Projects "Fly'nBrian" '34 Roadsterproject.

I've already pulled the sides in a bit, I relief slices in the stem (for want of anything better) under the emblem in the narrow part. That's when I noticed an old weld line and a little section added. I don't know if this grill was from the original build, the car was hood-less, but is on the car when it was still intact two owners ago. The mounting holes in the grill top don't line up with the new Walker radiator by half an inch, the amount that looks like it was added.

 

I'm calling this done.

 

Looks good from my amateur eye.

 

It's a Ford, it fits like a Ford fits......move on to the next thing on the list.

 

I guess now I have to take it all apart and start painting stuff...

 

Top iron mounts made and installed, and I stretched the top over the bows and really like the way it looks. Progress. View attachment 3379058

 

Hmmm, should I trim the bottom edge of the canvas top at the belt line where it now drops down lower, owing to the chopped w/s? Looks like I should...

 

IMO Would look better.

 

Picture of mine if it will help you

 

Hmmm. Nice to see photos of an original. I want to use the weathered Haartz canvas that came with the bows I have, or I'd drop that center bow like Burn Out Bob's appeared to have. I already cheated on the curtain attachment, which is now below the belt line character line (I dropped the hinge points for the unchopped bows). The body already had holes for snaps there, the top the car originally wore must have fastened there as well. My top is about an inch lower in back than stock, as near as I can tell without another one here to compare.

 

Brian have you looked at this thread from Ford Barner Steve Stasko? I think that is his last name.
www.the34fordroadster.com
I dropped both top braces from their original holes. I bought his top used & that was the only way it would fir. Kinda low for head room if you hit a good bump. heh heh hee. Best to run with it down.

 

Here is my top using original wood and irons, all obviously modified.

 

Nice! I could, and probably should, trim the top (canvas) at the rear, the sail panels and the curtain, so that they mount on the body lip properly. Someone in the past had evidently attached either the top itself, or a tonneau cover, as there were holes in the belt line below the reveal or character line, I just ran some #6 x 1" sheet metal screws in through the tops "lift the dot" snaps to temporarily attach it. It'll be easy to trim and re-bind the top so it fits properly. Thanks guys for the photos. ;-)

 

Being that I'm 5'4", I don't think headroom will be an issue, so I'll be fine lowering the wood bows on the irons as you guys have done. ;-)

 

flynbrian, I really like the direction of your '34 but your wheel choice is way off, Daytons do not belong on a traditional hot rod, they are more at home a '70 crushed velor interior-ed street rod or a low rider.

 

Never fear, I have a set of 16" steel wheels too, you needn't worry. I may paint the Daytons, but I'm gonna try them and see how they look on the car when it's painted. I like 'em, always did, and I'm going for a late 50's/early 60's vibe.

 

Brian, don't know if you keep TRJ issues but check out #56. A 34 roadster article has a similar top issue as yours. Just for reference, car is an old build resurrected.

 

Hey! This doesn't look like progress! It is though, ,cause now I can finish welding the frame and prep for paint. I have a bunch of stuff coming for it, including my birthday present, Wilson Welding finned backing plates with Lincoln internals! I can hardly wait!

 

that red roadster is one of my favorites

 

That one, and this one are referred to often. ;-)

 

Pedal bracket mounted, and I started welding up the frame. The boxing plates and cross embers had been just tacked in place.

 

Got my birthday present today! Wilson Welding finned backing plates with complete Lincoln brake ***y's. I'm super happy, they're beautiful, and I resisted the temptation to fit 'em on the spindles and get them all dirty and greasy. They're not going on until they, and the ch***is, are painted. The spindles are dropped, tie rod and drag link loosely on, it steers, and jounces on the springs. Now I can pull the axles, weld the bottom of the frame boxing plates and crossmembers, dress all those welds down and figure out how and where to paint the ch***is and parts so I can put it all back together. I am stoked!

 

Looking great!

I see your driver's side motor mount and steering box want to occupy the same space.
How far does your Vega mount hang below the frame rail?

 

Yup, and the block hugger header dump. I'm not home to measure, but it's only a little lower than Pete and Jakes recommended (I have that printed out but it too is at home). Maybe 1 3/4" below the top of the frame rail is the top mount bolt? I can just barely get the motor mount bolt in without dropping the box.

 

The rear C notch is done, along with 75% of the welding. I decided to C notch the front as well, so I'll do that before I flip it up on its side to finish welding.

 

Well, I've certainly had an education in buggy spring suspensions. Included in the pile of stuff I'm trying to turn in a roadster was (I think) a Posies front spring, an original dropped axle, an "original" spring, perches, little bits need to put the front together. Which I did. The new spring slipped into the shackles with no tension, the exact opposite of what I thought should be, and how I did the rear spring (winch straps are my new best friend). The front, with the car fully, but temporarily, ***embled was WAY too high. The ch***is has an original style '33-34 crossmember and I have a Walker radiator.
My first thought was to simply flatten the crossmember like I did the '40 rear. Great idea, free, but then the lower radiator outlet ends up smack in the middle of the crossmember. Then I thought I'd just get a mono-leaf spring. Lots of negative emotion about those, so after some discussion here, I called Posies to order a new spring. Their advice is a front spring the same length as the one I have, indeed, they recommend installing them with NO LOAD, which, as in my case, puts the shackles down at 45 degrees, when there's a load, they bound in the shackles and the too long spring had nowhere to go.
So, I still like (why am I suddenly typing in italics?) mono leaf, but taking advice from the HAMB, I'm getting a Posies duo-leaf, but shorter than the 31 1/2" length spring I have. We'll see how that goes together, it should lower the front about 3" from where I am now, should let the spring flex, and make everybody happy I didn't use a mono-leaf. ;-)
Oh, I notched the front frame rails too...

 

To you all who advised flattering the crossmember: you win! On sitting the radiator back on, I had an inch clearance on the bottom outlet. So, I cut center of the crossmember out, moved it up 11/16", and welded it back in. We'd all like another inch, or even 3/4", right?

 

"Oh, you're such a strong, good looking crossmember."

Did that do the trick?

 

Well, it won't hurt anything. ;-)