Technical Starting 1930 Ford Coupe Project in 2022 (Questions from a Nubee)

I have to replace my drip rails on both sides. The left side is pretty much gone with just a few pieces of metal left. The right side is there but rotted out in several places. Are there spot welds that hold these on? If so, can I get to them from the inside. I couldn't find a thread on this in my search. What I found was mostly for other newer models.

 

Reproduction drip rails are available. You have to bend them to match the curve of the body. If you have enough metal left to spot weld them on, that’s the way it was done originally. One side on my coupe was rotted out so I used panel adhesive and clamped it on. I have pics and I’ll try to find the source. I’ll post later

 

I have a new set of drip rails that came with the body when I bought it. I guess I will run a small flap wheel on the inside to find the spot welds.

 

Here are a few pics. The old drip rail had to be taken off. If you still have part of the original ones don’t grind them off because there’s lead in between the body and the rail. I used a chisel. If you can’t find the old spot welds, I used 3m panel adhesive. Worked well, there may not be enough material left to weld.

 

That looks familiar. I have my work cut out for me.

 

Okay guys, I did a search to see what you all do to lower the body without channeling. I don't want to channel it. Did it on another project and really didn't like it. Anyway, I know I can lower it 1" by removing 4 leafs on the transverse spring. It is a Posie spring. The frame is a Boling Brothers frame. The subrails have been replaced due to rot. I put my 200 lb butt in the back and was unable to move it up and down. Pretty stiff. With full fuel, gas tank and battery in the rear, it will only add about 135 lbs. Worse case scenario, I guess I could cut the cross member and move it up to the top of the frame rails. That will give 2 3/4 inches lower. What do you all think? I am on a roll this week working on welding up the last of the chop.

 

Boling Brothers said they removed the wood blocks and dropped the body down on the brackets using rubber spacers between the body and frame brackets. I plan to do that and also take 4 leafs off the buggy spring. That should do it.

 

Hot Rod shop in Waco that replaced my subrails recommended I do what you did with the drip rails. My right side looks like your top photo. Not much there except the scabs where it is spot welded. Not sure what you mean about not grinding them off.

 

I don't know why nobody is giving advice on the rear height and stiffness. So I will try to help, my car is full fender with more weight from my year and different model, but it has a Ford made transverse spring. Not repro.

First off, that repro spring looks stiff enough for a one ton dually. I have no idea why it's like that except to also be ok for a full fender wood framed, and very heavy 4 door. I can barely see the rear shackles, but at finished ride height, they should be at 45 degrees. They look way off due to zero spring flex.

I would never move the rear crossmemer at this point, you need to pull out some leaves in my opinion, even if the car was finished with all the weight.

Hopefully others will chime in to help you. I could suggest removing some leaves, not just one or two, then find a way to pull down on the chassis by whatever means like ratchet straps, to get shackles angled at 45, and only then look at the height in the wheel wells. You are going to have to fine tune the spring pack by adding / removing leaves when the car is finally finished in my opinion. That took a lot time on mine, and lots of road time.

Your 200 pounds not moving it at all means it's way off, way too much spring rate. It should move fairly easy if no shocks are in yet. If you have shocks, sometimes setting the spring rate can be easier if you disconnect the shocks rather than chasing your tail by guesswork.

There is a frustrating line between a nice ride with the difference of 5 gallons and 15 gallons, as well as one amount of gas plus a passenger, or not. If you have plenty of clearance above the axle tubes then tuning is easier because it won't bottom out banging over bad dips in the road with a heavy passenger and a full tank.

 

As far as gear ratio It would depend on what engine and what kind of speed you plan on running. As far as tires a lot love the 7.50 on the rear. That’s what I run I’m putting in a quick change so I’m figuring 3.78 in it will be fine that will put me at 2200 @60. With a flathead. Here’s a formula to help with gearing here’s a pic of mine with 6.00-16 on the front and 7.50-16 rear

 

One more thing to help you from making calculation mistakes with the spring..

You cannot only measure the thickness of 4 leaves to be able to calculate how much it will lower the car body with that measurement of leaves. When a spring gets softer from less leaves and finally gets a normal static flex, that's what determines the height. Meaning that taking those 4 leaves out will drop the chassis height much more than the one inch you gave for an example, on the finished build with full weight of all parts and fuel, etc.

Let's go further in spring tuning. Let's say you finally get the desired 45 degrees of the rear shackles on the totally finished drivable car, but it's way way too soft over dips in the road with gas and passenger. You'll need to put one or more leaves back in, but then the shackle angles are wrong which also means the car height went up too much for your taste. Then you'd need to re- arc meaning de- arc the spring leaves in the entire pack to bring it back down and that will correct the shackle angles. I don't think you will need that, i just wanted to explain suspension things better.

 

If you grind off the lead, the dust is very toxic. It will get into everything in your shop and you’ll be breathtaking that in. Deadly stuff. Good luck with it. BTW, I like those tires

 

Thanks, you made some good points and suggestions.

 

I like you ride. That has to be a lot of fun to drive.

 

Is the lead in the paint along the drip rails?

 

Under the paint

 

I thought to myself that there probably wouldn't be much if any because this car has had at least 4 paint jobs but I was wrong. I found the lead up on top. I thought it was some kind of bondo but after do the scratch test, I realized it was lead. Weather is supposed to be in the 60s and 70s next week, so am thinking about dragging it out of the hangar and removing some of the lead before I sandblast the body. I have seen some posts where they removed all of it and some that have removed enough to smooth it out and put a coat of epoxy primer over it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I remember when I was 5 and 6 years old in the 50s, watching my dad solder body seams and fill in low spots on fenders using a blow torch and lead iron. He did amazing things with body work. He also had an acetylene generator to run his cutting torch and to weld body panels with coat hangers. I never realized how dangerous that thing was until he sold it to another fellow in town and it blew up on him.

 

I imagine sealing it with epoxy would be ok. Just don’t fill up the depression in the body where the drip rail goes. I used 3m panel adhesive which is epoxy so you could seal it with that when you install the new drip rail

 

I ordered some 3M panel adhesive and Hot Rod Works out of Waco is lending me their application gun to bond the drip rails to the body. The left side looks a bit thin. The right side still has the drip rail so will see when it is time to remove it. I find when I go to weld something on this body, that I blow through the metal due to inconsistency in thickness. I really want to stay away from welding on the top of the body.