Projects Tim's (aka anothercarguy) 1938 Ford Club Cabriolet Build Thread

Okay,okay, Whats your address I think I will just ship you my Tub project so it can get rebuilt by an expert! Your work is outstanding and your presentation of your processes in your posts is so very detailed! I am learning so much watching your posts. My progress is much slower and their are two of us working on it. I will be working on the same type of repairs as recently shown here in the next few months and will most certainly be using what I am learning from you as much as my skills allow.

 

This looks familiar. I have to deal with similar all around the lip on one of my fronts, extending to the bumper cut out.

 

What kind of shape is your drivers side rear fender in?

 

Thanks.

Thank you...and happy to hear that the info/thread might prove helpful.

This isn't the first fat fendered Ford that I've had with similar quality and style of old timey repairs...it must be "traditional" lol.

It still has the old primer on it...but it seems like it's in much better shape. I'll know better once it's stripped to bare steel. I know I will need to work on the lower lip and possibly some of the wheel arch. I hope to get at it next week.

 

I have a NOS left rear fender that I believe is for a 38 hanging on the wall in my shop. It was piled in my 39 when I pulled it out of that garage, along with a pair of 40 fronts and a 39 right rear, all NOS. The prior owner had gathered them up several years ago and I thought it was for a 39 until I hung it up next to the right rear one. Anyway, long story long, I would part with it since it won’t fit my car. Let me know if you’d be interested.

 

Thanks Ron...Let me strip the fender I have to see what kind of hidden surprises its concealing. I'll let you know.

 

Looks like there are at least 3 guys here you could rent your 1/2" round tool to. Keep it up.

 

In my mind, the next update was going to be the driver's side rear fender as I was pretty much done the passenger fender. But, as I was hammering out the last few dings and dents, I noticed a couple thin spots in the lower front area, then as I looked closer I noticed a small tear, some deep pitting and a little too much rust at the running board flange.

So, I made a new running board flange and began laying out a paper pattern for a replacement panel.

The panel seemed pretty straight forward so I thought I would try it as a single piece (in addition to the running board flange). A few minutes on the brake gave me the lower flange and few minutes bending the tin over my knee and leg gave me a pretty good start on the upper bend where the side of the panel wraps around to the front of part of the fender.

I then spent some time on the shot bag and the HF power hammer trying to sink in the concave shape necessary to match the fender. I argued and beat the panel trying to get it to submit but realized that I was getting further from my target and it was simply not going to give in easily.

So, out came the tin snips, and one difficult panel became 2 much easier panels with a small weld in the middle.

And lastly the finished repair after welding, grinding hammering etc.

 

Nice work!
I also find that just when I think I can move on to another part of the car I notice something else that needs attention, as you did. It can turn things into a seemingly never ending story.

 

Thanks.

Yes indeed...and if I find that I'm thinking that it's "good enough"...I need to stop and take a small break and re-examine. Usually I'll find that it's not good enough, and that I was just being a bit too eager to move on.

 

Fantastic metalwork - you have all the skills at your fingertips. Very impressive ....

 

Thanks...any skills have been learned through trial and error (and often, the hard way).

 

Thanks for your tips;, I'm going to use the door hinge alignment rod on my truck door.

 

Cool, I look forward to seeing it on your build.

 

Man, very impressed with your metal work skills. The thought of replacing the bottom 6 inches of a door is ok, but getting straight again afterwards... and that rear fender...!! Definitely following, i need the inspiration.

 

Thanks and I'm glad the thread might provide inspiration for you. But, to be honest, the metal work will need a slight skim coat of filler to meet the true definition of "straight". It will be painted gloss black after all.

That said, it might be a good time to provide a weekly update on the happenings in the shop and on the project. This week was dedicated to the drivers side rear fender. As I stripped the old primer, I became concerned as there was a 1/4" layer of filler across the entire fender. This was not expected as the fender appeared in pretty good shape based on the underside. There was however the expected minor damage on the lower lip that was readily obvious. Once the fender was stripped of primer and all the filler, it was actually in pretty good condition so I'm not entirely sure why it was covered in filler. Here's a picture showing the inside of the fender.

Like I had done on the passenger fender, I replicated the lower lip/inch of the rear portion of the fender and welded it on.
I then closed in the gas filler hole and installed one of those smooth pop up motorcycle type fuel caps. I know it's a bit street roddy, but forgive me because I like them anyway. Once that was installed, I metal worked all of the welded areas as well as the dings and dents on the fender. I also had to run the shrinking disk over the "cheek" of the fender to remove some of the stretched metal in the area before I called it done.
I closed off the week by opening up the box containing the Bob Drake reproduction running boards for a trial fit. The box contains those three words that can bring concern to most of us. Specifically, "made in China". But, I must admit that they look good and fit pretty well. A few holes needed the rotary file to bring them into alignment, but generally I'm very pleased with them.

 

I'm glad you posted the last pic because it solves a mystery for me. I see the feet at the bottom of the firewall, which my body does not have. But the frame has the holes. I have been wondering what the holes were for. Your pic is the answer.

 

Good to see you were able to use your fender. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know how many bolt holes there are from fender to body. If I decide to sell my left rear fender, I need to verify exactly what I have. Thanks in advance, Ron.

