Thread: 1929 Essex Highboy

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With a little luck I might get some pictures of our '29 Coupe on here! My oldest Grandson (Steve) and I got this in September of 2007. Lucky find (for us) and not in bad condition considering some I've seen. Came home in pieces.

Looks to be in good condition!! Always liked the Essex cars, had a sedan once, got it about 70% done and found someone that wanted it more then I did!!! I'd say a real good find!

So----------being as we were sucessful with the first batch, here is another segment. We found a bunch of flathead (and other) parts up in Monson, and while on our way back we stopped in to a backwoods auto grave yard to have a look. While there another guy came along, and seeing our trailer load of 'goodies', he spied a 3 speed tranny from a '49 ford F1 that we had. After some chit chat, he said he'd like to have it. Having made a 'deal' we followed him to his garage. While there he showed us a few of his rod projects, and pictures of completed projects he has done and sold. NICE. After a couple of hours, getting ready to leave, I told him we were looking for an old pickup or coupe project if he chanced upon something. To which he replied, "I've got just what you are looking for". On a later visit to his house, he showed us the Essex. And after an exchange of greenbacks, we made arrangements to come again with a trailer. The previous pictures are after the trip to get it a couple of weekends later. And now----------TA DAH, here is the first mockup. By the way, please forgive our humble workshop. It is an abandoned greenhouse with blue plastic tarps to keep the Maine weather out. But BIG, 30 ft. by 32 ft. Just cold/hot. haahaaaa.

Next step was to build an elevated platform to assemble the parts of the body on, and to give us a flat surface to mock up the frame--yep, the usual 2 x 4 wooden version.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch---------we acquired a Chevy inline 6 motor, 230 cu.in. from a '69 Camaro (reasonable).* And a guy we bought some other 'junk' from gave us an old Model A frame.* It had it's faults, but for free?? We'll use it!! This pic also shows our new air compressor (home depot), this in November of '07.* Note that we haven't been able to use it (lack of 220 volt power) until November of '08.* hmmmm, warranty still good I wonder?Also here, parts of 2 x 4 (spruce) frame.* Well--------cheaper than steel.

Started with an old Model A front axle, spring, bones----but the durned spring perch bolts offered some resistance, so out came the gas axe---
Yup, you guessed it, ruinet it.
So in our growing pile of jun---ehhh, parts, we had a front axle from a '49 ford F1. OK. Good. We cut off the parallel springs, then trimmed the mounting pads off. Got plans for home brew bat wings, thanks to my Mentor and new Friend from Florida!
Also came up with a grille shell from a Model A (year unknown) that came with the radiator. Turned out we couldn't use the rad, but ???
And with so much adverse comments about our wooden frame, I broke down and bought some 4 x 2 steel square tubing to replace it with.
WOW, having a blast. Should've done this years ago!

A true dedicated rodder. Looks good! Keep us informed.

Essex with a Camero 6 cyl. Now that's original!!!

Peace

...."Gas Axe"....

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!!!!!!!
ROTFLMAO, never heard that before. Thanks for that.

Cool project, I had a 29 Essex couple about 3 years ago, they are pretty rare
bodys to find these days, if interested the resto can be seen here
www.automotivesheetmetel.com If you need parts i have a few sites i can
Im you.

Hey Redrodman, that Essex rebuild looks great. I would like to see shots of the roof build, is it wood like original? I have been thinking (worrying) about that ever since I brought it home. I need two good doors, but probably can't afford them. My passenger door is from a '27-28, and is rotten inside. My driver door is from a '29, but also is in very poor shape. Thanks for the post. Perley

Whoops I spelt sheetmetal wrong. Well at least you knew what i meant.I dont
know too much about the roof other than he filled it. On the website it has
Scotts ph # give him a shout Im sure he`d be glad to yak to you about it.
Tell him Bill from Victoria sent you. Hers a site that may be helpfull yo ya.
www.restored-classics.com , click on Hudson parts,and then on the blue
section on the right ,click on Essex

Hi Perley. I see you got your thread up & going. There are some pictures here I hadn't seen before... Your grille shell is probably a '28 (Model-A). The '29's were chromed from the factory; '28's were painted. That's assuming it's a passenger car shell. It's my understanding that some '29 commercial shells were painted, too. Maybe some of the Model-A experts can clarifiy that.

