Hot Rods Just Another 5-Window Build Thread

Experimenting a bit today - got these little led lights awhile back for the dash - might use them out back for the license plate ....

Kinda like how bright it is - thoughts?

Here's the more traditionally styled light with an LED bulb in it .....

I am kinda liking both of them at the moment .....

Had to pull the motor and trans out if my next project as I sold the ****** to johnrodz for the race truck. Just having fun, playing with cars .....

 

Plate lights are brighter than I would have thought. I like them.

Phil

 

Thanks, Phil - I updated the post with a more traditionally styled plate light but the light portion, although bright, is too far from the top of the license plate. Looks clunky to me. My roadster has one and it's not like that. May have to modify it if I decide to use it ....

 

Is this useful?
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/very-nice-original-hollywood-tag-light.1129595/

Phil

 

Thank you very much - I remember seeing this for sale. It looks good but for the money, I may just modify mine if I go that route ...

 

More progress - update on the plate light. Seadog is sending me an interesting one he has from SOCAL but in the mean time I dropped the traditional light dropped down just for a look see ....

So far, I like this one the best ...

Got the headlights ***embled and wired up ....

All together and painted, I am very satisfied with the look. They are reminiscent of Langy's green roadster headlights but his were based on 36 Ford lights with the bubbled headlights ....

I also put the accessory light in place temporarily ...


I will probably install the rad and grille before the accessory light is set in its final location ...

Slowly but surely she's coming together ....

 

Did you put a grommet on that fuel line where it p***es through the floor Tom?

 

Thanks for checking up on me - I did not have a grommet to fit but caulked heavily in the opening that is an oil based one by Loc***e. I mean I loaded it up from the top and bottom. Once it dried, it was in there solid, better than a grommet I would say ....

 

I just have things just sitting in place but here's a look at the nose ...



Also worked on shortening the one license plate light, installed the rumble seat handles since this car was a rumble seat, installed the side view mirrors, got more done on the headlight wiring.

With the nose in place I can finish up the HL, horn, and accessory light wiring. Then it's on to install the cowl and grill lacing, hood, panhard bar, hood strap mounts .... it's coming together ....

 

I have been on the project but sporadically. I finished the license plate mount ...

The accessory light mount ...


And I completed the other e haust baffle ...

I have fitted the baffles so they slide in nice - now I have to tac the nuts and paint them with high heat paint. They look so cool I hate to cover them up!

I also buffed the exhaust tips off and they too are waiting for high heat paint. Panhard bar is in progress, the front grille is bolted in, and the horn is done. I've got so much going on that I get maybe an hour or so and then I am off again. The wife has a temporary eye condition that she cannot drive with so I am driving her all over. Another week and that should be over with .... I just keep pecking away at it ....

 

I like the baffles. How will they be retained in the pipe?

 

There will be a set screw to keep them from moving towards the engine ....

 

We had a winter storm here on Sunday night and a big branch hit my garage, shattered a skylight, roof and water damage. Car is not damaged but loaded with gl***.

I will keep you all posted but this will set me back a bit but it could have been a lot worse ....

 

Hope the cleanup isn't too bad.

Phil

 

Hope it all works out, Tom.

 

Tom, so sorry to hear the storm did damage to your garage. I'm hopeful repairs and clean up will be quick. Be sure to wear some heavy soled shoes when you're in there. These incidents are never easy to deal with, but you are so right that it cud have been much, much worse. This has been a tough year for weather.

 

Thanks gents - a have a friend of mine (car guy) who is in construction coming over tomorrow morning. We'll see how much roof damage there is then. I have all ready started the interior cleanup ....

 

Had my buddy over today - not too bad. I have already ordered a new skylight and flashing kit and that and a bundle or so of shingles should do the trick. The branch was 5" in diameter at it's thickest and dropped about 40 feet - again, it could have been a lot worse. He covered up the opening with a piece of wood over the skylight and then wrapped it with a tarp. Should be good for the expected rain this Fri-Sat ....

