Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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Haha, the directions on the can should have SAID that.


But I did work off some calories at the shop today. Just got in, and spent the entire day at the sandblast cabinet and the bench grinder, cleaning up all of the front end parts that are going to get painted. I think this is all of them, and maybe as early as tomorrow PM. when all the people leave the park, I can wheel some of these outside and shoot a coat of primer on them.

I have decided to go a slightly different direction on the front brakes and spindles. Originally, I had pirated the complete '40 Ford/ Buick brake drum setups off the front of my '27 and was intending on using them. But I have rethought doing that, because I keep stripping more and more from the '27, and pretty soon it will be too hard to ever put it back together. So these are going back on the '27, and I am going to use the '40 Ford brakes Dan had on his '29, before he switched to the Wilson Welding brakes and Buick drums.

I inherited them (by quickly moving them to my part of the shop ) so I might as well use them. They have been totally rebuilt, drums turned, and the spindles bushed already, so it is dumb to just have them sitting there. I did blast off all the paint we had put on a couple years ago, and will start from bare metal when I paint them. The drums only need sanded and reshot in black, so they are almost ready to go.

All of this puts me in a pretty good position to get this front end painted and hung pretty quick, hopefully by next Sunday PM the frame and all the front end will be in color. I ordered some stuff from Speedway today, some chrome shackles, poly spring liner, steering arms, and a new moon style tank. The one I have been using for mockup has fallen a few times, so it has some dents and scratches. I'll use it for that rat rod, down the road.

In the meantime, here is a picture of all the pieces I cleaned up today. Kind of looks like those break apart part things you get inside a model car package, huh?


Don

It's a little past 4 AM, and I just got in from pulling an all-nighter at the shop. I went in about 9:30 and decided to stay until I had the last piece of the suspension sandblasted......the rear axle and Model A rear spring. I wanted to do it at night for a couple of reasons. First of all, the park in totally empty, and secondly it is really cool out. I was going to be wearing my sandblasting suit and hood for several hours, and even as cool as it was, I still sweated a lot in that getup.

But the good news is..........I'm DONE sandblasting big stuff. Now the entire front end is ready for primer, and so is the rear end. I can concentrate on wheeling the stuff outside over the next few days and putting some primer on it all.

I bought 200 lbs of sand, and thought that was overkill, but I not only used the 200, but had to scoop up about another 50 lbs from the pile I had created, and recycle it. I would have never thought it would take that much, but even the rear spring took almost 100 lbs to do. It also took me about an hour to sweep up all that sand and erase all traces of what I had done tonight.

Here are some pictures of the parts I did tonight. I am one wornout puppy, and plan to sleep in til about noon tomorrow. But I can sleep pretty well, knowing this hurdle is over.

Don

Looks good Don, Sleep late you deserve it for working so late.
Brad

Just a quick suggestion on the sandblast to ease the clean up. Get some 6 mil (visqueen) plastic sheet and form an open ended "booth". You'll still have some from bounce back that's behind you to sweep up, but a majority will stay in the "booth" and instead of sweeping you just keep rolling it into a pile to pick up from the plastic. Also keeps it cleaner for "recycling".

Don,
I nominate you for the most dedicated Hot Rodder this week.
Ken

Did anyone get the license plate number of that truck that ran over me? Man, when I was younger, I would come home from a date at 5 AM, take a shower, and go to work. Funny how things change.

Thanks guys. You know, Bob, as I was sweeping up an area approximately 40 x 40 feet, I had some thoughts that maybe some containment device like you mentioned might be a great idea. That's exactly what I will build the next time, and we will be doing it again on Dons T bucket project in the near future. Your open-ended booth sounds great.

I even tried the gas powered leaf blower my Son has stored at the shop, and it wouldn't move the several inch thick pile of sand. Finally had to break out a big pushbroom, and even with that it was slow going. But I knew if I didn't get it all cleaned up I would catch it from the landlord for doing something like this out there, so I had no choice. Live and learn.

I plan on building a rack today to hold some of the parts while I prime them, maybe tonight. I can't get my gantry outside because of all the moving stuff my Son has stored in the front of the shop, and normally would have hung parts from that. We used it when we painted Dans stuff and it was perfect. I'll just build something quick out of 2 x 4's, I guess.

At least the rear axle assembly looks better than the before pictures below. That part of it feels great, knowing I don't have to lug it to a sandblaster now.

Don

Don are you going to leave those big c-clamps to hold the spring, when its done...........lol
Brad

No, they look really funny there. Gonna use much smaller C clamps.


I think that might be a sign a car is nearing completion.......you drag out less C clamps and vise grips.


Don

You know Don, you might be on to something there. How about a do-it-yourself rat rod kit. No welding required. Just c-clamp and vise grip it together. You could change it around every week and keep everyone guessing.

Mike

Yes, but you would have to use only very old, rusty C clamps. Patina is so important, you know.

All joking aside, I bet all of us have gone for a short test ride with either C clamps or baling wire holding stuff in place. I know I have sat on a box a few times and worked the throttle with a long coat hanger.


Don

Yeah, you could call it a Beverly Hillbilly Hot Rod kit (clamp-it..............get it? )

And if you use rusty clamps it becomes a REAL hot rod!!

Oh............and don't forget the rusty Craftsman 5/8" combination wrench pitman arm upgrade.

You mean I'm supposed to remove the baling wire??!!

Bob

I went for the 1" end wrench since I wanted it to be extra heavy duty.

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Bob

I went for the 1" end wrench since I wanted it to be extra heavy duty.

You Sir, are a true Craftsman. (oh oh, now I'm starting to do it. Darned you Bob.)

Don

I remember a nite that Doug and I went for a ride in his 56 ford, with 312 v8, just to test out the car, he was sitting on a kitchen chair and I was on a milk crate holding my leggs up to keep from falling thru the floor..............What a sight that was...........LOL
Brad