Look what i got at today,the holy grail! Well....Almost the holy grail I've understand that these 51' Ford-O-Matic colums are hard to find pieces in states.Guess how hard to find pieces they are in here? We dont even have much manual columns in here,so... I am glad that i got that one,so thank you Alex!
I cant see the pic but Ive been hunting one of those aswell. Nice find and thats a good idea for the wheel wells also. Andy.
I can see the pic,but i guess its a somekind of a bandwidth problem with a photobucket if they are not shown properly..
Damn it,blew it... Well,it doesnt always go like in the movies.I need to do some re-fabrication job with this one.I removed those pics,pretty useless to show them when i am going to a bit different way with the latch.
I guess we missed something. Latch... trunk latch? I haven't figured out how I'm going to do mine yet. Glad you got your column.
Nope,you didnt miss a thing.The first version of this bear claw setup was a complete failure.Its a kind of embarassing to post project pics that fails.I guess i was just too excited with the fabricating it.I guess i learned my lesson:never post anything before its done. Anyway,i used most of the first version pieces in second version,so i didnt have to refab everything. Here it is: This is the view of the claw box,before i welded the rear panel. The bear claw is attached to the "trigger" piece with a M6 heimjoints with a studs and connecting rod.There is a homemade brass bearing inside the trigger piece bung,just because i dont want that gets stuck.I bought a autoloc solenoid,because they have a good reputation.I cant say same about their hardware kit.It sucks with a big S. Complete useless crap,it was impossible to get the solenoid mounted properly with their bracket,so i made my own mounting bracket.The lower trigger lever is bended,so i can mount an emergency release cable too.And this time this setup works,i didnt have an extra battery around,so i tested it with my dailydrivers battery. And here is a pic from the inside of the trunk,that plastic wire on the right is my temporary release cable.I found out that the trunk lid is really crispy,i am not sure that i am going to use that one.So thats why the striker bolt brackets hump is just tackwelded... And a pic of how it looks like the lid open: I am not going to leave it like that.When the tail pan is done,i am going to fab some box mounting spots to the tailpan too.And some side panels to make it look like a bit smoother.
Thanks! I dont know about serious engineering.I think its actually pretty simple stuff,no rocket science here I guess those pieces need some finishing touch,but my goal at this point was to get the lid closed.. Thanks man!
Here is a little update.I started replacing the tailpan,the original had a lot of dents and pinholes.I thought that wasnt worth to save.There was also pitting and pinholes on the beside of tail pan on the passengers side.I made a patch to the passengers side: And replaced the tailpan after that: The passengers side is OK with the gap,but i am not happy with the gap the on the drivers side.I have to think about choices what to do with it,slicing is one... But i think its not good idea to slice anything at this point,because there is only few spotswelds that hold the rear section of the body in correct position. I guess next step will be finishing the trunk floor. I hope those pics will shown,there is some problems with the photobucket at this moment.
Because this is a restoring project.... Hell no!Just kidding. Welding the seams closed is one way to do it.I think about that,i even bought a rolled tail pan,but there was too much extra fabricating with that and maybe some problems when taking the body off the frame.Sometimes its just good to keep things simple.
Thank you sir! Thanks! I think most of the sheetmetal stuff can be boring,but i am glad that some people found this thread still interesting. Kiitos! Nakkila isnt really far away,i live in Pirkanmaa but our so called club is located in Kokemäki.I guess you know our "Synchronized swimming team": http://riversidehobos.blogspot.com/
Last summer we was at your show, I was with my '42 ford pick-up and we (west coast lunatics) also had a bicycles there...
You were there too? What a small world again I posted a thread of our show,so take a peek you see something familiar in there: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=610601 Looks like that i am the guy whos job will be gathering hot rods and kustoms for the next summers show,so let me know if you have any ideas. I took a half day-off from the work,it was a really quiet day and i have some unfinished business in the garage...So
This was a great weekend.I went to see an awesome Reverend Horton Heat gig with my bro and friends. Here is a crappy cellphone pic as evidence. I also met a fellow hamber oaknut in there,the world just gets smaller.. And i got the inner tailpanel done.The shrinker/stretcher came handy with the fabrication: The purpose for the speedholes is that it'll be easier to spray anti-rust stuff inside.At first i thought i'll make dimpled holes,but i guess it could be hard to bend it curvy with the shrinker stretcher then. The holes are not shown properly in that pic,but i also welded two threaded bungs on inside of the inner panel for the bear claw box mounting.
Thank you guys! At the moment i am working with the inner trunk corner pieces.I'll post pics when i've done with them.I have to make a plywood molding for the panels and making them can take some time,because i am not used to make anything from the wood.Well,maybe chopping wood for sauna heater,so my carpenter skills are pretty much involved with the sauna wood... And Samuli,post an intro,before the intro police catch you
Damn, there was RHH gig and I missed it. Now I gotta wait 'til next time... Shoebox project looks again damn good! I'll try that visit to your garage before christmas.
Thats good to hear,Stefan.Thanks! That gig was in Tampere,at Tulliklubi...Not far away.I hope that doesnt make you more pissed off I heard something that they'll be back at next year.. At this weekend i did a paper template for the trunk corner: I guess last time i tried to do something of wood was 20 yrs ago in school.I sucked then and i still suck with the carpenter stuff,but i managed to do somekind of moldings: And now,hammer time: Here it is,i stretched it with shrinker/stretcher to get it slightly curvy. It needs more hammering for the corners and i have to make few beads with the beadroller,but i guess its not so bad at this point:
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