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The last Grasp Special '34 3 window build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by whodaky, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    The rear section of the quarter window will have be moved rear-ward.
    The first image shows the area we will most likely cut out and move. The second image is a photshop to see how it will work out.
    Geoff aka whodaky.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
  2. Retroline
    Joined: Aug 20, 2002
    Posts: 1,125

    Retroline
    Member

    I remember seeing this body in the classifieds, I'm really glad you two guys purchased it. Good to see this progress happening Geoff, nice work.
     
  3. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    After eyeballing our progress for the day, it was getting to the time I needed to head for home. So we loaded the '34 chassis in to the pickup.
    I said my good byes and head off into a very wet drive home.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2013
  4. Roger53
    Joined: Aug 8, 2010
    Posts: 383

    Roger53
    Member

    Keep the pic's coming really like the dash work.Posts like this are a good way to start the day.
     
  5. enloe
    Joined: May 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,534

    enloe
    Member
    from east , tn.

    Subscribed and looking foward to updates
     
  6. tommyflathead
    Joined: Apr 18, 2011
    Posts: 460

    tommyflathead
    Member

    Geoff i won't miss out on dropping the lid on the 3 window, looking forward to making some sparks with you both!! and off course being apprenticed to the master's
     
  7. Mindover
    Joined: Jan 18, 2009
    Posts: 1,644

    Mindover
    Member
    from England

    Looks like you have a pretty sound body to start with there. I read this thread right through and will subscribe. I like the style of the model so looking forward to the finished result. What did you use to do the pressing?. I guess you know there are easier ways to form sections like that without making press tools. Keep up the good work.

    David
     
  8. cool-33
    Joined: Mar 4, 2012
    Posts: 17

    cool-33
    Member
    from Australia

    Geoff and Tony, enjoyed every moment of the chop on my coupe best weekend I have had in long time can't wait to do it again.
     
  9. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    I got to spend a couple of days at Rita and Tony's this weekend.
    Tony and I got a bit done on the '34 chassis. I took a number of images, some of which I will show in another post.
    Tony actually travelled back with me to Melbourne, where I dropped him at Frank's place. Whilst there, I went in to have a look at Frank's coupe. I got to see what Frank and Tony got done on the Sunday after we did the initial chop the day before.
    I took some more shots. One shows the windscreen frame he bought from the Kennedy brothers when Frank was in the U S with Tony a couple of years ago. Actually the chop was done to suit that windscreen frame!
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2013
  10. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    After leaving home at aound 3.45 am, I reversed into Rita and Tony's driveway at around 8.45 am.
    In that second image we can see Tony looking at some of the other bits and pieces I have in the back of the pickup.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    We cleared a bit of a space and then set the chassis up on jackstands.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Geoff aka whodaky
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2012
  11. Retroline
    Joined: Aug 20, 2002
    Posts: 1,125

    Retroline
    Member

    Looking neat Geoff, I like the idea of a lakes style coupe, but I see that as more practical.
     
  12. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Hey Chad.
    Actually Tony and my 3W is going to be chopped at least 2 more inches more than Frank's 5W. Also there will be a bit of a twist in the chop of our 3W.
    We are all enjoying doing the chop on Frank's coupe. As Frank is finding out first-hand,it ain't rocket science!
    Geoff aka whodaky
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2012
  13. brandos55
    Joined: Mar 26, 2011
    Posts: 73

    brandos55
    Member
    from Australia

    Lookin good...cant wait to see more ..B
     
  14. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Using a dimenionsal drawing of a '33/'34 chassis we checked our chassis for dimensions. We found the body mount holes that would be just in front of the doors was the only correct one. Between these holes we bolted a brace. We then cut out the tube front suicide crossmember and the plate that was the transmission crossmember. As well as the temporary brace that had been put in the chassis when the rear crossmember was removed from the chassis, by Frank and Tony for the chassis under Frank's coupe
    Using this temporary bolted brace we could now pivot the chassis rails around this brace to get the correct dimensions at the front and the rear of the chassis. We were then able to tack weld in temporary cross braces and diagonal braces. Fortunately for us our chassis rails shape was good, front to rear on both the left and right rail!
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2013
  15. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Of course getting to that point in the last post we had a few interruptions along the way.
    The previous day, Tony's friend; Chris had rung to say he would be dropping around to take Rita and Tony's son Jake's '64 Fairlane to Chris' to do some work that Tony and Chris were going to be doing sometime this week. So late Saturday morning Chris arrived. Tony and I downed tools for a couple of hours to assist.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
  16. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    So after getting back from Chris' we started to get back into the chassis. Then we starting having trouble with the MIG. After lunch we spent a while getting the MIG sorted out.
    After finally getting a bit more done, a couple of guys Tony used to work with dropped by. It was good to meet Pat and Dan again and hear about their projects.
    When these guys left late in the afternoon, I said to Tony maybe we could have a late dinner; so we could get a run at this chassis work. I had no sooner said this to Tony, when Rita came in to ask us if we would like a drink. We told her about our thoughts for a late dinner. Rita said no problems.
    Well after Rita left the garage, we got on a real roll and knocked over what we wanted to get done in a few hours. We got all the tools put away, the floor swept and the chassis relocated into it's position until I would come back the next time. The bonus was that we were about one hour ahead of schedule for our pre-arranged dinner time. So Tony and I could step back and see what we got done and talk about future work on the Last Grasp Special.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
  17. Retroline
    Joined: Aug 20, 2002
    Posts: 1,125

    Retroline
    Member

    Good to have the best of both worlds, I'll be looking forward to see it all happen. :)
     
  18. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,378

    sololobo
    Member

    Congrats! This is going to be an instant classic when built! ~sololobo~
     
  19. Love the name- love the trick frame!
     
  20. lowlids
    Joined: Feb 26, 2009
    Posts: 147

    lowlids
    Member
    from australia

    Geoff got back from Melbourne and got to reading the entries you have posted and i cant wait for our next meeting to working on The last Grasp, Tony.
     
