Projects Finally My '26 Chevy Roadster Build

Yes, it would help with a full size old part, especially "B" (#11L). I am doing #11L because it is the only old one, that I have. Hopefully I am calling it out well enough that people will notice that I switched sides. If you take one of your #10's off, be careful of the hinges after you do. Once that they are not connected to something they can jiggle around and come apart even with the tab still closed!
Sounds like the AMU is being done up right! The PP will be just that after that system is complete. With a water heater, WOW! I remember Mom putting a lite in our chicken house when I was a kid. It sure made a difference.

 

The real name is the Asshole Mountain Crematory & Power Co. I'm just working on the Solar Division right now. The motto is "The light at the end of your tunnel, smokers welcome." I'm surprised the green energy folks haven't seen this yet. Maybe it's all the black greasy smoke? But if you're going to burn them anyway what the heck?

I haven't handled the #10 or # 11 yet so I'm still studying your tracing. Just ti see if I think I could build that using just the picture. I just went out to take a look at mine. They look to be solid enough for good measurements & patterns except for the very bottoms that fit into #1. I feel confident enough now to pull them out of the cowl as soon as there is enough room in the shop. Before I do I will mark all pieces hinges, latches, door alignment things .......And take more detail pictures! Since my doors are pretty solid so I'm thinking of leaving them together until the pillars are in place. It may be useful?

Looking at my sill it looks like the were bolted to the frame using carriage bolts with torque washers. So far I have not found then in 7/16. Maybe 3/8 or 1/2 will work. I suppose they may have been used in other places.

 

Torque washers. So that is what they call those things. I see signs of them on my stuff also. I got a friend out in the shop to make me some crude square ones out of scrap before I retired. I have a small baggy here some place, but do not remember what size of square hole I had him put in them.

 

The Home Depot has them online, but not 7/16. I'll check the store next time I'm in Carson. I found some in England where they are called pointy washers. I'm thinking for the few I need the 3/8 might work even if I have to grind the bolts a little to fit the square hole. Maybe use stainless bolts so I won't grind through the zinc coating. I'll worry about that when I get there.
I wish I could have had the resources I have now when I had my '51 Ford woody. One of the best drivers I ever owned.

 

Still studying the new drawings. I went through the pictures and I don't have any good clear pictures of the #10s & # 11s and I haven't handled them. Here is what I have.
10 R

10 L

10 R

And GG2s tracing of #10 R (passenger side hinge pillar)


Today is battery swap day. If you don't hear from me in a couple of days send a search party or a Saint Bernard .

 

May the Force be with you!

 

Done, It took 3 1/2 hours. I'll need the power to run the heating pad and massager.

New batteries in the pickup


9 of the the old ones still in in place

All 12 old ones out an awaiting individual testing to see of some will work for the chicken house set.

The empty box


The new ones in & working. The toughest part is lifting them in & out of the box as the edge of the board shows. 24 batteries @ 115 lbs + 78 year old guy = Seem to be working well.

 

I finished the wood on the roadster.

 

Sorry for hijacking the thread, I have a u-joint question. Everything I have acquired so far has been in pieces. The 27 stuff I just got was recently taken apart and I am trying to figure out how the u-joint goes together. I can only find two spherical trunions, are there supposed to be two or four? Looks to me like there should be four. Thanks

 

Nice job on the trunk!

 

I bet GG2 can answer that. I don't know much about the old drive train.
Yeah, there is more room in the trunk than I thought.

 

Hey, gg2 n 6b;
I posted these in another old-thread, but thought that since you guys needed something to do these might be useful? ??? Granted, they are for a ford modelA of some kind, but dimensions in a lot of the old cars were similar.
If it's no use, I'll happily delete it, just ask.
https://aafordscom.ipage.com/aafords-pdf/229awd.pdf
By: Neil Wilson of Boulder, Colorado February 6, 2007
Marcus...

 

Thanks Marcus, I don't know if any of it is directly useable but it is good to have and study. Much of the technique is the same. There maybe something we can use or learn. I sure wish someone would come up with a set for a '26 Chevy roadster. But wait GG2 I doing that. If any one knows if more information specific to '25-'26 Chevy open cats tucked away on this site or ANYWHERE else please put it here.

 

Four trunnions are required, two for each yoke. Bolts go in from the front.

nrgwizard.
Now those are real drawings! It would be great to get the 26 chevy roadster to that level! But it is not in me. Hopefully we can get a few bodies put together from my sketches, find any problems, and someone else can move it forward! (Plus, anything else that can be added) I know that there has to be more bodies out there just needing a direction. (Optimistic Buffone!!!!)

 

Well, most Stude stuff(engineering drawings) can be had thru the Museum Archives, but at a cost. Doesn't help either way here.
I've got a Whippet cowl, some unknown rear cabbie/coupe qtrs & "air" doors that need doings, & only a hint of wood left in the lower cowl. Not a high priority, would be moreso if it was a Stude. Got a ~'25 Stude cowl so that's higher on the list, which is behind the '17, '16, '15, & body-less ~12-13(? Still trying to ID the rhd chassis, fairly sure what it's not, what it is, idk - yet). But none of this helps you ~26 +/- chev roadster guys... .

I'm sure there's a fair # of chev guys needing this, but connecting w/them, now, is the problem. Too bad the theoretical concept of mind-hive-connection(s) doesn't work as well in practice. ;( .
Marcus...

 

Boyd, I think you are under estimating the quality & importance of your drawings/tracings. As far as we know these are all that exist. They are certainly good enough to work from! Along with your photos cars could be assembled. They would be helpful to those who's choose to use steel as well. Once all the pieces are drawn other details can be added. Thank you! I'll try be be more help.

