Projects '32 Henry steel Roadster build

Yeaup. It’s just laying there. The other part is mounted to the K member right now.

 

Picked up an original steering wheel and horn button/switch on the cheap. I’ll restore both.

 

Update for anybody reading and hoarding out there. I am still in search of a rear spreader bar with luggage tabs, original rear shocks arm, un-chipped Ford emblem and e-brake assembly.

 

Ontario Canada or Ontario California?

 

Sammy at Arizona Model A in Gilbert has the rear shock arms, I just got a full set of front and rears from him, I think he wants $25 each.

 

So Cal

 

Pulled it apart, did a home clean, peep & paint. Took a look at the oil pan and said “fuck this shit, I need a beer.” It’s off to powdercoat, along with a few other things, for a coat of black. After polishing the distributor I’m not looking forward to the heads. The old clutch was used for alignment, new one is going in this week.

 

I like the way it's coming along..a 32 in progress and a nice 55 vw, living the dream eh?

 

Very nice

 

Great build!!
What's the block paint? Did you grind it smooth first?

 

It is Ford Antique Green that I got from Snyder's. I knocked off the big stuff with a scraper/screwdriver and then wire wheeled the entire block. Then I made a pass over everything with a medium and/or coarse Roloc surface conditioning disc that uses my drill. The wire wheel helped to get the block all knocked down to the metal and clean out the pores and the sanding discs smoothed out the rougher areas. I then applied two coats of VHT light gray engine enamel primer and ran over that with some 400 grit to smooth out any drips or problem areas. Then I did a good tack coat of the green and laid on a pretty thick coat of green about 20 minutes later (on an 85 degree day). After I let those two coats set up for about an hour I applied a third coat of the green. It still has all of the roughness and casting marks of the engine but it has a nice thick coat of paint on there that is evenly laid down and looks good now with the correct color.

Once I get my black parts back and my heads polished I will bolt it all together along with the transmission and post a pic. I need to get the fender studs put back in place in the rear fender wells and finish the inner brace on the rear fender and then the car can come back to my garage where I will stab the engine and trans in for a test fit before I blow it all apart for final body work and paint.

 

Little by little

 

Great thread and some great pictures. Been working on mine and after seeing these great pictures makes me want to get out there and get moving!

 

Got the fender studs back in place

 

Hood and doors gapped. Metal work allllmost done

 

Decided to mount the plate off the taillight and fabbed up a license plate backer done by Justin Veazie

 

Eric, your roadster looks great and I appreciate your attention to detail, with your DRKC back ground I see it come out more and more, but just a comment on the original luggage rack rear spreader bar request, from what I am told they are near impossible to find, in fact several of my '32 hoarding buddies shared stories of buying complete Deuces just get the luggage rack rear spreader bar,it would be easy to fab one up and have it chromed.

 

Thanks for the compliments!
Nice to see you have knowledge of DRKC....you understand how finicky I am then
I actually found one. It was just across the country and I had to be referred by a friend of a friend to a friend that didn't necessarily want to sell it but I coerced him to fork it over.

 

Yes, I use to competed in DRKC with a red '61 ragtop that I built with a VW Paradise 2332cc motor back in 2004 but the level of quality was beyond what I could do with a just clean fast street car so I sold it to Jo Clifford who still owns and races it all the time like here when it went 11.69 in the quarter

 

Jo and Richie are friends of mine. I know the car well

 

In 2004 I was still racing my satin black type 34 ghia. I built that car as a teenager and thumped out low 12's all day long. I miss that car.

 

That's awesome that you know Jo and the car!

Its a small world!!

 

Starting to do final mock up

 

I need to do the same... where did you find them?

 

Roy Nacewicz has them. I also had to get a few on the fly and the Early Ford Store had two for me. You need 8 total in the rear, FYI

 

This is as far as I got today but I’m digging it

 

Bolted up the trans for shits and giggles

 

This thing is bad ass..

 

Brass knurls for the plugs

 

Got the car back together tonight. Few more tweaks and a steering box rebuild then I’ll stab the engine and trans. Getting closer to full disassembly for bodywork and paint!