Projects NOT THE TYPICAL '30 ROADSTER BUILD

Thank you.
Beautiful Central Coast! Wife and I head that way quite often....We love the wine!!!

 

Just before the frame got here I was working on the corners of the rear deck lid.
As you can see the gaps at the corners inconsistent. The small piece of wood on top was my gauge and below you can see the pencil marks showing how much metal I needed to add to close the gap,


I welded pieces of metal to create a wedge, which I later grounded to be one piece.



From the top, once is all painted everything will be nice and flat. The only tell-tell is at the bottom, where the rolled edge is wider at the corners. You can see the taper edge.



If you read the previous posts. Here is that difference from the straight deck lid edge against the curved lower panel. I will address that once I mount the body to the frame.


Now the gaps are consistent from top to bottom.




The gap at the bottom still needs to be re-worked on, but I will get to that with the body on the frame to make sure it doesn't move when fitting the body.


Left side is already touching the bottom panel

While the left side is about 3/16" or 1/4" gap

 

Let's talk money!
Funny thing while looking at ePay I saw a '29 model a for sale for $25k. It reads "Can't even buy the parts to build this car for what I am asking" Not passing any judgement just funny to me because that right there initiated this build for me.

So where do I stand today,

Painting materials $507.94
$15, 921.85 in parts, including the body, frame and all.
154 hours of work. Not sure how much a shop will charge for the hour but I've seen from $40/hour to $100+/hr. I am ball parking $50/hr. That puts me at $7,700.

All and all around $24k so far.
If I don't add labor as a cost then around $16k

 

I think your cost assessment is spot on, I built a glass 3 window back in 2002. Total cost, similar to what you have listed, complete right down to the paint was around $16,000, no labor. I will not be so lucky cost wise, with the roadster.

 

Work has been put on hold for now and progress is moving slow. My parents are selling their home as part of their retirement, so I've been spending most of my free time helping them pack and putting things in storage.
My garage is back to full. With the parents moving, I brought my Model A back home along other things.
I can't barely move inside.


Thanks to 396skip I got me a set of steelies. I will be running 4" upfront and 4.5" in the rear.
Once the weather clears here in LA, I will pull the roadster out and sand blast them ready to paint.


Very pleased with the way the '40 wheel looks in reference to the drum. The '35 wires would stick out way too far out with the 1.5" spacer.


With the little room that I have in the garage, I managed to start the recess cup for the fuel cap
A quick template first,


A hole in the panel above the deck lid later


I only plan to recess it about 1/4" but left enough material to trace the curvature of the panel and trim to fit.


More to come later....

 

I made the same tunnels, sunk them 2" … grabbed a '33-'36 tail light, set it in the tunnel, looked great...
never seen it...
love to have someone take the idea an go with it...

 

Interesting.
Got any pics?

 

Moving slowly but making progress.
Just a dry fit to ensure all fits.




Made the connection for a 2" I.D. hose to fit the neck of the future fuel tank.

 

Nice work, looks like you're a body man now!
Thanks for posting.

 

Not sure how you plan to finish your recessed fuel cap, you might want to consider putting a drain hole in there. My 52 Jag has fuel doors in a similar position. Sorry I don't have a better picture, but there's a 1/4" tube in the bottom of the 'can' where the gas cap is. You can see the hinges for the doors in this shot

 

Not much progress. Been traveling for work and very little time to play. Got the the recessed fuel gap done for now.

 

I'm not sure exactly what kind of c-notch your talking about, but errors like this are best addressed now, not later after other work has been done. In my opinion it's not a good idea to compromise your "original plan" due to an error along the way. Fix the error, then proceed according to plan. If you don't you might regret it later.

Good build! Carry on!

 

Couldn't agree with you more. Mistakes always cause a chain reaction that later come to bite you.
In this case. I think it worked out for the better of the project.

The c-notch in the front would allow me to use a lower front spring

This is what the c-notch on the front looks like. This picture is looking at it upside down.
I didn't really mind loosing this, since the car is still going to sit pretty low as is and with the plan of using a cross steering set up and vega box I could use all the scrub height possible.

The other issue that was missed with the frame, is the rear quick change.

It was meant to be ordered with lincoln rear brakes on it to allow the use of '35 wire wheels. Late brakes were ordered instead. With late brakes, I would have to use a 1.5" speaker, which I wasn't willing to use, to install the wire wheels.
The wires on rear late brakes, with the spacer, pushes the tires out, almost exposing the entire brake drum. Don't like how that looks and not a fan of spacers. either.
For me to go to the original plan of using wires , I would have meant to change the quick change to the correct one or go with '40 style wheels.
I was already going back and forth on using '40 style wheels. After doing a bit of research and looking at pictures, I liked the looked of '40's - 4" front wheels and "41 - 4.5" wheels on the rear. It gives the 750 tires a nicer look and not so balloon-like look to them.
It also allows me to add buick fins drum down the road. Something I couldn't have done with the wire wheels option and still have a good look to it.

So all in all, I think it was a win for me and ultimately glad it worked out that way.