There's nothing sweeter sounding than an inline six with split exhaust manifold and dual glasspack mufflers...

I've heard a torch called a "blue wrench", "smoke wrench", "hot wrench", and a "Mexican speed wrench", but "gas axe" beats 'em all. That's a good one...

Here's another pic of the mock up. And a shot of the dashboard. An interesting note here-----the '29 was unique among the Essex family as it had pine cone/tree branch motiff, as you might see (sort of) on the instrument panel. It is my understanding that this was the only year for that. Not widely accepted by the buying public I guess. The door and window handles had that also. Must have been nice!
OOOOOPPS, sorry, we actually do have 'watch cats' too. This one also a first class mouser (and birder). 3 of them total. Actually 4, but one is strictly an inside cat.
Found a bargain on a Chevy S-10, '91 vintage, from which we got a Borg Warner T-5 manual 5 speed tranny. Here it is along with a picture of the older S-10 rear. This one is from a 4 x 4 truck and these are 5 inches wider than the two wheel drive version. And just so you know up front that I do (more than) my share of wrong things, here is a shot of a Camaro bell housing I bought off ebay. I was told that any SBC bell housing would fit my Inline 6 and adapt to the T-5 tranny. Well---------not quite. The eighties versions had this "60 degree" tilt. UGH. Eventually I did find a proper one (90 degree).

Here is a shot of the '49 front axle after cutting off the 4 bolt hole mounting flanges. I shake a lot with the torch going! I'm real good at grinding though! haahaa And a shot of the input shaft of the T-5 transmission. This had to be cut off by 9/16 ths of an inch, also the bearing retainer the same amount, so it would fit the crankshaft hole and bushing in the Inline 6 engine. What a tussle I've had with that combo, I-6 and T-5. WOW. The bell housing thing, the need for cutting the input shaft and bearing retainer, and finding a flywheel, pressure plate and clutch plate, all to fit this combo! I've read everything I could find pertaining to the T-5's on the Internet. Just when I would say, AHA, another wrinkle would turn up. Finally got a 13 inch flywheel from a SBC off ebay, then a pressure plate (and I thought) a clutch plate from a fellow hot rodder friend, only to find that the clutch plate had a different number of 'gear' teeth on the hub than the tranny. In the end I had to get one 'special' from Fort Wayne Clutch and Driveline! Thanks folks. Great experience, that. And here is a shot of the mockup table with a relief hole for the 'pumpkin' so I could mock up the rear axle. And the rear axle in place under the 'floor'. The 4 x 4 rear end is perfect in width for this application. And driven from the six cylinder, it should last forever!
That's it for this segment. They are going to be rapid-fire because I've been working on it for over a year. Just now got up courage to try the build site thing, thanks to my Mentor! Thanks Friend. Perley

Onward and Upward-----
The 'Z', or kickup on the rear of the frame was predicated by the necessity of space for axle movement under the frame yet keeping the body from being 'step ladder' height! And yet giving some thought to some day having a rumble seat, after all, it IS a rumble seat coupe! I thought the 4" kick would be ok, but I wish (kinda) now that I had gone another 2". But it's not bad. Much lower and I would've had to put a skid plate underneath! This is Maine, don'tchaknow? Yeah, we got roads, but hardly more than wagon trails. heehee
Here is a shot of the Model 'A' grille shell and stock radiator. I was told that this was from a truck model, and my Mentor confirms this. In the end I couldn't use the radiator for the overall height was taller than the cowl. So on advice from my Mentor I got a '65/66 Mustang radiator (off ebay). Works perfect, thanks Friend. And a picture of a Model 'A' front spring I got. This turned out to be too wide for this application. I found that a house trailer (mobile home) spring was exactly the right width and the same as sold from some of the hot rod stores. For FREE too, from a long time friend.
And a shot of the Model 'A' front axle and bones that I ruined with the torch (gas axe). By the way, I didn't invent that phrase, I read it somewhere (on another forum). I take no credit for it, other than to propagate it's use! That's it for today folks. I'm tired and it's an hour past my bed time. This work business is for the young and hardy. heeehee