DJ3100
Well-known member
it's kind of Edsel looking.
1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser
- Thread starter DJ3100
- Start date
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it's kind of Edsel looking.
Torchie
Well-known member
For some reason the Canadian Ford cars had way better looking grills then there American Counter parts.
Many a Detroit area custom builder made the trip across the Detroit river to Windsor back in the day to pick up Ford Canadian grills. Looked totally custom but they weren't.[ddd
Tube grill always looks good to me on these era cars DJ. And I hear you on the price of re-chroming these days.
I found two re-chromed 49 Plymouth bumpers on E-bay for way less then what it would have cost me to have just one of mine done. Some one had them done for a project and never used them.
Torchie
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Can't go wrong with a period correct tube grille, it gets my vote.
It moved on it's own and looked good doin' it right? [cl
It moved on it's own and looked good doin' it right? [cl
DJ3100
Well-known member
More on the brakes and clutch
Brakes: finally got a chance to get back to them. There was a lot of air in the e-brake caliper I had just gotten adjusted. I think I got all the air out of the system and I adjusted the pedal a little. Pretty sure they are working, but as others have said on here there isn't much pedal feel with this booster/master combo. Not sure I like it, but maybe I'll get used to it.
After dealing with and reading about the Seville calipers with adjustable parking brake, I'm not sure I want to keep them. I'll do a write up and put it on a tech thread.
The clutch is right on the edge of working, but the 3/4" master just doesn't put out enough volume to get the rest of the travel. I had ordered a 13/16 bore master, but after doing all the math, I need a 1" bore. So, it's on the way. The alternative was to go with a smaller slave, but I like the one I have.
Brakes: finally got a chance to get back to them. There was a lot of air in the e-brake caliper I had just gotten adjusted. I think I got all the air out of the system and I adjusted the pedal a little. Pretty sure they are working, but as others have said on here there isn't much pedal feel with this booster/master combo. Not sure I like it, but maybe I'll get used to it.
After dealing with and reading about the Seville calipers with adjustable parking brake, I'm not sure I want to keep them. I'll do a write up and put it on a tech thread.
The clutch is right on the edge of working, but the 3/4" master just doesn't put out enough volume to get the rest of the travel. I had ordered a 13/16 bore master, but after doing all the math, I need a 1" bore. So, it's on the way. The alternative was to go with a smaller slave, but I like the one I have.
DJ3100
Well-known member
Here's a link to my thread on the Seville 79-85 calipers with internal parking brake:
http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?p=465762#post465762
http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?p=465762#post465762
DJ3100
Well-known member
Grille
Got a chance to work on the grille a little.
Been trying to figure how to mock it up and finally came up with the foam packing stuff that has been laying around the shop. Punched the holes with the same tube as the grille.
The center of the opening is taller than the ends. I'd like the tubes to be parallel with the hood and with the valance. I don't want to cut the parking light buckets if I don't have to.
I wanted to get a look at the density, spacing and gaps at the top an bottom. The spacing of the bottom bar is not correct, but the density suits me and in general the spacing will work.
On this mock-up the outside follows the curve in the bucket; the center is straight. I think I'll try one with the center curved.
Got a chance to work on the grille a little.
Been trying to figure how to mock it up and finally came up with the foam packing stuff that has been laying around the shop. Punched the holes with the same tube as the grille.
The center of the opening is taller than the ends. I'd like the tubes to be parallel with the hood and with the valance. I don't want to cut the parking light buckets if I don't have to.
I wanted to get a look at the density, spacing and gaps at the top an bottom. The spacing of the bottom bar is not correct, but the density suits me and in general the spacing will work.
On this mock-up the outside follows the curve in the bucket; the center is straight. I think I'll try one with the center curved.
Attachments
I-R-POPS
''Rusty Mopar Slacker''
[cl[cl[P[P[cl[cl I like the way a simple, clean tube grill looks. Carry on brother.
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Lookin' just the way i hoped it would.
bob w
Still crazy after all these years!
That looks really good.
Torchie
Well-known member
All of the above.....
Torchie
Torchie
Old Iron
Well-known member
That's real clean lookin [cl [P
DJ3100
Well-known member
Thanks everyone. I thought it needed a custom detail in the front.
