Scratch Building a Coupe

[jmlcolorado]

Originally Posted by rsfyj

I am lowering the ceiling it is ten feet high and open to the rafters I lose heat fast. So I am lowering the ceiling to 8 feet so I can save all the heat I generate. That's what i am doing. When its cold outside i can only get the temperature up to about 55 degrees makes my hands numb, eheheh

Be careful with just 8 feet! I hardly have enough room to lift my cab off me frame with the cherry picker with my 8' ceilings!
I've also made it a point to get new tubes for the lights every time I'm at home depot since I break them out so often

I would PAY for 10' ceilings! You'd be surprised how well the finished ceilings will hold heat despite the height!

[rsfyj]

I had ten foot ceilings since 1968 only for working on trucks, i wont need to lift my car that high as I have a ramp outside for that. I trashed my florescent lights they will not light when the weather is cold and damp it takes heat for them to work good. I went to all the new screw in bulbs with the curly look. they work good. You need heat for at least 8 months in the north east to stay comfortable while working.

[earthman]

I enjoy your updates. Like how you are looking ahead to the next project which means you are not burning out with this one

[rsfyj]

Well you know junk yards think they have gold now a days. This rolling chassis would cost you 700 dollars with a rear independent suspension. Don’t know if Ill live that long to use it but don’t throw it away.

[rsfyj]

Got some more goodies today. I took out the bucket seats which will need work they are shabby. My wife can redo them she did my 1948 Ford that had 1964 Galaxie Buckets in them. I was able to get all the ECM wiring all in one bundle this works all the turbo sensors and injectors etc. Tomorrow I will take out the seat belts for the bucket seats. And then i will move to the rear and try to get the gas tank wih all the electric fuel pumps etc. Plus reclaim the rear lighting wiring. This will save me time and all i have to do is re-splice what i want to keep. I also took out all the heating accessories in case i have room for this also. Fans , ducts,swicthes, heater core.

[rsfyj]

More messy stuff

[rsfyj]

The photo with the Merkur dash sitting in the windshield area of the coupe is to see what it will look like. And also where to cut the dash for fitting. It is ready made for all the parts taken out from it. i will re-assemble the things I want and I may put in a extra -place for some real gauges oil.amp,heat.boost all in one cluster panel.

[rsfyj]

A whole morning was wasted cutting and fitting the dash to my Coupe. Everything came out in the wrong place for me. The steering cut-out was to far to the right and the gauge cluster was to low as well as the whole dash. It sort of looks okay but I will trash it and go for a custom made set up for me. I will put in a flat dash of 18 gauge steel and then I can locate the steering cut out and brackets where I want them. Also I can raise the gauge cluster box higher and make the dash not as wide for more under dash room for my legs and looks. Some times your thoughts look better in your mind , until you actually see the end result. No big deal I still have the brake and clutch assembly with the steering brackets from the Mustang 2. I will fabricate this stuff into my dash. I reclaimed the seat belts and a4re in a box. The bucket seats seam to be to wide for my coupe so I think I will make a bench seat that moves using the under carriage from both bucket seats., They also have the female part to the seat belts. The only thing left in the Merkur is the gas tank and the electric fuel pumps etc. I will work on getting them out soon. I have a few pictures of what was almost usable dash..

[rex1927]

That dash looks nice in there,but I understand what you mean about building custom dash.Sometimes it is better to make a part than spend countless hours trying to make used part fit.
I really like your project and I check your progress every day.
Great job!

[rsfyj]

Thanks got to spend time doing something....