Hi Guys - So I am assessing purchasing my first hot rod project and want to go into this with my eyes wide open. My introduction thread is here if you would like to know more about me and pictures of the 38 Plymouth. We have reached an agreement, now I just have to tell him if I am going to pull the trigger. Need your opinions. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mopar-guy-here-to-learn-how-to-build-a-hot-rod.1061206/ It took me a long time to find a car that had a totally rust free body so no body work is required. I am going to keep it in the original paint (had one paint over decades ago). I'm not being cheap or lazy. I think it looks awesome as is. The OT front suspension is already done and installed. The frame is boxed but it needs cleaning up. It is set up for a SBC but I plan on putting in a Mopar motor. So in terms of things I have never done - I am looking at cleaning up a frame, fabrication set up for different engine, and perhaps rear end suspension (not sure yet). So here are my concerns and questions: I have basic mechanical skills but no fabrication experience. I cannot weld right now. However, my next door neighbour is a metal worker by trade, a welder extraordinaire, and runs a metal working business. So I am paying him to take some basic welding and metal working lessons all summer. He has asked me what exactly I want to learn. I wasn't sure how to answer the question. Based on the info above what do I "NEED" to learn to get a solid foundation other than basic welding? I want to do as much of the work myself but anything requiring serious skills or concerning safety will be done by my neighbour. I am not going to rush anything. Secondly, I am sure I am going to wear out my welcome in my neighbours shop using his tools and equipment all the time. So what is a good basic list of tools to start working on the project above. I did a search before posting this question and found the following list below. Is it good? Are there things I can leave out and is something missing? Last question - Can a person with like me with basic car knowledge actually build a 38 Plymouth? I read tons of threads here and heeded the majority advice - I searched for the car that was the most complete I could find! I can't find a better one locally other than buying a complete done car. But where is the fun in that. I don't mind a few years of work and love learning. Kind regards. John ________________ Start with the basics tools: High & low crown quality hammers and assortment of dollys used is fine but buy quality stuff once. A set of left and right Wiss hand shears. A kett shear is very handy. Whitney #5 hand punch. 110 wirefeed & auto dark helmet. Avoid flux core use .023 wire for most body repairs. 36" or larger finger brake if you buy chinese it will flex on longer parts or 18-16 gauge. BUY american made stuff if you can. Shrinker stretcher Good air compressor 5 HP or larger with a good water trap!!!! Air angle grinder, air saw, air chisel, HVLP gun with 1.7 and 1.2 tips. A plasma cutter is pricey but can replace a shear and takes less space in the garage. This is what I believe will get you very well on the road to build a rod and you can make good money doing the same for others.
If you are buying a rust free car why do you need all those sheet metal working tools? You will need a good wire welder NOT HF and a good air compressor.You will need several angle grinders,buy 1 good one and several of the 10 dollar on sale HF ones.Keep different heads on all of them-1 with cutoff wheel,1 with flap wheel,1 with grinding wheel,1 with cup wire brush etc. You will need all sorts of hand tools of course.Many pairs of visegrips and C clamps.I get a lot of use out of 2 floor jacks and several sets of jack stands and a cherry picker.Is there a local community college with a welding course? If you must use your neighbor tell him you need to learn how to reliably weld mild steel from 22 gauge to around 5\16".Be sure you buy enough welder to do that. As far as "can you do it"- you can if you want too badly enough.That car sounds like a pretty big chunk to bite off for your first time. Good luck with your project.
Great info. Thank you. No, there are no community colleges that teach welding near me. There are some trade schools with 1 - 2 year programs but that is it. I have a good compressor and a well stocked garage for wrenching but not so much for fabricating. I have one angled grinder....Hmmmm...
