Projects A late introduction-Junior Conway coupe build

I do remember seeing this Barris how to article. It probably was while reading this Car Craft mag (Mar.58) back in the day. I'm posting it tonight so that you can see how it actually was done on Jr's car. Rik is also going to want this for his archives. I mentioned previously that I didn't do these scoops this way on the clone. I will post my own how to tomorrow night. I'm going to call it Hood Scoops for Dummies.

 

Hey guys, I need some help id ing these wheels. How do I accurately describe these, to buy the correct ones? Remember this is 1957.

 

They look like early OEM Ford wheels which have been split apart, chromed, reversed and reassembled. The bevel on the shell identifies them as pre-disc brake style wheels.

The windows look like the Ford shape and the caps are definately Ford.

Try wheelkid here on the HAMB. (Rally America - An Alliance vendor) I understand they can custom-build chrome reverse wheels to your exact specs. Not much chance you'll find visually identical wheels any other way.

You'll probably have to supply the centers and shells, unless they've got some in their inventory. I've got a couple kicking around here if you need them for parts or whatever.

 

Larger pic



Bottom one.... could be it? and then with a larger bullet added





Or.. it could be a 1950 Mercury cap set in deep on a reversed rim with a bullet added?

 

I think rikster has the hubcap nailed - stock with bullet, not Merc.

Here are the wheels I have. I'm virtually certain they are the ones you need from which to have authentic chrome reversed wheels made.


Center is the right shape and will take stock '49/'50 hubcap, which is available reproduction.


Shell is beveled like in the photo, center is rivited into place. Easy to reverse.


I've got several behind the shop in the bushes. Come an get 'em.

I've got at least five of these, and you're welcome to them for your project.

 

Thanks Eric. I will consider that. So would I have a wheel shop do these? Are there any in DFW?

 

See my previous post. Rally America is a HAMB Alliance vendor and they do stuff like this. They can cut the wheels apart, get the pieces chromed and then weld them back together reversed, which is the way I'm sure Junior did it way back when.

Rally America has a great reputation among HAMBers, check it out. Give them a call and see what it'll take to get it done.

 

My calls to them earlier today went unanswered with no capacity to take a message.

 

Well, after seeing the Car Craft (Mar.58) article on the hood scoops I thought it might be instructive to show how I did the ones on this car. This would be in the spirit of the HAMB, everybody chairs man (Cheech & Chong). This is the part of this build that I was totally intimidated by. I had a spare hood located just in case I ruined this one.

I hadn't done any body work since '88 because my expanding business required me to be up front in the office. It was a heart breaker because I love to work with my hands. And the realization that this had gone from a body shop to a business didn't sit too well. I would come to work early so that I could get a couple of hours in before the phones started to ring. So, I was comfortable around all the tools. Hammer, dolly, oxy/acet welder etc.. But I was definitely sweatin doin these scoops out in the vast expanse of metal on this hood.

So I thought and thought about this, and I put together a technique I'll call HOOD SCOOPS FOR DUMMIES. It worked amazingly well. The dragon that had me shakin in my boots was left powerless in a quivering mass on the shop floor.

I made a frame that outlined the scoops out of ½ square tubing. It had holes in the ends that let me position it in the exact same place on both sides of the hood (inner and outer). I shaved down a hard rubber hammer that fit inside the troughs that outlined the scoops. I located the front part (the opening) and cut a slot with my die grinder. The next part was gently stretching inside the troughs up or down with the rubber hammer. This was helped along with the body hammer (sparingly). I made sure that everything was done on a solid foundation by having a sand filled leather bag underneath everything that was worked. After you have the scoops looking like you want them remove, the frame and shape the dome (upper) and the trough (lower) with the hammer and dolly. In this case you want the back to fade away towards the back of the hood. This technique gives you the straight, crisp out lines and keeps the tendency to warp under control.

 

I need to add that I welded welding rod to the upper leading edge of the scoop. I left the bottom as it was, as per Jr's instructions. It was finished with a scim coat of filler. This took the better part of a day to do. My practice sessions made me completely comfortable about what to do and not do.

So Iv'e removed the mystery and excuses about this and what that means for you is to get some scrap panels and get goin' NOW!

 

The hood and trunk lid should be on for the last time.

 

Well, wer'e in kind of a bind here. The shop truck has malfunctioned (lock cyl in ignition switch) and its right in front of the garage door. I want to push the car out in the sun and get a pic with all the side trim. But, i cant. Wev'e worked on it all day and will put together tommorrow. Got the wrong one from the dealer on the first try. 2001 Toyota Tacoma. Tommorrow for pics.

