Projects Thompson Shoebox Ford Build

Studeboy:
Thanks for the pic and the idea. I have something to that effect in mind but below the floor with a door for access. I need to get a filler neck and cap soon so I can make sure I have enough room to put it under the new floor...

That shoebox you got the picture from is defiantly bad ass... I would love to see it in person.

 

I spent 3 weeks scraping that shit out of the inside of my car. I found the best way to get it off the wheelwells is with a hammer and blunt screwdriver if it's cold - it'll chip off in big hunks. If it's not cold, then heat gun and sharp scraper/putty knife.

 

Lorodz:

Here are your pics of the front bags. I cut the notch to clear where the bump stop sits and then welded it back together and also clearance the holes in the cross member for the bags. I only removed what I need because you are removing structure... but its not too much. the cups just bolt in place through the holes for the shock... I still need to figure out some sort of shock set up and it looks like I need to clearance the a arm brace just a bit because the bag is touching that a little still when the bag is deflated all the way. Hope the pics helped...

 

So after looking at all the rust, under coat, and shit in the trunk area to clean up, I decided that would SUCK, so I worked on the floor supports instead. Here is what im working on to get the floor up off the tank so I can hide the filler neck and cap below the trunk floor. The string line will end up being the sheet metal floor hight but it still only gives me 3" from the top of the tank fill neck. This is going put two angles the sheet metal in the trunk so it wont be flat.....but I wont have a gas cap in the center of my trunk either.

 

DadsBlueFord:

Thanks for the advice on the undercoat. Any way you slice it.... it sucks, makes a mess, and just takes time. I might try putting some dry ice on it to freeze it and then brake it up....that might make it a little more entertaining....

 

That could work, but I think it would be faster to use the heat gun. It was about 40* in my garage when I was doing most of it so a lot of it was able to chip off. By the time I got to the fenderwells, it had warmed up a bit so I found it easier to use the heat gun.

No matter what, it sucks ass!

 

cool post man more pictures....

 

Dope! Clean! Love it!

 

Thanks Blake84. Your truck is coming out pretty sick as well.

Here is what I squeezed in today. It's not much but I should be able to start on the trunk floors this week I hope. The rear body mounts were rotted off so I pulled the rear support panel out and cut the thicker mount parts off and cleaned them up to reuse. Here are pics of the braces and rear mounts I came up with. Pics just show them tacked but they are in place now. You cant see them in the pics but I welded studs to the tank frame today as well so I can bolt it down when im ready.

 

No new updates today. Too busy doing work crap

On a positive note, I got a few of my hats back from my embroiderer today along with my dickies jump suit and they turned out sweet!!! Now if I can just remember to wear the suit so I can keep my truck upholstery form getting even more stains and shit on it.....

-Dane

 

Got the fender wells on the trunk side cleaned up today. I used an air hammer with a chisel bit and then a wire wheel. I uncovered some pretty sweet looking factory welds for the spare tire bracket

I also got a few panels cut out for the floor. Im going to draw up some design ideas for the bead work tonight and hopefully do some bead work tomorrow.

 

Build is look great.I also wanted to chop mine but chickened out. I used a mustang tank as well and wanted to go underfloor filler for a cleaner look but in doing so it would have been below the top and wouldn't fill to to the top. So i wound up using the original fuel door with a late model filler tube with a vented tube for no splashback. The newer filler tube is really small and not to intrusive in the trunk. Best i could come up with that was simple.
Keeping an eye on your chop. I might chop mine but really liking the full roof as well.
Here's a pic for another alternative.

 

What are you guys with Mustang tanks doing with your spare tire?

 

mini spare under the rear deck and a cell phone

 

tedley: thanks for the post. What you did works fine and is a little less intrusive. I don't know if you have ever chopped anything but this is my first and it took a lot of time and patients. I had to re do the sail panels a few times to get them looking good, but I learned so much from just this one chop that WHEN I do my next one it will be that much better.

As for the trunk Im raising the whole floor up and I put the tank between the frame rails to hide the cap. I think I found a flip top gas cap from a boat that I'm going to try and use. I also have to build a door and a box that will house and finish off the cap area. I have to bead roll all my panels before I brake them so its on to rolling then the rest of the fun stuff. Guess if it was easy to just put the tank below the trunk floor I would have seen a few by now?


