It's looking better and better every day.
Mike
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It's looking better and better every day.
Mike
Posting gives us study guides , I even sit and look at mine and think of where its going and see what I did and the look .Quote:
Originally Posted by rspears
The wood with black looks classy Roger.....your doing a fanatastic job...
Looks Great!!!
:)
Man Roger you are one talented guy!
Great work and good ideas as well.
Very interesting thread on your build too.
Thanks guys, for all of the nice comments. I'm reminded that doing things our own way is what makes this such a great hobby, and what makes our cars unique and personal ;)
I thought I'd post a few more shots of the steps I went through on the interior, not that I did it right, but just that I muddled through learning as I went.
There are a bunch of arm rest products out there, but if you have a shape in mind they can be formed from foam and fiberglassed, or for me formed from a chunk of scrap 2x4 on the band saw, router table and belt sander to get the conture you want.Attachment 49507Attachment 49506 I hit the top with some Weldwood cement, glued a little 1/4" dense foam to the top for padding, contured the edge a bit on the belt sander and then covered them with vinyl. My interior guy told me later that he uses steam to warm the material, and gets everything smooth and tight that way, but he told me that after I had done mine:LOL:**)
I finally decided that my door panels would have 1/4" foam on top, above the walnut accent strip/door pull; 1/8" foam in the middle, and no foam in an arc at the bottom because of clearance to the floor pan area in the very front. I installed the accent strip and marked the top edge, took it off and masked the area below to keep glue away. I cut a piece of 1/4" foam a little oversize, gently roughed the back side with 100 grit sandpaper to break the skin and improve the glue bond, and sprayed both the door panel and foam with a good coating of glue. I used Weldwood glue and an old siphon spray gun to apply it. It doesn't plug up much at all, and if it does it will be a skin of glue over the outside of the orifice, or at worst a soft plug just inside the orifice that can be blown clear with a nozzle and air through the siphon tube easily.Attachment 49508 Attachment 49510 Now the trick is to not get impatient - let the glue dry until it is no longer tacky at all, up to 1/2 hour or more depending on the weather, and it will be much more forgiving. Run a razor blade on your tape line, pull the tape, place the foam, installed the accent strip to use as a cut line, and trimmed the foam to the line using a very sharp utility blade. Next it's mask off the upper foam, make a cardboard pattern for the lower section which gets no foam, and mask off that section, leaving the center open - same drill, using 1/8" foam. Once all foam is in place just gently sand the surface to break the skin on the foam, shoot it and your vinyl with glue and let them dry thoroughly before attaching the vinyl to the foam. I covered most of the panel with craft paper, leaving only a couple of inches of glue exposed, aligned my vinyl and started laying it in place, smoothing any wrinkles and defining edges as I pulled paper and slowly went down the panel. Here's the finished panel - next time I do them I'll figure out how to cover the spring clips so the heads don't show so much but they'll do for now... I'll show some shots of the steps in another post using the headliner to show the process, and how I aligned floating inserts.Attachment 49509
Roger - I really am impressed with your upholstery job. I almost makes me want to pull mine apart and do it over - myself. It's the only part of the car I farmed out except the chassis powder coat. I do know that my carpet will soon be redone.
Again, great work
Looks great Roger. Do you have any sohots of the panel with just the foam on it?
Here's a few shots of the headliner process, to show some of the steps. My headliner panel is a contoured piece that follows the shape of the top, front valance and has a lip at the back to join a wrap panel from door to door. I needed 1/4" foam on the sides, back and front to help fill gaps between panels, but I did not want to give up any headroom so I finally settled on a simple shaped insert that would have no foam above the seats. The center is tapered a bit from the radio console, getting a bit wider in back, and leaves about 4" at he back and sides for the foam. This meant that I was going to have to cut the foam in a rectangular shape, but also that it had to be aligned for symetry both side to side and front to back. I struggled with this for a bit, and finally cut a pattern from luan plywood of that shaped insert. After sanding the headliner to give it some tooth for glue and using my paper pattern I taped off the inserts to keep them free of glue, so that the foam would not stick in that area. Then using the luan pattern I aligned it on one side and drilled three 3/32" holes in a line, so that three common nails could be used for pattern alignment after the foam was in place. I inverted the pattern for the other side, aligned it carefully and used the holes already drilled to drill the headliner panel. Finally time for glue, sand the foam gently, spray both and let them dry thoroughly, and place the foam, smoothing from the center out. Here's a few shots:
Glue on, masking removed, ready for foam:Attachment 49516
Foam on, nails in place from the bottom:Attachment 49517
Luan Pattern in place, ready to cut:Attachment 49518
Finished Headliner Panel, vinyl on, dome light in place:Attachment 49519
Test Fit with Radio:Attachment 49520
Steve,Quote:
Originally Posted by stovens
No, I did not do well with pictures during that process - I was too caught up in the glue/foam process, and wondering how much of a mess I was going to have if I got the foam stuck down in the wrong places :o I did get a few of the headliner, but as I look back not as many as I should have... One book that I got that really helped me a lot was Custom Auto Ineriors by Don Taylor and Ron "The Stitcher" Mangus. It doesn't give all of the secrets, but it opened my eyes on many of the processes and tips that make things easier to understand.
