Welded the coupler on after hammering it down. I ended up going 6thousands too big on the shaft from my measurements on the coupler, and I could have easily gone 3-4 ish. It was TIGHT pounding that thing on there. I cut some slits up the coupler then welded those after drilling the pin hole then adding a grade 8 bolt. Ended up welding both the head and nut to the coupler too. Should be solid! Ready to install now.
Everything takes so much longer than anticipated, ESP while taking photos and videos of the process. Getting the driveshaft bolted up today and roller bearing packed. Going to work on radius rods, while out of the car and clear, then getting this setup including ebrake cable installed and back in the car. In case you’re wondering about the funky leaf spring config, will need to rearrange them with full weight of car until I like the ride height so don’t want to cut them quite yet.
Spent all day on it, but got it all bolted up, radius rods cut down, heated, relocated, tacked. Progress! Rear end is upside down in case anyone is thinking what’s going on…
Finished welding on the rear end radius rods, and relocated the mount on the torque tube. Painted all the leafs, radius rods, and parts. Waiting for good weather to get it put back under the car. Also bolted the pedals in and for the first time hooked up the clutch.
Pulled the tank today to flush it out and give me access to the firewall. Hammered out all the nasty mess and cutting some patches and plugs now on the cnc then tig welding them in place.
Pulled the steering last night, finished welding the tacked flange, then finished placement for brake line tab and brake line keeper studs, then pulled the torque tube again and replaced driveshaft seal since it was smoked, then painted rear end after retorquing, installed my F1 shock mounts and spacer plates, painted rear backing plates after pulling brake shoes to clean all slides and anti seize. Hoping the momentum sticks as I need to Final Cut firewall and start building the boxed section. After that, design and mount fuse plate then pull body one last time to paint firewall and on the final stretch.
Finished firewall patching, tapped and installed screw on coil bracket, tightened up, cut a larger relief for boxing the firewall with clearance, installed new motor mounts slightly taller and stiffer than the speedway ones, cut and installed lower radiator hose. Prepping to ***emble rear end and install, then will put rear wheels on and put car weight on spring to see how she stands.
It’s been kicking my ***, but I made a tiny bit of progress today. Getting nervous about making my race day. Rear end spring greased and put on the pack, brake lines installed. Bearings packed and added a bit more grease. E brake cable installed. It’s coming along. Just slower than I hoped.
Kept pressing on tonight and got the rear end installed in the car! Next is firewall, steering box, and floor. Cab will come off one last time to paint the new firewall then car ***embly starts.
It’s an aftermarket from CW Moss. The first one I bought was 122” and it seemed like it was going to be too long. This one is 107” and seems way better. Both cables had the springs too long and I ended up cutting 1” off the spring on the ball/lever arm side. Here’s the link. https://cwmoss.com/products/rear-emergency-brake-cable-1939-48-p***enger-pickup?_pos=6&_sid=28da5d66b&_ss=r
Drew the rear floor panel in CAD then ran the cnc with a marker attached to head to plot the cutouts to see if I nailed it or was going to waste metal. Everything looked great so I pressed on and cut it. Came out surprisingly well! Now boxing in the firewall and then connecting with the toe panel. Much easier to see the shapes with part of the floor in there.
Making slow progress on the firewall/floor. Hoping to have it wrapped up tonight. Making this removable has proved to be challenging.
I am here now. Worked on the car for 14 hours again on Easter. Made some mistakes, but that’s how we learn and get better. Some panels I cut 2 times since I would measure and think I nailed it, but adding 1/8” or 1/4” woulda make it so much better so I did. I like to get things as perfect as I can- part of my OCD. On the home stretch on the firewall. Only a couple panels left to design and draw, then weld the whole thing up and blend the welds/paint.
Made the new bracket for oil filter and then plumbed it. New filter installed with spring and the bolt I lost in my garage. Took me 6 hours to find it.
Firewall and floor wrapped up. Starting on the welding now. Then car comes off for final time and paint firewall and parts, then whole car final ***embly takes place. Will design small removable panel that takes up space between pedals and under steering. Need to open up holes in all the clecos and weld nuts on the bottom tabs so the floor, kick, and firewall bolts together.
Little update. Between my back going out, some travel to Colorado, and missing my race, I ended up not touching the car for over a month. I was able to place the gas pedal, shorted the rod and get the linkage to work, then had my buddies help me lift the body off for the final time. Currently welding the firewall together and will paint the firewall, then reinstall the body for the final time but this time on the welting, fenders, rubber pads, and wood body blocks. Home stretch! Also while the body is off I’m going to finish plumbing brakes and mount rear shocks. I mounted my rear brake line bracket I made, and will tidy up some things, then install my new cloth covered ignition wires as well.
Just read the whole thread and think your going to have an awesome ride. My only concern as others is the crossmember mounting. Not because of bolting them in(I'm with the interference fit crowd) but the countersinking of the frame which weakens it in that area and the use of stainless which can cause galvanic corrosion in that already weakened area.
Thanks for checking it out! I don't really have any concerns with the dissimilar metals. I probably have more experience than most people with that. I would like to say that I too am always learning as well. I built buoys and sea floor instruments for the last decade for Scripps Ins***ution of Oceanography and I would recover them after 1-4 years all the way down to 5000 meters deep where o2 was very scarce. I've seen lots and lots of galvanic corrosion first hand. We even used dissimilar metals on purpose to create anodes out of less noble metals in the system; whether it was with carbon steel, aluminum, or of course zinc. I'm happy to report back on the cross member after driving the car a year since there are some with concerns about that. Id like to reiterate that the front cross member is bolted by 3- 5/16 bolts on either side on the top, 2- 7/16 bolts on each side through the shock mounts, as well as 2- 5/16 bolts on the bottom rail. Again, thanks for taking the time to comment and have a great weekend!
Another small piece to the puzzle. Designed these rear shock mount spacers out of 3/8 plate to get my shocks away from my brake lines and make them a little straighter a shot.
Work has been super crazy then I went on two vacations so I’ve been chipping away when I can at nights. Finally got the firewall all welded, grinded, blended, primered with high build, sanded, then painted again. After that I sanded it, and sprayed with black with the wrong tip. Sanded my drips, mixed up some attempted satin black and sprayed it with thin coats where I was watching the sheen for coverage. Sprayed it multiple times, 8 mins between shots. Paint laid down real nice and it came out super awesome. Decided even though it’s not as dull as I wanted, I was going to live with it cuz the finish is so nice. Glad I bought a decent gun and spent time learning to shoot!
Today I bent up the brake lines. I have one more to do currently. I’ll then add fluid to the master and bleed them, check for leaks, install the welting, and finish Tung oiling my new body blocks then install the cab on the frame! I leave for another work trip Monday am but after that it’s off to the muffler shop where the owner is going to let me use his lift and bender. (I worked there in the past and did custom exhausts for 16 years) I have 2 new Smithy’s mufflers for this car, and will run duals in 2”.
The Jalopy Journal
