I have all of the radio delete panels I’m thinking of using. Then I can put a modern Bluetooth unit in a tissue dispenser or something under the dash
I installed my stock radio for the look after gutting it out being it didn't work. Then used the on off knob to turn on my tucked away radio and keep the lit-up face to look at nighttime. I have a fiber optic and remote to change programing. I don't think blue teeth was around yet when building this car.
I do have a few spare radios.. one I took apart to use just the face, and knobs, but when it comes to electronics, I just don’t have the head for it
51 had 2 different styles of On and Off buttons. One turn knob and one push button. They both will carry 12 V just fine and it just means finding 2 terminals on the switch that open and close with either style switch. Radios generally operate on about 5 amps. It's all in what you want to end up with. The 51 dash is a difficult one to make any changes to including different switches.
I’ve haven’t updated in a bit.. lots of stuff has been going on, mostly family medical stuff that seems just about over now.. so it’s time to really get going here.. Chopolds has been great through out it all, can’t thank him enough.. as far as progress the engine is back and it’s starting to get prepped to go back in the car.. got everything wired wheeled down to metal, bolted the heads back on, and Mark primer then painted it.. I’m thinking it’s going to look pretty badass.. motor is bored .40 over, powerpack heads rebuilt, 300hp 327 cam.. going to run the 4bbl intake on it at first to break it in and get all the bugs worked out then swap the tri power on it at a later date..
It’s in.. I am stoked… Can’t thank Mark(Chopolds) and the guys at Customs by Flash, Ron and Kenny and also Mikey Miranda who stopped by in time to give us a hand, enough! Im really digging the colors together! Next up trying to find headers that fit!! Anyone have any successes in their shoebox? I’m running the Chevy II oil pan and Jamco motor mounts.
So two steps forward then step back it seems. While we did put the Jamco mOtto mount kit and trans crossmember in and bolted a block and trans in to make sure it fit, we did not try the distributor.. so of course when I went to put it in after the engine was set in place, it hit the firewall and won’t go.. after much discussion Chopolds decided the best course of action was to cut the firewall. Honestly it made me sick to my stomach since the firewall was smoothed and Mark had laid down that beautiful paint.. but in a day or so he had it cut, a new pocket made and welded in and painted.
Also a an old set blocker hugger headers we tried, hit the steering box. After seeing how much it would have to be modified, Chopolds told me it was no problem so I ordered a set of those stainless ones off of eBay for 88 bucks. Little cut and weld and a well place hammer ding and they fit perfect..
On a pretty cool note.. Kenny, one of the guys that’s working on his car at Customs by Flash came across an old hurst drop link for a shoebox, after we were discussing how the one in my car was home made by the second owner to move the car around in his garage. I ended up going with the jamco kit and the chevy II oil pan set up.. Anyway Kenny made a new version of the drop link and it came out pretty badass. Wish I went with one of these before I did the pan and Jamco kit! Here’s some pics of the hurst drop link and Kenny’s first drop link. 1" diameter, 0.25 wall DOM tubing. 1/4" cold rolled plate for reinforcement. All TIG welded.
The Hurst link is looking like beeing soldered instead of welded. Are there no rubber parts inside the ball joint, are they still ok after TIG welding?
I was checking it and there seems to be no damage at all. Though Kenny is looking into a removable tie rod end for it.. I’ll keep you guys updated..
Couple pics I took this weekend.. I got the dash almost all back together. Between the chrome powder coat on the dash mesh and bead blasting the custom script and bezel and then Chopolds painting it to match the dash, I think it came out fantastic.. Mark painted the air cleaner and some other bits, and got part of the exhaust welded up. I need to get some short water pump pulleys and a few other parts but it’s moving along.
Vintage Air fits right in the old heater control spot. The bezels were rusty so I painted them black. The color is 2005 Dodge Magnum blue.
Came home from work and saw a big box with my name on it.. couldn’t for the life of me remember if I ordered something or not.. then it hit me… it’s one of the coolest things I was ever given.. one of the members in my Facebook group, Kustom Shoebox Fords, Larry Plymate sent me this awesome wheel just because he thinks it would pop with my dash! Man does it ever pop!
I bought some stainless steel headers off eBay then got some 2 inch SS exhaust pipes from eBay, some 24 inch Brockman Mellowtones, and S.S Lakepipes. Chopolds has been welding away on the coupe to get it all together. Incase your wondering I wanted the exhaust to exit into the outlet end of the Lakepipe so that it was sorta functional and yet no one will burn their leg or it would discolor from the heat, all the way down. I also am not sure how much more I would be lowering the car in the future so getting it tucked high was important as well. Mark is pretty much hitting everyone of those goals. The exhaust goes through the frame and will go into the back side of the lake pipe. They also have the fuel line ran to the gas tank.. it’s getting closer to running!
Couple more pics from today.. got the pulleys on and alternator mounted and radiator in.. spent the rest ofcthe day going through parts and stuff so I can bring some stuff home from shop.
I forget what a wee nee frame these 49-51 Fords have till I see another one from underneath. No wonder we can't keep the Doors, Fenders and Hood gaps to stay put. Reset seems to be part of my annual spring maintenance routine. I learned to set them wide to start with and do less edge chip repair. Probably worse on a Hard Top than a Coupe. Looking good, keep up the progress. Driving them is way more fun than building them.
Looking good! Have you welded the panels at the back together to fill the seams or are they just filled with bondo?
The Jalopy Journal
