I think this is a modified 1950 trunk handle. The center chome part that includes the lock is missing and the hole closed.
The 1950 Shoebox had the outside trunk hinges as well, the styling changed a bit but the trunk lid itself should be the same 1949 & 1950. Ford introduced the inside hinges in 1951. Do you want to get rid of the current inside trunk hinges? In that case, I'd be interested in these parts. By the way: here a link to german hp with a lot of detailed photos of a shoebox build: http://www.westcoastresto.de/category/1950er-ford-shoebox/
The trunk handle is definetely modified but at the moment I don’t know how much. Lets see if it stays or not, I like it because it’s small but I have to incorporate somehow my huge existing plates to the rear of the car. There is some kind of home made lock mechanism for that handle in the parts pile, I tend to build a cable remote. I don’t have original inside trunk lid hinges, they are from the PO selfmade and I‘ve already made them to work so nothing to let go, sorry. I definetely need a good idea for the deck lid support rod, guess it’s 50 and for the mounting position at the 49 lid too long. I don’t want to have modern gas springs.
Nothing wrong using a prop rod on the trunk. I think this is a stock 49-50 unit. The other option would be a short single Gas Ram and when installed right it can not only hold the lid Up it can keep it Closed without and latch mechanism at all.
I‘ve got this sliding type rod, think every year got it‘s own type. But in combination with the 49 lid this rod needs to be slided out too far to stay open. The upper end of the deck lid crashes into the panel unter the rear window. Flo, there are really welds on the surround / deck lid handle, it‘s a Kustom When I‘m done with grinding away all that filler and bondo the car will weight 20kg less.
The hinge is diy but not that bad. The sliding support is definitely factory, but is ist ford? Are there any fender skirts without ribs available? I would like to go as level and clean as possible with the skirts. Are there examples with skirts inserted to the wheel opening instead of sitting on top of the panel around?
Sometimes I find it surprising how much time and money some "restorers" are willing to waste by patching up old beaten up sheet metal with new sheet metal by welding both together and leaving the old rotten panel in place. With the shoebox the specialist has gone one step further, he's covered the side of the rotten panel under loads of lead. So the long term durability is even worse because of the flux in-between the layers. Let's see how much I have to cut out of the lower end of the trunk.
Back again at the project after 20 months, as so often life has got into the way but it's still there and won't go. So in 2022 I managed to cut some more artfully handcrafted but rotten sheet metal out before the work stalled. In between I stored the car covered with some VCI plastic foil to protect the plain metal against corrosion and this worked quite well. Back again in the workshop last Friday I decided to cut out even more metal out because the lower trunk lid panel had severe damage by corrosion, dents and old repairs. Somehow frightening to have nothing left between the fenders. But without this panel the gaps between deck lid an fender are more easy to adjust so I'll take it as a chance. I've bent two rectangular tubes to accommodate the shape of the lower deck lid, they are going to be the structural part of the area. Next I've crafted the reinforcement triangles in the lower edgeds of the trunk opening. Quite time consuming to shape all those parts but the available panel is far away and will sum up to quite some bucks after shipping and taxes. The last picture shows also the new below trunk lid panel which I'm not 100% happy with, but it's for sure a lot better than the old one and it's nothing a small amount of bondo can't cover.
Back again at the shoebox. Last year I‘ve also managed to install the Mercedes 190 gas tank, including brackets, flattening the hump above the diff, you name it. The tub for the spare wheel almost ready to tack in. Then priotity moved other projects in before. with the restart now doubts arose if there will be a cool solition to get gas into this tank as the cap has to be somewhere in the sail panel, exactly the spot which has to have the flow at a chopped car. So there is the proven route of the mustang gas tank. Any suggestion which route to go? Any examples of a gas cap looking not displaced on the sailpanel?
I'd go back to the sail panel with a flush mount weld in fill cap. I've done them several times and in fact just finished another in my Coupe yesterday. Here is what the unit looks like before work starts. Notice the machined groove and lip on the left edge of bung. I use a conduit punch to get a perfect size and round hole for it. Making it a TIGHT fit is your best bet. all welded in and once I do very little file work there won't be any filler required before painting. Yes, the cap gets painted and nearly disappears. Wish my welds were a little cleaner but that body panel was Lead contaminated from the factory seam being right there. Even when you think it's clean, it's not. And here it is in place. T
Damn computers have a mind of their own sometimes. A simple hose connection makes you ready to add Fuel. I know, subject to personal likes but beats the Hell out of trying to find and fit a fill door and a cap behind it in tight spaces. This was bad enough, yet simple.
