Hot Rods Just Another 5-Window Build Thread

Been working on my roadster in and off, getting it ready for a trip - carb gremlins at the moment and right now I would call it a draw! Anyway, got some oroject time in today on the firewall. Made a mount plate, mounted the fuse panel, and began sorting through what and how many wires I will need connector blocks for ....


The fuse panel will be lower than I would like it but I hate crawling way under to get at the fuses ... still thinking about moving it to the driver side kick panel area though ....

 

Still following along. Progress is good, even small stuff.

 

Thank you!

 

I really did not like the fuse block location and although putting it in the driver cowl area might have been good, I needed a location more in keeping with the plan I had all ready envisioned. So, I decided to place it in the upper driver side corner of the firewall ....

This locale allows me to run any left right wires at the top of the firewall, still have easy access to my firewall hole for the engine, front lighting, horn, and electric choke ....

Since the fuses are the large ones, access should not be too bad. The bolt with the yellow wire fitting on it is the 32 firewall threaded hole that I am using for my ground inside and out. The engine side post will have a ground strap to it, giving me a good ground.

I like the "old feel" of the connector blocks - I don't know if I have enough for what I have but there is enough room for 2 more 4-post strips ....

You can see the black loops at the top of the firewall and the ones running down the driver side for all of the rear lighting which will run underneath. I am definitely liking this location better and it seems simpler with a cleaner look that I like ....

An opinion from all of you - I have paint that matches the dash and garnish moldings. I will use this for the heater enclosure and the steering column (?). Should I also use the same color for the fuse box mount plate or go with black? And for the steering column?

Thank you .....

 

Gloss white. Easy to see when you have to change a fuse. D

 

All the same color as the dash

 

If you can’t see it without contortions, I’m with @Dennis D - gloss white makes things easier later. If you can see it, black or try to match the carpet so it disappears.

 

Thanks for the responses, gents - I appreciate your input. Sometimes you need to bounce ideas off people and you guys helped me do that - thanks.

Been mulling this over pretty good - I will have some kind of led light on the fuse panel. Right now I am leaning towards black for the column, black for the fuse panel but dash color for the heater enclosure. I am trying to stay with the 3-color scheme - black, green, and the dash brown. l understand about the white, visibility, etc, but I am just not a fan of white.

Nothing is etched in stone yet but that's the way I am leaning right now .....

 

Well, been busy with family, took a trip to Port Washington, NY for a Hot Rod Hill Climb which was a blast btw .....

My update and decision took a different turn than what I expected .... while on LI, I met up with my buddy JohnnyC who just so happens is upholstering his latest project. He bought choc brown carpet from Walmart for $20 which I really liked. It has a jute backing which the indoor/outdoor stuff I bought does not. Without a good backing, longevity might not have been too good. So, once home I checked out my local Walmart and they had the same carpet. I bought the roll, a 5x7 area rug, and the match/contrast with my interior was much better. So, off camel the camel carpet and I started installing the choc brown ....


I like this carpet much better. Got the fire wall pretty much done and I am now beginning to wire things. With this darker color, I went with a black fuse panel - it just seemed to make sense. I also think this carpet will wear much better and contrast well with my mohair interior.
I also worked on my gas pedal - there was some slop where the pedal mounts to the rod. I tapped the holes with just a slightly bigger screw size and things tightened up nicely ...


The gas pedal is being painted for install tomorrow.

I also ran my rear taillight wiring to the back and covered them in the old cloth wiring sleeves. No pic but they follow my rear brake line. The the two speed heater is also wired to the junction block and I am working on mounting the firewall to the frame once my frame webbing is in place ... I am once again making progress ....

 

Got the firewall finished up enough to place on the frame today and I am in the midst of wiring everything I can before the body goes on. I ordered a few things so I am waiting for some deliveries but I am moving right along (well for me anyway!) ....

I have not been able to find some electrical parts and my frame webbing - I do this all the time, buy what I need at swap meets and the like, put them in a safe place for when I need them and then can't find them when I do need them. Drives me nuts ....
So, here is the firewall before and after ....


Got the heater, tach, coil wires wired into the firewall and began running the wires through the cloth sleeves. I am waiting on some smaller stuff to run single wires in.

Reached a stumbling block though - if you remember I imbedded the old Ford horn button as a starter button into my column drop. Bur, I need a relay and some special wiring to get it to work with my high torque starter. I've contacted a Hambr who made a post on a past thread about how to do this and I am waiting for a response. Making progress ....

 

Looking very Nice Tom. Still following here. No moss growing on your shoes.

 

Thank you and I really appreciate you following along.

 

So the stumbling block looks to be resolved - HAMBr olscrounger sent me a diagram and all. Ordered the parts today and will get on it as soon as they come in.