Beautiful job Roger. I am getting some good ideas from this for the 34. I love the arm rests. :):cool:
Jack.
Here's a few of everything together, before I start tearing it apart to fix all of the mistakes :p:LOL::p I owe a lot to all of you for your thoughts and ideas, and especially for those who take time to post the neat features you do on your builds. That process keeps the ideas forming, and really adds a lot of fun to the process of building one of these beasts. Still need to cover my garnish moldings, but that may wait until the end of the summer:LOL:
Now as Don is so fond of saying, time to DTPOOI!!:cool:
Attachment 49528Attachment 49522Attachment 49523Attachment 49524Attachment 49525Attachment 49526
And a few of the trunk...
Attachment 49531Attachment 49532Attachment 49533
And one of my favorite features. Recall the earlier post on cutting apart sealed beams to get the lense, and grafting that onto a halogen lamp assembly, and that I added an LED for the parking lamp feature? My headlights look like normal sealed beams, using the lense from my old Jeep headlights, but here's one glowing with the parking lamp:
Attachment 49529
And here it is with the turn signal lit:
Attachment 49530
test,test,test.....If this was an actual post it would make some type of sense :D
It makes sense only because I could not seem to find the darned thread, no matter how I searched!! Thanks, Bill.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmustang
Nice work. That's pretty trick with the headlight/park/directional all in one. :cool:
So I finally jumped into the body prep process, getting ready to shoot some color on the '33. I debated a bit about starting a new thread, or even whether to post anything about the process at all. In the end I decided to post a few shots of what's occupying my time, and to add them to the build thread for continuity.
It's really hard to make that first cut into a nice gel coat, because once that first cut is made the die is cast, no pulling back.:LOL::LOL: I had been looking at the rear license bracket, and the way the bottom rode up on the reveal line at the bottom of the body where the originals flared into the gas tank cover. I decided an inset was needed to let the plate fit flush. Here's the "before":
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps876ab406.jpg
The first step was to go inside the trunk and lay in four or five layers of cloth & resin to fill in the hollow at the bottom, to prevent cutting through and having a hole to patch. Then it was a matter of taking an angle grinder with a thin abrasive disc and making a cut across the bottom, a pair of verticals, and then cut down flat across the license area to pull out the chunk. A bit of Fibral Lite filler (body filler w/ fiberglass added) and a few licks with a 120 grit block and it's nearly primer ready.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...pseef8844c.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psc8ddfe35.jpg
And with the bracket in place:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps799e3b46.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps3c522670.jpg
The next problem was the cowl. The "widow's peak" at the top center is formed from a stock body, which I believe is higher at the center because of the shape of the center hinged hood. Regardless, the one piece hood top I'm running is more flat, and that "widow's peak" is about 3/8" high - too much to grind down without creating a hole, which would be very hard to patch on a finished car (laying glass on an inside flat surface is not a fun task, especially when you're above carpet, wiring and the HVAC box:HMMM:). Here's a couple of shots of what I'm describing:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps11d45cc7.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psbfb52ef7.jpg
The solution is to make a "V" cut on the flat in front of the "widow's peak", which allows the offending tip to push down.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psc9b8578b.jpg
With the hood on, and support brackets adjusted to get it centered and aligned as close as possible a spare battery provides the weight needed to drop the peak:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psc7db03ec.jpg
Turned & centered, checked for even "droop", the inside was filled with Fibral Lite, pushing into the slot cut and creating a solid wedge inside to make it impossible for the peak to shift later.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psad1c3588.jpg
After drying over night, another application of Fibral Lite, a contoured sanding block to match the contour line, and it's near ready for primer.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps8ec5237e.jpg
The resulting alignment is not perfect, but sooooo much better and easily addressed with a dab of filler during final block & fill.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps199ca10e.jpg
Next is extending the back edge of the hood ~1/2" to fill the gap, and re-contouring the hood front into the grille shell due to the laying the grille back for clearance & appearance. Later....
PS - If you'd just as soon not see this kind of stuff just say the word.
Nice work, Roger!!!
Keep it up Roger and nice progress.
Coming along really nice Roger!! Huge improvement on the license plate!
I have to echo Dave S on that recessed license plate, looks much better - and reminds me that I should have done mine with a recess but it was a case of OH @#$%, now it's painted and too late and I now need a license plate to drive it.
Yes, indeed that's the ticket for the plate much more finished, looks at home and not as an after thought.
Killer well done,
Greg
'33-'34 cowls, grills and hoods seem to be a problem for a lot of people. A good friend of mine built a '33 coupe several years ago, and he had a lot of fitment issues with the hood, cowl and grill. It took him a lot of time to get it right.
Keep going,Roger..Love the licence plate recess..It looks kool..Nice work..:cool:
I think just about everyone I know who has built a 33/4 has had to play with the hood/cowl area,too..