How does this cap work, press to get access to the knurled cap and unscrew that? Looking good, where do they offer this part?
Correct miguel.st . I should have known to have that info on hand. I'll get it and post it up along with the size for the conduit punch.
Hay Pal, no worries. Speaking Hot Rod crosses all borders. We know how to get things done. So this was built to be a Motorcycle weld in Gas Cap. I stumbled on it when the Son of a Customer asked me if I would weld on a Gas Tank. I thought he just had a little leak, and I said yes to soon. The rest is history they say. In Motorcycle tanks the Fuel just spills directly into the Tank without any connecting hose. I choose to add 1-3/4" exhaust tube to the Bung so I can connect a rubber fuel fill hose. I've done right off to a U-Bend and often all it needs is a short piece added. Each project brings its own needs but welding on the Bung so far has been no problem. See photo below. My conduit punch makes a 2-3/8" hole and fits excellent. I believe it's actually considered a 2" punch being pipe is measured to I.D. not O.D. I just went online being it's been years since I bought the last 2 to make sure they are still out there. Yes, they are and I ordered 2 more from Amazon for under $65.oo each. They really are a quality item, and I like using them when needed. Search for Bikers Choice P-UP gas cap item #489606. There are several outlets that came up and prices very as usual. Hope this helps.
Hey Pist-n-Broke thanks a lot, I've already found this item right here in Germany without massive shipping and customs fares. Only 70€ but not in stock The disadvantage of this smart solution, I have to get rid of the fresh bought mustang tank...
This Hot Rod thing is all about choices. Maybe you would want to stay with the Mustang unit and just adapt the pop-up cap directly to the fill tube on that tank. Personally, I never liked the Mustang tank and it being the actual trunk floor or filling any tank from inside the Trunk. I've learned everything has some kind of Trade Off. Best of luck to ya.
exactly, the filler cap inside the trunk will probably give me the permanent smell of gasoline inside the car, may it derive from venting or from spilling. This made me fit the Mercedes tank also because this frees the bottom of the trunk for the spare wheel. Let's see, there are for sure some days left to think which path to go.
mustang tank is returned to shop, and pop-up cap ordered, next step is to replace the rear lower fenders
Yeah, it‘s time for an update, at least a little progress acieved. Right lower rear fender is replaced, and the fancy push cap filler is partly installed. Thanks again for pist-n-broke for the hint. I took two exhaust bends to get the right turn from the cap to the gas tank but now I have to scratch my head again how to mount the connecting rubber hose. It’s a sturdy hose from a gas tank lorry and I have to somehow wind the tank into location while connecting the hose. Maybe I need a lot silicone grease. Is there a way to screw the filler cap to the body so I can move the whole tank hose filler instalment into the car?
If this is how you need to do it I would just answer Yes. I would probably do something like this, add a flange to the Cap housing to add some surface to the unit. Build my connecting hose to place the cap exactly where it needs to be. Next I'd use panel adhesives to just glue the cap unit in place. Why have screw heads exposed on the painted surface? Now with that said I'd never do that myself. Here's how I do it. I start by adding a larger piece of tube the hose size I want to the cap housing. It's about 3" long. Next I weld the unit to the Body and metal finish it off. Finish work not done in this photo. P.S. Tig weld that if you can, not Mig weld. Now find a nice, molded Gas tank hose to connect the tank to the new cap nipple. Don't make it hard on yourself. Good luck.
I’m a little bit picky with the rubber hose because this will see always gas if the tank is more than 80% full. I use exactly the other part of the hose for more than 20ys in my ‘67 Transit. And it’s still in perfect shape. so it’s more a question of what’s already here and proven. I’m for sure not a pro in tig welding but it works. Maybe it’s ok to mount first the whole tank tube filler assembly and than weld the filler neck to the body. If I have to take out the tank in the future I’ll cross that bridge when I get there
I hope you are aware that there is specific hose made for Fuel tank connections. Here we can get it in strait length by the foot or molded shapes for factory connections. Maybe not as big a choice where you are at. Personally, I would not make a total connection then weld cap unit to the Body. No matter if you Mig Weld or Tig weld there is going to be some metal shed off while doing that. That stuff is the Last thing I would want inside my Fuel Tank.
No no, I’m not going weld the gap shut, there has to come of another few centimetres from the tank tube and the connection will be made with this:
The Jalopy Journal
