Will post pictures when I get it together.

 

Don't worry about the comments , you're being watched and you're doing a great job! I like how you are making that bulkhead! I am doing something similar except I am making my bulkhead removable because that's how I am going to install the fuel tank. I'm at the same point as you , I'm not sure how to seal off the ends of the bulkhead. I will likely make some bent panels that match the curve of the cab and extend them to the B post and either roll some beads in them or just glue some upholstery material to them.

 

Really nice work!

 

Ha. Instead of bogging up a thread with my commentary, I choose to declare jihad on the "like" button, instead.

I saw my name typed above, so here I is.

Brief note : You have 18k people as viewers. Pretty dang' good, me thinks. Carry on, please !!

 

Jethro, I'm also thinking of making it removable as I'm getting too old to crawl around trying to plumb a fuel pump, fuel tank, rear brakes and wire the battery and fuel pump which all will be just behind the bulkhead. Likewise, the front part of the floor will be removable.

Sorry for rilling (sp?) anyone up. Its just like speaking to someone, if they don’t nod their head or say something, you don’t know if they are hearing you.

 

I realized one of the reasons I said something about lake of comments. I'm lonely. Other then the bionic woman (my wife if you have never read the whole thread due to a hip and 2 shoulders replaced), I hardly talk to anyone since Covid began. Got first dose of vaccine on Friday, so hopefully things will get better.

Some progress on sheet metal brake. Got steel cut to size yesterday and started drilling holes. Had to dig out my old cheap portable drill press to drill the holes in the I beam of my work table (made from half of my frame table). Heavy duty table makes a good mount for the brake.

Next need to cut the slots for the hinge tubes (one marked out on left of previous pic).



Have to weld up some big wingnuts and sharpen the bottom edge of the clamp. Can't forget to build some arms. All that will have to wait till Tuesday. Have to take the bionic woman in for a lube and oil change tomorrow (just normal maint.).

 

@rgclouse I try not to clutter up a great thread with too many posts that don’t have helpful info. I have yet to build my first hotrod so mostly all I have to offer are “atta boys” but I am really enjoying following your progress.

 

Took both Tuesday and Weds, but slots cut and hinges welded on.



After tack welding hinges, brake turned just fine. After half final welding them I had trouble getting it to swing down to horizontal, just 5-10 degrees shy. Ground, ground, ground for a couple of hours getting clearance and now works fine.



Found some old heavy tubing from an old tow bar with a 7/8 inch ID and some 7/8 OD tubing to make handles. Caliper says both 7/8, but took an hour grinding and sanding to get the one to slip into the other. Have to do the second handle tomorrow. Setup a piece of scrap 16 GA for a test run.



Not a very sharp bend, but good enough for what I need and I have not yet ground the clamp bar edge flat yet.



Goal for tomorrow is finish the 2nd handle, weld up big wingnuts, and grind the clamp edge flat.

 

The sheet metal brake looks nice and stout. Are you going to add any additional support to the clamping angle iron?

 

Goals for today accomplished. brEad, short answer is yes, see later in post.
Second handle and wingnuts completed.


Ground lower edges of clamp down a bit. Can still grind some more. Setup and tried first real bend.


Result. Did not want a 90 degree, but angle on gauge. Pretty close.


I will have to add reinforcement to the clamp angle. Got deflection on the far side of the sheet, but not enough to ruin the sheet. I have seen reinforcement inside the angle and with a truss on top with an adjustment bolt. Will have to get some more steel. I seem to have plenty of short pieces, but not 4 foot or larger pieces.

I realized I never said why I made the brake 4 foot wide. I have a few 4 foot sheets I want to bend. After those are done, I may shorten the brake.

 

Got truss cut and tacked in place.


Truss would have been much easier to bend if I was too cheap to invest in a torch. $200 for a torch I can handle, but $800 for tanks is ridiculous. Had to breakout my long arm. A 6 foot length of pipe that I slip over the end of a breaker bar for really stubborn bolts.

Closeup


Also made up some depth adjusters for the clamp. Need to get some 7/16-20 bolts and nuts.

 

Make that "not to cheap"

 

Holy sh*t !!! 1000 dollars ??

Have you a HVAC supply house near you ?? United Refrigeration is one I use. For work.

Oxy/acetylene rig, with tanks is a fifth of that cost. Yes, I get it .. the larger tanks may very well be more money .. .. but no way in Hell THAT MUCH MORE $$$.

Call whoever is local to you.

 

Yes, I could get a small Oxy/acetylene rig for less then $1000. I think you can get a small portable setup for under $300 (not sure if that is with full tanks). $1000 was based on the estimate I got 6-7 years ago when I bought my Miller MIG and C25 tank. The C25 tank was about $350.

I thought about getting an Oxy/acetylene rig back then but decided to wait till I really needed one. I found it was really few and far between times when I thought if I had one I would have reached for it. All most all my cutting has been with a cutoff wheel in an angle grinder. Much cleaner cuts then I made 60 years ago with a cutting torch.

Also, I decided last year when I turned 77 I was going to limit my tool buying to essentials only. No sons and none of my grandsons are interested in cars, so I don't have anyone to leave tools to.

 

Short day today. Cut some angle out of scrape 2 inch square tubing to reinforce the clamp bar. Taking the rest of the weekend off to watch racing at Daytona on TV.

Attended about 32 of the first 50 Daytona 500's. First time in 1963. I think 2012 was the last. I decided giving them 2% of my retirement income was too much and they wanted it 11 months in advance. We parked a MH in the West Lot (turn 1). Started as free, then $20, $30, ... over $500 at the end. Final straw was when they tried to ban dogs in the MH lot (I think they relaxed this after I quit going).