Hot Rods Paging Pgan - Build thread for the sedan?

Dual square headlights?! Ouch. As an aside, there's a chopped '37 Tudor around my parts that has stacked square headlights. Yikes, things can't be unseen. I think your vents are fine, paint the bezels though. It's a driver right? you and Anna will be the only ones who know.

 

Well Pat, since you asked.

Going through the photos I was really digging the dash insert, then did a double take on the vents. Really surprised at the choice, but not one to criticize someone else’s project, I wasn’t going to comment. But since I have always tended to share the same aesthetic taste as your projects, I was surprised.

Painting them black would certainly help. But since you’ve always stated the motto of the Ganahl garage to be “Any job worth doing, is worth doing twice”, now might be the time.
Especially with a master fabricator in the family.

How about adapting an “eyeball” type vent from a sixties car. Something like you’d see in a C2 Corvette, or a mid-sized GM product. At least they would look era correct for the style of the car, and functional as well.

Or . . Since A/C vent hose sort of accordions, take those out, fill the holes, turn them sideways, and build hinged brackets to hide them. Drop down when you want conditioned air, tuck them up out of sight when you want to look period cool. Use a little Velcro to keep them in the hideaway position, and make sure nothing rattles.

Just a shame to put those vents next to that BEAUTIFUL dash insert.

(Opinions vary! )

 

In my 47 I have the vents mounted below the dash, much less visually obtrusive that way. On your's at this point I'd paint the bezels black and move on with the project.

 

Paint them black and move on Mr Ganahl. If that’s all people can complain about with this great build. Let them.


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Not a bad idea. I believe Vintage Air sells those same vents as a universal application. I remember installing them in a few cars over the years.

Here's the link for the Vintage Air vent:
http://www.vintageair.com/accessories/?subcat1=Louvers&subcat2=&subcat3=&order=&pageno=2

They also sell a aluminum venturi style vent

 

At one time someone made a vent that was designed to be tucked up underneath the dash then opened up/dropped down with the air pressure but I haven't seen one advertised for a while. Maybe just polish the duct bezel up some to match your dash insert? The roundness of the duct takes away from the square/billet look to me. Whatever way you go this is still a great build.

 

Paint them.....or buff to a gloss and use knobs that are shiny as well (glove box knob too). I would paint....

 

Put on dual square headlights. They would take your eyes off them vents.

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Seems like I saw somewhere that Pat was sending the sedan back to Bill’s shop to tackle some jobs he didn’t want to do. (Handy having a top rod shop in the family!)
So Pat, any progress to report? Or has that beautiful Spalding Tribute been taking up your time?

 

@pgan, any update on 34 sedan build?

Phil

 

Anything?

 

Saw in IG Bill finished up stuff he was doing on it and Pat was headed home with it the other day


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Yeah I just saw that as well! Driving it!

 

Any updates Pat.

 

Well, I guess there are still a few people looking at this, and it's been quite a while. As I said somewhere back, I decided it was more important to get work done on the car rather than take photos and sit here and write about it. Then I decided it was smarter for me to take the car back to Bill's shop--especially since he had just added more space and had room (and time) to take it. I had a list of things I didn't feel like doing, and I knew he'd get them done (as in "Git 'er done!"). Now the car starts, runs, stops, steers, shifts, heats and cools. The doors open and close and the windows roll up and down. You'd think I'd have this thing done in a week or two, right?
I'm not going to tediously enumerate what we've been doing. Suffice to say life does impinge on hot rodding, and life is much more important. And sometimes demanding.
But that doesn't mean things are gathering dust in my garage (other than the Spalding T, though even it is getting things done). Had to put new shocks on the back of the '32 because CA's hwy's broke one off. Raced the dragster at Eagle Field and it developed a fuel problem no one can figure out, yet. Worked on an MGB-GT for Bill and got it sold. So now I'm on the '33. To prove it I took some photos of "what was going on in my garage" Friday and Saturday:

Saturday:

Today's Monday and I've got to figure out where and how to mount the stereo speakers, and finish insulation, so I can get the car to the upholsterer. It's not getting done while I'm sitting here at the time-consuming computer.
Later, Pat

 

Thanks for the update!

 

Your garage is filled with neat distractions. I can see how you'd find it hard to concentrate on just one.

