Projects 39 Standard Tudor build thread

Thanks @The 39 guy but that's just a generic lighter. I have several. I want all 4 knobs in the dash to match and be where they belong, hence wanting an OG lighter. The knob is a big thread, not a small stud like most lighters are postwar. You see that a lot, a later replacement stuck in. Won't do it. I'd even take a burnt one just for the housing. I'll never use it anyways. And I want to avoid a multiple hour project just for that purpose. And again, thanks...

 

Would this be the lighter knob that you are trying to find? Dennis Carpenter list a couple colors. I was looking for heater control knob and saw there was everything but opted for the heater switch assembly.
https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/cars/interior/dash/99a-15053-cigar-knob
https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/cars/interior/dash/91a-15053-cigar-knob

 

I have that, in fact I have the whole set of 4 for the ashtray, choke and throttle too. Note the threads how big they are. I may well end up with a stud in a modern lighter but have other buns in the oven rt now. Shit, I still have to clear the dash and moldings too.

 

So I didn't pay much attention to the 40 cpe trunk latch base vs the tudor. Figured I could just make it longer, job done. Uh-uh. The pocket for the latch is deeper, the bolt pattern different. Screws for the catch were NOT gonna come loose. I heated the shit out of em, and the threaded keeper below, stuffed em in the toilet to shock em cold. Came out like new. No pics, they're soaking in metal prep. So I measured and and cleaned and cut in order to move the latch pocket from the Tudor to the new 40 cpe latch base. I still have to add 4" to it but I still call it a box checked.
Note the bolt pattern, and the pocket is almost twice the size of the Tudor.

I did another exact cut exercise and welded the old to the new.

There was some additional fiddle-fuck to it but I didn't wanna bore y'all with that. Til next time...

 

Currently into the mundane aspect of welding, fitting, hammering, yadda yadda yadda. I'll take pics before the final tail panel goes on, and once done. Still have to mod the latch panel and I'll share the process and dimensions as I do it. Stay tuned...

 

"I'm ready for my close up Mr DeMille"

Ok anyways, I got all the tool box fab done. Stretched the trunk latch floor center 4", modded the body mount supports, and made up some hardware to hold a screw jack (thanks @lostmind ) and lug wrench. The jack will store under the trunk latch, the latch support welds to the tail panel seal channel.



A cpl weeks back I put some reduced POR in a spritzer bottle and made short easy work of coating the frame and underneath. Did a topic on it.




Next step is clean this real well and get some bedliner in it while it's easy. Also going to waterproof every possible area that needs it. Can't believe the openings they left OEM. Once done the tail panel will get welded and metal finished, get some black lacquer on it. Forging ahead. Til next time...

 

I assume that's a technical term?

 

Very much so. No worries, I'm a licensed fiddle-fucker...

 

Checked more boxes. Got the new tool box area coated in bedliner. Gonna be nice when it's all done. Sealed the joints with Ford strip caulk. I said I wanted waterproof as much as possible. Also laid a nice coat of POR-15 in the trunk weatherstrip trough, should give a good base to hold the glue when the new seal goes in. I used aerosol Krylon bedliner. Reasonable at about 9 bucks from Wally World, easy, 1 can did 2 nice wet coats. A little extra distance gives a decent texture.
When I get the car all polished up any remaining surface rust around the decklid will get stained in with black enamel just for camouflage and easy cleaning.
Next episode is the final install of the new tail panel. Pics below. Stay tuned for more...

 

Getting closer. The corners came out really good. No mud needed. Time to seal the new tail panel and weld in the trunk latch support. Getting there, also picked up some oak plywood to make new tool box covers. Have the OGs for patterns.

 

That looks great! Wish I'd have figured that method out when I did the tail pan on mine about 40 years ago...

 

Taking a break from rust repair now that the worst is over, getting after hanging the exhaust. I need to make a hanger of some kind before the bumper goes back in anyways. I shagged several OEM rubber capture style hangers from my garage services days. Fabricating rods to go through full surround hangers, so should be fairly silent in the car once done. I have ½ a dozen swivel style too, those will probably play more up toward the front where mobility is naturally less and lend support. So far, before actual welding, using ⅜ rod for hangers.
And don't give me any static fellas, they're genuine Ford parts

 

You must be getting pretty excited as it's really coming together...I know I sure am...they are as you said a pretty elegant looking body style...as close to a sloper we get in the late 30s around here...

 

So I took it all out of 1 side and did final slip fits and such before I weld hangers on, then I slipped it together outside the car. WTF was I thinking...
There's a small saving grace, all that can be seen is this:

Progress, but it sure didn't feel that complicated when I did it. Damn...

 

Still exhausting. So I already put up some hows n what is holding it all in place. Advancing forward (or to the back?) I whipped up a rear frame mount for a floating hanger at the tailpipe. The rear will share a bumper brace bolt which mounts at an angle. I took some ½" rod and welded to an appropriately angled bracket. Always best on this style to have a bit of extra diameter at the end of it, so to that end we did a heat n beat to mush it out at the tip then ground and brushed smooth so the isolator can't slide off without some effort.

Yes I duplicated the effort for the other side but will hold off welding and fitting just in case. Up front we decided to share a clamping area with a urethane rubber isolated frame mount. Whipped up a fairly simple bracket, added a small dart in the corner and had to give it a little twist to follow the frame angle. This should work well, hopefully I still reap isolation from exhaust harmonics but if not I can replace with a softer durometer rubber. I'll bolt it on with a nyloc to ensure it doesn't end up fully rigid. Not too bad, pretty simple looking, but the sizing and layout was pretty critical to locate the pipe without banging the frame anywhere. Looks
like this...



I might be able to change up a couple things and repeat that idea on the last one. Like I said, exhausting...

