It's been a while since I have been around, life has been crazy. But I had a few minutes tonight so I thought I would read a bit on the HAMB and post an update on my 47. The drive train is basically done, and the body is back on for final fit of all the sheet metal. It's really starting to look like a car again. I had an old 93 Plymouth Sundance Duster in my garage that I have been raping for parts for some time. I got to looking at the seats and thought, what the heck. So I ripped them out and threw them in the 47. They fit so good it was scary. It will take a few mods, but i think they will work really nice. Anyway, here are a few shots. It's come a long way since last August when I started on it.
Thought I would post a few of the latest pics. Just some random shots from the 47 Project. Most everything is getting very close to paint now. It's just a matter of a few months until she is done now - and another huge pile of cash for the remaining bits I am missing!!!! I have to say that I am getting worn out. It's been 2 years already, but the end is in site. If you want more photos of the process, there are hundreds on my Yahoo group (link below).
Thanks for that. It's been 2 years of spare time. Nothing fancy under the hood. It's a 350 chevy 4 bolt block. 9.5 Hyper. pistons, .030 over. Mild crane cam. Holley 600 carb. Runs real nice, good power. Its has a fresh 350 trans behind it with a mild kit. Nova rear end with 3.07 gears. Wanted to build a nice mild driver to contrast my ridiculously impractical 68 Prostreet Dart GTS.
Thanks HRP. It is getting there. I'll post some pics once it is painted. I hope in the next 3 or 4 weeks.
Looks like a really really nice car, but the wheels and seats make it look like an 80's streetrod. Great job with the work tho, looks fantastic.
UnIOnViLLEHauNT, We each have our own definition of traditional... To me, traditional means using whatever I have on hand and whatever I can pickup for next to nothing to make a fast, nice looking, comfortable ride. That is my understanding of what hotrodding has been about from day one... I paid $50.00 for the wheels and the interior was free. Thanks for the compliment though. It's coming together, after 2 years of blood sweat and tears.
Yeah totally man, don't get me wrong the car looks stellar, and really looks like serious time and energy were spent on it. Just wonder what it would look like with some wide whites! In due time perhaps?
I'm not a huge fan of wide whites, but on the right car they do look good. I'll have to play with photoshop sometime and see what it looks like, then ponder it a while. I'm afraid with the bright red paint the wide white's would be too much. I had originally intended a set of Chrome smoothies with black walls for it, but for now these will work. At least I will be able to drive it! Thanks for the encouraging words though - it means a lot when there is recognition for the work. Its really appreciated, more than you know.
Painted most of the main body this weekend. Turned out pretty good. I found a couple flaws in the pass side qtr panel just before I sprayed the base coat so i masked it off and I will finish that qtr and paint it this week. It means a little more work, but I had everything else ready to go and I I needed the emotional encouragement to see this much of it get red. I don't have any real good photos yet, but these are what I took with my cell phone after pulling the tape last night. I'll try to post better ones when I get some batteries for my digital camera. If it stops raining today I'll fire it up and pull it outside to get some better photos. It;s been a long 2 years to get it to this point!
Looks great, very nice work! I'm building a 46 Coupe that is in the shop & very close to getting painted.
Thanks Nelly. I just wish I didn't have to have this stupid thing called work interfering with my hobby! I'm living on coffee today after working on it all weekend!!!! But, I'll be back at it again as soon as I get out of here.
looking really good. reminds me of my daughter's 1st rod, a 47 sedan like yours that we built together. good ole days
Hey Mike Looking good !!!!, What axle are you running under the front end? I've got a 47 sedan delivery, that the front crossmember has been modified and wanted to use the stock axle with split wishbones, but i'm having clearence issues. your car sets like what i'm shooting for.
