Hot Rods >>Cleaning up an OLD '36 ROADSTER<<Clean up thread! Photos!

Great score, great story. You must be like a pig in that dirty stuff.

 

Thanks every one for the kind words on the car. Yes Retroline, I'm most comfortable when I am out and dirty in the shed foolin around with my cars.
The good news is now my 13 Y.O. son Matt is out there helping me out and learning the ropes and diggin the scene just as much as me! He came away with me and 'the boys' to his first, all blokey interstate swapmeet at the Fridge last weekend and he loved it. After we finish the roadster, we will make a start on his MINT '36 Ford ute. 289, 4 speed toploader,Halibrands original Cordoba Tan colour, brown leather etc etc, a more 'modern' O.H.V. hot rod. All components chosen by a then 11 y.o. boy. Look out! Always something to do. Cheers, stay safe everyone, H.R.D.

Matt '36 Ford Utility.

 

What a great thread. You are so lucky to be able to get the car after waiting 25 years. It looks fantastic. I know that you and your son will have alot of fun with it.
Gasser Girl

 

whats not to like,she's a beaut.great story

 

Love how the interior turned out!


Great car!

 

great thread and a brilliant car,thankyou.

 

Liking the car, liking the thread. Liking the "new" upholstery too!

Mart.

 

Great cars have great stories. You have a GREAT car.

 

cool car cool ute

 

Very cool, congrats !

 

I have always noticed these brand new '51 Ford steering wheels hanging on the walls of speed shops that featured in early Hop-up & Hot Rod magazines. They must have been pretty popular as they are in lots and lots of speed shops, take notice next time you flick through and old issue. Here are a few examples.

Eastern Auto Supply Co. Los Angeles Oct, 1951


Auto Accessories Company, Los Angeles, Aug, 1951


I was over at a mates place and he had a perfect example of a '51 s/wheel hanging from the rafter of his realy cool garage. I bought it off of him and now it's on the car. Heres a few photos of it and a few close ups of the dash etc. etc. These photos will show the true aged patina this car has. I think that the addition of the '51 steering wheel now gives our car a real 'nice modern' look to it. What do you think?





The bullet shaped brass piece above the tacho is the matching external light. How cool.






Oil change due 1964. I guess it's a bit late.


The Neptune station is at Nairne, S.A. How is the 3 digit phone number. now they are 8 digit.

 

Oh, and happy independence day to those involved!

 

I cannot get over the coolness of this car! Especially the RPM and Vacuum gauges.... Super duper cool!

Since you asked for our opinion, I'm way too partial to the banjo steering wheels to pass them up for the '51 steering wheel.... If I was going to swap it for another wheel it'd be for a '46-'48 Deluxe wheel.

I think the sharp triangulated shape on that '51 wheel attempts to deminish the smoothness of a '36 Ford. Again, just my 2 cents.

Keep us posted!

HC.

 

Yowza ! great score ! ..love those classic SA plates its got .. i bet your a pig in shit i like it with the 51 wheel....

 

So,wheels are on,




car is now all cleaned up,



This is it at stock hieght. But now we need to lower it as I am scared of heights.

So we pulled the springs out and we had the spring people reverse the eyes and flattened them out a little. The car has come down about an inch or so in the rear and a bit more in the front (see below). I would like to get it just a little lower but not too much. I only want it 1940's style low. I have a 4'' superbell in the shed I might put that in. This is how the car sits today. Next thing is to chrome plate the brand new Hollywood flipper caps I bought off of my friend in Modesto, Ca. He used to make them. Should the car go any lower?






Another job is to rid the trunk of it's junk. I will remove the spare wheel, and move the number plate to the spot where the mounting bolts are for the spare. Then, source a better rear bar, or repair the original and move it closer to the rear of the body. I was thinking of a set of briz bumpers, however I dont want to make the car like others and take the car away from what it has been for so long.I will be searching for a set of steel skirts however.
I was lucky enough to get a spare set of windscreen stauncheons and a complete windscreenframe etc. from a swap meet and I am thinking of chopping it ever so slightly, only about an inch or so. I want to also rake the rear part of the roof forward a little to give the car a slightly more aggressive side profile, but not much.Dont get me wrong, the final look that I am after is NOT a obvious chopped top, but It would be good if you looked at it and asked yourself "why does this car look different to other 36 roadsters?'' ''Oh, I THINK it's chopped and the roof looks better for some reason, maybe it's raked a little forward or something''. It's sort of hard to explain.

Here is a graphic I quickly made up to help , see below.


This diagram was computer generated and all modifications were measured to scale. It proves you can chop the Australian, 5 window based roadsters tops, move them around a little and still make them look good! What do you think?







Modified F.C. Holden chrome mostache above number plate. It will also hide the number plate light. I dont know what to think of it.





Here are the new flippers. I have to get the centre ring mark ground out, polished and the chromed.


It shares shed space with my other roadster, a '37 chev pictured below.





Ahh, we are getting there. I'm looking forward to summer for some evening Esplanade cruizen.


Here is an old poster I made up for my son. Good fun.Thats about it for this thread. I'll add more as it happens. Stay safe Dudes, H.R.D.

 

Those flipper caps are the real deal! Very cool.

Still cant get enough of thi roadster! Really is a beautiful car to be proud of....

Please feel free to post more pictures up!

Will we be seeing it at Uraidla?

HC.

 

Wow cool roadster, love the signs that you did and your sons ute is a nice father / son project..Rod.

 

Great photos, cool car, watching keenly.

. . . . . I've still got those skirts hanging on a hook . . .

somewhere.

CM

 

that sign is so sweet!!!

 

Hey CM, I forgot about those, we have to talk. Thanks for reminding me, speak to you soon, take care! H.R.D.

 

Great hot rod

 

Wow! That is one nice ford! I Love the "new" interior. That gold trim is the icing on the cake.
Bring it to Chopped in Newstead so we can check it out over here!
I have to say that I like the banjo a tad more though it's splitting hairs.
Is there any connection with the Port Adelaide club?
Adam f

 

Cool beans! Love that interior trick!

 

Sweet car! You're doing right by it for sure.

 

Great car - you're doing it justice I would say. Love those signs, dude!

 

Very nice...

 

The car has no connection with the P.A.F.C. but most if not all of the guys in the Roadsters of Port Adelaide back from the year dot knew all about this car as it spent 49 years in the Port Adelaide area. These are just some of the guys that have supplied me with information and various stories of the car. The car used to be seen at Barrys auto electrical in the 1950's & 60's all the time as Joe worked there.It was also a regular sight at Rowley Park Speedway on Friday nights in the same era.I heard a yarn that he quite often towed a small trailer around with a speed car on it.

 

The F.C plate guard gives the car a unique, very nostalgic look against custom/ rodded 36's and I dig it. However the car loses some of it's unique original quality with this and the '51 wheel. Whatever the goal, carefully store the spare wheel / steering wheel + the chrome rack (in greasy paper)- it's the original set- up. Maybe Re- fit rack for interstate trips.
Gotta find out how to maintain that paint dude- I'd say Mother's carnuaba wax every season- any nitro paint preservation experts in HAMB-land ?
It's a perfect HAMB car, the real deal, crow-eater style!.

 

Great find! Both the car, and the sweet hidden upholstery job!

 

Thanks MisterMilko, I have done a few changes lately, so I will update this thread soon. Cheers, H.R.D.