The thing about indian red is this: A lot of good reds can show a purple hue in the shade. Indian red does not show any purple at all either in direct light or in the shade... In bright, direct light you can almost detect some pinks in the highlights - but never any purple. To me, thats what makes this red just a little different than all the others...
that is a nice red, but what makes you think it will get a patina after a few thousand miles? Keith used base/clear urethane, with a hardener........ doesn't that shit stay shiny forever?
Have to ask... So, Who's this dude Randy with the cool Italian name?...Is it......R.C........? To Name My car: I wish I had a Cool Italian Name........Or a Brother!......or both! This A is a piece of ART!
I have enjoyed the build so far. So Ryan, looks like you have your own rod shop now. How long has this been going on? I have been away from the HAMB too long.
I've known Randy for almost 37 years and he tends to stay off the radar for the most part. The only photo I have of him is from a BBQ that he and his wife use to throw for the local car guys. (Apparently he wasn't very happy about me taking it.)
Randy is, in fact, a real person. And this, in fact, his roadster. It's not my shop. It's Keith Tardel's... He's working out of a space that is connected to TJJ world headquarters.
Shit man, this is incredible! Mr. Tardel caught me as a skeptic with the bright red at first. Then i started to see it come together with the black, wow! Excuse my ignorance, but is the "indian red" a porche color or indian motorcycle? Reds are hard to get right without looking wrong for an era. Ive been beating myself up between candy apple, titian and brandywine for over a year now. Good thing my tub is not getting paint till next winter i guess..
Lots of little shit going on today... much of it doesn't make sense to photograph... but here's a couple of little things for ya: Mocking up exhaust exit location here... and the exhaust actually takes cues from the Tardel/Cochran coupe... like a nip slip... only louder... much louder: And the gas tank is now mounted. Note the silly WWII military reference. Obviously, this isn't something we'd do if it were visible from the outside of the car. But the stencil was kind of a fun touch to see under the deck lid. An easter egg of sorts.
A seldom realized fact is that the Chinese, skilled and 'up to snuff' with the latest way to skimp on A/C electronic switches, also provide the unwary world with switches for D/C. Direct current switches carry more amperage load than A/C ones, so require at LEAST a relay for the switch to merely 'signal'. (.3 amp load) Otherwise, direct wiring of the headlamp switch subjects it to 15 amps (and more) which shortens its life measurably.
Today has been one of small victories... Brakes are on the car for good and the nickel plaiting is starting to show up here and there... Interesting note on the gas tank... Every '28/29 tank we've ever seen was threaded for the gas cap... This one, however, is notched to take a '30/31 gas cap. It wasn't changed... so best guess is that this is a very late '29 tank. You might think that a doo doo brown dash is a risk. It isn't really... and you'll see why later in the build.
I'm hoping it isn't because you're going to 'saddle' it with brown interior... Oxblood wide rolls would do for era.. but if you HAVE to match the early knobs...
I've been struggling with how I want to modify the gas tank on my A.. I hate the thought of leaving something "unfinished" underneath (leaving lips around where the tank used to be). But if it doesn't bother Keith, then I guess it shouldn't bother me..
So I go out of town on Friday to pick my little girl up from summer camp and miss one day of work... By the time I get back, the motor is already in the chassis and the damn car is close to finished... Sort of... Still a lot of detail stuff left to do, but man is this thing starting to come together. I think Keith will be firing the motor this week. Video of that will come for sure...
Not real sure... It's GM, but no idea what it came off of... Randy found the wheel at a swap meet and fell in love with it. A nice piece for sure... Leaving it in its natural patina'd state, but it's in really nice shape. Here's a better shot of it:
A little more investigation work... A tag on the steering column labeled it as a 1936 Olds column... A quick google search proves this to be accurate. Anyway, here are a few more shots:
The Jalopy Journal
