SO... I picked up a 1935 Ford 5W Coupe, I like a good project, a blank canvas to create your own outcome. This one is an ideal candidate, as anything from here in will improve the vehicle. (read I dont think I can **** it up anymore) If you are not familiar with my 1934 Tudor project it is here Projects - 1934 Ford Tudor - Bonnie | The H.A.M.B. this build thread will be along the same lines, so welcome back and to first time watchers, Hello from New Zealand.
A quick walk around the Sows Ear and you will see there is plenty to do, but prewar V8 coupes are hard to come by here in New Zealand and most who own them are not in a hurry to part with them, Fair enough to. I don't know a lot about this vehicles history yet as I bought it from an estate. I am sure as time goes on, some more details will come about. So my initial plan is to get this thing mechanically mobile as soon as possible so it can be moved about, I am too out of shape to be pushing dead weights around, It has got a locked solid stock 21 stud engine in it with a head missing, unlikely to grace its engine bay in running form again, a 1936 trans with stock looking 1935-36 rear in it, a 1937-39 Steering box, a stock 1936 front end and half mechanical (front) half hydraulic (rear) brakes. I haven't really explored it in full yet, I have it in storage whilst I create a bay space for it in the garage. For now, the old 24 stud C51A engine from the 1934 Tudor will see active duty again with either the current trans that is in the vehicle if its any good or a rebuilt 39 trans will be put together, a run through the steering box, front axle, rear axle and add hydraulic brakes, a little bit of lowering, some spring therapy or replacement, a complete rewire as there is no wiring whatsoever in the vehicle and then some sheet metal work as needed. This car will need a complete floor replacement and other rust repairs 35/6 coupes are prone to and a Interior of some description (seat) as it has no interior whatsoever. Longer term goal will be a re-built engine, and a similar build spec to my other cars, LZ gears in Transmission, Lincoln Brakes, 9 inch axle conversion, 3:54 rear, Posies Super Sliders reverse eye springs, Sway bars front and rear and Gemmer 3 steering, Stewart Warner Gauges, Strengthened Radiator tanks and pressurised cooling system.
Yes we are Right hand drive here in New Zealand and Australia, Our cars in 1935 were Canadian Sourced CKD and some models were ***embled here by Colonial Motor Compoany and many imported fully built up, 1936 was the first year NZ cars were ***embled in the Ford Factory Owned Plant in Seaview, Wellington.
THE AXLES - Front axle is 35/36 type with 36 Spindles and drums by the look of it and the rear axle 35/36 with 36 Drums and a non-stock, funky mechanical backing plate that has had a hydraulic cylinder grafted into the top of the backing plates. The Serial number of the ch***is is *C18JF- **** which denotes its a Canadian Built (C) V8 (18) 1935 (J) RHD (F) Ch***is.
DASH: Had some spare time today, so pulled a dash I picked up recently and added the 35 Waterfall I had and some Stewart Warner Wings Gauges, The Volt gauge will be swapped with Temperature in due course and will fit the Voltmeter and Fuel Gauge in the header panel later, keeping an eye peeled for an ashtray to fill the hole in waterfall. The gauge adapters are Phoenix Machine items and work really well.
PARTS RESEARCH: Theres always a lot of research that goes into a project and that is one of the allures of the hobby, learning what parts goes with what and what interchanges can occur and what combinations ultimately give the best performance and overall results. Things I have found over time is you never stop learning, there is always someone who knows something you don't, and in the grand scheme of things you don't know ****. every day is a school day, and you can learn something new every day if you are open to it. 1935 and 1936 Spindles, after a chat with my local weekend car crew I was talking about the 35 Coupes front end options and installing 39 spindles and 40 hubs with Lincoln backing plates and drums. We got talking about differences form 35 -40 and what to be aware of with changes between the years, I am going to run a 37-39 steering box with same pitman arm, there are differences in the drag links early having different rod ends being fixed and not adjustable, and then we got talking about 35 36 spindles, anyway I though I would share this as I found it interesting and once learnt very easy to identify the difference in 35 and 36 spindles. The 35 Spindles being 5 5/8 long and 36 being 5 3/8 long.
I thought '36 was the long one (spindle). Not an expert, but i have a set of '36 drums here that don't fit anything else. Hopefully, someone will jump in and confirm your measurements.
35/36 backing plates are dished like Model A and B backing plates. So the brake surface is biased to the centre of the car compared to the hydraulic backing plates which are flat. '36 drums are pretty much the same as Ford Pilot ones.
So question for all you Coupe owners out there, do you have some photos of an Original 35/6 coupe seat with the lift up rear swab? Any and all photos requested from bare frames to fully upholstered. And does your coupe possibly have a different factory seat arrangement? Below pic stolen from another HAMB Thread, I was told the steel base is the same on all models, anyone know if this is correct or incorrect?
I had a 35 coupe seat in my 35 cabriolet, really liked the fact that the backrest could be lifted as I could house the battery out of the way plus room to carry a toolbox etc. Having a rumble seat this space was useful. The steel base looked like the one in your photo. Good luck with the coupe.
Thats a super nice cabriolet, thanks for the reply much appreciated. What does a original cabriolet seat look like? does it have a fixed back? or ????
When I got the car (nearly 30 years ago!) it came with a home made base and the backrest(s) which split and folded forward for access, a bit like a 40 Tudor set up. This was obviously not original. Cabriolet seat was a fixed back. Good info available from the Early Ford V8 Club"s book on 35/36 Fords. It took me a while to round up a base, runners and a pattern for the side panels, repro spring set etc. I have since sold the car and the guy that bought it replaced the base springs with foam to allow him to sit lower which I think is something to consider, depending on how tall you are. I was ok with the springs but felt the base was a bit high particularly for getting in and out negotiating the steering wheel.
My first pre war car was a 36 five window coupe. Always had a soft spot for these cars. I'll be following along.
A little OT , but we are required to crack test stub axles down here. Just as well, didn’t expect this mess. They must have had an interesting past.
The Jalopy Journal