 

Looking for an easy box to check off and trying to fill in a little 39 time I thought I'd whip up a couple turn signal mounts. I have to pace between consuming type jobs and quickies. A few years back I shagged a couple amber rally lights with thick glass lenses. Even though they're newer they just look old and are single element bulbs.
So the snag was either mod the shells and get the wire thru the back or leave them out the stud as designed. No room inside, stud it is. I made a couple tops out of heavy sheet stock then made some coupling style threaded sleeves...with a hole in the side...and a stud locked in the bottom...and, well was more involved than I thought but already threaded the material. Easy, throw some turn signals on it. Right...


I'll detail the process when I finish and trim it all but they did end up where I wanted, looking the part too. At least I think so. Almost there...

 

They're nice, everything seems to be more work than we think.. An exhaust system that runs around everything and not just two straight pipes hanging down, is a lot of work, way more than I thought it would be as well, and no one sees it, but we know.....
This is gonna be a really nice car when youre done.

 

So 2 long years since I added to this build thread? WTF is wrong with me? Busy, that's what. Injury too a few times. Have I done ANYTHING? Fuckin eh. The trunk is all but done inside. Final fit on interior panels. Shagged a heat control valve, cable operated. Got the windows out. Time for all new felts and channels is approaching. Pic drop coming, go get a coffee. Maybe...

 

I made new Baltic Birch trunk toolbox doors. And by now you're saying "WTF izzat aluminum tower?" Well...

I had in my plan to put a monster sound system in it from day 1. Monster for a car like this. I've been outed as liking old shit perhaps to a fault. My amp is a Crossfire CFA602, with a rating of 300W×2. There will be 2 300W 12" subs as well.


I shagged some interior board and made the new seat back panel and side boards. The original vinyl was still under the tire stops. Joann Fabrics is closing and they had a material that was nearly stone cold exact. I covered the seat panel in that. The sides got carpet. The floor got covered in 2 coats of bedliner. Once done it all looked like this. I made a mat out of black ribbed vinyl/rubber.


Now that the trunk was all but done its time to move into the interior.

 

Addressing the overlap from the rear trunk panels to the door/qtr interior panels was next. I mounted the rear armrests and final fit the panels to each side.

I always wanted a nice and nearly sculpted look to most of it, but was very happy to see the final fit after the effort.




On to the door armrests. I wanted some symmetry. Light angle, rest on the welt cord that splits the pleats from the upper. In a previous episode I restored some 49-51 Chevy coupe rear seat rests to use. I was thinking woodgrain for the painted metal but visually it woulda washed away in a sea of cedar colors. I chose the "utility" Ford interior color as found on the steering column, hand brake, etc...

For the mount I glued some sheet metal to the door card and popped in some holes, epoxy was used to carry 10/32 cage nuts and short screws to mount right on target.

I still have to cover the pad for the drivers side. I'll get a pic of both once they're done and hanging. I have some pretty unique ideas for the sound stuff, some you gotta wait to see. But 1 thing that will happen, the finned sides of the amp will be woodgrained so it gives off a vibe from an old radio at 1st look. The sub "cabinets"? You gotta wait, but the mods won't dare delete. That much I'm certain. Stay tuned. There's more. But again, 2 years? I'ma go kick my own ass for letting my HAMB brethren down...

 

Thanks for keeping us in the loop & good to see what you are up too.

 

Door panels now done. Won't cut the handle holes until I have everything and they go on for the final time. Came out pretty nice I think.
As shown raw above, I glued sheetmetal to the panel and bonded some 10-32 cage nuts to mount the armrests. At the right of the pic you can see how I mounted the trim parts. I silver brazed 4p finish nails into ½ round stainless. The heat annealed them enough to bend over and hold it all in place. In a test piece it gave me a minimum of 4 bends before it broke.




Ashtrays in the armrests are sorta kitschy/kool I think. Now that it all fits ill be polishing all the window openings on the outside in preparation for all new felts and channels. Of course the whole car will be cut and polished but for now just the openings. I can tape n paper em when I polish the whole car and save the misery of trying to clean the felt afterward. Then comes window regulators and channels. I needed 2 glass channels. What I have is fixable, they sell new for $50 each. Well only when they're in stock and so far all sellers list them outta stock. Even though there's a few edge bubbles the glass is clear, original, and all dated with the OG logo. I dig that shit, but I'm a little strange that way. More on the horizon and it feels great to be building it again. Stay tuned...

 

Hi, how y'all doin? Since all the fit n final was done its time to shine up the glass openings. Why now, is because I'm a lazy bastard. I have all new tracks n fuzzies and I always wanted a full cut n polish on this OG finish as if it was just done. Those details like slick all the way to the edge. Lazy because I didn't want to clean polish from the new window felt or any edge rubbers. Here's a little before and after action:


Even more lazy, I didn't want to do clean up at all so I masked the openings.

The last pic is just a view us old Ford fucks know n love. Nice lines.
My weaponry is a 5" grinder fitted with a leftover wool pad and Meguires 2 fine cut. I finished with Maguires 3 and an orbital foam pad.

"JEEZ JOCKO, A FUCKIN GRINDER?!?" Yup. Big on RPM but low in torque. With a little practice it does a great job of getting into close corners and curves without burning. Control the speed with pressure against the finish, and then that 20,000 RPM grinder is only turning about 3000 or less, and just enough nut to cut the finish lightly. The end result exceeded my expectations a bit, and surely it's not gonna win best of show anywhere but it sure is clean and shiney now, and all the sins acquired since 1939 seem all the more acceptable. I think details matter and when it's all said and done some things will look absolutely restored and I won't have to spend a week chasing shit outta weather seals and edges. More ahead, stay tuned...