Hot Rods A Long Time Coming, But Not There Yet...The Bass Hemi Model A Coupe Version 2.0

I've been busy.

If you're not familiar with this car, here is a link to the condensed version of the build thread on the car from 2006:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104314


My '29 Coupe has turned into a much more involved and time consuming project than I would have or could have ever imagined. When my Dad and I drug the forlorn, bullet-riddled body from the woods outside of Waco back in 2001, I have to admit that I may have been overly optimistic about how quickly I could whip it back into shape.

Here is a short recap of how I got in this mess...

2001:



Most people would look at this thrashed old Ford body and deem it too far gone to ever consider doing anything with. But me, I have the sickness. The sickness that lets me look at any junky old Ford and see it finished and lookin' bitchin. You might have it too...if you do then you can understand.

Fast forward to 2005. After moving around a bit, I finally settled into the shop I currently work out of in downtown Dallas, and I finally had a place to work on my Coupe. By this point I had already thrown a perimeter frame together, and found various better body panels to replace the really really bad ones that were attached to the original body I started with.



At the time that picture was taken, I had just located and bought the 331 Hemi in the foreground. That was the missing link, so to speak, that I needed to really get cranking on the coupe.

I built a chassis. (The link at the top of the post has a good amount of detail on the chassis.)



And the thrash ensued to get it driveable for the 2006 Lonestar Roundup. I made it...just barely...and the car looked pretty much like this for quite some time.



I did make some progress on it here and there, as time and money would allow. By 2007 I had cleaned the body up a little more, and made the new corners above the A-pillars.



So it stayed pretty much the same from this point on, other than having the front suspension parts chromed.

Fast forward again to July 2009....

 

I was driving the car to a show a few hours south of Dallas...nice day, car seemed to be running well. Stopped at a gas station and filled it up, took off and felt something odd as soon as I got into 4th gear. About a mile later I made a righthand turn, and the next thing I knew I had antifreeze running out of the headers.

Not good.

Got it home after a long ride on a stretcher, and pulled a head off of the Hemi. Broken Valve, head toasted, piston looks like the surface of the moon.

Ouch.





Bad, but could have been worse. E.C. came to the rescue and sleeved the block as well as sourced another custom piston. I found another head through the Hamb, and drove to Beaumont to pick it up.

While all the machining was going on, I decided that it would be a good time to get back on the body.

Starting at the back, I decided I no longer wanted to use the '32 gas tank that I'd been using. Rather that tuck the rails inside the body, I decided to just trim them off and run the spreader bar. This required numerous changes to make everything work.

Before:



I added the rear crossmember back to the body, and used a roadster rear panel instead of the shorter coupe panel.



Snip snip...trimming the rails.

 

The quarters needed patches, a lot of straightening, and I needed to make new rear subrails.



Making the subrails...





The floor in the car was nearly non-existent before. This was one area I really wanted to improve.





I made a new X-brace to stiffen the body...the new gas tank also attaches to the brace.

 

Here's the trunk.



Quarters and doors straightened and patched.



Got rid of the tack strips since I'm not doing a stock rood insert.





Switched to a stock but shortened decklid skin...



And had it louvered.

 

Sectioned a Brookville inner panel.



The '32 windshield header needed help.



I made a panel to replace the rusty parts.





Fitting the new drip rails...

 

I had a blank spot on the left side of the dash, and I decided to use a clock there. I found this NOS '51 Ford wind-up clock on ebay. It fit the space perfectly...and it works like a champ!



Dash ready for bodywork and paint...



Painted! Kool George/ aka Famous59/ aka "Bucky Hustle" layed down the Dupont basecoat/clearcoat over my bodywork.



New seat! Upholstery by David Devers of Waco, TX....the insert is white pearl that matches the steering wheel.




The last couple of weeks have been a big blur....but I finally got to drive the car again today for the first time since July.

 

It's still quite a long way from being done, but it's a hell of a lot closer. I still need to do some work on the body before it'll be ready for bodywork and paint, but the sheetmetal is about 95% there.



Last but not least, here's a video I took today of a short test drive.

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I'm leaving for the Lonestar Roundup in the car in a few hours, so I'll see those of you that are going at the show. Come by my booth and say howdy!

-Brian

 

Holy smokes, that is looking sweet! Very nice job!! Good photos too. Thanks for sharing.

 

I always thought your hot rod was spectacular, I think the car will look great with paint, what color are you going with?

 

Very nice.

 

Can't wait to see it now! Have a good trip!

 

that car just keeps getting better and better! i woulda stopped and called it done about 1000 times, im sure of it!!!

 

Gets better and better, look forward to seeing it 'done' at the level your pushing it to, if the final body looks like the detail, will be awesome....although it already is

Cheers,

Drewfus

 

Everything you touch is 5 star PLATINUM staus f@ck GOLD!

 

Nice work - that Hemi sounds awesome!!!

Spence.

 

Thanks for the inspiration, getting ready to start cranking on my coupe again. Looking damn good.

 

Fine looking automobile!

 

Awesome progress Bass.

 

Wow just wow. what a killer ride. Wish I could stick with a car for that long

 

Bass, you're my hero.

If I can get my 331 to sound even remotely as awesome as yours I'll be a happy man. Keep up the good work!

 

Damn, that's sweet, and that's coming from a guy who's not that much into A's. Dashboard is awesome, dude.

 

Great car, I dig the changes.

 

I love your posts/updates, great pictures, details and craftmanship. Drivin' vids make my day!!!

 

Have a great time at the show! Thanks for taking the time to show what "can" be done! Great looking car!

 

WOW!!!!!!!!

Without the gas tank i like it even more!!!!

What did you do at the 9" rearend that it looks like an early banjo axle at the wheel

mounting flange?!

WOW again!!

An awesome Hot Rod!!!!

 

Yup, looks killer Brian!

Any progress on the Wade chop?

 

I thought it was perfect before, But now...Wow wee! Very nice.

 

Wow... Bass you have improved perfection!

 

In my opinion, that coupe is the most influential modern day hot rod out there.

Brian, your footage in MFS #4 is the one and only reason I bought my 28 coupe body and original 32 frame.

Thank you
Gil