As for spare tires... None I'm gonna get AAA. I cant even change a tire on my car unless I unbolt the rear bags so I'm not going to try changing a flat on the side of the road. I may buy a doughnut for a long haul... thats a good idea... or go with a group.

 

In the same spot as the spare now, or are you building a false floor? That's an interesting idea. I'm undecided on what to do about my tank and gas door. I'm leaning toward shaving the gas door, since I'm shaving the door handles, but still undecided. My stock tank is clean as a whistle inside, which makes the decision harder. I don't really want to have the gas filler in the middle of the trunk floor.

 

DadsBlueFord:

Yeah I have an original tank that was still decent and holding fue,l but I think its deeper than the mustang tank, plus the mustang tank was 100 bucks and it new and came with a new sending unit. (Thanks China!) My car used to rest on the spare tire portion of the trunk when it was laid out. Now I have it to where the tank is 1/2 off the ground or so.... not sure if I could have got the stock tank to do the same. I shaved the gas door when I did the tail lights and body lines. Im leaving the handles so I don't have to grab the paint on the doors all the time.... Im gonna have waaayyyy too much time in on bodywork for this car by the time its all said and done..

 

I am using a stock tank on my build, As I personally hate the filler in the middle of the floor. The neck on the stock tank can be moved and mounted inside of the trunk off to the side. I should have mine moved in the next month.
For the mustang neck, it can be moved as well.

 

I put the gas tank in sideways so the filler is on the drivers side and I still have my spare tire well

 

I got the center panel done today. The trunk will have four panels total and this is the big center one. Came out cool but got a little bet up in some spots when I put the brakes in it so I have to go back and straighten it up a little. Im going to put a door where the square markings are so I cant clean all the ink off it just yet but you get the idea.

 

I fit the center panel today and set it in place. I still needs to take some of the brake out of it so it will sit a little flatter before I weld everything. I also made two bottom panels today that I was not happy with. I did set one of the bottom panels in place to get a better feel for how the trunk will look and its coming along nicely. Now if I could quit making fancy scrap metal out of the bottom panel....

 

Man you make me feel like a slacker! All I managed to do yesterday was weld up some rust holes in the passenger rear fenderwell and inner rocker. Now that it's done though I should finally be able to get the outer rockers on tonight, after probably 2 months of looking, thinking, procrastinating, cutting a little, thinking some more, procrastinating some more, and finally more cutting and fitting.

How are you able to roll all those beads without warping the panel? Rolling a few beads into my floor patches warped the hell out of them.

 

You and me both! Keep the updates coming.

 

DadsBlueFord:

Your not a slacker HAHA I'm just in between cars at the moment and have more time than most to work on my own stuff I would imagine.
I get stuck in think mode from time to time as well but you'll figure it out and after you do your gonna be like what the hell was I staring at this so long for.

My panels get distorted too when I bead them. Your stretching the metal so its gonna warp. I broke all the edges to help them stay a little flatter and man handle them a bit to get them back into shape.

 

Lookin good like what Ur doin in the trunk

 

Well, you motivated me! Got out in the garage and did the final fitment of the passenger rockers and got em tacked in. Looks better than I thought it would. Door seems to fit right, so that's a plus. Anyway, back to your rockin' build...

 

Sweet! Do you have any pic id like to check it out.

Here are a few picks that will make you feel better.HAHA

I made a new bottom piece for the trunk today that Im happy with. I also made the design a little smaller and I think it looks better. (Only took me three tries to get it right) I also made a template for the last two pieces and have the drivers side almost done. I should be able to finish the last piece tomorrow and hopefully get everything fitting like it should. Im going to wait till I get my gas cap and have the door and box piece that will surround the cap made and attached to the center before final install. This stuff takes too long

 

the car is looking sweet, definitely gave me some ideas for my gas tank. i like the idea manyolcars had of turning it sideways to still use the original filler location.

 

coming along nicely,very nice chop

 

You work way faster than I do. Of course, you look like you know what you're doing and I don't have a clue.

This has been a huge pain in the ass.