Thread: 1929 Essex Highboy

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Thank you whiplash 23T. I do that sometimes on build threads. I pick up things that I didn't get the first time through. I'm afraid the Grandkids haven't gotten back into the Essex project. Oldest is now 20 and has discovered other things in life. Next two live in Connecticutt and don't get up very much. The two youngest are still wrapped up in X-box and such.
And I miss the oldest one's companionship and help, so the inspiratiion is not there anymore. sigh. Well, one day maybe he'll be back to it! I've been picking up a part or two now and then, when I manage to get a little money (extra). Got a new battery, new headlights, back-up lights, front directionals, (although I'm not thrilled with these). I've got to get serious about getting the engine going now. I talked with a guy the other day who suggested that maybe my cylinders got washed down with excess gasoline from my previous efforts, said to dump oil in cylinders to tighten her up. With the new battery, I might just get her started, I hope!

Most of us older guys understand how you feel regarding getting the enthusiasm to get moving on our projects Perley. There are days I have the time and know I should be doing something on mine, but watching the Sopranos is a lot more appealing at times. You have come so far on your Essex and are so close it would be a shame to not get it going.

I don't think you will have any issues with cylinder washing. Motors are pretty forgiving and it takes a lot to cause any serious, long term problems. Maybe the best thing is for you to make up a chart of "things to do" and try to wipe out one or two small items every day or so. Makes it easier to see the forest for the trees. Building a car is made up of doing a million small tasks and if we just look at the enormity of the job it seems overwhelming, but if we break it down into little things it becomes easier to accomplish.

We all want to see your car running around and now you have those license plates, so get to it.

Don

Hey Perley,how are you today?? As Don says,we are with you on this build and we are all looking forward to seeing the sky lightup when you go for that first cruise from the smile on your face. So keep at it mate and I also know what it is like stretching those $ notes and I hope and pray your grandson comes around again to help you with the family build.

Well folks, last evening I finally started again on the Essex! Hooray
Just minor things but started anyways! I worked on the front brake lines, trying to get tubing to fit where it needs to be. Got to get more tubing pieces tomorrow. And mocked up the battery location, on the firewall just over the starter. Got pattern marked out on some scrap metal. Next is to cut it out and try bending it. AND...got the inside uncluttered from all the stuff I've laid on the floorboard since last November So........at it again finally. Pictures to follow later. Perley

Aha! Glad to see you back at it. I know what you mean about stuff piled in the car - since I've been doing home improvement projects, the roadster has been a "catch-all" for everything loose in the garage. Hopefully I'll have this new garage built before too much longer and I can get back to work on the roadster...

Perley, I'm curious about your choice of battery location. You can put it wherever you choose, of course, but do you have a particular reason for hanging it on the firewall? Convenience? Simplicity? The reason I ask: Without a hood on the car, it makes the battery awfully accessable for someone who might want to steal the battery or hotwire the car. In my coupe I put the battery in the trunk (inaccessable when the car is locked); in my roadster I put the space-saver battery on the inside of the firewall out of sight.

Good to hear your back at it Perley! Jim that new garage is going to be a great space to either clear the old garage, or work on projects! Pretty soon you'll have room for a fleet of electric vehicles!

Way to go Perley! Keep it up and post pics!

By the way I agree with Jim, I have always tried to hide the battery in the trunk or under a seat. But I am sure you have a great reason for you to put yours wherever you want.

Well thanks friends for the helpful suggestions, and Jim, point well taken. I thought about under the floorboard, but there's hardly room enough under there anywhere to put even something the size of a softball. My trunk is a rumble seat, so I'd hate to put it in there! I do have room up under the dash on passenger side on firewall, but that would preclude a heater pretty much. And you KNOW that up here I'd need one! BUT, I do agree with your feelings to not put it outside on firewall. I'll keep looking. Finished up the brake tubing tonight. All that's left is to put on master cylinder and pipe to the proportioning valve, or whatever that is. I didn't have the camera out there with me, so pics another time. I had one piece of tubing that was too long, so I had to cut it and make double flare. I went to town and got a flaring took with adapters for making the double. The tool is junk, But the adapters came in handy. I used my old plumbing tool to do the flare. I couldn't understand the instructions on the enclosed card, so came in and looked on the internet, then did a practice flare. GOOD, so then I did the real one. Thanks again my Friend Jim, and thanks all of you for the moral support and suggestions. Perley

Hmmm... When I built my C-Cab years ago, I couldn't put the battery in the back because that was part of the interior and I couldn't put it out front anywhere (no room). I ended up putting it under the passenger seat. I cut a hole in the floor under the seat next to the right frame rail and dropped the battery down so that the top of it was above the floor only about 2 inches. That way it didn't interfere with the seat and wasn't obviously visible from outside. I just looked back at your pics of the body and frame. I can't tell what the dimensions are, but you might be able to do something similar. The "footprint" of the average battery is about 7" x 9"...

