Projects NOT THE TYPICAL '30 ROADSTER BUILD

Thank you Brian!
I am loving this interior.
My respect to those that do this for a living. It is not as easy as it seems.

 

Super excited the back rest is done.
Not easy, it took much longer than the bench seat.
Aligning the pleats with he bottom was a *****, making sure it is square and straight Happy to say it is done! We do have some wrinkles on the top corners that we are still m***aging out, but for now it is done!!

Interior work continues...package tray is next!



The trans cover is done too!
So happy to see this one done. This is my 1st real "fabrication piece" and all done by me from beginning to end.



It is crazy for me to look back and see how/where I started with cardboard templates, cutting pipes in half cause i didn't had a clue on how to make a round edge, and pie cutting it to start shaping it...Where there is a will there's a way!
This piece started life in Jan. 11, 2020 and just today is ready to install.

 

That's some good perseverance there!

 

That interior is coming out very nice. It's funny we see a nice tuck and roll job and don't think anything about how tough it was to get everything aligned until we try doing it for ourselves! I found out quickly tho when I did the interior in my A roadster. A lot of work to it!

 

If I have learned something with this project is patience and perseverance. I've learned to slow down, take one task at a time and to stick with it.
More times that I can count I've had the need to walk away, clear my mine, and come back to it.

The best part for it has been the opportunity show my girls, by example, to stick to a task and finish it, no matter how difficult it gets. You can't quit because it gets boring or tedious.
My girls are 6 and 13. Between karate, Softball, volleyball, ballet, soccer, cheer and tumbling I get a lot opportunities to remind them that they can do it too.

 

Amen! The bench seat was relatively easy but matching the backrest, making sure those pleats were centered..stuffing that cotton...oh boy!
We must have taken that backrest on and off what felt like a million times. Nothing was good enough for my dad and he still not a 100% happy.
I am no expert but it sure gives you a whole different perspective on craftsmanship and pricing. I now have a better appreciation for what good labor can cost.

The first backrest my pops made was too short, front to back. He didn't account for how much the top of the seat was to roll back. I sure felt his frustration and disappointment. 4" too short set him back to square one.
He had done all that cotton work with 100 degrees weather in a garage with no A/C.

 

Package tray is in the works!

All done with contact cement...I was able to find the good stuff that is solvent based and the one not sold here in California.
I wanted to use something that wasn't going to release with heat and think I found it.
This thing gets you high if you work with it for too long!



We added a layer of landau foam to the top of the tack strip just to give it some softness to it. Thinking ahead for the times when the top is not on.



It is a keeper!



My pops is now sewing the windlace, wire-on, and flat trims to finish the shoulder panels and the back of the tack strip...and me...well, I am foaming the shoulder panels and making sure I get them ready for him.



The edge of the foam is not glue yet to allow for the panel to be fixed to the wood fame. Will get it fully glued-on after it is fixed to the wood frame.
The leather will be glued to the foam/panel and stapled to the wood frame, wrapping the leather around the panel on the top and side of the frame.
The wire-on and the windlace will cover the staples. The panel will be attached to the back with 2 screws....At least that is the plan.
I believe that's how the shoulder panel was covered originally, with the exception that it ended at the diagonal brace.

It looks good in paper, let's see if we can get it done.

 

Well I hope you got your dad a fan and a cold drink! Now comes some more fun. Getting the side panels all to line up! Kick panels, door panels, quarter panels... and you are correct you will see things that you think you could have done better but the vast majority of folks will never see what you see.

 

That attention to detail is definitely paying off!

 

WOW! love the look.! What kind of transition did you used at the doors?

 

Thank you! I am doing my best since this might be my 1st and last project.

 

So my Pops and I have been busy trying to figure out the rest of the interior.
We started by making the trim pieces for the shoulder panels.

The windlace was pretty straightforward, and the easiest, since it was just wrapping the core. We used a 3/8" core



The wire-on, well, that one took a bit longer since I couldn't find the raw material to make my own. I purchased ready to use black vinyl wrapped wire-on and we wrapped it over it. with the leather.



...and then we moved to install the shoulder panels.

You know that feeling of pure excitement and fear hitting you both at the same time? That's how I was feeling as we were getting our first panel on. My dad, instead, super cool and relaxed, staple gun was flying right next to the finished paint, pulled the knife out and trimmed the leather, TIGHT to the paint, in just one p***...didn't even blink. Before I knew it he was stapling the windlace on, and just as fast the wire-on was installed. He applied the contacted cement to the back of the panel, pulled, wrapped and trimmed. Done!

Here I am sweating bullets, heart is racing and all I've done is help holding things. I remember pulling the air hose closer.
He is already doing the other one. "Put the panel where you want it, I am just stapling, he said." Before I know he is done.
He didn't even break sweat...Here comes my little one....Papa, are you ready? He gets up and leaves, he is already moving onto making slime with her, and not just any slime, this is "fluffy slime".

The panel is secured to the wood frame and has bolts/finish washers in the back.
The windlace and wire-on give it that "stock look".

I am still trying to understand what just happened and here comes my dad, "you forgot the metal tips. Get 3, in case we screw up one, and make sure not to forget the nails/screws that come with it"

We just need to add wire-on tips and both panels are done...I think I just got schooled



The kick panels are ready and we got to install the p***enger side one. The driver side is taking a bit more time to get it where I want it.
I am using panel clips between the cardboard and foam at the stock locations, and added nutserts to the 2 clip holes at the top, to use finished bolt/washer and ensure the panel doesn't go anywhere. The door check will finish keeping the panel in place.



