Model A Sport Coupe Project for the wife

Jerry I'd rather crawl across gl*** naked than sandblast anything, hence the reason I have a my guy!

 

you are doing a killer job on this car. keep up the good work!!!!

 

Some more progress from this afternoon. Got some of carbs dis***embled, cleaned, rebuilt, and painted. Replaced most of the hardware.

 

Your makin' me look bad Bro! I've worked all week and Your still makin' more progress than me. For the rest of you, Jerry and I are in a dead heat to be ready to run to Fall Wildwood. The last three years in a row I ran down in an "untested" car. At least this year I'll have somebody else who is biting their nails all the way to the shore and home! Keep up the progress. You know the support group is behind you.

 

Some more progress...lots of metal work and welding this past weekend. Got some good help bracing the back end up from a friend and things are starting to shape up.


The first order of business was filling the gap in the subrails where I notched it out for the frame kickup. A small piece of notched channel worked fine for this.












Next up was putting in the lower quarter patches. I **** welded these, hammering each tack..took a while. I also put a finish weld on the p*** door skin. Wheel wells are fitted and tacked in..I just need to weld these in good.









Then, I ran up to Gene Renniger Model A outside of Lancaster and picked up new door hardware and handles. The doors are now opening and closing nice. The insides of the doors will get POR-15 very soon












I also starting making a pair of side frame covers/splash aprons that I'm going to louver. These will be a little smaller than stock A aprons. I'm using some 18 guage metal for this. After they are made I'm going to drill a hole and run the wishbone end right through the cover into the tab on the frame. I have to bend a 90 degree edge on a brake then I'll shape them to my liking and will louver them.






.......back at it.........

 

Who did you get the patch panels from?

 

The door skins are home made. The lower quarters and wheel wells are from Mac's

 

Hot Damn, Jerry!! You are really cookin on this car! Looks great, man, and I really like the idea of the splash aprons.

 

Looking good...You just may have it done before summer vacation is over.

 

Very nice work...subscribed!

 

Great stuff keep the pics coming.

 

Worked a little more on the aprons tonight.

got them bent on a brake



Needed to make a pattern with a nice gradual curve for the front of each one. Looked around the shop and decided the quarter panel piece that I had would make a neat template.





Here they are with the ends cut




Here I just have one side sitting up on blocks. I'm not sure how I want to shape the back end.





I need to make some mounts for them coming off of the frame...maybe just some small pieces of angle stock. Looks like I'm going to have to shrink a curve at the front so it wraps around the cowl better too. The tricky thing is going to be the wishbone tie rod mount. Holding the apron away from the frame with angle even just an inch is not going to allow the tie rod to go right into the mounts on the frame. I could move them..but I'd rather not. Might have to make a small recess in the apron for the bone to clear so the rod goes into the mount. ..Until tomorrow......

 

Fooled around with the apron mounting this afternoon and decided to just mount them on top of the frame with the sides flush against the side of the frame. I cut slots on the top edge to go around the body blocks and just slid it under. It's held down with screws that go into the top of the frame.

After getting them all fitted up and positioned right I marked the back of each one with a sharpie through the wishbone mount. Then I took them off and drilled a hole with a hole saw for the tie rod to go through, put em back on, put the bones back in the frame mounts, and had them mounted and ready for the next step.

Taped up some extra louvered panels on them to get an idea of the layout that I want to do. After I louver them I might weld some 1/4 rod on the bottom edge and bodywork them for a more finished look.

 

Back at it tonight...Buddy Palumbo came over and we eyeballed the latches and hinges on the doors. Looks like I'm going to have to make some slight adjustments to get the doors really opening and closing nice. Now's the time to do it...no paint on anything yet.

 

Things are progressing nicely - we'll get those doors opening & closing like a Lexus (that might be a stretch) . Just keep the forward momentum going & you'll have 'er on the road in no time . Steph will have a cool ride ... with or without full fenders , lol !!

 

Spent the day tracking down parts to fix my louver press. The motor went over the winter and I haven't had a need to use the press until now. Got a new motor and coupler and I was back in business this afternoon. Trying to decide if I should flare the bottom with some rod welded on the bottom edge and bodyworked in or if I should let them as is...humm

Got everything layed out and punched each side. Reshaped the ends of each apron to continue the line of the wheel well. Rehung them and snapped a few pics.

 

Hey Jerry ... I spy a wheelbarrow - I know what that's for , lol !!

Panels look good , BTW

 

That's tomorrow's project

 

Cut and welded a box for the rear crossmember and put a rear floor pan in the trunk today. Gave me an excuse to get the bead roller out and go to town. It's an old manual one with a Cadillac steering wheel to turn the dies. Going to make a little trap door for access to the rear crossmember U bolts with a small piece of home depot piano hinge and a small piece of sheet metal. I should be able to get that knocked out tomorrow. The box is just laying on the floor pans and hasn't been welded down yet. The front and middle floor pans are done and ready to be tacked in. All that is left now is the firewall which I have to make a box for......but the welding is almost finished...finally!

 

looks like some real great work the project is coming along great. i will keep a eye on this thread

 

thanks...lots of work still ahead.

 

I like the aprons. I think you are correct about them needing some shape though. You are kicking *** on this A. I love it!

 

Got the trap door made. Had a cool V8 emblem that I got at the jalopy showdown so I welded it on top. Put the foors back in and painted them

 

nice emblem

 

I was on vacation for a week and half and just got back to find a few things waiting for me. Got my wilson welding front brakes and finned backing plates...boy are these cool.
Also got my intake and valve covers back from the polishing place. I was very happy with the job they did. I can now paint my engine and start putting it back together.

 

Just got in from triangulating the back of the body behind the seat with some 1/2 inch round tubing. It's nice and stong now. Also starting boxing the doorjambs...where wood used to be behind the door striker area. The body got alot of stability from the original top setup which I'm not using so I want to get everything super solid for when I decide to run it without a top.

 

Finishing boxing the doorjambs and also welded in a quarter panel support on each side. Things are solid now and not moving.



I spent some more time on each door, getting them opening and closing super smooth. Had to tweak a couple of hinges but man do they open and close nice now. I didn't put as much time into the door mechanics on my roadster and that taught me a lesson.

Anyhow...still moving along. Tomorrow I'm going to clean some of my welds and POR-15 the inside.

I also scored a 34 Ford cowl vent that I was thinking of using maybe...not sure how that would look on an A. Have to figure out if I want to do it or not......

 

back on it tonight...my dad was sick and in the hospital towards the end of last week and into the weekend..but is doing well and is home..so I went back to the shop to do some work and get my mind off things.

-Picked up the paint for the engine
-Did a little more weld dressing here and there
-Got the inside coated with por 15...this is messy ****..
-Installed the gas tank mounting straps and tank in the trunk
-Picked up my reverse eye rear spring main leaf that I had the spring shop make up.
-Dug out my generator and voltage reg. that I'm going to use

...long day at it tomorrow to get caught up...i'll post up some pics tomorrow.

 

Sorry to hear about your Dad. I hop he's doing ok now.

I don't think I've ever managed to use POR 15 without having some of it on me for a week afterward.

 

She's coming along real fine Jerry! Nice work buddy!