I just watched those videos of your car running. I want to put them in my Ipod and listen to that motor all day.
Well, I should have a lot to report real soon. I've been full steam ahead as I've blown the car apart again and am working on finishing all the small odds and ends I've set up for myself over the entire build. (i.e. finishing small welding areas, making/ redoing patch panels, cleaning up a lot of odds and ends....) The frame is currently at the powder-coater and I should have that back as well as a few other goodies next week. I had my axle sent off to Okie Joe for a little TLC with a set of recently acquired round back spindles to have the arms dropped on, which should be ready next week as well. In the mean time I've been painting and finishing just about everything I can while I'm waiting on the frame and axle. This weekend I'm thrashing on the doors to wrap them up while everything is out of the garage. The plan this year was to get the car on the road in bare metal and tear it all apart next year. Well I've decided against that last week and am now working on trying to come up with a color. A good, economical paint is what I'm looking for something in the early Ford maroon category (monsoon, or garnett; think navarro roadster color as an example. I'm open to suggestions, I just want to try and maintain some sort of "traditional" looking finish. I'll be posting pictures of the fun stuff real soon. My apologies on the lack of posting lately I'm attempting to get the car on the road before fall, more specifically end of June, so more like the middle of summer. So I've been a little pre-occupied. However as soon as this hopefully gets a little closer I'm hoping to get back on the build thread. Here's a few shots of the current state of things..... Here's the final emergency brake setup I ended up with. (I figured a video explains it better...) The rough in for the pushbar/ license plate bracket... Here's the fabrication of the pushbar, or atleast an attempt at one. I used 1-5/8" solid stock and grafted on an original license plate bracket from a '38 Ford so it had the feel of something stock and I can run the old plates. The trans is currently under way, I just got the bearings swapped on the main shaft and this should be going together next week. I'm still getting used to these pieces clean and painted.... Here's the final before tear down showing the fit of the pushbar/license bracket and tail light location. I ended up fabricating a new mount for the '37 brake lights. I thought I had a photo but I don't, I'll try and get one on here as well. Current status of the body as of last night. Like I said I'm making passes over the whole thing and fixing the little holes here and there where quit and moved onto the next thing. Its that time now to finish up what I had started. More updates to follow soon with more exciting stuff. Promise.
Man....this thing is going to be unreal. LOVE this build. I'm constantly amazed by the fabrication and attention to detail with this. The vids of the flattie running are SO bonerific too!!! Thanks for the updates and I have to see this one in person someday!!!!
This car is really bad for me to see. But also very inspiring! I'm way behind you but see a lot of similiarities between yours and mine.....
A T and A Sedan bodies being used for Yard Art about 12 miles from me- I sure like this build- always wanted to do an A but oh is this T nice-
Always happy to see you're still plugging away on it, Ryan. Timm came by this weekend. to check on my progress I was hoping you'd be with him and Sarah....... Hoping to see you and your T at the Wednesday "Flashbacks" cruise or maybe at Thursday Quaker Sreak and lube.
Looking forward to seeing this on the road, Ryan! If you need help with anything, don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks Rocky! I'll be there as soon as the T is running! I need to check out your '34 as well, Timm's told me good things. Thanks man! Thanks Nick, I might take you up on that. How's your wiring skills?
Wiring skills are lacking - I have a lot to learn! I'm actually installing a new fuse panel in my roadster soon, so that experience may come in handy. Jason and his dad are good at it.
Just found (and read) this thread. Great job, especially on your firewall. Looks like a factory stamping with minimal relief rather than the large pile of work I'm sure it really was. Subscribed!
I am curious as to what is the purpose of the rectangular tubing cross piece above the steering gearbox? I am planning the steering for my channeled T coupe right now and wonder if it will serve some purpose down the line. I really like what you have done on the sedan, especially as you provide your thought process as you work out the details. I have always felt that doing something yourself is just not allowing self-imposed fear of making mistakes keeping you from trying. There will be failures (some best left unknown to others) and some you will need to correct, but in the end the pride of doing it is worth everything! Keep on feeding this thread.....it's GREAT! As to the loss of your father......I still want to call mine and tell him what I've done on a particularly difficult issue.....but I no longer can. I do think he is still looking over my shoulder, though.
Thanks for the comments Irish. The tubing is part of the steering rack I came up with to support the cowl steering. There are two horizontal pieces, one the steering box bolts to and the other (one with the holes) is simply a brace for the entire rig. I wanted to make this thing as solid as possible. It ended up doubling as my front body/ firewall mount as its contoured to fit about an inch from the firewall. I actually reused the original mounts Ford used to tie the body to the firewall.
So over the last few months I've gained a lot of traction and taken off with this whole finishing gig. Here's a bit of a catch up to where we are now....I put a pin in the body work so I could finish the chassis. The idea was I'd finish the chassis (painted, assembled, brakes, exhaust etc....) all installed painted and finished so I could focus on the body for about two weeks. The body was going to stay in bare metal for the first go-round until next year when ideally I would pull it apart post shake down and finish all of the body work and do it right. After being honest with myself and knowing I won't want to pull it apart again I decided to wait and paint it with something quick to at least preserve it until I can get back to it later on and do it all right. (Eventually) That's what the plan was until I got into prepping for a to be "quick" paint job. Like I mentioned I was researching how to do a quick rattle can rustoleum paint job as I haven’t had any experience finishing a car more or less a body that wasn't in the best shape; pitted/ stretched/ and wavy sheet metal as it is 80 years old. Then after talking with a few guys around Omaha I decided to take it a little further. Nick (Malcom) told me about the process he used on his roadster and Jason (JHO) offered his assistance to get it on the road. A few weeks later the body had primer/ filler on and was ready for block sanding. Then this last weekend we sanded the body one last time and Jason layed down a killer paint job especially with what he had to work with. I ended up stick with a custom mix of rustoleum paint to get the color and sheen. I'm really excited with the results, just what I needed to get back and get this thing on the road. Thanks again fellas. Here's the photos to back up the summary.... Been wanting to get this shot for awhile..... Here's how it sat for a few weeks while I wrapped my head around what was left to get done.... What follows is what I've been doing for the last few weeks/ nights/ and weekends. All well worth the end results though. If I've learned anything with this build, it's patience. This is how I was going to leave the body and use rattle cans to paint it...thankfully I had some nice intervention. It's amazing what a little high build primer/ filler can do. Amazing. And the final product. Still in disbelief at how well everything turned out. Painted while it was raining and everything...
Man....thanks for the update!!! This just keeps getting better and better!!! I love the maroon too...my favorite!! I think you were right to do the body correctly and be done with it. Why do and re-do it again?? You are going to have it on the road I no time. I REALLY want to see this car in person....Keep up the good work, Bro!!
Killer! What shows you planning to take this to? I'd love to see it in person. I know a few Omaha guys go to Mitchell SD for the Outkasts show. Sept 25th I think.
Thanks man! Thanks Jeff, hopefully it'll be on the streets really soon; hope to catch up with you guys then. Not sure yet what shows I'll be hitting up but I'll keep that one in mind for sure! I'm aiming towards a sometime in September for a run date. Thanks buddy! Thanks fellas!
Mind blowing finish there Ryan... A total inspiration! Did you ever figure out what your wheelbase ended up being?
The Jalopy Journal
