Hot Rods Nature Abhors a Vacuum, Or, The Hemi A Roadster fills a void.

The chirping noise was a combination of the right side Buick drum contacting the WW backing plate, AND the shoes dragging a bit because the pedal wouldn't return fully. I think this kept just a little pressure in the system, like riding the brake pedal, and the shoes drug. That right side drum must have a little run-out issue, all the noise came from there. The drums had the lip machined off, but that one had a little "lip" that I could feel that was cutting into the backing plate, so I chamfered it a little bit. That, and a return spring on the brake pedal, and "VIOLA", no more noise.
And, with the return spring, the brake lights don't stay on...
My new steering wheel came today, so I put that on. It's 15" compared to 17" for the other one, MUCH easier to get in and out. It's a chrome plated 3 spoke, and is a little "bling-y" for my taste, but, I can get in and out, and see the dash gauges, so I'll get used to the chrome.
I safety wired the knock-off spinners on, after searching for the roll of wire and then the pliers, but I found 'em and got it done.

 

For anyone who heard the "chirp, chirp, chirp..." as the car went past, I figured out what that was. The right front Buick (original, real, vintage part) has about 1/8" run-out (it could be the '40 Ford hub too). That lead to the drum contacting the aluminum Wilson Welding backing plate every time it went round. The drum had been machined too remove the lip on the inside where the drum liner sticks out about 1/4", but a little lip was present and that left a mark on the backing plate. I chamfered that a bit, and put a return spring on the brake pedal as it wouldn't come fully back on it's own. When the thing got warm the shoes on that side drug on the drum, and made their own chirpy noise. All better now...

 

Whilst waiting for the windshield glass to be cut and fitted into the Hallock frame, I got the heater defroster wired and the ducts run to '36 Ford horn grills in the cowl. Man, it hurt to cut holes for them, but the results will be great on chilly fall days and spring evening rides. I also added all the bling the little Hemi is gonna get in some chrome acorn nuts on the valve covers.

My wife Kim said yesterday, "I think we can do the interior in this with the leather left from the wagon."

Yes we can, and we won't be dealing with a flakey, lying, irresponsible upholsterer either.

 

You couldn't hear a dump truck driving through a china factory!

 

You are forgiven. Poor taste notwithstanding...

 

It was cool to see it in person after watching along on the build, and it was fun to meet you. I have a question- that was the first Relix Riot that I've been to and I thought that it would be a lot larger. Was attendance down compared to past shows??

 

Good question, that I don't know the answer to. It looked to me like there were fewer cars this year, I think the most they've had is around 300. I'll have to ask one of my pals in the Relix club. I know they're happy to have period correct, nice cars, than to have big numbers and average "cruise night" cars. No late model, no modern wheels, keep the hood shut on your LS or late Hemi powered cars. They seemed happy with the show and are planning on doing it again next year.

 

Waiting on the windshield glass, at the glass shop, but I took care of a couple things today, rolled it outside and gave it a bath. This thing is gonna be amazing.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=595757065537135

 

Looks and sounds amazing! Well done.

 

Thanks, it's been a fun build. Now once I get the interior done, I'm gonna get back on the T'bird! The same thing I've said after each of the last 6 or 8 cars have been done..

 

I have an off topic project like that too. It’s been last in line for almost 30 years but it may be moving again under its own power soon. Don’t wait too long on the Tbird, it’s a cool car, too!

 

...Great news, you solved a couple of closely related issues...thanks for sharing the fix...I will read that in depth soon...same side too listen to the video at a nice volume...its one of those things that's infrequent, not too annoying and it is a very low wear issue but improvements based on better brake adjustments warrant what you did, these drum brakes are very good even better when properly working...the two combined the other thing I find odd is how do you adjust with neither having an adjust port...off with the drum?

I 'm thinking you posted the setup/adjust and I missed it...

I will search as for how you fit and adjust the drums. A mechanic I had check and adjust the brakes said there was something that made for a less than perfect adjustment because of a step in the pad from something rubbing...I added spacers to the pedal to bring the pad up to a better place...

Nice Hotrod...​

 

Well, I've got over 300 miles on it, and no serious issues so far, other than what I've caused myself. The worst one being that when I hurriedly put the wires back on after discovering the flat on the right front was because I'd pinched the tube trying to mount the tire myself, that I didn't safety wire the knock off's to the spokes. I have a lead mallet and whollopped them really hard, but was in a hurry and thought I'd be fine to drive it to the campground without safety wiring the knock off's to the spokes.
Wrong.
Someone pulled out in front of me on the way there, and I got on the brakes HARD to not hit them. The fact that they flipped ME off as I went by was irritating, but the really irritating thing was that the next morning taking my little great nephew and niece for a short, slow ride, I heard the unmistakable sound of a wheel knocking against the knock off spindle. The sound that immediately precedes a wheel coming off and passing the car.
So, I had the lead hammer with me, knocked them all tight, found it was the left front (the formerly View attachment 5504348 flat one) that wasn't tight, got back to our campsite, torqued them all down and THEN took the time so safety wire the knock off spinners on. Braking seems to be what can loosen them, and now I won't cut that corner again.
All's well now, the only other issues were a brake light switch that won't stay properly adjusted, and one of the transmission cooler fittings wasn't quite tight and was dripping trans fluid on the exhaust pipe.
Now it's on the interior which I hope to have at least partially done by Nats North.
Edit: And... I got the w/s glass in, after a fiasco in which the tube of adhesive I bought at the glass shop, and apparently set on the roof my car as I put the glass on the back seat, wasn't there when I got home and had the glass in the w/s frame. Crap. That mistake cost $50 at the local parts store for another tube of adhesive. But, it looks GREAT.