Nice combination of rides you have there. I have a 66 Valiant that I built with my dad, and we are currently building a 1937 dodge coupe gasser. Starting out with a rust free car is a good start. We made the mistake of starting with a rusty parted out shell. For the Valiant most of the work was done at home. We farmed out the chassis fab work for the Dodge, but still have done quite a bit of fabrication in our garage. I think that starting off with basic hand and power tools will be fine, buying additional tools as you need them. Here are a few pictures of what we started with and some progress. We hope to have the dodge running in June.
Yeah, I'm confused as well, why all the paint and body tools when you said your keeping the paint that's on it? That aside, best tool you can have if you want to build a hot rod is a good welder and know how to use it. This is assuming of course you have a decent set of mechanical tools. You don't have to have plasma cutters, shears, brakes, all that fancy stuff to build a hot rod. Nice to have, makes the job easier but not mandatory, I'm sure many, many guys on here built hot rods with just the basic tools and a buzz box welder. I know that's all I had when I started, even when I started the shop. I'd recommend spending money on parts, buy tools and equipment as you go along and as your skills, needs dictate.
Thank you metalman. Sorry about the confusion with regards to the list of tools. The list is not what I am buying or getting. I found a similar thread where a new comer asked what tools they should buy to build a hotrod and the list I pasted was a suggestion from the group. I found the list a little long and was wondering what bare essentials do I really need. Hope this clears it up.
Bon jour, mon ami. (I can tell your 1st language is french, because I myself didn't start speaking English until I went to school, I am from New Hampshire and my name is Brisson, lot's of frenchies there still, lots of thong bathing suites on men at Hampton Beach...also you'll know what I mean when I say "manger de la marde" or "Crisse de Calvaire!") Here's why I think you are going to have great success; You have a great attitude. You clearly have a passion to learn new things, and aren't worried about some failure along the way. (I fail 4 out of 5 times myself, no one taught me anything about cars. All that failing is a way better way to learn than doing things right the first time, any fool can do it right the 1st time, it takes genius to figure out what you did wrong and recover) You accept that you are jumping in to a project, and you are learning, and you will be figuring out things as you go, and your humble about it. Doesn't matter what car you're tackling, you are gonna do great. You've done a great job with your Mopar. 90% of other posters in your position are already asking: "what's the easiest way to -----?" "can I stick a sbc in there this weekend so I can drive to the video game convention tomorrow, how hard will that be?" "My transmission is having problems, can I just rip it out and stick another different one in there. I have no time or money. Can I do this cheap and fast?" "I just bought a car, it's really rusty, most of it disintegrated or blew off the trailer on the way home. I really want to drive it this summer, can I just put an s10 chassis under it and be off in a weekend, and I don't want to learn to weld" People on this forum are grumpy, but they are super helpful. So start a build thread and ask any question you want, they have crazy knowledge and are willing to share it. That looks like a really solid car to start with. I would say buy tools as you need them. I got a good used MIG from a body shop cheap (Solar), and a TIG from Eastwood, but everything else is crap from Harbor Freight or yard sales that I bought as needed, because I'm always shit-ass broke, and most of it works just fine. Bon chance, and I'll look forward to your posts.
Wow! You did a great job on the 37! Very cool. If you don't mind educating a new comer.....Is it a 392 you have installed? If yes, is it too wide to fit on the entire hood? Did you have to make any adaptions to the firewall? What fabrication was needed to install it? I also noticed the body was braced - did you do that? In what instances/reasons do you brace the body? (i.e. if the body will be off the car for years, months, ?? etc). I ask because the 38 I am considering is not attached to the frame yet. It was placed on it just for the pictures. The body was on a rotisserie. The hemi interests me as I have a nice one ready to go in a car.
