1949 Ford bobber build

[sgtpontiac]

If it actually throws shadows....

I think it looks better with the lights back right over the mount. Prolly cuz I'm feeling to lazy to build a extended mount. If I needed I could use a hole saw or a knock out cutter in my lower valence an add some driving lights. That would give me a excuse to buy some used knock out cutters.[S

Can't you just make a short extension off the original mount pretty quick? I'd hate to see you have to re engineer those mounts as they look really cool....and do they actually throw some crazy shadow?? Your killin us....have you actually turned them on in the first location??? Put it on, light it up....show me the money!!!!

 

[gold03]

Hey Sgt. I. Got a plan. I will replace the pot metal mount with my brain storm

 

[gold03]

Got a do over

I decided to bite the bullet and reduce the rear frame Z by two inches. I built it for 33 inch rear tires now I'm switching to 31 inch. So cot and re weld is in order.

Pictures to follow.

 

[sgtpontiac]

OK....did I miss the brain storm....

Hey Sgt. I. Got a plan. I will replace the pot metal mount with my brain storm

or is it still blowin around in your head??? LOL.....

 

[gold03]

It's always blowing around in there! To much mental engineering lately and not enough progress. [S

 

[Torchie]

It's always blowing around in there! To much mental engineering lately and not enough progress. [S

You are not alone.There seems to be alot of that going around.[S
Torchie.

 

[gold03]

Almost done redoing what I already had done

OK, so i decided that 33 inch tires are not realistic. I redid the back clip dropping it all down for 31 inch tires. Probably a better combination with a flat head motor and 4:10 gears. Tires are much more available. I will need 16 inch in back and 15 in front. Bigs and littles. 31 inch in rear and 25 inch in front.

Tomorrow I will order my rims.

Here are the pics of the redo. I cut the four link brackets off with a SAWS ALL. That is a pile of work, but nice clean close cut. Cut the frame off with a combination of grinders. I have it all tacked in place ready for final weld tomorrow.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Ouch!!!

You are not alone.There seems to be alot of that going around.[S
Torchie.

I think that was aimed at me.....LOL... if not...it fit....

 

[Torchie]

OK, so i decided that 33 inch tires are not realistic. I redid the back clip dropping it all down for 31 inch tires. Probably a better combination with a flat head motor and 4:10 gears. Tires are much more available. I will need 16 inch in back and 15 in front. Bigs and littles. 31 inch in rear and 25 inch in front.

Tomorrow I will order my rims.

Here are the pics of the redo. I cut the four link brackets off with a SAWS ALL. That is a pile of work, but nice clean close cut. Cut the frame off with a combination of grinders. I have it all tacked in place ready for final weld tomorrow.

Great looking work as usual gold 03. Builds like these are always evolving. That's what makes them fun to watch. Glad to hear that you are running the Flatty. Go with straight pipes. They sound great that way.

I think that was aimed at me.....LOL... if not...it fit....

Mostly aimed at my self Sarge as my latest post will attest to. Just seems to be something in the air.....

Torchie.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Nobody more frustrated about life getting in the way

of my build than me.....but apparently thats the way the Lord planned it....
Adapt, Improvise and overcome.....but I've gotten a few things out of the way...but don't want to jinx it.....so I'll shut up....

 

[gold03]

Got some welding time in yesterday. I actually got it straighter this time[S. The whole thing actually worked out easier than I thought. I did one bracket at a time and used the four link bars to line it up, tacked it, then did the same with the other side. When I cut two inches out of the Z, I left the four link all in place and used a couple of pipe stands to support the back half while I cleaned it up with the grinder. I used the 220 stick to glue it all back together.

I'm going to add a fish plate to the inside of the upper Z joint and weld in the front cross member today. I'm going to lose the funky gussets and make some new ones. These ones got chopped up a bit.

Wheels. Holy expensive Batman But I want what I want. Going to go with OE style steel, chrome rings and small centre caps. Wife says it has to have the little chrome rings and hub caps... And I want to keep her happy

Tires. Coker classic radials or Firestone bias tires. 700 R 16 in back and 550 R 16 up front. [S gotta choose... Soon. I think I like the black wall Coker Classics. Kinda makes the chrome pop a bit more.

All black truck with chrome accents. Factory chrome and the wheel bits is the look.

Pictures to follow.

 

[Torchie]

Sounds great 03. Nothing wrong with blackwalls.
Another Co. to check into is Diamond Back Tires if you want radials.
Also look at Lucas Classic Tires as well. Lucas carries both Radials and Bias Ply.
Torchie.

 

[klink]

Wheels. Holy expensive Batman But I want what I want. Going to go with OE style steel, chrome rings and small centre caps. Wife says it has to have the little chrome rings and hub caps... And I want to keep her happy

Funny how 30+ years ago we couldn't wait to ditch the OE steelies... now we're paying a premium for them, who knew.

 

[gold03]

Thanks for the heads up on the tires Torchie.

Funny thing about alloy rims, I can get them for about $90.00 each. Problem is they are so damn ugly.

Here are some pictures of my frame rework. Looks much as it did before, just a shorter kick up. I added a 6X6 plate as a fish plate that also acts as a corner gusset. My vertical up welding is getting better, but still not the art work my buddy Huck produces.

 

[gold03]

HELP!!

I need some help. My passenger door is stretched like a saggy old lady's butt. It had a serious crease and a pretty good deny on the lower rear corner.

After days of trying to repair it, I'm ready to look at wheeling up a door skin. I've never skinned a door. Let alone a 49 Ford door.

The door is in pretty good shape from the door lock up. Am I better off cutting there, or at the body line?

The body line would help keep things straight, but I'm not sure about my ability to wheel a piece that large.

 

[bob w]

Tator, who is a member here on RRR made a full door skin for his '37 Chevy pickup. He bent a 90 degree lip on all 4 sides of a flat sheet that was cut to the right amount of oversize. Using a shrinker he was able to put the right amount of bulge into the panel. I've seen the result and it looks perfect.
Maybe he'll chime in with more information, or correct any errors I made in this description.

 

[Torchie]

Take a look at heat shrinking it. You can get a shrinking disc on fleabay or thru eastwood or just google it.
Also take a look at youtube for some video's as well.
The guy that taught me just used a torch But that was back in the 70's before all this new fangled stuff.
I am not trying to discourage you from using a wheel to make one. Just pointing out that the original one may be salvagable.
Good luck and post pics.
Torchie[

 

[gold03]

The problem started with me shrinking it. Then I realized I over did it [S those doors are tough to get a dolly inside to stretch it back out.

The door originally has a dome. Now feels like the moon. I have been fighting a bad oil can area that is about 20% of the door surface.

I have seen shrinking disks. I could give that a try. Might take out some of the lumps.

 

[Torchie]

You must have used a torch?
The disc's seem to give better control. Just the high spots get the heat.
I have heard of people popping out the oil can spot then making an X-cut and welding the cut backup to take out the oil canning.....
Keep at it and you will get it.
At least you are working on yours gold03. I haven't even had the time to go through my shop on the way out of the house lately

I did go and look at a box yesterday though and I have a pair of good front fenders coming so I will have to count that as progress.
Torchie.

 

[gold03]

The door was the first sheet metal repair I tried. I repaired a deep crease incorrectly. I either have to live with some bondo, or try my hand at making a panel to replace it. It's not critical at this point, but will need to be done.

I want to use this as a learning opportunity before I tackle the roof.