The panels for the trunk are also in the works, almost done and I just couldn't wait to install this one before running out of time...

 

I wrapped the vinyl all the way around the backside of each panel. Quarter, door, and kick panel. With careful measuring I was able to fit them so they sort of **** up against each other pretty well. The kick panels are snug enough I didn't need to use any fasteners on them. Maybe this shows it better?

 

That's beautiful! That white pops!

 

Thanks for the compliment! Means a lot from a guy who does work like you do! It does pop. And I don't mind if it gets a little dirty. Makes it look like an old timer that's been around awhile!

 

I was able to carve out some time this morning and got the trunk area set in place.
It worked as expected; nice pressed in fit and yet easy to remove in case I need to access to the fuel tank
The velcro works great.



All that leather smells sooooo good!



Love the look of the fire extinguisher. I am glad I was able to find a place for it.



Love to see where that under the trunk cover started. I wasn't sure if it was going to work but must admit that bendy plywood has hold its shape great overtime.





Carpet will be next...eventually....To be continued...

 

Dices that looks great and makes me start thinking I need to get mine up to snuff! One way to get a panel like that to curve is to take a table saw and set the blade just a little less than 1/2 the thickness of the piece. Then make small saw cuts in the backside of the panel in the direction going across the curve. It will relieve the panel and make it easier to curve it into place. I've also clamped wood into position and then wet it and let it dry to take a curved set. Nice work!

 

For reference, the term for that process is called “kerfing”.
Still loving the build, btw!

 

That's good to know. Thank you for sharing.
I used 2 layers of 1/8" bendy plywood. Glued one on top of the other, clamp it to hold the shape, and once it was set I trimmed to size and final shape.

 

Thank you! Stay tune more to come.
Covering the top next . It should be fun

 

Starting to work on templates for the carpet.
At almost $100/yd I don't want to do any mistakes....paper is cheaper.

 

Wow, that's looking great!

 

It is been a couple of rough weeks for me and the family. Unfortunately, my dad had a blood and urine infection that landed him in the hospital for a week. Contracted Covid, as he was admitted in the hospital, making everything that more difficult. Kaiser nurses were on strike so he had to be transferred back and forth between hospitals while all information was on limbo...Gave us a good scare, that's for sure.
Definitely a scary moment when the doctor tells you the infection is bad, with a 50% chance of survival.
Thank God everything is better now and he is almost fully recovered. We still have some pretty large kidney stones to deal with that where found during testing.

He couldn't wait to get back to the sewing machine and finish the carpet.... Stubborn, yes. We are taking that as good sign!

I finished the paper templates after some back and forth. You can see the many corrections made with the tape.
I was hoping to add floor mats and a heel pad but the room is so tight that it feels too busy. I might add a heel pad to the driver's side, if I can find a small one enough



I added the jute padding to keep he inside as "quiet" as possible. All and anything will help with the lakester headers Maybe the jute helps some.



...And here is the finished carpet. Edge binding is the same leather as the seat and panels.
Painted metal covers will sit over trans, rear cross member, and around the pedals to help finish off the carpet and keep it in place.



Kind of happy we are done with the carpet. Working in that front area was tough. It is tight in there and it was a lot of in and out....it killed my back for sure.
Next on the list is mounting and aligning the doors, so we can finish the door panels making sure the details on the door panels flow with hip and kick panels.

 

Fantastic build, love it all. Small worry; fire extinguisher looks great, but for a real fire should be ready to hand, not in trunk. I am sure with this beauty you will never have a real fire. On start ups, we always have one in hand

 

Thank you! Fire extinguisher is fully functional but only for show.
I have an ABC fire extinguisher, Halon, I think, that I plan to thrown in there when driving around.
I had a scare once, long time ago, so I always try to have one nearby.

 

Getting the doors installed took more work than what I was expecting.
The door striker plates (Repops) were the completely the wrong shape. The hook area was too bulky, the wrong angle and too wide. They wouldn't even latch.
For a minute, I considered modifying them but the time I was looking to spend and the end result made me abandon the idea quickly. I reused the original ones, which I will now to paint or send to be refinished. They are a little bit worn but much better than the repops.
The next issue were the bumper stops, they were just too thick and wouldn't allow the door to shut. I removed them for now and will be shaving to the right size. The upper domed bumper stop will need to be shave down to almost half the size....that's how bad they are.
I still need to figure out the best way to shave down the bumper stops...maybe a dremel tool?

The alignment is good. The wood blocks worked and that part moved along without any issues.

The important part is that the doors are mounted, closing and opening properly, and better yet, the door panel will aligned as expected.

 

Bummer that the repop stuff is so far off dimensionally, but it sounds like you'll be able to save and reuse the old/originals.

 

I am glad I still had the originals to use. Usually, I sell that stuff as I stop using them.

 

Here is some of the bumper stops and how much shaving I did to get them to work. I compromised and try to still leave enough material on them to be snugged fit as I am sure it will loosen some after using.


This is where I started...


This is the end result. I could have taken a little more but was a afraid it would be too loose after using for a while.



These are the ones that go at the top if the door. After this picture, I thin it down even more. Without removing material the door wouldn't even shut.
The good thing is that the doors are now working and have all their bumper stops, as meant to be.

 

Glad to hear your father is doing well. What a scare!!

The car is coming along beautifully!! You should be proud of the progress and even more so the quality of the build. Well done and inspirational!!