Salut clunker! Enchanté de vous rencontrer. Thank you for the kind words and the encouragement. I like the group here...even the grumpy ones. They start off grumpy and then proceed to give awesome detailed advice! Just amazing. I have thick skin and good sense of humour about my skills....or lack thereof! I give as good as I take so I am hard to offend. It seems the consensus is buy as you go and skills improve so I'll go that route. Only thing holding me back now is finding transport. The car is 5 hours from me in farm country. The normal transport companies I use won't go there. Many won't take a roller. Car has no steering. The ones that will go want too much money. I can't convince my buddies with trucks and trailers to go. I don't trust U-haul trailers! Plus.......this is a "Stealth Operation".......meaning....if my wife catches me buying another car I am a DEAD man! Have to time delivery while she is out........bwahahahhaa! (evil laugh) Much easier to ask forgiveness than permission! Nice meeting you and thanks again.
What you callbasic tools are not basic. LOL You can buy Canadian if you want or Mexican. Both of those countries also make good tools. Brazil also makes good tools. The key is to buy quality tools and not second rate tools. I started out with an oxy acetylene torch and a stick welder so I probably would not suggest the stick welder but the torch would be handy, you don't need a big one like and iron worker uses but a small one will get it done for you. I weld body panels with .030, or .025. I am sure that .023 works just fine, the thicker wire fills better and I have been welding a long time. Don't count core wire out, with a light welder it works really well for structural parts like you chassis. Most welders that will hand gas will run core wire. if you are buying snips get a pair of bull nose and a pair of the large straight snips. Not every cut is left or right. Make sure that your mechanics tool box is well stocked. Not everything that you do is going to be welded or glued. LOL You will find tools that you need and don't have, those you will buy as you go. I have been doing this a very long time and still don't have everything.
Thank you for writing all that. It is appreciated. I do have a pretty well stocked garage in terms of tools but they are based on easier projects I have done. Nothing like what I am thinking of doing here. Excuse my ignorance...what are bull nose snips? (No groaning or face palms! )
LOL look at my avatar. It is a permanent state for me. Bull nose will let you get back in a corner or snip heavier metal in a straight line. Let me see if I can find you a pic. Here ya go. While I am at it make sure that you own a pair of these for long straight cuts. I mentioned them but maybe I was not clear.
looks like a great place to start with a project - does it come with correct bumpers, seat, etc? stock original parts likely be a challenge to find - price sounds good - clear title/registration? - how do you see it looking when finished? - have fun
Thank you and great questions. Yes, it has the correct bumpers but I like the look without them. Is it hotrod sacrilege to leave them off? I will have to install them for inspection. Laws are VERY strict here in Quebec. All hotrods have to have fenders, working indicators and I think day lights. It needs interior including a steering wheel. Seller has Cadillac seats and steering included in the deal. Not sure as I have not seen them yet. All trim is there. Car is otherwise complete. Floors are great as is dash and gauges. (So I am told). Yes, it has ownership papers and registration. Also includes bill of sale and all receipts for suspension and rear end add ons. With regards to how I see the car. Not sure how to describe it best because so many terms are loosely used and mean different things to different people. I am a big fan of the early 60's Super Stock era of racing. I see the car as an old school drag/street. Black wheels with higher/fatter tires in rear with tasteful slight rake. Original paint but have the car professionally lettered. Or no lettering, original paint, black wheels old school stealth look. Not sure if I gave an accurate picture or not...or if everyone hates me now! Lol!
Can someone educate me on this - Seller told me the car is very complete. He said it even has the secret compartment box intact. (?) He told me when travelling salesman would sell to farmers they would keep whisky and other goodies in this secret box behind the seats. Is this true or was he pulling my leg?
It can definitely be done. I started with some basic mechanical knowledge a 110V MIG a good compressor an angle grinder and a pneumatic cut off wheel. Best advise I can give is plan out exactly what you want to do and get a very good idea in your head before you start. Changing things as you go along will prolong your project. I know from experience. Have a list of things to accomplish and work on checking those things off. It makes progress seem real especially for small things that consume time but don't have the appearance of being major tasks towards the end goal of a completed car. It feels good when you look at that list and see a bunch of things checked off and motivates you to do more of them. You may find as your skills progress older work may not meet up to your new level of expectations you need to gauge whether or not (as long as it's not a safety issue) something is acceptable to you in order to move a project along or whether you can't live with knowing you can do better. It can be very time consuming "fixing" stuff that will do the job and it can be a never ending battle as your skills will continue to improve. Most of all have fun with it and don't make it a job.
