Hot Rods Started spec'ing out parts

Brakes are leak tested and bled (glad I have the proportioning valve to tune them). Fabbing the fuel line for the firewall tomorrow morning, then finish welding the recess. Ordered the primer and more catalyst...... weather willing I can get the firewall painted in a couple weekends.

 

Firewall's done! Arrows are the welding I was a bit apprehensive about. Next is prime and paint and the weather's going to determine if I stay on schedule.
Let me tell anyone reading this and contemplating building your own..... your brain makes it harder than it actually is. Dive in knowing you'll find a way and build the experience as you go. 90% of the battle is getting past thinking you can't do it.

 

Scrape, sand, scrape, sand. 86 year old paint sucks......

 

Just need a couple days at 70 or warmer to prime, block and paint.

 

Better 86 year old paint it could be 86 year old RUST

 

Not warm enough to prime and paint yet, but there's a a couple things I have to do before the body goes back on.
Believe it or not, this has taken 3 days to make...... 2 days staring at it and a day to bend it. I made life more difficult 2 ways..... mount the fuel block on the firewall and go for a "factory" look with an inverted flair instead of AN. Didn't want hose, and sure didn't want it just hanging out there looking ugly. Couldn't drop it down the drivers side since there's no clearance for the brake pedal or the column linkage. Had to move it 3" into the tunnel to clear the bellhousing when the body's back, too. I've bent a lot of tube and though this looks rather simple, it was one of the more difficult lines I've made.

 

Slow night. When I make a line that will have hose going on it, I bead the end to help seal it (especially on the pressure side). Spent 45 minutes trying different ways of holding the line to the floor. I don't get a 2nd chance at this. The line will go on before the body goes back on the frame, so whatever retention method I decide on, it has to be from one side only. No through-bolting and since it'll be in the middle of the hump, it should be reasonably flat when the carpet is down.

 

Shifting gears a bit due to weather.
Finished securing the fuel line in the tunnel with a rivnut so it can be serviced from one side.

It'll be getting a new vinyl insert, but first all new top wood is in order.

 

When I was a kid, they called this...resto-rod

 

I just call it my idea of a hot rod.

 

Waiting on top wood, glass and warm weather so thought I'd finish up the tank/dash. Cut out the gauge depression and fitted the panel. Tack it in tomorrow night and cut out the gauge holes.

 

Truth.

 

Looking kinda ugly, but the patch is welded in and it got a quick grind. More finishing tomorrow, but most of what I just welded in will be cut out again to mount the 3-3/8" in-dash tach and speedo.

 

Here's where I need everyone's feedback. I'll be drilling the gauge holes in the dash, but am undecided on how to lay it out. The two in the center are in-dash 3-3/8" speedo and tach. The 2"ers on the left are spaced so they are centered over the steering column and visible through the steering wheel so I don't want to change that.
The top view is with the gauges all on the same horizontal centerline. Having them on the same plane looks "normal", but the raised panels on the dash aren't symmetrical. That means the outermost gauges will look pinched against the dash rail.
The middle view is with the gauges centered in the raised panels, but that means they are at a slight angle.
Bottom is the four 2" gauges on the same horizontal centerline but below the center gauges.
So which way looks the least odd?

 

I'd do the bottom version, only slightly raised. How do you put that "bead" on your lines that will connect to rubber hose?

 

Earl's makes this bead tool for a variety of tube sizes

 

Add my vote for the bottom one.

 

middle one caught my eye

 

Bottom one

 

Odd how just these minor changes in placement affect the look, isn't it? Keep the input coming... I have until Wednesday night to make up my mind.

 

Added the dash rail to give it a bit more perspective

 

Definitely the center layout. More pleasing to the eye IMHO.

 

One of the cool thing about old cars (other than finding loose change) is discovering what happened to it in the past. Some things are obvious, some you find as you peel away the layers.
The left rear corner of the roof was caved in and I knew I'd have to remove the wood to get it back into shape. The header was rotted, so with new wood on the way, it's the perfect time to do a little hammer and dolly work.
Got the wood out of the header and left side and started to massage it. With the wood out, it was obvious the corner took a decent enough hit to bend the rear bracket. With the wood out it also made it obvious the driver's door sticking had to do with the hit and the wood shifting. Nice wake up call that I will need to watch the position of the side wood to the header when tacking in the roof sheet metal. Bracket's straight and the corner's close. I will need to shrink it at some point in the future, but if I do it now it'll kill the finish. If that happens, I'm at risk of painting complete.
Good thing I'm not in a big hurry.....

 

Thanks for all the responses and PM's. Finally came down to a simple thing..... I like the way the panels were pinstriped before and want to do it again. Pretty much had to do them this way to be symmetrical when it's striped.

 

Got wood! Started fitting up the new top wood and so far it's only needed minimal trimming. Amazing how the driver's belt line lines up and the door closes properly. Once I get everything fitted, it'll be cleared before the new top goes on.

 

Finally a day above 65 degrees! Got the epoxy primer/sealer down.... time to block it and see what I have to skim.

 

Here's the downside to waiting on parts. The original plan for the wood was after fitting to use a clear urethane on the pieces. Got some Varathane, coated 2 pieces and hated the look. That's when things went sideways (again). I stripped one piece but left the Varathane on the header (won't be seen). Starting thinking about what look I wanted for the wood and dug in the cabinet and found some old Watsco Danish wood stain. The wood has really cool grain, so stained the wood and like the furniture-ish/aged look, but want more protection, so dug around a little more and found some Spar varnish. The inside sheetmetal will be painted with Por15, so the contrast of black background and finished wood should look cool. The top brackets will go out for metallic black powdercoat this week, so I have a few days to kill waiting for that and the glass from Bob's.
I try not to think about this all being covered up when I put the headliner in...

 

Ordered the headliner material, so it's guaranteed the woodwork will be hidden. Regardless, I found a very cool vinyl pattern that should add a little interest to what would otherwise be a boring headliner. I can't sew, so gonna have a friend do it for me. Another thing being farmed out....

 

Really liking where you are going with this!

 

Powdercoater got the top brackets back fast! Fitting everything (again) 'cuz 4 more holes need to be drilled but it has to be in it's final position to align. The quarter window wood is being replaced but it's nice using the original to make sure everything's happy. Decided not to paint the inside with Por15 since I'll be heat shrinking the roof at some point and don't need a fire or noxious fumes. Used it on the nailing surface that'll be hidden by the top and welt and it should work great.