 

What product are you using for insulation?

 

Thanks for sharing the progress. I dig your work space!

 

We are still here watching for the latest.

 

The words 'impecable taste' come to mind.

 

Looks like self sticky duct insulation from Lowes.......

 

Yes it does. Just a side note on that stuff- it is a pure mother to try and remove so make sure you're done in an area before you lay it down.

 

The stuff I'm using for insulation I got at the Long Beach swap meet, at much better prices than that "name" brand stuff (you know, that has it's name all over it). The silver (quilted) type is silver on both sides, with carpet-padding-like insulation inside. It's from Vintique, Inc., and just called "Noise and Heat Insulation." The other stuff that looks white on the firewall is more expensive and high-tech. The white is a high-density foam, abut 1/4" thick, with a thick, nubbly silver foil backing on one side. This is supposed to be installed with the silver side toward the heat source. It doesn't have a brand name and I don't know if the guy sells it anywhere else. Both come in big rolls about 5' wide, maybe 8' long. I got 3 rolls of the silver, and one of the foam, and looks like I'll use it all (including inside doors.). Neither has adhesive on it. I'm using 3M Yellow Super Trim Adhesive (2) in a tall spray can. I spray it on the insulation, then install while it's a bit wet, giving just a little wiggle room. If you spray it on the insulation and the floor, and let it dry a bit, it'll stick even better, but you've got to lay it down perfectly the first time.
In the photo below, you'll notice I'm doing the insulation on the floor and firewall in patchwork pieces. It's a lot easier than trying to get large pieces flat, especially on a '33 sedan floor, which is far from level (likewise Bill's firewall.)

OK, that's enough. Back to work. Oh...it's Sunday. Think I'll go ride my bike. Bye.
Pat G.

 

Anybody still out there? Actually, I've gotten a few requests for updates or a status report on the '33 so (since some progress is being made) here's the latest. Last thing I showed was insulating the interior. That culminated with getting insulation inside all four doors.
Next was to get and install a stereo system. Good music is a must for me, but I won't go into details, since everyone has their own druthers. And Anna and I are both oldtimers (i.e., Boomers), so we'll be listening to our CD collection most of the time on the road. I'd much rather have the tuner under the dash where I could see it, but there was no place that was practical that looked decent. So it went under the pass. seat in a custom mounting box. The seats are Suburu Outback, $50 ea. at Pick-a-Part. Upholstery will be black with white rolls in the center. Same for door panels.
One tip: don't tie-wrap wires that will run under carpet. Upholsterers hate them (and will cut them off anyway). I used duct tape to hold them flat. I found 1/4" plastic sheet to make panels to hold the (heavy) speakers. Making the right front kick panel to fit around A/C components took some careful pattern-making.
The next photo shows two things. First is the amplifier mounted under the rear seat, and the larger rear speakers in panels under the rear side windows. Second is one of my better decisions: I was going to make the rear seat frame from plywood. But the bottom needed to tilt up and the back tilt forward. Nothing I designed seemed very workable. So I bit the bullet and paid the bucks for a ready-made Glide seat frame (they ain't cheap) made to fit the rear of a '32-'34 sedan, and that did exactly what I needed.


So that's the update. Not only does it start, stop, shift, steer, heat and cool, but also plays good music. I've driven it around the neighborhood a few times to make sure. So now it's scheduled to go to North Hollywood Upholstery on Wednesday to get a white top, lots of black carpet, and black seats with white T&R inserts. These guys did the wonderful interior in my gold '50 Ford, so it should be good.

Have a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays! See you on the road in the New Year.

P.G.

 

Great job as always Pat. But I guess that's why you where always my favorite tech writer of all time . You did not just report it, You lived it. Happy Holidays and You an Anna have a great time cruiseing in her next summer! Larry

 

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to you and your family as well! Anxious to see the upholstery.

 

Looking good Pat! I know you’re ready to start cruising it around!

 

Thanks for the update Pat. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hope the stint in upholstery jail is a short one.

 

Nice work, great car and thanks for the update. But if I put the stereo under the seat, I could never figure out how to turn it on, off, up, down, load a CD or ever figure out what station I was listening at. Heck, I can hardly figure all that stuff out when it's mounted in the dash in plain sight. It may have something to do with getting older and needing reading glasses.