Love that you have some Great help!! How do you like that floor finish? I know mine is easy to clean. You should be cruising in no time, Carp.
Yes I am those big machines are definitely beasts very neat to see them work I like the floor is holding up fairly well for 9 years worth of abuse. It cleans up easily and I try to pressure wash it a few times a year to keep it looking clean
At my work we have an expression “Big parts win hearts” decided to drop in the drive line today. Looks like I’m close now doesn’t it? Now it’s all the details that chew up time. Working on fitting in the @Weedburner 40 shock kit. He makes a very nice product a few minor clearance modifications needed to get full shock travel (axle touching the frame) as close to bolt in as one could expect
The PO put a Edelbrock Sling shot intake on it that’s sitting up on the self. I figured it would be easier to get it up and running with the signal carb first before you introduce a dual carb set up doubling your variables.
My 39 had a 40 box with column shift. I bought a 49 merc 3 speed with overdrive. It would be a direct bolt on to the 40 flathead and shifter. To keep the old school cool. But you will need to mess with the crossmember mount a fair bit.
I have spent the last few weeks on plumbing the car again. I installed new 5/16” fuel lines including a 1/4” return line so I can hopefully avoid Vapor lock by having a venting fuel filter. Brake lines are going in with a dual master Along with trying to fit my exhaust system back in that I had to cut into 3 pieces to remove. My new tube shocks take up the space where the exhaust routed over the axle so I’m having to route it over the axle and then under the spring to get out to the back of the car. Slowly it’s going back through together. I have added some flex joints and V band clamps so I can remove the exhaust if needed once the car is assembled.
It looks that way but I’m still waiting on some parts so nothing is finished it’s about 80% and we all know that last 20% of a task takes the longest.
The frame is almost back together. Waiting on my rear spring shackles to connect up the rear spring to make it a roller again. Exhausted is modified now to fit with the shocks. New fuel tank as well as the old one had a bunch of brazed over pin holes and filled with rust. I was able to remove the wrong wheel studs the previous owner installed and tried to weld into place for some correct press in studs. I put the front brakes together and bleed out the system. The front brakes are the Roadster Supply disks. No major complaints had to grind a few areas on the calliper due to it was just touching the disk and create a notch it the casting to get the brake lines pointed in the correct direction. Weedeater supplied shocks and sway bar. Few more small details then hopefully bring the body over and start on that project.
Awesome progress! My kids are 4 and 7. I know how hard it is to make progress with little ones and a split level home!
yeah it does present some challenges. To do it over again I would prefer a detached shop. Latest struggle is accidentally dragging in metal shavings from drilling, Lathe, or wire wheels. You find these metal shavings in house and hopefully nobody gets one in the foot
it’s just a knock off Rustolum paint from Canadian Tire. Nothing special I believe forest green. It’s a tad lighter then the Ford green from factory
The work continues on the frame I Put the original battery mount back in but installed a cut off master switch under it. I made up my ground cables to the frame and to the engine to connect everything. I made up a spreader bar to install the rear spring. With that I now have a rolling frame again. Next up is to fix some issues on the body before it all goes back together
Killer car. I got 3 littles at home and too many other projects, but your car is the inspiration I need to get back on my 39 Merc sedan.
thanks Yeah everyone has told me these make good cars for the family. My youngest has told me we are going for ice cream on his birthday day. So I guess that means late June is my deadline to get this thing back on the road
Time to tackle the body. The unfortunate truth about this car is that it was an extremely rusty car somebody spent a bunch of time in the 80”s “fixing”. What I have discovered was a bunch of overlapping patch panels over Swiss cheese. So a decision has to be made do I spend the next 5 years stripping the car down to metal Fix everything last thing properly? Then cash out both my kids Education fund to pay for the paint job. Or accept the car for what it is and get it on the road. I’m not competing for a Riddler award just wanted a cool Hotrod to get ice cream in with the family. I figured the work may be sketchy but Hell it’s lasted probably 30 years already. From the outside the body looks okay especially with the shined up old black paint no bubbles or rust coming back through on the outside. So my plan is to fix any structural issues around the body mounts. Rust paint the what is there, Seam seal it, then pretend like it doesn’t bother me deep down inside and get out and enjoy the car. Staring from the fire wall and working my back. First up were the front body mounts. Drivers was cracked very thin. So cut out the old and in went some new steel. Passenger side was next. This one had been “repaired” about %70. With the body off the frame I was able to cut out the bad original part and weld in a new mount. Now to just keep going back until I get to the tail pan.
When I bought my '40 in pieces and told the old guys at breakfast that it was rough, their reply was that they all are rough under the paint and mud and just make a car out of it. Your plan is spot on.
Yep, I agree with your decision! If the body looks good, it's good enough! Fix the mounts and get it back together, besides you already have a very nice roadster and the kids are waiting to go for a ride! 60 Special
That's a good analysis Rob...especially the part about pretending that it doesn't bother you...lol...I know exactly what you mean. Given that it's already lasted 30+years, doesn't outwardly show any serious problems and looks like this: ..., you're absolutely on the right path! Your fat (from all the ice cream cruises) and well educated kids will appreciate it. Besides, re-repairing it "right" can be your retirement project.
Completely agree with the approach. 100%. Your plan of fixing the structural issues around the body mounts, rust painting, seam sealing and enjoying the car is brilliant. I bought a cool car 30 years ago and tore it to bits. Coulda shoulda woulda been driving it all these decades. Ran into a guy from MN at an event in TX. He drove his car thousands of miles to be there. He also bought his car (same year car) 30 years ago. He just never tore it apart. He's kept it on the road. It's far from perfect but it drives excellently, super road worthy, all the mods are for drivability and zero have been to make it perfect. Drive 'em. Good on ya.
* I agree. Whenever I bought another vehicle, friends would rush over to see it before I tore it apart. Next month will be 3 years that I've had my '40 coupe. I wanted something that I could drive immediately and not have to work on it. Although there are some areas that need attention, I am driving and enjoying it. I would really like to replace the trunk floor with the correct panel, but no one sees it. I have started to collect some parts, most of which can be replaced in a day or two. Right now I can drive it anywhere and not be worried. A couple of weeks ago I drove it 170 miles roundtrip to attend a good friend's Celebration of Life Service. He was also a gear head like me. I feel so much better when driving my '40, it makes me feel 50 years younger. I don't worry about chips and dings, you can't see them when driving anyway. I know a local fellow that passed away last year who had bought a 1965-66 GTO brand new. When he passed, it only had about 35k miles on it. How much did he really get to enjoy it, only going to car shows and cruise ins? I bought my '50 Ford 2dr sedan in 1995 and put 80k miles in just over 10 years of driving it. And it was flathead, 6 volt, bias tires, etc. I can honestly say I really enjoyed every mile of it, even if I did have to build 12 transmission's for it, engine wasn't stock and I DROVE it. Anyway, don't sweat the small stuff, just get out and drive and enjoy. Ron
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