Thread: Roadster pickup getting closer

Tweet

Yeah Sean, it isn't like he has changed directions a few times or anything. Every time I see him staring at the car I get worried.

Thanks about the tunnel. It photographs rougher than it is, I guess the lights bounce off the bare metal or something. But it came out fine for what it is. Because of the transmission taking up so much cockpit room it did end up a little big, but there is still a lot of foot room and all. Certainly more than my T has.

Don

Don it's coming along great. The tunnel even looks like a work of art.. If Dan is changing the engine and transmission color, has he decided on a color scheme for the body. I know one black and copper/gold combo roadster, that seem to hit it right and made it to the big times!
Tell Dan to keep posting even the little stuff. The seat mounts and stuff sometimes are the most helpfull, in coming up with a great way to do something nobody else would of thought of. I guess we just like watching your updates!Steve.

Thanks Steve. Yep, the final color seems to be that the frame and rear axle will be gloss black and the body, bed and grille shell will be semi gloss black. He is going to do the top in probably white material. He has kicked around gloss on the body too, but really wants that '40's -'50's little book/ no frills look.

There will be enough chrome plating on the suspension and all to offset some of the blackness, so it should look pretty good, I think.

Don

Don, when you guys paint semi gloss, is it a bugger to clean? I know my old truck(Toyota) is worn to where the hood is more ruff like a semi gloss paint, and it gets really hard to try to get the dirt out. I always wondered if a semi gloss paint job would add to the clean look process? I do love those flat paint looks on the old trucks, Ken's RPU looked pretty cool in primer grey! Sounds like a great combo of colors, I can just see you guys driving to Billet proof this year, I'm sure between your car, Don's and Dan's there will be more videos and head turning!

A 4X4 RPU, if anyone can pull that off it would you and your boys. If I remember right there isn't that many hill to rock crawl down in florida.
BradC

Thanks guys. Well Steve, I think it shouldn't be too much harder to maintain than gloss, because it will still be enamel, just with a flattener in it. I understand you can't buff it though because it will get shiny.

Yep Brad, the highest hill we have here is like 3 feet above sea level.

Dan and I really got a lot done this weekend. We worked until 5 am Sunday morning, and 1:30 this morning.........a grand total of maybe 25 hours in the two days. What we worked on was getting the underdash support system done so that we could mount the steering column, which will now allow us to mount the steering box to the frame. We couldn't put the box in until we knew the angle of the column.

Originally we were going to build a support that was shaped like the bottom of the '32 dashboard, but Dan had a bright idea to mount a 1.25 round tube from one side to the other, and then hang everything off of it. We had to build side supports first, then the bar, and finally some gussets to tie it to the master cylinder bracket. You could hang the car from that bar.......it is really strong and made the entire front section of the body totally rigid.

We also got the steering column mounted and run through the firewall. For a change we hit it on the nose the first time.........usually we end up missing the mark and having to patch one hole and cut another one. Maybe we are getting better at this stuff, or maybe we just lucked out.

We also got his gas pedal and brake pedal mounted. All small stuff, but more jobs out of the way at least. Here are some pictures of how the underdash stuff came out. The biggest problem is that none of this will be visible once the dash and gas tank cover are installed, but at least we know it's in there.

Don

Aha! Further proof that great minds think alike! In my coupe and in my son's sedan, I put a tube across from side to side and mounted everything to it. The main difference is, ours are welded in and the column supports/mounts are different because we are both using GM columns. Yes, it does stiffen things up a lot...

As usual, beautiful work, Don. Maybe Dan should put a lexan cowl on this thing so the underdash detail will show. It's almost a shame to hide all the fine work you guys are doing.

Thanks Jim. Haha, funny you should mention the Lexan, I told Dan the same thing. I told him about some show cars I knew of in the '60's where the guy put glass floors in it so you could see the transmission, etc detailing.

We thought about welding it all in, but this way we can paint all up inside it with nothing in the way, and then bolt it all back in. Dan took some extra time to weld square nuts up behind everything so that all we have to do is insert a bolt and tighten it up. To save some time (and work) we are going to have all the stuff under there powder coated, it will keep us from having to paint all of it.

Don

Don,
I too have support behind the dash of my '31. I can't find a decent picture but it is welded/bolted in place and will clear my gauges and a/c fairly well even with the double engine recess. This is a picture BEFORE the wiring was straightened out. I also did reinforcements from the rear door post to the back of the car. Then I reinforced the floor with square stock and a double up of the sheet metal as well. Again, no decent pictures - I did lose a bunch when I had a computer crash. With as much reinforcing, I can pick up the body without the doors and have virtually no bending or deflection vs a 'normal' 30-'31 Model A.

Dave, that is a terrific way to do it. Very strong and neat looking too. Funny how Henry got by with riveted braces in a couple of places...... it amazes us every time we think about how he did those.

Nice job.

Don

Great work Don. Dan amazes me with all his neat welds. It looks as if they were bought from a store(ie professional) but better! I like the look of the round tubing, but bet it is even harder to use when cutting pieces to mate to it, to get it to look so smooth, and fluid! Maybe dan could make two cowl covwrs, one out of sheet metal that bolts on from undernieth, and one for shows that has a clear piece of lexan so you could see the internals. I have no idea if that is even doable, or in the time frame, but it sure would be nice to show all the hidden details! Good Stuff!

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Dave, that is a terrific way to do it. Very strong and neat looking too. Funny how Henry got by with riveted braces in a couple of places...... it amazes us every time we think about how he did those.

Nice job.

Don

Thanks Don - as you are all too well aware by now - a lot of square and round stock, some sheet metal, a few tanks of C25 and mig wire and a lot of hours.

As far as Hank the Crank - these cars were only $295 for a roadster and about $50 more for the deluxe version. Then the roads weren't much more then cow tracks until after WW2 either so flexibility was necessary. Heck, I have more then $295 in the add-on steel by now

[ Heck, I have more then $295 in the add-on steel by now[/QUOTE]


Tell me about it!!! Every time we stop at the hardware store or Home Depot for some small stuff like grinding discs, nuts, bolts, etc we walk out with a small bag and $ 50-$100 poorer. Dan was just saying how nice it will be to finish his car and actually have a few bucks to spend on other stuff again. This is not the cheapest hobby in the world, is it??

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

[ Heck, I have more then $295 in the add-on steel by now

Tell me about it!!! Every time we stop at the hardware store or Home Depot for some small stuff like grinding discs, nuts, bolts, etc we walk out with a small bag and $ 50-$100 poorer. Dan was just saying how nice it will be to finish his car and actually have a few bucks to spend on other stuff again. This is not the cheapest hobby in the world, is it??

Don[/QUOTE]

Don,
I went to the hardware store this morning:

1 ea 1/4-20x1.5 SS cap screw @ .71
2 ea 1/4-20 SS acorn nuts @1.05 ea
6 ea cable clamps 5.38 (and not even SS)
1 aluminum 'project box' @ 2.75

This is in addition to the $9.00 that I spent on some other SS bolts and nuts on Saturday. I'm not complaining, mind you, but the expenses of this hobby is getting beyond the ability of many of the average working stiff's pocket book with the rest of the costs of putting food on the table, paying the light bill and rent/mortgage - and it scares me that the hobby will have fewer newbies in the future.

Golly, I hate to see him paint this thing flat or satin black. 98% of all the rat rods in America must be flat or satin black. It was cool at first, but it's getting to be so overdone... This car is anything BUT a rat and deserves something different. Check out this place, Don. If Dan wants flat or satin paint, these folks have got all kinds of colors.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/kustomshop/ksflatz.aspx