Projects A late introduction-Junior Conway coupe build

Jer,sent you a pm.

 

Thanks for the offer Joe (Colonel) on the spotlight bracket. I have a guy that will buildup (alum. weld) the pot metal dummy bracket. It wont look right but would get me by. I was hoping for some luck. The custom car God has smiled,maybe.

 

I can't tell you how much I appreciate and am surprised by the willingness to help with this project. So while this is now on the table because of these last posts let me tell you my needs. The two things that I'm struggling with now are the three carb Fenton fuel block and the weird dual exhaust setup that Jr had on this car. When I asked about the exhaust he just said that he took it to a muffler shop and said I want duals. This was the cheapest way to accomplish it. They removed the crossover pipe in front and capped the right side manifold where it connected. There was an aftermarket pipe that you could buy that was shaped somewhat like a trombone (!) that connected to the left manifold and went forward and up and paralell with the l side manifold and then down to a new l side muffler etc.. I know that these old pipes are out there. I';ve seen posts on another site talk about them. I will have to get one and clean it up or use it as a template to bend up a replacement. So, I need help in these areas. I saw two Fenton fuel blocks on Ebay about a month apart and thought that they were very common. I should have got one.

Oh by the way, I also need (gulp) a '55 Merc accessory steering wheel

 

You need to know that Jr is also surprised by the interest in his car. He's a low tech guy (no internet skills) that's kept his head down and worked for over FIVE DECADES. He really isn't aware of the renaissance that's taken place recently regarding the 1950s custom car culture and his cars part in it. He's been involved in high end resto's since he left Barris in the early 60's. I send him pages of this thread as they accumulate. It would warm his heart to know that there are guys who want to be involved in any way that they can on this project. He's wants to know/is concerned about the health of the last generations regarding whether or not these kind of cars are going to survive. I tell him that I see four generations on this site. Great grampa that hopped up Fords and Chev's in the 20's-30's, Grampa that built the customs in the 50's, his son that built the street machine/hot rods of the 80's and their kids (including daughters)that are coming back to the roots of customizing/rodding. He's very busy working 12 hour days, 6 days a week. Yes, you heard me right. Hopefully something can be done about this in the near future

 

More.

 

Details.

 

Wer'e closin in.

 

You guys cruised on that shoebox! Way to go! It's awesome that you got Junior hisself involved!

 

More details.

 

Jerry...

I've got one of those "trombone" pipes on a '52 Victoria parts car I bought a few months ago. It looks like it was fashioned by a local muffler shop, not as a ready-made aftermarket part. It's pretty funky looking, but it appears to work okay. The car was driven with this dual exhaust setup for many years, judging by the rust pattern on the rear bumper.

This car is a Fordomatic. I don't know if the same pipe would work on a three-speed with the stock shifter. Gets pretty crowded down behind the left head.

Anyhow, you're more than welcome to use this one as a pattern, or I can photograph it so you can show the photo to your muffler guy. (If you don't already have a shop that can do tricky stuff like this, I'd recommend Phil's Muffler Shop on N. Main in Ft. Worth. Phil's an old school guy who did some clean and creative work on my '55 Buick Special - same problem, snaking the left pipe around the master cylinder under the floor.)

Let me know how I can help.

Eric

 

I sent you a pm on the ripple pipe. Glad to help!

 

i love this build

 

You guys are absolutely over the top!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks Kurt.

 

Is that an original plaque? If so. wow!

 

I asked Mazdaslam (post #157) for his and he turned me on to Kurt McCormick that makes em from an original.

 

Sweet!! Im glad that it worked out for you.

 

Still onward!

 

As you can see wer'e getting close to paint on this build. There are a few loose ends that need to be dealt with. We'll be doing that on these next posts.

 

Stuff like this.

 

The theme from the beginning with this build has been authenticity. This carries over to the stainless trim. The lower mldgs are 55 Ford Fairlane 2 door pieces butted together. It takes 2 sets to make up the lower configuration. My stainless guy was ready to weld everything up and do the high quality job that he's accustomed to doing. There were great pains taken to continue to communicate to him that what was wanted was something that would represent what was coming out of the Barris shop in the mid 50's. Jr has said that he cut and filed those mldgs to fit perfectly. The welding together idea was not on the table. I'm trying to be careful to also duplicate the splices that are seen in the available pics..

 

love this build !

 

The first pile is sent to stainless shop. It comes back a little more organized.

 

Jer,the lenghts you are taking to re-create Juniors car are great.If I understand correctly,you are making this an EXACT clone of the original?.

Looking good.Cant wait to see finished pics of it.

 

Very impressive work there fellas!! cant wait to see the final stages of this build!!

 

Exact is a very elusive thing. There will always have been something that could have been done. I think missysdad1 captured it (post #188). I guess it would be correct to say that the feelings that I had back in the day when I was first exposed to this stuff have been recaptured for me. If someone else feels that then this will be a success.

 

Well, then it is a success already.
Feelings recaptured.
Hats off to you and Junior.

 

The lower '55 Ford mldgs attached in the original mldg holes.

 

This one should have been included with the other.

 

Damn that's looking nice Jer- I like it!