Thread: 1929 Essex Highboy

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Perley guy I work with put a 4 cyl on a little tractor with a snow thrower . He said at idle thing would move snow 20 ft . With some revs it would throw rocks a long way off . > Still reading here and watching your build .

Old rodder43--I haven't followed your post too closely---I've been off in "model steam engine world" for the past 9 months, as I had reached "burn out" on the whole hotrodding thing. However, I still cruise the hotrod websites to "Stay in touch". My "Wild Canary" will ride again, when and if we ever get rid of this damned cold weather and snow, come May. You are absolutely correct in your assumption---The little "towers" on top of my upper mount is designed to let me use a marginally longer shock, to get the rearend travel I need. There is no commercially available shock to work on the rear end that is short enough to fit between the upper and lower spring cup plates. The shocks that I used are Monroe, #5751ST 28-80283, purchased at Partsource. I just checked my "build book" and see that I have written that they are 8 1/2" retracted and 13 3/4" extended, with an optimum length of 11 1/8". I am not sure now, (its been 5 years) but I think those lengths are to the critical mounting surfaces where the top and bottom shafts end and the threaded shaft portion starts at each end. As far as the grill shell goes---Don't try and save $200 now, and then have to live with something ugly after the fact. You can pick up a fiberglass 32 grillshell for under $200 and build a very nice insert for about $20 worth of 1/4" cold rolled steel rod. I did a good thread on that when I built mine.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...d+grill+insert

oldrodder43 thats a great looking car I really like the 6 it should be good on gas with that 5 speed is the frame done yet anything I can help with let me know

Hi Perley! I recently saw a '28 or '29 Model-A that had a grille insert made of expanded aluminum mesh. Everything that was visible through the grille shell opening was painted flat black including the aluminum mesh. From just a few feet away, you couldn't tell it from a stock '28-'29 radiator. I don't know how the mesh was attached to the back of the shell, but it could be done with a few small dabs of body filler, JB Weld, or silicone sealer on the back inside of the shell...

If you want to put a '32 shell on it someday down the road, I bought mine (fiberglass) for $90 at the Turkey Run a few years ago and made my own grille insert from 1/4" round stock (frame) and 1/8" welding rod (teeth). The chrome surround on the grille is plastic stick-on wheel opening molding available at any auto parts store.

Thanks Old Cars, and thanks for the offer of help. Wish we lived closer together--------I was gonna say, wish you lived closer to me, but I'm sure the weather is nicer down there! It's below zero tonight (and last night) and wind chill is horrid. I won't be in the garage until it warms back up again.

J. Robinson. Your T is coming along really well. I like it. Wish I could get back down there this year to see it, but --- ALAS.
I plan on doing the expanded metal thing in some form at this point, but everything is subject to change, you know? I know the '32 shells are really popular, but I have no bad feelings about the A shell. It was cheap and it is in good shape, so Why Not? I suspect most people won't be standing there starring at the radiator through the grill.
Warmer days are ahead, so this is only a temporary slow down. Meanwhile, I'll be watching other's builds. Always get ideas! Thanks again for all of your help. Perley

OK, Perley. I know from our online conversations that things have been progressing on the Essex. How about some updates and pictures here? It's been eight months...

Hello Jim. Yeah, making some progress, for sure. I will post some updates pretty soon. It's getting too dark now to do any work on it after day work, so more time for computer!!!!!!
Thanks for the inquiry. Perley

Originally Posted by oldrodder43

Hello Jim. Yeah, making some progress, for sure. I will post some updates pretty soon. It's getting too dark now to do any work on it after day work, so more time for computer!!!!!!
Thanks for the inquiry. Perley

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Well folks, here I am again!* ** After a loooonnng Maine winter and a wet cold Spring, finally got back to work on the Essex, around the end of June or first of July as I remember.* Darn, the cold gets into these old bones now.* First shot here is of my helpers ---------- My two Boston Terriers, constant companions, relaxing in the den.* Taken over visitor's chair, since I have no visitors (much) anyways!* Next shot is starting the mounts for the headlights and shock absorbers.* I took 2 x 2 box tubing and cut away one side of it, making a U of sorts.* Scribed it to fit the frame horns, made a pie cut and folded over the remainder to make a top, then welded it all up, tacked it on and tried the shock!* Notice I did this on the PASSENGER side, DUH.* You'll see why I shouldn't have later!* Here is a shot of one of my headlights, they are Speedlight, and appear like they have only one light level, not low and high.* I may have to add some small driving lights later on for real world night driving!* This last shot shows the shallow angle of the shocks.* Don't like it -- but I guess things happen that way!!!!!!!!!!* ***** Perley

Arrrrggghhhhh--------This first pic shows a rear view of the driver's side light/shok mount, shallow angle, andddddd, interferance with steering arm!* ** I tell you, I don't make ANY mistakes, but WHEN I do, they're beauties!* The shok was laying down at such an angle as to stop the steering arm in mid travel before it had adequate swing to turn to the left--------Well, take left hand turns in stages, huh?* heeheeeee.* I NEVER even noticed this at the time, believe it!* I'll tell you more later on.* heeheeee.* Now making body mounts from 2 x 2 box tube.* Nothing scientific about this, simply cut and weld, whoops, gotta take body off first.* Don't do good welding upside down---------barely able to weld right side up.* Mock-up to determine where to attach to frame. Two main supports, one at'A' Pillar (this shows another mess up, front main cross member lies right across shifter plate, had to cut it and modify it so I could install/remove shifter assembly!) and the other at 'B' Pillar.
Here are both mounts on pass side welded on.* And then both mounts on driver side.*** Enjoy!

First photo shows Essex body piggybacked on my other project -- a '47 Ford effie gonna-be a pickup truck.
I ran out of room to park that on the floor, so used the bareback frame for sawhorses!!!

The hinges are sooooo rusty that I haven't been able to get them free/working yet.

I have 38 and 40 chev pickup cabs that had the same issue. One of the doors was rusted open and so I sprayed some Fluid Film on it when I was out to where they are stored. It was about 2 weeks later before I got back out there and the door was swinging freely.

Thank you for that tip, Pastor Bubba. But what is fluid film, I am not acquainted with that? I haven't tried anything on them yet, just tried to manhandle them!

It is a rust and corrosion preventive and I just came upon it about 3 months or so ago, but have been impressed with what it does. Their website is www.fluid-film.com.

Here I am getting the engine ready for paint. I was going to leave it Chevy Red, but my Friend Jim suggested that black would be better in that it wouldn't show oil spills (UGH) So then I was torn between doing what was right and doing what was quick (and easy)! heeeheee
In the end I figured I better do the right thing, so degreaser (6 cans), scrape and dig, dish detergent spray, and lots of water. Then wire brush, more scraping, more digging, more, more and finally ready. I used the air to blow it off then rattle can spray Hammered Black R.OL. heeeheee.
Perley