1933 5-Window Coupe Build-Up

This is my favorite thread lately on the HAMB.

Hey Jess, are you gonna let your boyfriend drive that car?

 

great build...and some of the best documentation i've seen on here. thanks for taking what has to be a A LOT of extra time to share this with us.

 

Hey Jess. Has there been any more progress? Easily one of the best build threads.

 

Hey thanks! Some progress, but no photos to show for it. On Saturday, the 17th I was out of town, but my dad added four more leaf springs to the multi-leaf rear spring, and also added longer rear shocks. It no longer bottoms out driving over a minimal bump and rides a TON better.

Sunday, my sister and I were driving down the road on the way to a car show/graduation party and something started to sound funny. I looked over the dash and out the windshield and the driver side tire was sort of bump steering by itself. Luckily, I was close to a long empty business driveway, and luckily my brother-in-law was following with the '32. I pulled off and he followed, right into the shade of the one tree in the area.

We assessed that the steering arm must be loose from the spindle. Looking at the sorry excuse for a screwdriver I kept in the glovebox, I decided then and there that I needed to invest in a decent set of tools and a jack for the coupe. Jason and I took the roadster back to my house and loaded up some tools. Without the correct lug sized socket or wrench, Jason's brute strength got the lug nuts off using two crescent wrenches, and we got the rest of it figured out and then put back together.

All in all, the whole experience was a big confidence booster. I'm sure that if I had the correct socket or lug wrench, a jack and the tools, I could have dealt with the whole thing by myself. I couldn't have said that two years ago. I have some photos coming of the car shows I've been to. I'll try to post them soon.

 

Oooo, and over 200 miles on it so far.

 

Congrats over 200! God I wish my could just move on it's own, much less be racking up miles.

 

Makes me wish I had my ole dad back for a few days..

 

way to cover some ground!

 

Glad to hear the coupe is out and about, I've been wondering. Looking forward to seeing some pics of it on the road!

 

Ha! I was talking to a co-worker about that and he told me his Cuda has never been driven by any girlfriend. Couldn't guarantee he wouldn't hold it against her if something were to happen. And I think that pretty much sums it up. I did let my brother-in-law drive it around the block. He had a HUGE grin on his face.

 

Here's a thread for my road trips with the coupe:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273030

But I'll keep updating this thread with repairs and progress photos.

 

Thanks for the link, great to 'see' it drive.

 

Our first road trip turned into our first breakdown. The pouring rain in Ames, Iowa, got in thru the air cleaner and carb on the hood-less coupe. Friday, June 13th was our first chance to tear into the engine, to verify that water was the culprit. And it was.



We could see a bend and slight twist in the rod:


And my favorite photo:


The piston was damaged as well, but the head and crank seem to be okay. My dad tracked down a replacement rod and piston and my mom drove to Hastings to pick it up. Luckily, it was only a 350 small block, standard bore Chevy. Wednesday night, we started putting it back together.



I really needed a refresher course on engines anyway.





We even got the engine set back into the coupe.





Tonight, we will get everything hooked up. If we get it running, the coupe will only have been out of service for one week.

 

And it's on the road again - I drove it to work this morning. The sis and I will be heading to Goodguys DesMoines with the Omaha crew. Hope to see everyone there!

 

GREAT news sweetie! See ya there!

 

Thanks for the update, Jess, glad your Dad was able to sort out the engine damage. My roadster is stored under a tarp and was wringing wet last time I wanted to start it. The air filetr tops were full of water. remembering a previous post here on the hamb showing similar damage, I took the precaution of giving the motor a couple of turns by hand before starting it. All was well and it started straight away after.
Maybe your experience will alert others to the dangers of water in exposed engines.
Mart.

 

It was sure an alert to me! If anything, I'm hyper-sensitive to it now. If it happens again, I'll be floored.

 

I am still new to all the specifics, but the backing plates are lincoln right and the fins are Buick right?

 

Jess is here in Detroit right now and hopefully will get a flight out today to her destination in PA for the holiday. She probably won't see your question unless you PM or email her the link to this thread.

 

Grab the search button at the top and search Buick Drums. They are many threads on how to do it.

 

what a great thread, I just spent my lunch hour reading it and it was great to see it go from bare frame to rolling under its own power

 

wicked thread,it has given me many ideas on what to do to get mine on the road,cheers guys

 

Great reference pics, awesome car! Thanks for posting!!

 

Wow! Just finished reading the post's ,and what an inspiring thread it has been !
Just have to say what a cool dad ,family and friends you have!
and what a sweet car you have now.
Thanks for sharing !