Thanks 40Standard... I noticed you are from Indy... I lived there back in 84 and 85. Went to Lincoln Tech. Worked at Jack's Pizza on 38th street, then managed the Jack's in Clermont while I was there... Loved living in Indy... Hey chopnchaneled... Thanks for the encouragment. I went with a Chassis Engineering front end kit... 3" drop tube axle setup. Had to split the wish bone a little... I think the kit was called the Easy Rider front end. That was 2 years ago so its a bit hard to remember after all these paint fumes... I wanted mine a little lower, and it will be. I didn't think about the weight difference between the small block chevy and the flat head, so I suspect that the spring is a little too stiff. I didn't think to ask that question when I ordered the kit... That's and easy fix though... it will be about 1 or 2 inches lower, eventually. I will be dropping the back end accordingly too. But I want to get the whole thing together and drive it for a season to let everything settle in before I make any changes. What are you having clearance issues with? I have some better photos I will post here real soon, I have to get them uploaded to my website.
Thanks for the info, whats happening is when i got it down to where the front tires are at the fender lip in the center of the fender, the wishbones are only 3/8th of an inch from the x-frame and any amount of travel (dip in the road etc.) they will hit. using a dropped axle should give me the travel back, i was trying to use the stock axle and a reversed eye spring and raise the front crossmember up, (moved it up 3 inches), turns out not a real good ideal.
Yeah... I can see your problem there. Here is a link to the kit I used.... http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/page68.html I have not driven my car but once up and down the gravel road after I got the body back on the chassis, so I have no idea how it handles... but I am sure there are others here who have it installed too. Hope that helps.
Looking good Mike. Looks like you beet me to the paint. Mine is lines up for next week. Plenty of time here in Michigan to get finished before the warm weather hits again. And I agree, WW would not look good with that color.
416Ford Good to hear from you. Can't wait to see yours painted... I didn;t think I would EVER get done aligning panels and sanding things flat, or at least smoothe on the round stuff. I'll be curious to bolt everything back up and see how it all comes together, but I am a LONG ways away from that yet. I hope to have it together by next spring, but I have to do a couple of cars for other people this winter. I need the money so I can finish the 47!
Nov 3 Update: Okay, here are a few shots from the weekend. I brought the car home after working like a dog all weekend to paint everything but the front clip, and re-assemble what I painted. Special thanks to my friend Jim and my son Joe for their hands in assembly, in finding stuff we took off two years ago, and in polishing many of the small bits and pieces needed for re-assembly! All that is left to paint is the front clip... and a few small bits and pieces here and there. The fenders are close to ready.. the hood still needs a little work. Then there is the grille, tail lights, etc... I have to paint another car soon for a fellow so I will have to take a little break, but I thought I would post what I have done so far. Thanks to the HAMB for all the encouragment, insight and help when needed!
The 47 has been on hold since November, while I am doing a couple other projects for others to make some money so I can finish mine. I hope to be back on it in a month. Never enough time in the day! I'll keep you posted once i get back on it again.
That was a 6cylinder original car, wasn't it? I just noticed the glove box trim doesn't have the V-8 emblem! Great job! I don't mind the wheels or the seats and interior either. It's a good example of a well built early Ford. Like the RH ram's horn on the left, kinda like the old "trick" of using a front dump 265 manifold but more efficient and better looking.
No, it had an 8 cyl. in it. I bought the car from a buddy who was the second owner, the fellow he got it from bought it new. It came with the original engine, but my buddy pulled and installed a different flat head 8. I helped him pull the second engine to put in his 32 hotrod before I hauled it home. Not sure about the glove box trim. Where was the v8 emblem located? I replaced the dash trim, but had the original pieces too, and I don;t recall a v8 emblem in the boxes of crap I got with the car. Got a photo of one?
hmm, interesting. I have never seen that. I'm pretty sure that the trim that I installed on the glovebox came out of another v8 car too and it didn;t have it. I have had a couple of these cars and don;t recall that feature. I'd be interested in seeing what it looked like.
The 47 Tudor is one of my favorite body styles and that bright red is perfect. That will really be a nice car when complete. The small block and 307 gear will be very nice for the car. That is the same set up I run in my Model A and it will go as fast as you want and get decent gas mileage at the same time. LOVE IT. Go get some coffee and get back to work!
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