In my roadster, I realized early on that the battery location was going to be a problem. There isn't room under the floor. Since the seats are practically ON the floor, I would have to drop the battery way down and it would be too close to the ground. My first thought was that I would have to run a really small fuel cell to make room for the battery under the rear deck. But Don "Itoldyouso" gave me the answer. In his low-slung lakes style roadster (thread -Project 3K is Underway) he used an Odyssey battery that is only 3" x 7" and 7" tall. He put his on the right frame rail near the rear axle. For my roadster I made a bracket to hang it on the inside of the firewall on top of the trans tunnel. It's hardly visible, but reasonably accessable. It's a dry cell battery and can be mounted in any position. I have attached a pic of the battery and the pieces of the bracket. I was reluctant to use it at first because I like things I can get at any parts store (in case of a breakdown in a remote area), but these things have a life expectacy of 5 - 8 years.

I run a small Odyssey battery in my '32. No problems. You can't crank on them as long as you can a regular battery, but that is the only downside. I've been told the military uses these batteries for some of its applications.

OK guys, I'm on my way out to garage now to see about an alternate location. Thanks for all of the info and suggestions. NOW, while I have your ears(eyes)........When I started I had a front axle from a '49 Ford F1, actually it's still on the car. I found some older ford wheels with the right hole spacing etc., so I went to tire store and found two 185-60x15 tires. So I had them put on the Ford rims. Since then I have put on a coversion kit that gives me Chevy spacing. Now obviously the ford wheels won't work anymore. I thought I would just mount the tires on a chevy wheel and pssst, done! BUT, found that the Ford wheels are 6" at outer rim and the Chevy wheels are 8" or a bit more. So looks like I can't use those tires on those wheels. What now?

Chevy started using the 5 on 4 3/4" pattern in 1949 and I know they were still using it at least up through 2004. Over the years they made millions of 14 and 15 inch wheels in various widths. Your 8" wide wheels probably came off of a Camaro or possibly an S-10 Pickup. If you can find some Chevelle or full-size Chevy wheels, they will probably be 7" wide. Older wheels from the 1950s and early '60s may be 5 1/2", or 6" wide.

A little encouragment:

I built a 30 Hudson pro/stree coupe that took me 8 yrs to build. Hudson and Essix bodies were vewry much the same. The Hudson was longer from the cowel forward, due to it having a Straight 8. I chopped 4" anf filled the top. Thought you might like to see a side pic.

Sorry, I cant figure how to past it on this thing,

Larry

Hi Larry, thanks for the note. I sure would like to see pics of your hudson.

Larry,
The first step in posting a picture is to size it so it won't blow the column all out of shape. 640 x 480 is just about perfect - big enough to be seen clearly, but not so big that we all have to scroll side to side to read the thread.

After you select and size your pictures, type your text in the block below as usual. Instead of clicking on "Post Quick Reply", click on "Go Advanced". That will take you to a different window where your text will appear somewhat like a finished post. Scroll down and you will see your text again in yet another panel where you can edit it and add smilies, etc. Scroll down further and you will find a button that says "Manage Attachments". Click on that and a window will open that has a "Browse" and "Upload" buttons. Click browse, go to the file that holds your picture, and click on the picture that you want to upload. As soon as you click on a picture, the "Manage Attachments" window will reappear; click on "Upload". Momentarily, the picture's file name will appear in that "Manage Attachments" window AND under the "Manage Attachments" button. You can repeat the "Browse" and "Upload" process up to a total of 5 pictures. Finally, click the "Submit Reply" button and your text will appear on the thread with pictures attached.

Sounds like a lot of steps, but after you've done it a couple of times it's really easy...