 

No problem, I'll get that for you tomorrow.

 

That's good progress for one week and it looks great!

 

I really like that It is looking really good

 

Thank you for having the patience and forethought to document your work. It's these type of threads that us novices learn from.

I noticed that when you installed the rear spring kit from Speedway, you didn't use their hanger that they supply for the rear of the spring. I've seen other builders on this website and that have used this kit and they usually end up using large lowering blocks between the spring and the axle. I have a bare '35 frame and an early Bronco 9" axle and have thought about using the Speedway kit, but have held back because I didn't want to end up using the large lowering blocks. It appears your solution to drill through the frame lowers the assembly enough to eliminate the lowering blocks.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

My hope was to eliminate/reduce the need for the lowering blocks as well. But as the body is coming together and the rear attached, I'm thinking that a 1-2" lowering block will still be required. I'm guessing the springs will likely settle 1-2" as more weight gets added and the suspension gets exercised so I may start with a 2" lowering block and have a 1" lowering block on standby to substitute as the suspension settles.

 

Impressive stuff for sure! Is that a bronco 9 inch?

 

Thanks. The rear is a mid to late 70's Lincoln Versaille. It came with the factory disc brakes, but I will be converting them to 11" drums.

 

Nice work. I think you have been down that road before.

 

Thanks @Dangerousdan. Indeed I've built several over the years...here's a couple quick pics of a few of my previous builds. The first is my 1928 A-V8 roadster (the flatty in this car is my avatar photo), the second pic shows a '39 Chev I built for my sister and her family, a '39 blown Willys I built for my brother and his family, along with my wife's '36 Ford (the cabriolet is the replacement for this car as we sold it before moving west), the 3rd picture is of the '64 Ranchero I built for my brother in law along side my '65 Falcon convt.

 

I used Chassis Engineering rear leaf kit on my 40 coupe. I started with 2 in blocks, have 1 in now and might need 1/2 in to keep the stance. The rear springs are now slightly curved down. No problem.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Thanks Joel, good info.

It might be time for an update. Before I move to the front clip sheet metal, I thought I would spend some time connecting the steering wheel to the steering box. Sounded easy enough, except I wanted the delicate sized column of the original, self cancelling turn signals and to fit the aftermarket banjo style wheel I picked up a number of years ago. So, I rummaged through my collection of junk and treasure to see what might work. I had most of a real ugly 1967 Impala floor shift steering column that was too thick and clunky looking between the steering wheel and dashboard area and too thick and ugly down the length of the column with its collapsible mesh area. The nice thing about the column is that it did not have an ignition key, nor a shifter.
I also had an incomplete '65 Corvair column which had a nicely tapered transition from the narrow part of the column to thicker part at the steering wheel. It wasn't quite fat enough at the steering wheel end to match my aftermarket modern style banjo wheel or the Impala fat end. As well, I didn't have the turn signal switch, shaft or any other components. So I decided to use only the tapered transition part of that column. In the picture below, this was originally all one piece (I didn't take a picture of it before I cut it). In order to make it as compact as possible, I cut it down to the height of the attachment screw bosses in the coned section.

 

I accidently hit post rather than upload a file (DOH!)...so the post above is incomplete...carrying on...is a picture showing where I cut the Corvair tapered cone to reduce its overall length but retain the screw hole mounts.
So, from the Impala column I used the upper most section that housed the turn signal switch, the turn signal switch, the upper bearing and bearing retainer and the shaft. I then had to turn an adapter ring to transition from the Impala upper section to the smaller diameter cut down Corvair tapered section. I rummaged through my miscellaneous junk aluminum pieces and found a suitable chunk I could turn on the lathe (I believe it may have been an old piece from a drum sander/pulley). I also then needed to turn a steel disc that would be welded to the column mast and be used to hold the lower sections (Corvair and aluminum adapter) and the upper section (Impala section, bearing and retainer and turn signal switch together). For the steering column mast, I thought about using the original '38 outer mast, but it was a bit too banged up, so instead I used a piece of 1 1/2" x .065" wall welded steel tubing. For the lower shaft bearing, I used a wheel barrow axle bearing (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002Y289VO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

In order to hide the turn signal wiring, I strategically cut slots into the steering column mast so the wires could be routed into the mast within/behind the Corvair tapered cone section and come out behind the home made steering column drop. So that the wires don't interfere or get rubbed by the steering shaft, I made and installed a "wire trough" within the column and welded it in place. It's a bit difficult to see, but I hope these pictures help to show what I mean. I also welded the steel adapter ring to the outer mast at the height necessary to connect all the pieces.

I cut a slot behind the steering column drop for the wires and also cut a slot and welded tabs to the backside in order to pinch/hold the column tight.

And finally a couple pictures of it all screwed together and in place. Immediately before these pictures I was sitting on the makeshift wood seat block, right hand draped over the top of the wheel, left arm on the top of the door, reaching down and bangin' gears...car sounded good and pulled hard (in my mind). All was good with the world!

Now, if I'm being totally honest about this, it took me a couple weeks of trial and error, starts and re-starts to figure out which pieces to use, which to make and how to put this all together while having access to fasteners at the right stage etc.