Projects Building My First Roadster in San Francisco

So so good. It has such a good old-time feel. I love Colorado too. You know how to pick the spots!

Thanks!

There are some great houses on Crespi. What year was that in?

Thank you, Mitch. You and I both. We'll be in pretty good shape once it's time for the swap. I can't wait!

Hahha some things never change! That stuff can be pretty scary. My worst one was getting caught in a rip-current in Bali. I don't recommend that either. That said, Version 2.0 will be set up to haul surfboards.

Hahahhaha you have the vision. Want to come out to help?

 

Small update for tonight. Earlier this afternoon, I got my steering shaft from CPP. I came in a huge box, but I did open it up and upon initial inspection it looks nice.
The other update involves this low-quality photo. Back when I was assembling the e-brake, I discovered that the stock e-brake ratchet wouldn't fit the mount. Even when I used my best rat-tail file, I wasn't able to expand the bolt hole in a way I was satisfied with. So, I found a reproduction one from C.W. Moss and it bolted right on. Problem solved. As you read this, the paint is drying. (Don't worry, I'll wipe down the transmission and paint the Grade 8 bolts once the engine goes back in.)

 

Hahaha right? Maybe there's something to it.

Dennis Lacy made mine, and it's a super clean setup. I'm happy to take more pictures of it if you'd like to use them for reference. Don't you worry—the parts will live on!

 

Today was one of those days where I learned a lot. After spending the morning relaxing and catching up on all sorts of things, I was feeling well enough to head down to the garage to work on the first of the brake lines. It took a little bit of jockeying, but eventually I got everything set up. Using steel wire as a guide, I laid out the route. I made sure to run the line in a way that wouldn't get pinched, and also so I could remove the radiator without having to disconnect the brakes.

One of the hardest parts about building this car in San Francisco is that I don't have space for a workbench. So, I improvised. Great idea, right?

Not quite. I tried bolting the vise on the frame, and then I eventually C-clamped it to the fence at the end of our street. I just couldn't get the leverage. After spending the bulk of the afternoon bending the first line to perfection, I botched the flare. I then cut it off—and botched it again.

Sore knee. Failed flares. No progress. Disappointing first day back in the garage. But I wasn't down for long. My roommate Benj handed me a cold root beer and I started brainstorming solutions.

Long story short, I bought this piece of tubing with a tight 90-degree bend to fit the space (my bender can't accommodate that tight of a bend). As far as I knew, the company only offered it in stainless steel, although I planned to build the rest of the system in NiCopp. Well, after sending them a message, I have a tight-bend 90 piece in NiCopp heading my way. I'm feeling much better. Sometimes you have to mess up to learn the right way to do things.

This is the best my bender can do. I think we'll be in good shape with the new tubing.

 

Before calling it a day, I went down to the mailbox and found an envelope from Rick Bales in St. Louis. Inside was a pair of reproduction King Bee tags and rivets for the lights I got from @nickthebandit. I love little details, and having these add an extra bit of character to the nose of the car.

 

So true. It's been a few years since I did my fuel lines for this car, and these are a slightly different type of challenge. I'll get them figured out!

Noted. After some head-scratching, I think I figured out the best route that will clear the radiator. I'll give it a shot when my tubing shows up.

 

Today I got to take on a task where I knew I could be successful: cutting my dash for the Stewart-Warner "Mate" instrument cluster. It's a project that started with a whole lot of measuring.

I then created a paper template and moved it into position. Both the combination square and the cow magnets belonged to my grandpa. I remember being fascinated with the magnets as a kid. They really came in handy here.
Next, I made myself a smoothie and mapped out my cuts.

Using the tailgate of my truck as my workbench, I cut through the dash with my angle grinder. Success!

 

To help make things more complete, I pulled a couple of lights and a switch from my collection. Longtime readers will recognize them from my Sunset estate sale haul back on page one of this thread. I plan to touch up the black on the cluster tomorrow.

 

A very fun piece of the project, now complete. I look forward to seeing this in the car.

 

This weekend was the big swap meet in Petaluma, but I stayed home to rest. That being said, my friend Jason Roth dropped off my new steering column with David, so I'm excited to now have that in our possession.
The column was shortened at one point, but Jason was kind enough to bring it back to the correct length. Per my calculations, the bell at the end will work great with the Hudson steering wheel.

Oh, and I added some fresh paint to the e-brake ratchet too. Notice the new globe lamp at the end of the terrace? That was the work of my roommate Michael. You can get the full story here.

That's pretty much it for tonight. I'm closing the laptop this weekend feeling very grateful to be back in the garage, even if it's in a limited capacity. I recently looked at my ongoing to-do list for the car, and it's never been shorter. Thank you everyone for sticking with me on this project!

 

Thank you! Seeing @Austin kays' coupe blast around the yard is getting me fired up to get this thing on the road.

Thanks Jeff! I'm bummed I missed the swap, but I think my knee thanked me. I'm glad the column is already getting some seat time in an A-V8. Looking forward to making my way back up to Petaluma once I'm a little further along on the healing process.

Yes! That said, I just added a few more things to the list tonight hahah

Thanks Dennis! I've always been a fan of cars with custom paint that retain their trim. My favorite example is the Mox Miller '58 Impala. I love how the trim brings the car back to reality, breaking up the candies, pearls, and fades.

Here's a photo from the article in Rodder's Journal #32. If you haven't already, check out Pat Ganahl's video about the car here.

Anyways, I approached my dash with that same mindset. There's a lot going on, but adding the black and chrome panel makes it much more manageable. The panel came from David's collection, and I couldn't be more excited that it has a permanent home in my A-V8.

Thank you! That's very true. It'll make my car easier to find in the grocery store parking lot!

 

Tonight's progress came in the form of parts hunting. Before logging off, I pulled the trigger on more NiCopp tubing, brake fittings, and my starter solenoid. Not the most riveting things, but it's good to know they are on their way.

Three photos to keep things visually interesting.

Love this Vicky that I found online.

A snapshot from our 2022 campaign to keep grassroots journalism alive. Over the weekend, I discovered that this sign (actually a piece of an outdoor bar I built) still exists and is living in a friend's backyard.

Aren't waterslide decals in lower corners of old car windshields just the neatest thing?