Hot Rods The wedding hotrod - 40 Ford Convertible

So no one likes the new shoes?


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I love the new tires!! I think 40's look really cool with that drop-front rake! I have an all original 40 convertible in Lyon Blue which looks very much like the dark blue conv. I think you posted a while back. I am reassembling after painting and having a hard time getting going again on it after taking the winter off after knee replacement.This thread has me enthused again! Keep up the good work!

 

Thanks for the kind words!
I'm afraid you won't see much happening on this thread for a while, I'm still battling away with another project car.
Best of luck with your '40. you should have it finished in no time, final assembly is the best part!

 

I can hear you all saying: 'Is he just going to show us photos of this bloody car or actually do some work on it!'

The tidy up will come later this year. But for now here are some more shots from this morning on the farm.

 

Nice find Neighbour! have you thought about a carson top? Dropping the tail, and some fender skirts? It would make a great Kustom.

 

Hey Goofer, I've thought a lot about making this into a custom.
It would make perfect sense to build a Carson top since its already missing the original top. Just can't make up my mind, I'd love it as a hot rod just drop the back a little and hot up the flathead and I'd be very happy.

I have a thing custom for 41 fords, I can always build one into an early custom. Maybe for the next project?

Last weekend I arranged a 4 hour permit to drive on the road. But only to the next town and only to my friend Pete's workshop! But it was great to be able to wind it up a bit and actually drive the car!
Here's a photo in front of the bakery.



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Bit breezy around the ears this time of year? Nice "Aychar" in the profile pic too.

 

Very Breezy! I really need to start collecting scalves.
Thanks, I'm rebuilding the HR at the moment but as soon as thats done I'll be into the 40, can't wait!

 

Hey Tom, how did that old engine go when you went to Petes? Good oil pressure and temp and stuff? Oh, and you were busted. My old friend told me he saw an old '40 ish Fawd convertible running between Maccy & Meadows. You can't do jack shit in this neck of the woods without someone seein ya! -H.R.D-

 

You should get a four hour permit Hot-Rod Dude because that 39 Ford outside my bedroom window needs to be driven.

 

At least you got something neat to look at out that window so don't complain sonny Jim.......... However, you are right. We should all move to a decent state where we can drive these cars. -H.R.D-

 

Waiting for right hand drive components and a nice sunny day.

 

Haha, no family bickering on here thank you!
It should be easier to drive your own car in the road!
We'll get there. I just need to pull my finger out and finish this HR


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Another update......sort of.

I tooled around with the twin carbs a bit today. I fitted them up properly to the manifold and set up the linkage.
I have two sets of linkages. I like the straight linkage, its just nice and discrete and simple.
The progressive linkage is probably better for performance but I can't get past its bulky cluttered look.

Whats your experience of progressive V straight on a slightly warm flathead?




I also have two pressure regulators, I'm going to use the filter king if I can find a decent spot for it on the fire wall.





I also picked up another flathead a few weeks ago. A local tyre shop owner is building a 37 ford truck on a Toyota hilux chassis and sold me this 40 flathead and truck box that he no longer needs.
It turns easily, has all accessories, I like the double groove pulleys on this one. Hopefully its not cracked and will be ok to rebuild.

 

Today was wet and miserable, we received almost an inch of rain and it was coming in sideways! No good for motivation, so I left the HR alone for a day and tooled around with the 40.
I decided to have another look at the convertible top pieces I have and try to figure them out a bit more, this was purely to help my understanding of how the top goes together.

I cleaned up the pivots and installed the uprights behind the side windows.
While cleaning the pivot bases I noticed a part number, I thought all 1940 ford numbers started with 01A but this seems to start with 78? Its really hard to read.
Anyhow it fits in ok and works.


Here are a couple of photos of the upright pieces.





I figured that this other channel piece fits over the top of the side glass and the front timber header bolts in place on the brass piece. The drivers side latch also attaches to the brass piece.
I'm a little lost at this point



A loose bench test of the latching. The brass piece is roughly cast and needs some tweaking for everything to fit together well.


And as you can see, I have quite a way to go!

 

I see improvement.

 

I agree I like white on these old fords it fits them well. This was my dads 39

 

Great photo. I'm still undecided about the colour but I know it will not be white!
I appreciate the input, thanks every one!

 

Not really progress today, mounted a licence plate topper. More rain and bitterly cold, no fun out in the shed so I did sweet F.A!

 

Man, get in that god dam car and drive it, it's still registered!

 

well.... I may have driven it today, in between rain showers!

 

Progress on this old girl has picked up a little lately, I have collected a few more RHD parts and am almost ready to start the tidy up and flop the steering over.
I've been thinking about heading down the custom route with this car, late 40's and very early 50's style, quite mild, low maybe a little chop but then again maybe a padded top would take care of the bulky standard roof.
This merc has been a bit of inspiration for me recently.


I had a couple of days off last week and decided to do something fun!
I've been looking at 48ish Cadillac bumper guards, I love the blimp/rocket type shape and decided to try and make my own similar.
Started off by making the uprights and began with a couple of manky old exhaust tube bends.

Scalloped out the top face then sliced it down the centre, the reverse curve will become the top half and the outer curve will be the bottom half.

Added a couple pieces of flat plate to provide some substance and depth to the stanchion.

I setup the second flat side, tacked the whole show together and perched my rocket (cocktail shaker) on top. The top edge needed a little flaring outwards to accept the rounded shape.

A bit of welding, grinding, filing and we have something half passable.



Now the nerve wracking part, joining the thin walled bullet to my beefy uprights and trying not to blow holes and wreck the shaker! Then a little more cutting and filing to fit the rear bumper.




And there we have it! I have two of these made but ran out of time to mount the second one.
Now that one is on the bumper I'm not sure if I like it or not!

What does every one think?

 

Dig! Show us 2! FJ tailights would look good in there but the moaner crow cops..

How bad's this car's paint? It looks like the kinda thing to get tight mechanically and drive the wheels off it.. hot lil' roadrunner baby..

 

chop the windshield 2 1/2" drop the ass end using long shackles and a panhard rod
6.00's all around, skirts, flipper caps, carson top
other than the windshield its all bolt on stuff
would be badass

 

Hey Spoogie. Wish I had two mounted to show you, maybe Monday after I get home from work.
Paints not bad it's a uniform colour but flat. I don't know what type of paint it is, could be house paint or even concrete paint! I'll have a go at buffing it, hopefully I can get a bit if shine on it.

 

Today is the first day of the tidy up and registration prep, very exciting!
Had to wait for a battery to charge before I could drive it into the workshop so Dad helped me pull the hood off and I ran through the plan with him:
-Remove the engine and transmission - clean up, reseal and paint both
-Right hand drive conversion, I now have the major components needed to flop the steering.
-Strip engine bay, repair redundant holes, hack marks and paint.
-Rust repairs, floor and boot floor
-Maybe install a set of headers and run some new exhaust.

So the hood came off, grill and radiator removed, engine has been disconnected ready to be yanked, turned my attention to the torque tube and rear of the transmission.
Now this is the first vintage ford I've tackled so this is new to me. I decided to remove the seat to get to the floor transmission cover for a better look around. After fighting with a ridiculous seat base I rolled the carpet back to discover a second layer of 1970's looking mustard house carpet glued down with tar, and a lovely fire wall panel of the same era!
Tore most of that out to discover a thin aluminium sheet also glued to the floor pan with tar, from 1/2 to an inch thick in some areas!
Needed to use a pry bar and heat gun to remove most of it and discovered my floor is not as nice as I had imagined, some more clean up work to do tomorrow and hopefully the engine can come out.

Being my first torque tube ford, I'm trying to get my head around what will happen when I uncouple the transmission from the rear end.
Is the rear spring OK to leave on its own holding the car up when I disconnect the torque tube? I still need to push the car around the workshop a little once the engine is out. Any tips or things to look out for?
Wags is happy he has a new mat in the shed too.

 

Got a little more done today. Engine and trans are out and on the workbench ready for a little freshen up.
Firewall has been stripped of almost everything and I've began marking holes to fill and what needs to go where for the conversion.
I'm ready to pull the wiring but I like to label everything first so I don't get lost in a couple of months time when it all goes back together.
Even removed what may be the original firewall insulation to reveal a reasonably painted green inner firewall. I always thought this car was dark green to begin with and this confirms it for me.

 

Go man, Go!
My first post for a year or two. First look at the HAMB for a year or two as well and your on the front page man!
Long time no speak, come and see us Saturday!! We're havin a party!!

 

Man, do I envy you or what?

 

Hotrod dude!
Has been a while ey, I'll keep posting til Friday then I'm off to work. Guess I'll miss the party too.
We'll catch up soon, maybe LA roadster show weekend would be fitting? I should have some reasonable progress to show by then too!