I cleaned up all the gl*** in the garage that I could find yesterday.
The mezanine area really took the brundt of the shattered gl***. I carefully vacuumed the gl*** off the car and I have to roll it outside to blow off the minute particles and then rinse it off. That should do me for now. With the car rolled out I will also blow out the garage while hunting for more gl***. A good day all things considered ....

 

Finally got back on the project - just way too much going on family wise before and during the holidays and I got sick besides .... geeesh ....

Worked on the roadster yesterday - yearly maintenance stuff - and did a bunch of smalls on the project today. Still not 100% but I am working on it and it feels good .....

 

Some further progress today. Had one front tire that kept losing air and since I needed new shoes on the wife’s DD, I had the tire place break the bead for me. I then used some bead sealer - so far, so good. Panhard bar is done and I welded the nuts on my exhaust baffles so things stay put ....


Supposed to be a warm enough day tomorrow to paint them with high heat paint. Then it’s just a set screw so they can’t slide down towards the engine and one to hold the turn downs in place. I also have to shim the body a bit at the p***enger door post - the door is sagging just a bit and does not line up right - and I need to drill drain holes in the bottom of the doors close to the hinges to let water run out since it’s a hot rod with a bigs and littles stance. Also ordered a metric tap for the shifter bolt holes in the tail housing to clean them up.

Bottom line, I may be scratching off items from my final punch list but so far, I add two additional items for every one I scratch off! Lol.!

 

Nice day today to paint so the baffles got painted and so did the exhaust tips ....

I also shimmed the p***enger door post so that door closed better and started the wind lace install all. Got mine from Drake and there were no rivets in the packages. Doing a search, seadog had posted this awhile back. Came up with the idea of using screw rivets. I used them on my roadster when making up some leather straps. Biggest problem is making the hole in the wind lace large enough so the river p***es through easily .....

..... I ended up using a Phillips screwdriver to get the hole large enough. Nice stainless pieces from the last time but I have ordered black ones for this one. I need to get the windlacing on both the cowl and grille to set the hood up, line it up, secure the radiator and install the hood hold down hardware. I hope to get the wind lace in tomorrow. Making progress .....

 

Finished getting the windlace installed enough to begin fitting the hood ....

It’s not quite finished as I have to install my hood hold downs from hot rod leather and I am waiting on my black screw in rivets. The hood’s patina will remain - just a cleanup is all ......

 

Been working on the project - I am just slow! Got the black or dark bronze screw rivets and they actually came out pretty nice. Making the holes for the rivets was a challenge but they got done ...



I then was able to line up the hood and tighten up the radiator mounts...

What’s on top of the hood is my hood down leather straps from Erik at Hot Rod Leather. I ordered the distressed look and I am not really feeling it right not. I may just dye them black. I also drilled the HL bar for the V8 insignia - really looking like a hot rod .....

The look of the nose is what I was hoping it would be. The baffles are now installed as well .....


Weird camera angles I know but you get the idea - the look of the exhaust tips worked out well too .....


In between all of this I worked on my steering wheel. The gel portion hoops top and bottom separated from the center portion. I tried the little 62 Chevy steering wheel style little chrome clips but they are designed to go into the wheel wrap and mine had separated down to the steel hoop. I tried bending up some br*** rod but it just didn’t look right. Then I literally looped/tied some rawhide into the spaces, glueing the ends down. I have to play with it some more but it might just work with a little color on the rawhide. I will keep you posted.

Some minor leaks underneath but it’s time now to “man up” and get this baby fired up ..... no more excuses .... in the immortal words of the movie “My Cousin Vinnie” I’m a scared! Lol!

 

What are screw in rivets? Sounds like something I need.

Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Go Tom, Go! Can't wait to hear that nailhead barking thru those pipes!

 

Screw in rivets have a rivet head but the back side screws onto the rivet head. They use these a lot in leather working.

The pic shows one installed and the two parts of the rivet screws are shown to the left. I found them on eSlay......

 

You and me both!! Thank you .....

 

Everything is looking great Tom. HRP

 

Thanks, Danny ....

 

Working on saddles and such I’ve always referred to them as Chicago screws, that might be another search term you could use. I’d have never thought to use them in this application but that’s a great idea. Looking awesome