And don't think we aren't interested as I am learning too from your pictures and how you approach different small issues as I have made a major cock up on my T where I cut first without measuring and having brain engaged , so ,yes, I need to learn from you.
Yes Roger! Keep the pics coming, we're lovin' it!
OK, on to the hood! Earlier in the thread I went through laying the grille & radiator back due to the fact that the stock hood was something like four inches short :eek: when I set it in place:(. I talked to Duane at N&N and after a good belly laugh he explained the options to me, thus the decision to re-do the radiator mounts, extend the splash aprons, and jump through all kinds of hoops to get it right. In the end I really, really like having the grille angled, so all's well.:3dSMILE: That said, I still had a pretty good gap in the back, and some mis-fit up front, as shown here:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps86b34550.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps387db7fa.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps363a8940.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps19faede5.jpg
In the back I have fresh filler, so waxing the body and using it as the mold is not really an option so I covered the cowl top with aluminum foil, smoothed it to the contour, and waxed the foil. The front was still gel coat, so I simply waxed it good and got ready to do some 'glass.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps4a5ab2a5.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps0d193409.jpg
A 40 grit wheel in the angle grinder made quick work of cutting down ~1/2 thickness of the back & front edges of the hood, and made a TON of dust!!:( (Note to self: Move grinding operations OUTSIDE!!):)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps2d58d722.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psd286e839.jpg
This morning I cut a stack of strips of varying widths using a big old paper cutter, and started glassing in the back. The first half was a learning experience, and I expect that I'll have a very thick back edge to deal with on that side.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psec3e687a.jpg
Next moved to the front, and it went quicker, and should be easier to deal with on the bottom side & front lip.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psce53bf11.jpg
The peak in front may need a bit of fill yet to smooth the curve, but it's pretty close. Hoping now that the wax releases clean in front:HMMM::HMMM::LOL:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psd80d1f97.jpg
Lookin good Roger
The hood popped off clean, and without much effort. I'm very happy with the lines defined by using the body (rear) and grille surround (front) as the actual molds. It should be pretty easy to trim for the desired gaps, and also to grind away the excess thickness on the bottom side to give the inside of the hood a nice finish, too! Here's the back side, and you can see the mold line defining the cowl conture:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps19a3414d.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps4fa1ac9f.jpg
And here's the front. Again, it's easy to see exactly where the inset around the grille is, which defines the cut point for the hood.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psd88ead1c.jpg
Once you get over the fear of cutting into a nicely finished panel amazing things can happen! :) Even the blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while!! :LOL::LOL:
Nice work, Roger!!! Going to be a huge improvement on the hood fit!
Makes me want to itch looking at that glass!:D:whacked::cool::)
Steve, your comment made me smile, remembering years ago my wife saying, "Itch my back for me!", and the following discussion, about "...itching a scratch", or "...scratching an itch"! Regardless, handling the glass cloth doesn't bother me much, but when I took the 40 grit disk to the hood I looked like a ghost with fiberglass dust head to toe. :eek: Yes, I was wearing a good mask, rated for dust, but probably should have had a respirator!! Even with a long sleeved shirt my arms & back & face itched for hours!!:LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by stovens
On a side note, I tossed my old faithful Nikon CoolPix in the trash after posting the pictures of the glassing process.
Attachment 57682
It took a bath on our Costa Rica trip last Fall:(, and had never really been the same even after a hair dryer session :confused::LOL:. Plus I had a new Sony CyberShot point & shoot that I had never opened so it's my new "pocket camera". The last four shots of the hood off the body and the NIKON trashed are with the new SONY.
About 20 years ago helped a freind redeck a boat. Spent many hours itching in the Florida Keys!
Today's sunshine and warm temperature let me move outside with the hood, using my flatbed trailer as a sanding bench. I think I've had the hood off & on more times in the past week than in the past two years! It's not perfect, but it's a darned sight better than it was a week ago, and pretty close to being ready for a coat of primer to really see how smooth it is. Here's a few shots of the front - after getting the front lip trimmed I built up the leading edge a bit with Fibral Lite, and shifted the curve forward a little.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps267a2681.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps2c83f778.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps1d73a38a.jpg
And here's the back edge. There will be about 1/16" to 3/32" of fill on the cowl in a couple of places, which should be an easy fill.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps9d89d056.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...psaff4e27b.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k8...ps59efc09c.jpg
I really enjoy your build thread, Roger...except for all that itchy gives me flashbacks. It really looking excellent. It makes me want a '33 coupe and I can see owning a coupe someday in addition to my roadster and a '33 would be it for me, too.
Thanks for the kind words.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hot Rod Nick
Thanks for the pics Roger. You're making it look way to easy!!!
What he said.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
I've enjoyed all this thread.
.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
What they said......I have to do something sorta similar to my '37 hood except it's steel. Can you make that look easy, too?? :LOL::LOL:
:( No, I can't, but I'm sure that 123Pugsy or MP&C or Falconvan or DaveS or one of the other truly talented metal mashers can!! ;) Glass makes it easy to tackle holes, or add bumps where none existed before.:LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by randyr