This sounded encouraging so I read your two build threads.....you are light years ahead of me in skills!! Really nice work. What did you finally end up doing with the colour of the paint?
Thanks but I started exactly where you are now skill wise. I had never done anything like this before. HAHA I am getting it ready to try the paint again as we speak. Same colour different approach this time. I need to wait for the weather to stabalize out here a bit so I know I will have a few nice days in a row to spray. It was +28 C here on Saturday and then about +6 on Sunday with huge winds. Spring in Alberta. Like I said the most important part is have fun with it. Mine has taken forever because all sorts of life things keep slowing it down but I still enjoy it and don't stress about it not getting done although I hope this is the summer it's finished.
Buy you a couple of HF $10.00 hvlp paint guns. I use them for primer and to paint chassis. High build primer is a little thick so I drill 1 out with a 1/16 bit for that. I keep 3 or 4 around because they're cheap so if you forget to clean 1 you are only out 10 bucks. Listen to these guys on here and you'll be ok. Ask questions no matter how dumb. I figure I'd rather ask a dumb question than screw something up and then ask.
No HF in Canada for all those suggesting buying $10 tools from them. Princess Auto is about as close as we get and everything is about 4X the price of HF.
Yes it is a 392 and 727 torqueflite. We did recess the firewall around the distributor, and the toe board needed to be cut for transmission clearance. The front fenders do clear the heads, but if we had inner fenders, they would need to be cut. The front end is set up to tilt for easy access. The core support and grill shell is gutted to make space for an aluminum radiator, but I think you could use the stock radiator. The only reason the body was braced is the floor was non existent after media blasting. We replaced the floor from the firewall to the rear roll pan.
Didnt read your whole thread but just want to say I like the orange valiant in your avatar, or it looks orange on my end anyway and thats the way I like it .....I guess red would be ok too if thats what it actually is
Getting a car from a long distance away is always a pain. Years ago I bought a car trailer to solve that problem, but then storing the trailer becomes an issue if you don't use it enough to make it worth while. You said there were guys that would go and get it, but they were too expensive. I understand the up front sticker shock, but you need to consider the cost of equipment upkeep, the cost of fuel, and the cost of time (and food) to go 5 hours one way and back. 10 hours driving time, plus load and unload time, makes a very long day, and quite possibly an over night stay. U Haul has some pretty good equipment around here, but you need to drive it at a reasonable speed, it doesn't do well at 70 mph. If you can rent a trailer near where the car is, that might be cheaper. The other option is to find a friend that has the equipment to do the job and recruit him, or buy the equipment yourself. None of it is cheap. About the "secrete storage place", the old coupes were often salesman's cars. Back in the 30s & 40s, most small companies employed salesmen that would travel from farm to farm selling products to farmers or farmers wives. As such, behind the passenger seat was a shelf unit, usually with 3 shelves, the salesman could put his best selling wares. The very large trunk (that got larger every few years until the late 40s) was where most of the salesmen supplies were carried, so being able to have a place to keep a few of the best sellers was handy. I suppose it could have been a secrete hiding place, but anyone that knew salesmen knew it was there. When the seat wasn't folded down, it would have been covered. Just an added note, behind the driver seal was where the spare tire was kept on a lot of business coupes. Picture of whats left of an actual salesman shelf unit, the left side is the shelves, the right side is where the spare tire fit, I believe the right side has been cut off a little. I think this was out of my 48 Plymouth business coupe, maybe... Gene
kmrumedy- A low deck Mopar big block (383 or400) will fit without modifying the body or firewall. This is a '38 Chrysler that would have had a 6 cylinder originally, so similar in length to your Plymouth.
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