Marcus, Other projects always distract me. The old Chev 4 engines call. There is a pile of 1919 Essex parts that want to be a speedster. There is an OT '70 Blazer, '62 Porsche Super 90 coupe, '68 Chevy flatbed, a couple of motorcycles, some Studebakers and those are just the ones with wheels. I'm trying to focus on the '26 while Boyd & I are on a parallel course and others are interested. (and still alive) Thanks for your interest. That goes for the rest of you too.

 

Yah, I only mentioned a few of the ones I like, that I have. Well, I like those too, but... Mostly Studes, some IH's ->'74, Amc, Nash, Essex, +... . Too much of them, too little me n energy n space n "spare" bucks, &&&... ;( . Life gets in the way, blah/blah/blah... ;( ;( .
But on the flip side, there are too many ideas, wants, hopes, etc... .
Like seeing what others can & are doing. Glad you 2 are doing n recording.
Marcus...

 

I'll never face a morning and be bored because there is nothing interesting to do or more likely think about doing. . Worst thing would be to check on some of the threads here I follow and see what someone is getting done. Or give Leroy a call that guy never sits.

 

I grew up in the middle of old cars. My father was an avid fan and restorer of Model A Fords. My first go-kart at 12 was a model T ford chassis built up from parts. I sat on the gas tank and held on for dear life. My first “real” car was a Corvair. I have Model A and Model T , Corvair, VW, and some early V8 projects …. Just need money, time, energy and some new skill sets. I find the 4 cylinder Chevy stuff really interesting partly because it is different.

 

Time is the one you win't get more of.

 

I took the camera to the shop this morning and got up to date pics. I believe that this is the fifth time that I have put this part together!



I have a piece of 1 1/4 particle board for my 'backstop' (using what I have) I have it vertical and held by some blocks on the other side. The piece of tin is my 'tilt out' gauge. 1 1/2 degree or marked on the tin 3/8 inch in 14 1/2 inch vertical run. I took a better pic. but disappeared. The tin and partical board are tight to the front side of #10s. I move the tope of #10 out until I see the tilt marks and sand off the lower part of the intersection if needed and reclamp.
The twist and vertical front to back have already been taken care of.
One thing that I will have to do before I put in screws and glue is to add a bottom under the sill to hold the correct elevation and also maybe hold some glue in. A piece of tin will do it, and pull it out when the glue sets.


This is the front side of the 'backstop'. Before I go to drill the screw holes in #10, I will drop these screws into the sill to hold everything from moving



I am getting pretty close to having this #10l where it will be finished. I did deepen my notches in the sills. 1/4 inch for the #10s and 1/8 inch for the #11s. A lot less sanding, and I think a better connection. The router method worked very well if the two sills are stood on edge together and clamped. BEFORE PUTTING THE 10 DEGREE UNDERCUT ON THE OUTER EDGE! After that it gets tricky but can be done.


The rest of this fitting will probably done in place with a hand sander after it is glued. You will not have the big notch on the front side like these. I had made a mistake and made them too big year before last.

I spent most of day before yesterday adjusting the angles on #11s. Found out that the front and back are parallel except if the door needs a little angle clearance to open and close. That clearance should be done at assembly of the body just before putting on the quarter panel tin.

With the adjusted angles to match the drawing 'to be' seem to fit fairly well.

 

I missed two pics.





#11l shown with a small piece of particle board to hold vertically. It is also almost ready. will have to check for rotation, vertical front to back and add the tilt out.



Doubled up!
Last pic. another handy tool I found out!

 

That is looking good. It is good to see how the hinge notches look on the #10. It is helpful to see how you are holding things in place while you work. What does that tool do? Don't forget to bring it when you come to Nevada to put mine together.

 

Mini belt sander

 

Air? First I need to find a really good 120v compressor or a 24 v DC one. I could put a DC compressor in the battery shed close to the source with a huge tank and use it for a diversion load when the batteries are full. I could pipe the air to the shop.
I see GG2 just liked what Tom said and didn't comment. Didn't want to discuss the Nevada trip. Do you have one of those Tim?

 

GG2 I like the bottom support ides. The fewer directions it can move the better. That is an easy fix.

 

Hi Six Ball
When I built my 26 chev tourer and a few years later a 26 roadster I had all the original woodwork albeit rotty and used them as patterns. Never thought to make drawings as there was no demand down here. My best investment was an edge sander which I used to rapidly form all the multi curve woodwork and I would recommend that purchase to anybody endeavoring to replicate multiple curve wood components. The hardest parts where the back of the front seat timber forming the B/C post and if you don't have that panel it is extremely hard - lucky I did have it. Distance between the B & C pillars is critical. Doors are easy.. I have since benefited from people who made quality drawings of pre 26 model T fords and mid 1930s English Riley's for subsequent builds and encourage anybody to draw up woodwork patterns as this info will be lost for ever. More to come.
Kume

 

View attachment 5921947

This is a must buy for vintage car wood work. I payed about 250 NZ dollars used for mine - saved me hours of work.

 

@Kume Am I heading in the right direction on this? I would take any input (Especially from one who has done it before!)

 

I don’t have one but have looked at cheap ones at harbor freight. They may be electric? I see them used a lot for metal work where it’s hard to get in to a tight spot.

while your in the depths of wood work talk I have a question.

some of the wood in my model A could use some love but I’m not sure it needs totally replaced. It’s mostly in tact but feels a little soft if I poke a finger nail into it which I believe is not a good thing - not a wood guy obviously- I’m wondering if there’s not a product I could brush onto it or soak it in to firm it up? I feel like I’ve heard of this sort of product in other threads but I’ve lost track of the information.