Technical Yeah, Its got a Hemi/41 shop truck

We used a lot of those flip top fillers on boats back in the day. I probably have 4 or 5 sitting in the shop still for future projects I need to get around to rebuilding. They are still available from vendors like Hardin Marine. The new ones usually have the word gas on either the cap or the locking tab.

This truck is definitely one of the finest builds out there. Congrats on the results.

 

I thought it would be cool to carve Fuel in the lid in Ford script.

 

Man here I was wondering what a guy does when he finishes his projects, the garage is clean and you’ve got no rusty hulk in waiting.

Apparently you build trunks and poke bears lmao

 

LOL! One of the bears I am poking I can't even show you. After 26 years the 442 is getting a refit. Nothing major but cool shit none the less. The roadster needed a few things as well. Multiple cars, multiple projects.

 

The "fun" never ends...

 

I still have a week before the show. I did want to build a chrome rear window surround. I asked Mitch not to stripe the window area because of it. Hmmmm.

 

That would be a nice touch....you already will be having the unfamiliar thinking they had a custom cab as an option back then, with your chrome front window surround.

 

BTW, did you see my trifecta the other day? I got a one page thread Watched, Featured and Locked in one day. Who's the man?

Anyway, back to building. The Wizzard had a chunk of a 40 cab left lying about and I ran out there today and we chopped the rear window section out of it. The only way I can build a window surround to fit the truck is to use another window and shorten, section and narrow it. This is what I started with this afternoon.

It was not as crusty as it looked. I fired up the compressor and made a mess. Started by separating the rear half and the pinch weld which we don't need.

Scored around the outside and used a flat edge to grind and file up against to get some straight lines.

This is what I had left after many hours of working.

Next up was through it in the band saw and cut it in four sections. It needs to be slightly smaller than the truck to fit inside the window recess. A quick test fit and good stopping place for the night.

The Wizzard made me promise not to use my MIG on it. Since I don't TIG weld (yet) he is going to do the honors. Then off to the chrome shop for a special favor. Stay tuned

 

Oooooo

 

It is the match to the chrome windshield surround. I thought I ran out of time to churn it out but...I feel the force is with me.

 

Man Bill you must bribe your chrome guy with an awfully large bottle of whiskey to get work done on that short of notice.

 

Yet ANOTHER bit of magic coming from the genius mind of Mr. Maxwell!
Bitchin’!

 

Some people have an attorney on retainer, I have Chrome Troy. I sent him a polite question if he could handle a fast one for me and that I need it by Monday. He said no problemo!

This one had been kicking around in the back of my head since I did the body work. I have seen a crude one in local truck, likely something meant for another rig but even from a distance you could tell it didn't match the shape of the window nor the corner radius'. I asked the Wizzard about the idea and he sent me a picture of the back of a 40 cab he had laying around, he said the roofs make good 32 roof inserts.

I talked to him on the phone yesterday and asked if he still wanted to sell the window section and I think he knew what I was thinking. An hour later it was lying on the table and a game plan was being devised.

Just a quick project before the show.

 

It’s good to have friends like the Wizard and Troy

 

"It's not the wizard that chooses the wand its the wand that chooses the wizard Mr.Ollivanders"

I don't know the first thing about Harry Potter but I bet @Bandit Billy does.

 

man Mitch did a killer job on the stripes, cant wait to see this thing in person, but wont be Portland sadly. Ill be in Roseburg doing a indoor show there.

 

They are good men as well. Glad to have them as friends.

I'm more of a Mel Brooks kinda guy.

That's too bad, I'm sure we will run into each other this summer. I plan to have have Mitch re-stripe the roadster before he retires. I had to have it striped in my garage because I didn't have an enclosed trailer back then. Besides my polisher removed some of the pinstripes .

 

Yeh, right there with ya!
"Excuse me while I whip this out"
There's another one but I don't want to sound jealous.

 

It ain’t perfect but it is very nice. It’ll be fun to show it.

Photo dump of detailing today.

I’ll do the windows and the exterior tomorrow.
Love this tire gel from summit. Not shiny, just clean and black.

My SS down pipes turned a nice rose color already. I’m gonna leave it. You can tell it’s been fired this way.

 

Cool sticker I found fit my door jamb

 

I hate set up day! My wife and @Kim Strobeck put in a hard morning and the results pleased me.
I got the chrome rear window surround installed 10 minutes before I drove it into the trailer. Looks like it grew there.

I added a few led spotlights under the truck, engine bay and interior just because all that black is hard to photograph and visualize.

Jacking it up was tough, it sits soooo low! Couldn't get the floor jack under it! Fortunately, several people had floor jacks and lent a hand. I gotta remember some ramps or 2x6's on break down day.

Everyone that walked by asked about the Hemi, it is appears to be the standout feature. I made that hood prop out of SS the other night. Nicer than having it completely open. I know, it would look better closed but this is a ISCA judged competition. Hood has to be open or no engine points. And a Hemi is a lot of points!

Even with the hood down on the prop you still get a full house view

My wife wasn't sold on the interior light until we compared photos later. She took hers without the light...fail. The details get lost in a sea of black, just a little light helps.

Cleaned and detailed from the ground up. It should have one more mirror on the other side, but I broke it this morning. It's how my week has gone so far. Why should this morning be any different? I have to go back tomorrow night and detail the truck and display, I'll bring another mirror with me.

And clean the fingerprints off those mufflers! Sheesh! Some people's kids!
This is the show entrance in the main hall, second row in, center. Pole position.

We pointed the truck toward our home in SW Washington, so it wouldn't be lonely. Our home-built display created from 20 aluminum BBC connecting rods. It is amazing how many sets of 7 there are out there after a season of racing.

Oh, and for you haters who said I wouldn't hook up the dumps...

The Portland Roadster Show runs Friday thru Sunday. Stop by and say hi if you are in the area. I know car shows are not on everyone's list, but this is a fun way to debut your build and strut yer stuff. I met some great local and out of area builders and owners today, I am sure more tomorrow.

During set up a photographer came by and asked to shoot the truck this spring for a couple of magazines. My wife was so proud she could have burst. She asked me what I thought, and I told her it is your truck, your call. I'm just the hired hand.

So there you have it, from square one project to the Roadster Show, in only 86 pages and under 6 years! I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I. BB

 

That looks absolutely fab!

 

Absolutely enjoyed it!
Mine will NEVER reach that level, but you have provided so many ideas and so much inspiration. Thanks for letting us follow along with your great build!

 

https://gifer.com/en/JUX7

 

https://gifer.com/en/JUX7

^^^^^^^^^^
Whal Al said, thumbs up!

 

I've enjoyed this build from day one....you've really done a fantastic job!
Hope you bring home the trophy you seek....as it obviously is well deserved.
Nicest '41 anywhere.

 

I did, but I decided to leave the gate closed. The striping on it is soooo cool. I talked to a couple in the know that said if it had a bed cover you need to leave the gate ajar. I don't so it shouldn't matter?

At the very least I gave it my best shot. I could have done a couple things better, but it runs and drives and looks good from all angles. And my wife loves it. She normally hates the Roadster Show, but she genuinely wants to go and hear more questions about her truck. She knows more about this one than anything I have built and she is eating it up. She's a car girl! Who'd a guessed?

 

It took a while but you converted her. I believe there may be a drink in your future !

 

@Bandit Billy now you know that you just need to build cars for “her”.