What to do when your car is "done"

So I got my Model A road worthy last summer and just enjoyed driving it for the summer even though there was a few things that I didn't like about the car. So now that the car is out of winter storage i've been taking advantage of the past week or so that have been filled with storms and cloudy days. I'm starting with the motor and just cleaning it up and making it presentable.

The first thing I did was fix the ugly spark plug wires hanging all over the place.

on the right you can see what I started with and on the left is how it looked after I made custom zip-tie wire looms and ran the wires under the headers.


After the wires looked nice I went out and invested in a $40.00 bench grinder and $20.00 worth of polishing compound to polish up the valve covers.
I started with sanding them down with 600, then 1000, then 2000 and they were already looking better after that.


Then it was time to spend some in the garage polishing them and making them look like chrome...well almost like chrome.


here's the final result of a lazy week of working on cleaning up the motor, I'm much happier with the way it looks, now I just need to figure out something to do with that ugly alternator and get my 6x2 intake put together.

 

Looks great too me..........drive the wheels off that sucker

 

I also got my chrome reverse wheels mounted onto some cheater slicks I've had sitting around for about 3 years now. I just hope my 4.5" wide wheels will fit up front with my disc brake set up.


And I know every one HATES these things but I got a couple port-o-walls a few years back and I think I'm going to put them on the slicks. This car just needs white walls.

 

Yeah, alternator is sticking out there a mile and ugly. Looks good otherwise though

 

lookin great so far. The valve covers came out nice! As far as the alternator goes...make it chrome!

 

Danm, those look like the same headers I had on my Tbucket way back in the 70's. It had the alternator hanging out on a twin to that bracket too.

As far as what do you do when one is "done" I don't have a freaking clue as I have never had one that was done. But I have driven the wheels of several that weren't even close to done.

 

Yea I built the headers with the help of good friend, they were such a pain in the the neck that I'll never build another set!

 

done?

 

A car can never be "DONE". there is always something newer, better, cleaner, or shinier that can be changed, but when you get to a point of satisfaction, it's time for another project.

 

hah! c'mon they are never done!

 

Everytime I get a car done ,I start another one ,I enjoy the build more than driving,

 

It looks great I like the headers white better. I especially like that they are un-corked!! I think it would help your alternator situation if you painted it black (kind of camouflage it) and run the wire loom down under the header or on the frame. Maybe put some exhaust wrap on the plastic conduit. Even it you don't run the wires underneath it would be an inexpensive way to hide the ugly non trad conduit. Maybe a little black plasti-coat on the wire ends to hide them more. Keep up the good work!!!

 

Good looking ride you have !! Now just drive the wheels off of it and have a good time doing it!!

 

Rejoice that the money pit has subsided some.

 

Looks good - maybe get rid of the $5.00 swap meet looking little air cleaner though .... Just a thought

 

take it out and break it. Then fix it, rinse repeat

 

alternator should be tweaked in position if you can and air cleaner should be swapped for something unique when you have the money. Otherwise you should just drive it until it breaks looking good though

 

Not sure if you're asking for advice on what else to do, seems like you are. I would get rid of that ugly flex radiator hose, take that with you to the parts store, and match up a molded hose. Great progress you're making.

 

One more minor point. I would lose the flex radiator hose on the top (bottom too, if there is one). Just about every time I needed to do this, I was able to find one at the local auto parts store that could be cut down to fit right. (It helps to be buds with the counter guys, and go in the middle of the day.)

If your buddy who helped with headers is as talented as he seems, you may also be able to make one out of steel tubing, have it plated (or powder coated) and use short lengths of straight hose to insert it.

Engine looks great other than that and the alternator.

 

The alternator housing will polish up the same as the valve covers. It's all cast aluminum. It does seem to stick way out there, like it's peeking around the grill shell.

 

Looks cool.. If your tired of driving it, sell it for a profit and start over.. Ain't hot rodding fun.......

 

Whenever I think my truck is done, I sit down and stare at it for an while. I look at a few magazines, spend an hour or two on the HAMB. I usually find(steal) a bunch of new ideas that I could do to my project. Sometimes it seems just as I make something else look better, it takes away or makes something else look like crap. So its a revolving door of fixs and tweaks.

 

When yours is done, get your ass over and help the buddies that helped you!

 

Sell it and start another one. The challenge is over, nothing left to do now but drive it.
Find another barn car and start from scratch.

 

When they are really done, then it's time to start another--think about selling the one shown in my Avatar but then I take it out for a spin and can't fathom letting it go.

 

like the man said, its never done,the alt needs to be relocated and air cleaner has to go,other than that looks good..............

 

Maybe you could hide the alternator down low like where a power steering pump would mount or mount it off the rear end. I saw a compact alternator in Louiville one year. It came off a kobota lawn tractor. He mounted it down low and out of sight.

 

I guess my title was kind of confusing, I know these things are never done I was just pointing out that once they are on the road there are always little things that will make them look better and more enjoyable.

I know that the air cleaner sucks, but it was only 10 bucks and I'm just going to replace it with my 6x2 intake once I get all the carbs rebuilt and figure out a linkage set up.

As for the alternator, I'm going to look into mounting it down low and maybe find a smaller one off of something odd like an import or who knows what.

I know there are a lot of things I can improve on my car and it will never be done but if I ever feel like it is getting old I think i'll just rebuild it all over again with a whole new style

 

a friend once told me a car isnt "done" until you sign your name on the title and watch it drive away...

 

Done? Nevah!