Hot Rods BENNETTS ‘Pacific-Indian Special’ ‘29 Roadster on ‘32 rails

On a race car they might be used to let air pressure out the back, on a hot rod they provide adequate ventilation for after those fall chili bowl meet ups

 

Well a bit the bullet and punched 116 louvers. Definitely happy with the result they almost look like worn leather. A modified the press attachment to work 90 degrees letting the curve of the panel fit perfectly. More to come.

 

Should be good for about 10 cool points per louver.

 

I was thinking that you shouldn't louver it, but then you show it all done and it looks great!

Leaving the surface alone makes it fit the style perfectly.

 

That’s a great texture

 

Was definitely thinking the same and then it hit me. If I don’t do it I’ll never know what it looked like. Luckily I like it so it will stay until further notice.. could be sooner than later haha

 

Damnit man, you're making this all look too easy! The urge to go find a rusty pile in the approximate shape of a car built several (many!) decades before I was born grows stronger...

 

I think today that apprehension is more prevalent...back then there were shiloads of trunk lids...must have been as so many old A bones found are missing them...

 

While waiting for a few parts to arrive I started to hammer form a set of cruiser skirts for a mates ‘50 Buick.lots of wheeling on the English wheel. One sides latched in. Paint and new seals next.

 

Slick work with those skirts! Do you have to work the corners/edges in a certain pattern to get them to round over the edge(s) of the form without too much crinkling and bunching?

 

I found about a half inch worked best. Anything more for the right radious had too much material.

 

Mocked up the skins today. Prior to painting them. I repair both top corners too where the original holes were to pivot on for the trunk hinge. I cleaned primed and painted the insides and will mate these tomrrow with our new latch and handle. Luckily the louvers didn’t hinder the opening and didn’t make contact to the lower trunk panel while opening. Now we can squeeze six blokes’ haha

 

I really like the shapes in those louvers. Did you make the dies?

 

They are staple ones I purchased from princess auto in (Canada) but I reshaped both the base and the male bit to replicate the early clam shell style.

 

Looks sweet.

 

Another piece of the puzzle checked- my mate Phil machined a steel insert for the NOS Edelbrock aluminum flywheel, clutch was faced and adjusted to suit.

 

Great build so far with alot of great photos. Keep the updates coming.

 

Need to get back on the roadster. But had fun hammer forming these cruiser skirts for a good mate. Surprisingly for how simple and flat they look they have a lot of shape.

 

Running out of superlatives for your work. Those skirts are killer.

 

Haha thanks Joe!

 

Last shot of the Buick for a little while. Time to get the 32 frame back in the jig to graph in our model a rear crossmember. I plan to leave the 32 rear crossmember and blend in the model a. I spent a lot of time of those hammer formed boxing plates to cut them out, below is an example of a mate he did many moons ago. If you have any photos similar it would be greatly appreciated.

 

A small hiatus. A well needed trip back home and a pile of good parts to get this finished.

Bryan Harris had a near old set of folding stancions. I managed to find a complete set of Rocky Mountain drums. I have another pair of rears I plan to run on the front. New shoes and wide five rims. A nice Mercury steering wheel. Some great looking air cleaners from Gear Drive. And a really neat old license plate from home. With the right year, I will be modifying the numbers to 53 - 666. Lots to get done and I want to have this rolling asap!

 

I also managed to find a nice ‘36 Plymouth Dash as well. I’m hoping I could use this and still run the original fuel tank.

 

Also completely unrelated. A random find of a very old mold from a Taxidermy Company. A 17ft Great White Shark- I had too, my friend Dave standing beside it. Showing the size.
This will eventually be (possibly custom painted) hung above the fab table with down lights in the belly. I like weird.

 

That’ll fit in the carry on yeah?

 

The shark is fantastic. What year are the rear Rocky Mountain brake drums? Keep the updates coming.

 

Does anyone else see a salt lake land speed racer? Surely there's a class for belly shark.

 

And that is weird for sure.

 

I believe 35,36

 

I think so!?