  21. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    So basically we have the chassis squared up, dimensionally correct and braced up so it would stay in spec. Because our next step will be to temporarily mount the body to the chassis. We will be breaking a lot of rules here. Because we are planning to chop the 3W without the floor in it and without the chassis being welded up solid. But we know that with good planning and bracing of the body ( way more bracing than we put in Frank's 5W ) we will get it done. During all of this we will be fitting the other cowl that we got with the body. So having no floor in this area will be an advantage.
    Whilst I was taking pictures I also took a number of random shots in Tony's garage, because it is such a great canvas for taking images. As well I put some measurement marks on the roof of the 3W body and photographed the body with these marks. This will give me a guide when I am chopping the body in my graphics program on the computer.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2013
  22. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    For people who have been following this thread, you will have seen that it is more than just about the Last Grasp Special. It's almost a diary about some of the stuff that Tony and I get get up to, both individually and together. But the Last Grasp Special sought of ties it all together!
    Today I was going to do some more on the Last Grasp Special's dash. But I got side tracked. Inspiration takes many forms as will be seen here.
    During the week, my nephew ( Brendon, who lives next door ), dropped in a motorbike helmet that belongs to a friend of his. He wanted it striped and as I had done another helmet for him in the past he wanted this one done also by me.
    I had no real plans to start on this helmet this weekend, but that changed. Yesterday I did a few bits and pieces relating to the Last Grasp Special and then early in the afternoon I gave the pickup a much needed wash. After all this I decided to start on the helmet. So I put on a CD, got out the brushes and paint. I hadn't striped anything in a real long time, but I soon got into the zone.
    Got a bit done on the helmet, which will get a whole lot more soon!
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2013
  23. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    So here we are back to Sunday, thinking early yesterday that I would get more done on the dash. But after my striping on the helmet yesterday I was keen to perhaps do some more striping today. This last week or so I have been doing a lot of stuff on my laptop in it's graphics program. This stuff is some design stuff for the Last Grasp Special ( the stuff I have been doing, I will show at a much later date ).
    I had been thinking of striping the laptop for quite a while. But I hadn't been in a striping frame of mind for a long long time. So this morning, after my efforts yesterday I was keen to get a 'whodaky' started on the laptop.
    It will get a whole lot more color and lines added to it, but it's a start.
    It's been a long time since I have been motivated to just throw on a cd and create with my striping brushes and paint. I have to say it felt good. It had been such a long time, I was thinking to myself maybe when I picked up the brush; I wouldn't be able 'cut' it anymore. But I was happy.
    Not just with the striping, but with where my life is at, at the moment.
    Any how I will stop raving and just say again; inspiration takes and comes from many avenues!
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2013
  24. voodoo1
    Joined: Jun 27, 2007
    Posts: 452

    voodoo1
    Member

  25. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    It's been a month since we started the chop on Frank's coupe. Tony comes up to Geelong once a month for an appointment and takes the opportunity to travel the rest of the way to Melbourne to spend the weekend at Carol and Frank's. I went there yesterday, so Frank, Tony and I could get a bit more done on Frank's chop.
    The first thing we did this time was to cut out the rear section from the quarter windows that we will be moving rearward.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Next we temporarily tacked in the 'B' pillar pieces, to prevent the roof from bulging upwards as we moved the rear roof section to align every thing as we progressed with the chop.
    [​IMG]
    Geoff aka whodaky
     
  26. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    We then pulled the roof back to meet the lower section of the roof at the beltline. Doing this we were able to get an idea of where we would make our first relief cuts. With the first relief cut made on each side of the roof, we aligned the back window side to side and tacked this area.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2012
  27. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    With this tacked, the area where we had made the relief cuts was beginning to pull downwards at the ends of these relief cuts. This was telling us we would require more relief cuts in this area as we progressed. But this would not need to happen as yet.
    We then sat the section of the rear quarter window in place to see how things were looking. Standing back and eyeballing this, we all agreed that things were shaping up well.
    [​IMG]
    Next we began to trim the excess sheet metal from the lower section of the roof that would meet up with the belt line. With this sheet metal removed, we pulled the roof section back to meet the belt line at and around the rear, we then tacked this area.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2012
  28. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    With the area tacked around the beltline. We once again sat the rear quarter window section in place and determined where we would need to make another relief cut. Once this other cut was made, we marked out where to trim the roof for fitment of the rear quarter window section.

    [​IMG]
    With final trimming in the area done and another relief cut was made, we tacked the quarter window section into place.
    Geoff aka whodaky
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2012
  29. Retroline
    Joined: Aug 20, 2002
    Posts: 1,125

    Retroline
    Member

    Love the updates Geoff, be careful with those tools though, creating earthquakes I hear!:eek:
     
  30. whodaky
    Joined: Dec 6, 2003
    Posts: 4,626

    whodaky
    Member
    from Aust

    Hey Chad. It was pretty un-nerving here the other night. The whole house was violently shakin for about 10 seconds. Fortunatley no damage. But life is full of the unexpected!
    Geoff aka whodaky
     
    Lynspop likes this.

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