Projects Drdave accidentally buys a Model A. Now what?

Thanks Mike! That's pretty close to where I am now. Phew!

 

Very cool Kustom improvement

 

Thank you!

 

Tada! A dropped headlight bar that fits like it should. Now I can confirm where I want to drill the holes in the grille shell for the wiring conduits and pull it apart for paint.



Headlights are in primer...which of course revealed a couple dings I missed. I'll finish these up and prep the headlight bar then these items I'll paint black. I had some paint matched to the body, so the grille will be painted the color of the hood. Hopefully it's a pretty close match.

 

Looks like a super fun project. Love it

 

Thanks @sodakmini. Looking forward to getting it back on the road after a 3 year hiatus.

 

Well shit I guess I’m due for a visit then!

 

Looking forward to seeing it on the road! Really like the changes!

 

Funny how those little projects turn into 3 years off the road...

Didn't you say in the beginning you weren't going to do anything with this one while you stayed focused on your other car???

Devin

 

Nice job on the headlight bar mods

 

...sounds like me (but you mean cars plural lol)...but also sounds like me that I may have qualified it with worrying about a flathead or juice brakes until after other stuff was done. Haha. In the time I've had it I've had to redo the motor in the Chevy and now the Merc has rounded off a cam lobe and is currently working on being completely blown apart for a new engine, front clip and engine compartment redo/detailing. So, progress does ensue on other cars, but slowly (I'm neck deep in a home remodel).

Headlight bar is done and painted, headlights are in final primer, grille is in sealer and should be painted tonight. Almost to reassembly stage!! 3 1/2 weeks until the Stray Kat....I think I can make it. LOL

 

Wow, you are busy! Looking forward to seeing what you’re doing on the Merc! See you in a couple of weeks!

 

Sooo... you're taking the "A" to Dewey?

 

Between work, house, grandkids and a little car stuff here and there it's the one legged man in the butt kicking contest story around here. LOL. Don't hold your breath on the Merc...it's going reeeaaaaal slow at the moment. LOL. Once the A is back up I need to get my son-in-law's 69 Chevelle running and out of my shop and into his garage....THEN back to work on the Merc. LOL

That's the plan.

 

Dave, now that you got your headlight bar all figured out. I thought I`d post these that I found last week.

 

Thanks for posting that! That's a sure fire way to do it and not lose length at the same time....and be able to get more drop in the process. If I end up wishing I had more drop, I may go back into it and do it this way....but right now the jack out of my press is under the lake house to replace rotten sills. LOL

 

Got a bit of painting done last night....one headlight and the grille shell.







....aaaaaaand of course, dang bug right on top front and center. EV'RY dadgum time! It's like they teach them in bug school that the most noble death of all deaths is to land in fresh paint, but ONLY right in the middle where it is most noticeable. A death such as this should you be presented with the opportunity will have your name sung loud among the children for all bug history. Sigh....



It allllmost matches, but it's a bit brown....just like I told the guy it was. A close as I'm going to get to matching a color with no paint code I guess (the colors on the car are the "wrong" shades that the paint code had drifted to over the years but has since been corrected and the "wrong" formulas are no where to be found). @guthriesmith loaned me his paint charts and I'm working on some colors with OEM paint formulas for when I repaint the whole car. I like the greener shades on the car now than the browner authentic shades.



Sadly when I went out this morning, there are sanding scratches, which makes me sick. I guess I'll let it all dry good and color sand it for the bug anyhow, so maybe that will lessen the scratch problem as well. That's what I get for being in a hurry....and not sanding out in the sun. LOL

 

Hopefully you put enough on to get the bug and scratches out with color sanding? I guess you will find out. Also, sorry you are struggling with the color. I had the same issue with Silas's Edsel. I got close, but it is a little off even the with closest color I could find a code for. I'm sure it could have been tinted to get there, but I was in too big of a hurry the week before SK500 last year...

 

Yeah, I hope I have enough paint on it. I've been going back and forth this morning about putting another coat on over everything, but not sure I want to press my luck. Be just like me to then get a bunch of wrinkles or some such thing and make a bigger mess than I have now.

 

Yeah let er’ buck. Save the paint for when you sand threw and need a savior.

could make the prewar pileup in Tulsa

 

Good idea, thanks Timm.

the Pileup is the same weekend as the Custom Car Revival in Indy.....I expect to be there that weekend.

 

I guess I could take the A to the Pileup if needed Dave. What are friends for anyway?

 

There ya go!

 

All the little steps finally added up to big step last night. Got the grille shell, headlight bar and headlights all in place. Pretty stoked with the change it's all made.





There would be those among my close friends that would say I let a creeping attempt at perfection get in the way of getting things done and back on the road, and they are 1,000% correct. But, rest assured, my spray can painting and less than perfect hurried prep in this case matches the dinged, scratched, chipped, peeling age of the car quite well. LOL. I even put the splash apron back on without stripping and repainting it....just scraped the flakes off the back and threw it back in there. Haha

Started drilling new holes in the bumper irons for the 32 bumper. Ever try to drill a hole in a Henry bumper iron? Good gravy, I'm wondering how many drill bits and how much oil this is going to take. LOL Also working on converting the horn to a '32 back cover and mount so I can mount it down at the bottom of the fender on the frame rail like a '32 since now it won't fit it's original spot under the headlight with the dropped bar. Finish the 12 volt conversion and I'm back on the road. Stray Kat here we come!

 

Looks great! See it in a couple of weeks!

 

Looks good!

 

You may find it simpler to modify the Model A horn bracket to fit the dropped bar. I was able to modify a horn bracket to provide about 3/4-inch offset so the horn would fit back into the smaller area below the dropped headlight bar.

 

Really looking nice. Might I suggest some 16” 1935 wheels?

 

Lookin' good Dave!

When are you planning on heading up to Dewey? Mike and I are going up Friday morning.

 

Looks good! Dave, I feel like you need more projects...