 

Nice build. I want to thank you for keeping us apprised of the running costs on your build. This is good information that many keep to themselves for unknown reasons. I think it’s good for those wanting to get into this hobby to have a realistic idea of the costs involved.
I think I’ll do that in my next build coming up.
r


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Great build.I dig seeing the true budget,and hours tally.Reality is a very large ,and looming figure.

 

Thank you Raven and rod1
The next big ticket item should be coming soon. Engine, transmission and driveshaft.
Just waiting to set the body on the frame to start mocking mount engine/transmission mounts.

 

Great build, I'm in for the ride...

 

Starting to work on the rear of the body to sit it on the frame.
First on the list is to remove the reinforcing corners....what a Bitch!
The bolts I removed with a combination of heat, cold water and eventually a air saw.
The heat and cold water worked very nice. Bolts came out easily.



The rivets was a matter of using a center punch and a couple of drill bits to remove the heads off.
A good blow with a hammer and a pointy chisel and out they went


The wrap around metal on the edge of the rear quarter panel was split open. An easy fix down the road. Took a paper patter to have a reference point to repair later.

After a couple of hours of work, the corners were removed.
I might be able to reshape and reuse the corner braces, depending on the curve of the kick-up in the frame or might have to fab my own.

Tomorrow, I plan on bracing the rear, releasing the vertical supports, cut the rails off and seat the body on the frame... for the first time of many to come.

 

As you progress with fitting the body on to the frame be certain that the trunk is installed prior to any welding to attach the new sub rails and support brackets. The alignment of the trunk gaps can be a tricky affair and often can be left to later which is always a bad idea.

 

Well, fellow HAMBer, about that rumble seat. I used the trunk rather than the rumble seat lid because, at my age, I no longer could lift a "loaded" cooler over the quarter panel without scratching paint. Also, at my age, it is more important to have "refreshments available" than room for extra passengers. LOL. P.S. I have noticed from pictures taken in the '40's and '50's at El Mirage and other dry lakes locations that most roadsters had rumble seats. Two of my recent acquaintances from California drive Deuce roadsters with rumble seats.

 

Great advice, Thank you.
I thought about it but now that you mention it makes sense,

 

I could get the body on the frame. The weather yesterday was rainy and couldn't get much done.
A lot of measuring, day dreaming, remeasuring, but no cutting yet.
Got my existing rails marked for the first cut, the frame level and found center at the drums to line up the rear of the body to it.

 

Today, was a better day and got a bit more done on the car
I end up removing the rear subrails completely, as these were rotted badly.
Spent a good amount time grinding rivets off from the rear crossmember


Badly rotted all the way up to the rear crossmember


A good amount of rust still came off the inside of rear crossmember and a good amount of sand too...I am assuming from the sandblasting


The curtain pan kept the body from sitting correctly on to the frame
Damn! I was hoping to keep the curtain pan as I liked the idea of some storage underneath the seat.


Clearly I can't keep it....It needs to go
More rivets to cut...


and off it goes to eBay!


Looking better. Starting to find the right location for the body.


Right about now I am taking me a long break...
Looking at the back fully blown away, a very flimsy body, sub rails to be welded and mini channel to be done...it is becoming overwhelming. Can't help to think for a minute that I am way over my head.

Off to spending sometime sandblasting wheels...I am sure that will get rid of the "oh, crap, what have I done!" feeling.

I will regroup and start with the mini channel up front next.

 

One step at the time....focus focus focus Can, at the beginning, cause one to become slightly anxious. Pull up the chair, crack a cold one and look at the project in steps, it will all come together. Many of us have been there, you will make it thru for sure.

 

Nice build. Great work.

 

Hang in there, it will come together. Great project and I appreciate the documentation of time and cost.
I always said that on my next project I would do this, truth is I never did.

 

Looking good so far! I also appreciate the time and money documentation. I'm slowly pulling together my own pile of parts, and have the same amount of bodywork experience you started with, so it's nice to know that there's hope!

And being in southern California, I'm sure you can find a few friendly faces and knowledgeable folk who are willing to befriend you and help out, if need be. Heck, seems like you may have found a few right here on the HAMB already!

 

whereinas your rear frame rails are cut off, and the coupe's rear body parts are not cheap...
a pair of model A frame horns flipped upside down so that they flow downward like the tail end of the '32 then sort of curl upward [flatten out]… bolt in a spreader bar...
ask your dr. or dentist if he has an old stainless pipe, 1"-2", that his stuff used to adjust its hight….
my $0.02.

.

 

Thank you for all the kind words and encouragement
Have been busy at work but ready to get back at it as soon as works permits.
I am doing my research on how to do the " mini channel" or pie cut in the front and I am just about ready to get started.

In the meantime, looking at pictures for inspiration...Love the way that top looks!

 

On my A since the firewall was toasted I cut it out around the edge and made a new firewall. this allowed me to stretch the bottom of the cowl a bit to channel the body over the frame rails (not pinched). If I had a nice firewall I think I would have pie cut it to allow the stretch similar to what @Flop has done on one of his projects similar to this: