Projects And so it begins......1928-29 late 40's style roadster project!

Another little update.
So, Im back working on the hot rod again and I did a few more things that I've been meaning to do. I put a piece of angle iron across the floor to keep the seat bottom in place, mounted the seat belts and
I finally finished putting the wood body blocks in, so the body is now officially mounted on the frame! It was a P.i.t.a. and I had been putting it off.
Also, now that things are more "together", I was able to sit in the car and start to mock-up the steering wheel.
I admit I kind of screwed up and the back of the seat was too thick. Im a bigger guy and the steering wheel was almost on my chest. So, I decided to make a thinner, plywood seat back so I can sit a little more reclined. I tried chasing down the upholsterer for a week or so, and I finally just decided to do it myself. You know what they say...If you want something done right!
I bought a Harbor Freight Staple gun for like $30, and it's the best tool I've bought in a while! Totally worth it.
I was able to re-use the upholstery from the springs and it actually looks really good IMO.
Also, the rear end is getting re-built now by Dennis Lacy and it should be really nice. I sort of committed to that level when I did the front end.
That will be huge when that's done, as it will be a roller. It will be all downhill from there!

 

Great stuff @OLLIN...downhill in a very awesome vintage way...

 

Another update. So, my mom had a bad spill in early July, and I came back to LA to help out. She's doing a lot better now, and work slowed down a bit so I finally got some time on the roadster.

Here's how it sits as of earlier tonight.

 

I finally got around to finishing up the hoodsides. It was a sh@t ton of welding and grinding, and hammer and dolly work. It's far from perfect, but looks pretty good from 10'. I probably should have waited until I finished the hood top because I already scratched them up, but my goal is to get the front end buttoned up and "finished" before I go back to NM next week. I figured I will work my way to the back...
I also put in the cowl lacing and 32 radiator shell lacing. There were some good threads here on the HAMb

I also finished welding/ filling in the cowl gas tank. I had already done the other side, so at least it matches now.

I also took apart the headlights and painted the buckets. That was a whole 'thing' as well because the little retainer spring that hold the marker lense broke and the bezel things that hold the bulbs were also cracked. Got them all back together and painted now

 

The hood was kind of a pain. I needed to put a little blister in the hood where the carbs go. I was going to use an air scoop thing from a vintage speed boat, but my buddies laughed at me and talked me out of it. they said I have 'a lot going on' already.
I remembered so cal speed shop used to sell the blisters too, but I looked into it and they were way too big. So I figured I've already done everything else the hard way so might as well just make my own blister. The old school way, 'just like the 40's' bro
I also made it through the entire "homogenized hot rods thread" and saved a ton of inspiration pics!
Here's one I saw of it filled in 32 shell. The radiator shop must've moved the filler or something on the top tank, so I couldn't run a regular radiator cap, and I'm going to have to move it inside anyway, but I want to run a special hood ornament. It's kind of an inside joke with my buddies and I'm trying to win it on Ebay. But I filled the top. Came out ok i think.
Also, I should have done this in the first place, but I bent some flat bar straps to match the cowl and radiator shell. I then clamped and welded them to the hood. It really helped 'stiffen' things up. It still needs some adjustments, but I finished putting on the toolbox latches, and it actually clamps down pretty good.
Should work out fine...hopefully it won't fly off on the freeway or something.
Of course I didn't stop to take any pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

 

Oh, and I made a front spreader bar for the frame horns, It looks like I have to take off the radiator shell again though in order to put it in
I'll try to do it this week and post a picture.

Also, It doesn't look like my rear end will be done before I leave, but he got it all apart and sent it to get bead blasted. I lucked out and the brake drums were within range, gears were all pretty nice, and it already had 3:78's!

I need to find another drive shaft to shorten, so if anyone in the LA area is holding a nice one, please let me know

 

Great stuff Ollin...hope your mom's on the mend...they're pretty special...

We had a good chuckle over that 32 Shell...it was the Dinosaur inspired one @GEBHARD I believe shared, still chuckle every time I see it...I would love to have seen the Hotrod that it was attached to...they actually did a good job on it...or maybe it was a salute to the Ducktail Hairdo in the 50s...


You have Stogy all curious now thinking what's going on the platform/base you made on your shell...

Like what your doing with all the details...like those side hood panels...awesome...

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She's doing better thanks for asking,
dislocated hip, but she's already walking around with a cane and driving again.
She's a good sport. She always puts up with my crazy ideas. I even convinced her to go with me to Bonneville speed week one time. lol. I told her she has hot rod street cred now. This is her in my old T around 2007?

 

Your adventurous with your rides...many were back then...Keep up the salute back to the diversity of Hotrod...it's a joy to celebrate and witness...

 

Spreader bar is in.
You need front and rear plates in California. I have some little goodies I want to run also

 

I am waiting for my buddy Adrian to dig out some model A front bumper brackets from his messy ass back yard. I want to run a front bumper as well with those 36 chevy bumper guards. I think it will look good as well as functional here in LA.

 

Was just thinking about tyour old green T the other day, what ever became of it?

 

I sold it to Marcus Edell up in norcal in 2010, and from there it went up to Tacoma? Then I heard it was in the south, like Mississippi or something? But I lost track after that.
I bought it from Jimmy the Perch as a roller, and finished it and got it on the road. I saw they chopped the windshield and did a few minor changes along the way and it won a couple trophies. Sure miss that car, lots of good times, and lots of lessons learned on that one...

 

Curious what you did to replace the springs that hold the small top marker light lenses on? Those seems to almost always be rusted and disintegrating. I'm trying to find a rubber ring that's just the right size to replace the original springs.

 

So, I went to auto zone and bought the little assorted spring pack they sell. There were some that were too big, and some too small. I ended up using the smaller spring and it fit inside of the old broken spring pieces. It should work out fine...

 

So I got my hood ornament in the mail. Sucker is bigger in real life then it looked on Ebay! We'll see, maybe I'll find something cooler...
We have (used to have?) A local cruise night on Wednesdays and we were all hanging out at this pastrami spot, but it's pretty sketchy at night. There was a crackhead lady who was asking for cigarettes and all the guys told her to kick rocks, but I felt bad and gave her a dollar $. I used to have long hair, and I have pueblo (native) ancestry. And she said "thank you kind indian", and proceeded to moon the rest of the guys who wouldn't give her a cigarette. It was pretty hilarious and we still laugh about it

 

It's bold...but I kinda like it...think of Isky's Mummy......I think that's what it is...big and bold as well...I like how you did the shell to accommodate it...you are the ultimate judge...I say ✔...I like the story story that inspired it...


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It was pure luck that it fit like that!

 

I say keep it. It's unique.

 

Hey guys. Thanks to those of you still following this whole saga.
I'm back in California for a couple weeks since Thanksgiving and made a little more progress.
I got around to taking the radiator back in to the shop to move the filler neck. Should be good to go now.
Also, I picked up my rear end from Dennis Lacy. He did a great job, ot looks like new!
So I dragged everything home and was going to put it all back in, but I got to thinking ... I kind of don't feel like figuring out the column shifter linkage right now. I just want to get this thing on the road asap and work out the bugs. I still have to do steering, wiring, fuel lines, brake lines etc. So I have another top loader I wanted to use. I pulled the engine and started to swap things out from the other transmission and then I noticed some broken teeth I had missed!!! F*****ck!
So now the car is all blown apart in my mom's driveway and I was supposed to be leaving in like 10 days.
So now I either have to find another toploader or take the gears out from the other side one and rebuild the toploader, or find another set of gears. Or I may just put it all back together and still have to deal with it next time I come and pull the engine/Trans again. I'm still deciding.

Here's some pics.

 

A few more...

 

Oh, and I figured I would fill that hole in the firewall where the heater hose thing was. I did it really quickly but it came out OK I guess...
And I had to replace the lens on my trailer light. I broke it backing into the driveway

 

It rolls!!!!!!
Pushed it out into the driveway for the first time today. I need to find a Block of uninterrupted time to finish up a bunch of little things, but its really starting to look like a car now.
As it sits I still need to do the wiring, brake lines/master cylinder, mount the e-brake, Gas tank filler, fuel lines, rebuild steering box & mount it, shorten steering column, and a bunch of other little things

 

Oh, and I named her Rosebud after the Sled in the movie "Citizen Kane" from 1941. Orson Welles is one of my inspirations.
I made the stencil from the screen shot from the movie. Later I want to do some of that 20's- 30's style pinstriping.

 

Very nice roadster!!

 

Sometimes it's the little battles...

I came out to California again for a quick trip. I didn't have much time to do anything with work and all, but I did a couple of little things that were bugging me. I bought the deluxe craftsman tap and die set and retapped for the shifter knob that I wanted to run.
And I cut out the seat back frame thing I made and shortened/tilted to tuck under the body panel, so now the seat back sits flush and I gained like 1.25" in the cockpit which actually really helps!
Originally, I was going to make the top flap part of the back seat wrap over and snap in place, but the upholstery guy who was helping me got frustrated and stopped answering my calls . It bugged me because you could see the black seat frame behind the seat back. I guess If you want something done right, do it yourself!

Oh, and I found my stencils! I had misplaced them. I might wait to paint them though until the gas taks are all plumbed.