Projects Rehpotsirhcj’s 30 Flathead Coupe

stogy mentioned the cowl's header wood...
'30-'31 coupe, sport coupe and some fordors used the same wooden header and steel under visor panel...
'30-'31 tudor and truck were different... as the doors were 1" taller than coupes...

 

Today I spent my time measuring reference points side to side and making changes here and there to try and square up the body. The reveals are going to be a challenge as both were stressed cracked when I brought the body home, and I may need to cut out some of the work I did before. That said, both doors latch and the bead lines are pretty close despite the still rough condition of the quarters.
I also decided to use my other tulip panel, it’s s bit heavier and needs less metalwork. Good day in the shop.

 

Some holiday work on the drip rail today.
Mr. Ford liked spot welds.

 

Picked up a cool trailer last weekend. It needs some work, but I think will look at home with the 30 on top and behind the 53. I’m pretty stoked.

 

No quickchange yet. Still planning on a Winters closed drive center section. If I knew more, I’d be tempted to look into a used Rodsville as I’ve read they look like a Halibrand, and I’d really like to be as traditional as possible. Anyway, pressed out old bushings and new in for the rear spring and bells today. Waiting for my spreader to arrive so that I can mock up the rear and see if the body location is okay.

 

Finished the top wood mounting in the rear. Got the rear spring on and the banjo placed.
Plug welded the drip rail onto the tulip panel.
I raised the p***enger side b-pilar a quarter inch so now the quarter bead lines match the doors. Then roughed in the top of the quarter window.

 

My driver’s side quarter is really rough. I made a lower panel from the b-pilar a long time ago. Today I welded it in. Still some work to do but it’s close. I used the mig instead of gas welding so that I wouldn’t need to pull the quarter. I used a copper backer to help prevent blow through. Seemed to work okay.

 

Just read through your thread, you are doing a great job, will sub & follow along!

 

Thanks!

 

Some low-tech bead forming tonight. I used a spacer to decrease the bead depth and set the edges using the bench edge ( my sheet metal brake). I used a block of wood as a buffer between the hammer and the form, so no marks in the end product. Took a bit of work to get the profile right, it’s pretty close. Started to weld it in, but ran out of time tonight.

 

Mig welding is SLOW. I want a tig.

 

No gas?

 

No, just a little flux core unit. I shouldn’t complain really, it does the job.

 

I found that I use both, at the same time. Tig, on body metal, is limited by heat not dissipated as fast as it's introduced. If you have a tight joint, the metal pushes the joint together and causes some distortion. the good thing is that it can be worked with a hammer and dolly to control/remove the distortion. FWIW. I tack from the back side ,if possible, and fill in between the tacks with the tig from the face side. I also use .024 wire with settings for as small a tack as possible. I also have much better results with my new Miller 211 than my 40 year old Hobart.

 

If you can, I'd switch it over to gas; maybe you won't need a tig.

 

Good advice Joel, thanks. I’ll have to take a look to see if it’s even possible. It’s one of the little Lincoln pac (100?) units. I honestly envisioned Oxy/act welding everything, but even with a 00 tip the heat is pretty excessive, and (for me) requires the panel to on the bench. This is why I envy the tig with its heat control.

 

I have a Smith Oxy torch with 00 tip and I have used it on sheet metal. Weld, quench, hammer and dolly, wait until the panel came back to my body temp. It wasn't very successful for me and really slow.

 

Yup, the vertical weld on the quarter is an oxy weld. I don’t quench, but I hammer the weld out if it’s smooth on both sides. On the bench with some luck I can get a nice continuous bead without using any rod. On the car though I’m afraid of blowing holes and so too quick to use filler. That’s why that weld is way too thick and inconsistent. That and I’m not that great a welder to begin with. That said, good or bad, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

 

No, just a little flux core unit. I shouldn’t complain really...

TIG has the best control

 

I've got a Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 converted to shielding gas. Works pretty well.

 

Transmission install…Check.

 

Another diversion. Found this old river setter locally thinking i might use it for thin sheet or use the stand for a shrinker/ stretcher. Turns out it’s pretty old so if I can’t use it I’ll p*** it on. I think it’s original use was for horse harnesses and that type of thing.

 

Did you make or purchase those fasteners with the wing nuts? What do the look like on the inside?

 

Just sheet metal clamps. I think from HF but you can find them anywhere
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-intergrip-panel-clamp-set-8pc.html

 

The temptation to use this for a set of traditional zoomies is real!

 

Someone had a bad day

 

Yikes!

 

I picked up another flathead last weekend. Cleaning things up to see if it might run. Looks pretty good, no cracks along the pan rail and the cylinders look good, some evidence of moisture in one. It’s been rebuilt and they bored the hell out it, 0.825. I don’t know enough to interpret the rod and main measurements, maybe they line bored it 0.010 over? Anyway, we’ll see how badly it smokes and sputters if I can get it to fire.

 

That means they turned both the rod and main journals on the crankshaft .010” undersized from the original diameter dimensions. Then they installed .010” thicker bearings. Properly sized for clearance of course.

 

That clears it up for me, thanks!