 

She's comin' along. The brakes need to be bled. The doors and trunk poppers need to be hooked up (ele.). It could then go to the upholstery shop. I'm going to call on the chrome to see if its done. I'm tempted to wait if its close to being done. The hood needs to be adjusted.

 

Damm thats cool... Nice job!

 

Great job. Is that a 54 chevy hardtop inside mirror?

 

sweet

 

The mirror is '54 Chev..

 

The fake back up lights were white lexan with beveled clear lenses. We will get them ready to install along with the '55 buick t/l lenses.

 

Bit by bit.

 

I've been lurking through this builld, with nothing really to add other than a dropped jaw at your attention to detail and authenticity.

Truly inspiring recreation. I appreciate all the photos & commentary.

Todd

 

again ! I want to thank you for sharing your build with us all here ! WOW !!!!!!!!

 

It's not practical to respond to every comment like I did when this thread started. I do however want everyone to know that each one is appreciated. I feel extremely privileged to be doing this project. I also sense the bond with those of you that are affected by this build. This is where it started for me many years ago. I would also add that any number of you could be doin this. It just must be my time and place. Thanks again.

 

I bought a wall phone and thought that it had a bracket that could be used. I asked Jr to make one for me when he told me that this one was incorrect. He said that without a car he couldn't do it. However he did say that Dick Jackson is doing a 49 and he would be a better resource for this. I asked Dick and he said sure. Dick said that he was the first person to put a dummy phone in a car back in the day. Jr sent both of us the pic of the dash that shows the phone mounted (post #355). I just got this bracket in the mail. It mounts right in front of the radio. Thanks Dick!

 

b/up lites.

 

With t/lites.

 

More bits.

 

Well, this is another one of those times when I'm in need of some counsel (knowing that there is lots of talent out there).

After all the efforts to make this brass sheet work I'm facing a dilemma that has to be dealt with. I've tried multiple times to clean it and those efforts will work for a while but eventually the tendency to corrode reveals itself. Right now your looking at the results of etching, burnishing, and clear lacquer. It just wants/needs to corrode. I do have some rattle can bright gold that looks ok, but it doesn't have the glow of the burnished brass. I'm thinking about anodized gold on these things.

Jr says that the brass sheet he used was bright and clean. The only problem he had was that the clear wore off over time.

This brass that I got is probably from the same era. It was severely corroded at the lower part of the roll that was in the box. Your thoughts?

 

It's a long shot, Jerry, but brass is used on salt water boats for fasteners and hardware. That's about as corrosive an environment as there is. Surely a marine supply specialty house would have materials to deep-clean the brass.

But...the spots on the mesh almost look like chemical contamination of some sort, not the overall grayish patena that naturally forms on exposed brass. Who knows what might have been spilled on it over the years.

Hell, it might be rat piss. Not joking. That stuff will eat through anything given enough time and is difficult as the dickens to remove. And it will cause spots to reappear like yours if it has not been diluted thoroughly.

You might try carb dip or Tarn-X on a small sample where the spotting is worst and see what happens. Perhaps vinegar? Diluted pool acid? MetalPrep? Molasses? Detergent and hot water?

EDIT: I got it! Ammonia diluted with water! That's what I use to clean used brass rifle cartridge cases! Works great and doesn't hurt the brass, but it will etch the surface so you'll need to re-polish it. Try this first!

You can soak the brass mesh for a few minutes, then rinse with water and check progress. Don't leave it too long, and be sure to rinse thoroughly with water before drying.

Good luck!

 

All right Eric. I have some large pieces that are the most corroded. I'll give this a try tomorrow. The problem has been that it looks good at first ( maybe a couple of weeks) and then starts to corrode.

If any body else has a contribution Iv'e got enough to have several tests going at once. Thanks Eric.

 

Well, here are the results of the cleaning/etching attempt. I'm using a 30 percent ammonia solution in water. The first two pics show the surplus piece (front/back) before the test. The second two show results after 5 min. The last three are ½ hr, 1 hr, 3 + hrs. There is chronic blotchiness that shows through out the pieces. As the solution continued its work it eventually ate off a top layer that revealed an underside that is bright.

I think I have a defective batch of brass sheet that has been ruined by age. Hopefully my chrome will be done next week. When I go up north to pick it up I'll take a sample of this brass with me. I'm thinking that there is a coating that can make this look right. Whether that's anodizing or a bright gold powder coat I'm not sure. The holes are quite small and close together. I don't know if they would be filled in the process (they can't be) or not. Oh, what fun.