 

Yup. That's the noise. I'll bet if you take the drums off and look at the backing plate you'll see a shiny spot where there is contact.

 

Despite these minor issues they are an awesome drum brake system...perhaps I will make that a Winter project...

 

Boy those knock offs are a learning curve...loose wheels at any speed can make for a good ole bit of a panic...wire and special pliers check...

 

@flynbrian48 are your knockoffs righty loosey on one side and left loosey on the other?

 

Yes, and they're on the proper side. The hubs are stamped, the knock offs are stamped, and of course can't be swapped RH for LH once the hubs are bolted to the drums. The bottom line is they HAVE to be safety wired. Plus, the wire looks cool...

 

Yesterday was "Clean the Shop" day. I started with great intentions, then was sidetracked by interesting stuff I found, like the hood top pattern for the roadster, tinkering with the scooters, then mucking out the outside wood shed lean-to where woodchucks had tunneled and made HUGE piles of gravel that had formerly been under the cement floor.
I did manage to take care of that mess, burned a bunch of Amazon and Speedway shipping boxes, organized several sets of tires, and got at least some progress on the shop clean up. For the first time in YEARS I can see the wood bench top! My collection of coffee cans filled with stuff will be fun for my son to sort through and wonder why I kept all that stuff...It actually doesn't look bad now, compared to what it did look like, although the little bench on the other side of the shop is still a mess. I need to just scrape everything off of it and make a trip to the dump...

 

FRP. It's not just for tacky shower enclosures any more. It'll be great covered in burgundy leather, or, we can just carry a bar of soap with us, and when it rains, strip down and lather up!

 

Nice! thank you for the idea

 

Looking good. Frank

 

Today's project was (after my Covid booster and flu shot) was to finesse the door cards, quarter panel and kick panel boards I roughed in yesterday. In addition, I finished up (other than paint) the transmission tunnel, and fixed the seat base and hinge so the seat can flip forward. I was gonna make a bulkhead panel behind the seat, but there's a LOT of storage space that'd be lost, so I'm leaving that alone, other than the little side panels I made that will be upholstered. I also made, from scraps of FRP, a glove box insert that looks and worked pretty slick.
I have to say I LOVE this FRP board. It's cheap, light, thin, and completely waterproof, an important consideration in a topless car. A 4x8 sheet is like $30, I have enough to do the entire interior AND trunk liner panels. I scuff the back to aid in adhesive sticking, but am super happy with the stuff. I used it for all the '34's interior and trunk panels as well.
I'm going to Nat's North with the car this weekend in Kalamazoo, unfinished but looking pretty good!

 

Like this? Just want you to know I listen to good advice...

 

@Bandit Billy, doesn't that shift knob just make the whole car?

 

My wife snuck up on me last night while I was on my computer secretly hoping I was looking at porn for once rather than cars on the HAMB and she saw the shift knob and said it went to a good home! I agree, it looks great in there. I'm glad to have played a small part in your groovy roadster.

 

I'm very appreciative, thank you very much. It's the little things that add up to make the whole, and having a kindness from someone else (there are MANY in this build) makes it more than just another car.

 

With feverish excitement, well, eager anticipation, scratch that, make it with some misgivings and regret because there's a nostalgia drags event on the East side I could go to but don't have a motel room and I don't want to trailer the car to Detroit, I'm getting ready for the NSRA Nat's North in Kalamazoo this weekend. It's 20 minutes away, lots of people I know will be there, this will be the first big event the car will have been shown, so I guess I can tolerate the cheesy music, muscle cars and 75 year old gals wearing poodle skirts, and saddle shoes grooving to Wings Calahan while their husbands ride along beside them in mobility scooters.

In anticipation of all this fun I got busy this morning and cut some temporary floor mat from a cheap rubber backed entry mat from Menards, and made some (actually pretty nice) rocker trim pieces from the 20 ga. stainless steel piece I have. The job would look much better with a shift boot, but hopefully there'll be a vender of cheap Chinese Hot Rod parts there and I can get one.

I'm also hoping to score a pair of 15" Steelies in Chevy bolt pattern to match the pair I found in my shed the other day. If I can, I'll get a pair of tires, some 235/75R15's for them, some beauty rings, try to remember who of my pals told me they had a set of Chevy spider centers and I'll have another set of shoes for the car.

 

I had a fun weekend with the roadster in Kalamazoo. Now I'm back at work on it, doing things twice. I made a little riser to put the (1/2 price) Lokar shift boot on, got it tacked to the trans tunnel and only then realized I hadn't yet replaced the neutral safety switch that I busted an electrical terminal off. Out with the cutoff wheel to fix that. I probably should make some little ears and screw it to the floor rather than weld it, in case I need to service that thing ever again...