Got some decent progress in today - I decided it's easier to install my pull start switch and 3 position hl switch ( last pull is for hibeams) with the wires first then just slip them in my dash once the body is on. Less work and less wires to install. Besides - I can fire it up and test all or most of the lighting without the body on this way ....



I kinda like the more old school way of doing things. Plus, since my gauges/dash are not mounted on the firewall, I need a way to disconnect things to remove the body. I am also trying to use as much of the old cloth wiring sleeves as possible which means you have to double back on the wiring to do it right. But, I am getting smarter and working my way back to the firewall vs working out from it. I like the way things are working out though ....

 

Looking good! Just detail & organization for this task - looks like you have both skills.

 

Thank you - trying to be both detailed and organized - easier said than done!

 

My 11 year old grandson worked in the garage with me today. What a treat and he is absorbing as much as I can throw at him.
We got the front hl wiring sleeved and hooked into the panel/switch, set up the stock cowl lights, finished the headlight switch ...


.... and other than installing the headlights ( the buckets need some body work still) and taillights (need the body on to determine permanent placement), I have very little left to do wiring wise. Dome light, interior lights, turn signal switch, engine wiring, and starter motor wiring is about it. I also rec'd the last of the cloth sleeves I ordered and the parts I need for the single wire start button setup, I need to bleed the brakes, insulate the front floorpan, carpet and bind it. Once I have that all done we are on to body on the frame time ....

 

Looking good, Tom.

 

Thanks, Gary - I am getting there! Thank you for following along on my journey ...

 

Not too much to report but there was progress. Got the engine lines all sleeved over on the passenger and engine side ...

The 40 cover looks good - just have to do the starter wiring coming out the bottom. Also have the coil and tach wires connected.

So I started working on the start button switch - here's the diagram I am working off of ....

Just need a place to mount the 30 amp relay and circuit breaker switch and give it a test on something simple ..... I am still inching forward .....

 

Limited garage time today - installed the front floorpan to check fit with the firewall upholstery, and installed a neutral safety switch off the clutch pedal, and got the frame webbing in place ...


After bolting the floorboard down, the fit was better than I expected. I've started the floorboard insulation install and how exactly the carpet will be installed to make the floorpan panel removal easy. I may also need to cut an access hole to the mc for refilling. I keep moving forward ...

 

Did sone honey doos this am so
another late start today. Checked the wiper motor today - had a 12-6 volt reducer. Works like a champ (not that I will ever use it - Rainx for me) so I found a location to mount the reducer and installed. Another something off the list.

Looks like I will need to bend my gas pedal - not enough travel for the carb. Since, something else goes back on the list ....

With the floorpan in I noticed the p-brake handle hole was a bit tight - expanded that and began installing my floor insulation. Much easier now vs later ....

I am still figuring out how to do the carpet so I can remove that panel. I will use some Velcro for a couple areas, especially the removable panel. But, I have to wait and see how "flexible" the carpet is ....

Now I have to decide whether I need/want an access panel to the mc in the driver floorboard. I can get at the mc now from underneath but at present I am leaning toward installing a door ....
Still chipping away ....

 

Do the door. You’ll regret it later if you don’t.

 

Ha ha - you are right, Tom - ordered it about an hour ago!

 

Worked on some wiring today - things I forgot, really. Needed a line for the electric choke - got that in, just not sure where to connect it at the moment. Where I thought I was going to cannot go there according to the carb folks. So, on to plan B for that ....
Also the dome light wire was frayed at the visible end but upon closer inspection, the wire was encased in the original sleeve. So that is done and I have a nice led replacement light my buddy JohnnyC turned me on to. After a few other fixes, it was back on to the front floorboard. I will let the pics tell the tale ....



The pass side insul is glued down but nothing else. Since I am going with a door for my mc access, I need to wait there. But no reason not to cut the carpet pieces - a lot easier now than later. The way this will work is the outer two pieces will be bound on the outside, top, and rear edges. The center piece shown will be bound on it's two outer edges and at the back to cover the rough cuts of the two side pieces. These will all be glued down save for a portion on the driver side to access the trap door. The upper center portion will be full bound and heled down with Velcro to get at the upper center piece removable panel. Everything overlaps with a bound edge. We will see how it all turns out ..... fingers crossed!

 

Tom, looking great!

Do you have any pictures of the bottom end of the e-brake, where it bolts to the trans and/or chassis?

I'm plagiarizing your trans tunnel, but mine is still cardboard:

 

Hope this helps you, Gary - let me know if you need more info ....


Tom

 

Great progress Tom! I like your frequent and informative posts. I am using the same set up as olscrounger outlined for you using a stock 40 starter button . It has been working well.

 

Thank you for following along and appreciate you kind words.

I have no electrical draws on the system other than an accessory plug for my gosh and phone charger. Might you have a diagram if how you wired your button? Thanks for any help you can give ....

 

Your doing a great job Tom, I'm enjoying following along

 

Thanks very much for following along - I really appreciate it ....