Projects Does the HAMB really need another shoebox build thread?

Another thing you can try is what i did. Take the hinge off and close it in your hands and check the gap between the to sides. You probably see a lot of room there. Maybe 1/4 inch. Take the hinge and squeeze it in a big powerful vise leaving the tab-pin hanging out the vise. Closing that gap will bring your door closer. Thing is, it may play hell with your new pins so slide something else in there instead of your nice straight pins. You may have to massage the tabs abit individualy to get your nice straight hinge pin back in.
Worked for me, my doors where tight at the back.
Lining up the front end is a bitch so say the least. Every thing must be loose to start, no rad cradle bolt at this time. Mount your inners first, loose bolts, cradle second, loose bolts. Do not put those tiny sheetmetal bolts in you fender to inner at this time. Front hood latch assy, loose bolts. Hood next. Muscle your fenders to the door gap and cowl and tighten, Check you hood gap. Fenders must have the rubber bumpers installed as well as cowl lace. The hood sits on those points and you'll never get the hood to sit properly without them. once your close, you may have to go back and forth tweeking things as you go. When you close check your center cradle bolt and shim as you need.

Try this, it may work or at least give you a starting point.

 

Heh heh heh............You said "cocked -off".

 

I loosened all bolts off (body mounts, inner & outer fenders, rad etc) and tried to shimmy the body a bit, no luck. Removed all the body mounting bolts and tried again... no luck. My doors fit and open/close pretty well, the gaps are reasonable on 3 sides, I'm not too enthusiastic about messing with the hinges (again). I'll pull all the sheet metal off the front again this weekend and see if I can make some sort of difference.

These are the dark days I guess. After nearly 2 years fucking with this thing I seem to be roadblocked. Removing doors again, body again, fenders again... I'm moving backwards. Tried to get the trunk to fit better, no luck. Missed every self-imposed deadline I've set, no end in sight. Still just fixing the bad stuff. Plenty of time, effort and money put into a project that will likely be pretty shitty if/when I get it on the road. Running out of patience and enthusiasm for this. If it doesn't go better this weekend, I'm pulling the body off and crushing it.

 

Sorry to hear that body mount shimming didnt help you.Usually answers are just under your nose in problems like this.Looking that gap pic,the upper door frame is so near the diprail that i dont believe its a hinge thing.Maybe messing with fender brace could help you?
I am sure that you will figure it out,good luck!

 

I'll get it figured out. You're right, the doors are pretty tight to the drip rail, can't move them forward. They're better than they were when I got the car I'm (hopefully) not re-chopping them now.

I was wondering about maybe shifting the fender brace a bit. It's on the list of things to try. Guess I need to try dropping the hood in place too. Another nightmare in the making, no doubt.

Need to make some progress on this thing so I can stop whining like schoolgirl

 

That is some nice work you're doing.

 

as Josh would say "if it was easy everyone would do it".....that always keeps me going in times like these...

 

Just remember how much fun we had cruising with beer-case trunk floors and rust in our eyes! You've come so far, don't let a little thing like gaps stand in your way!

 

Hang in there and take a breather. If you have to, take a break for awhile and get some perspective. She may never be showroom, just stop the bleeding so to speak.

 

What a great build!! The commentary is fantastic! I'm subscribed!

 

Big A, My suggestion about 1/8" round rod is a sound one. I used it to add to the top of my door gap on 1 side of my p/u chop. Migged in place every 3 or 4 inches or so then soldered the spaces between and around the welds with rosin core solder. The metal must be shiney clean before you start and cleaned again with a small stainless wire wheel before you solder. File it,glazeit, prime,etc. Did mine 6 or 7 years ago and still good as gold.
Ralphie

 

Its been a while,whats up with this build?

 

I hope Big A is still working on it. I have very much enjoyed reading this thread. He has done an awesome job and the worst of it is over. The final finishing and detail work will make this an outstanding hot rod! Keep up the great work Big A!

 

He's prolly still recovering from the Cheaterama and the S.F.C.C. invasion.

-W

 

Yah, that and that new 3 car garage.....

 

He's already working on the 41

 

Whaaaat...41?
I guess most of us has missed something..

 

Thing the shoe box is done and not on to the 41...boy moves fast

 

Haven't touched the shoebox in 5 or 6 weeks, but I'll be back on it one of these days hopefully soon. I think I needed a break, didn't plan on taking one but things have been crazy busy lately so it was forced on me. I bought a house with a nice 20 x 30 garage so I'll be bringing the whole circus across town in the next few weeks. I also bought a '41 Business Coupe project that is sitting on the wrong side of the Canada/US border at the moment. Hope to have that here in the next few days. It'll get tucked away until the shoebox is on the road.

I'm still not recovered from the Cheaterama/SFCC Reunion weekend. Probably a good thing we only get together once a year or I'd be dead or in jail.

 

im on page 10,single best quote from this entire thread so far,for me. Truly awe inspiring work. Currently writing this sitting on my shoe box bench garage couch staring at my project feelin mighty motivated right about now, thanks!

 

No Doubt -

Can't wait to see the shots of the Shoe getting moved home. Congrats on the house man - J

 

Got the '41 across the border with no drama, and sitting in its new home. It's going to sit until the '51 is on the road. I'm anticipating this shouldn't take longer than another 12 or 15 or 40 years...







Trying to get the '51 moved in this coming weekend, but also need to do some work on the garage first. Going to be chaos for awhile.

 

That 41' looks like a nice project and it looks like you have more room in the new garage.
Good luck with the projects and new home!

 

Nothing new to report, haven't really touched the shoebox since... August. Ugh.

Finished the big move yesterday. With the hood on, this is the most complete this car has been in over 2 years (looks can be deceiving)...





The big new garage has gotten awfully small in the last couple of weeks, but these 2 look pretty much at home next to each other...



Going to spend the next few weeks getting more organized and trying to create some room to work. I might even work on my car again some day.

 

...now you've got momentum, initiative and space.....go Andrew go!!!!

 

A two-fer!! A change of scenery will be a good thing. Once organized and PLENTY OF LIGHT (man, I can't get enough light nowadays....), things will begin to click along again. Hang with it man!

 

could you get meat whistles at the meat store across the street?

 

Keep on trucking bro. We gotta get a pick of the dodge and the shoe together next year.

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

You do excellent work!