Some of you might remember this car from a thread a few months back when I found it in a barn south of Kansas City. I did some searching on it, but couldn't really come up with any history on the car. After that, I made up my mind what I was going to change. I'm going to put a small block in it, but I'm going to dress it just like the one in Poteet's '32 delivery. It'll be backed by a T5 most likely. I'm leaving the '40 dash, but I'm putting the '40 cluster back in it. The fenders will stay molded in, and I plan on putting running boards back on. Besides lowering it some more, that'll be it for the changes. I finally got around to doing some work on the '39. I began disassembling the car today, getting the bumpers off, glass out, and the seat out in preparation for getting the car to the blasting company. Then after much debate, I decided to cut open the rumble seat. The lid actually needs some straightening anyway from years of being pushed around. I started melting the lead out, but ended up just grinding it. It went a lot faster that way, and I didn't have to worry as much about getting the metal hot. I got down to the brazing, and finished up with a thin cutoff wheel. The hinges and latch are still in the car, so after the seam was cut, it just had to be unlatched! Once it goes and comes back from getting blasted, I'll be putting some new floors in it. Anyway, here are some pics from today: Here's a photo from the original thread when it was still in the barn: Here's the progress from today:
Sheesh, that looks like it was a pain! Glad your exams were over before you tried to get lead poisioning. Can't wait to see it in person.
That looks like too much work for 'ya! Let me take it off your hands, so you don't have to mess with it!!!!
Have any of you dealt with Wescott for convertible top pieces? I need a header board and rear bow, and they seem pretty reasonable on the parts.
Roddinron - where was Lumpy Rutherford from? I notice your from PA, that's where this car came from. It's still got '58 PA tags on it in fact.
Terrific find, lots of work,but................... you have a survivor and it will be awesome!! Best of luck!!
Alright, I completely missed on the Lumpy Rutherford name..... Django - I wouldn't have thought to look at Wescott either for top pieces until a buddy mentioned they sold the parts. The actually have the complete tops too. I was just curious to see if anyone had bought any top parts from them.
Great score! Bumper guard taillight lenses might look good. (There's someone on the HAMB who fabs them.) Or fender mounted '41 Studes. Skirts would also be nice.
When I first saw this car, the one thing that came to mind was that I would not change anything behind the conv top. It is something any rodder could have done back then (but nobody else probably did) so unique, period correct, and really makes you just stop and stare..........
I'd say leave the boards off and the Olds dash in place. No one steps on the boards anyway, and the are flared out enough from the body to protect it from rocks being kicked up. Its a very 40's style modification. The olds cluster is a VERY tasty, and good looking change to a hard to improve 40 dash.
Olds cluster = different; '40 cluster = just like every other '40 dash out there. Except the ones with some kind of aftermarket LED insert in them that looks ugly as hell. But your car, do what makes you happy - just make that Olds setup available to someone else if you don't want it. At least you didn't decide it was too rough to save and take 5 parts off it and scrap the rest. That cluster new enough to have been 12V?
The Jalopy Journal