We'll have to see how the execution turns out. I haven't yet figured out how to get it built without screwing it up. It certainly is more fun than trying to make the clutch and brakes work.
We'll have to see how the execution turns out. I haven't yet figured out how to get it built without screwing it up. It certainly is more fun than trying to make the clutch and brakes work.
soltz
The Rat Captain
good work, looks good. [cl
i should think the execution will be just fine.
i should think the execution will be just fine.
You know when you started saying you were going to make a tube grille all these visions of the terrible tube grille era of the 80's started flooding back! I was able to function again after reverting to 90's grunge rock and buying some 18" low profile tires
DJ3100
Well-known member
I made a paper template of the bucket opening followed by 24 gauge steel to further refine the pattern and figure out where the holes for the tubes should go.
Then I made it out of 18 ga Stainless and put in the holes. The bucket tapers, but it's a radius not a pure cone. The SS didn't want to go go where it needed to.
The plan is to use the tabs on the inside, and weld the outer plate to the inner one. Then form it to match the bucket a little better.
Then I made it out of 18 ga Stainless and put in the holes. The bucket tapers, but it's a radius not a pure cone. The SS didn't want to go go where it needed to.
The plan is to use the tabs on the inside, and weld the outer plate to the inner one. Then form it to match the bucket a little better.
Attachments
DJ3100
Well-known member
The clutch master showed up yesterday afternoon. I put it on this morning. But the pedal didn't move and there was the distinct sound of a spring binding. Took the master back out and took it apart. The spring was coiled up in the bottom of the cylinder.
Straightened the spring, and got the master where it felt good. Went to put the snap ring on and it slipped off the snap ring pliers and disappeared. (Of course I found the original snap ring minutes after I returned from the hardware and had the cylinder reinstalled.)
It bled out easily (I have a lot of recent experience at bleeding clutches) and it has all the travel it will need. The pedal is a little heavier, but oh well.
But, now I need to relocate the engine fuse panel.
Straightened the spring, and got the master where it felt good. Went to put the snap ring on and it slipped off the snap ring pliers and disappeared. (Of course I found the original snap ring minutes after I returned from the hardware and had the cylinder reinstalled.)
It bled out easily (I have a lot of recent experience at bleeding clutches) and it has all the travel it will need. The pedal is a little heavier, but oh well.
But, now I need to relocate the engine fuse panel.
Attachments
Torchie
Well-known member
Good news on the clutch cylinder.[cl
The grill on your friends car looks like one of the many after market tube grills that were available. Kind of a generic one sizes fits all sort of deal. I had one on one of my 57 Chevies back in the early 70's when you could still buy them from companies J C Whitney. I think it may have cost all of $10.
Your version is going to look so much better.
Torchie
The grill on your friends car looks like one of the many after market tube grills that were available. Kind of a generic one sizes fits all sort of deal. I had one on one of my 57 Chevies back in the early 70's when you could still buy them from companies J C Whitney. I think it may have cost all of $10.
Your version is going to look so much better.
Torchie
DJ3100
Well-known member
Grille
I have been struggling to figure out how to position the grille bars so I could get everything welded in the correct position. I knew wanted to keep the general contour of the stock grill, but keeping it in place where there was access to the back was proving to be beyond my imagination.
Then I remembered I had a grill - actually 2 grilles. I decided to keep the best one as a back-up - paint it body color an move on. I used the other one to make the new grille.
I started by cutting the center out of both sections.
Then measured and divided by the number of spaces to get the spacer size. The center is wider than the ends and needed a little more than 5/8 - used tape to get an added .012". Alum foil was wrapped around one so I could weld next to it.
I didn't weld in the outer 3/4" bars until after I cut the top and bottom out of stock grille. Screwed up on the first half and ran the bars over the mounting holes - had to fix that.
I sanded off all the plating I could, but there was still plating and rust so I used silicon bronze to Tig braze the bars in place.
I still have some trimming to do and there is a cover for the joint in the center. It's not done, but I'm happy with it so far.
I have been struggling to figure out how to position the grille bars so I could get everything welded in the correct position. I knew wanted to keep the general contour of the stock grill, but keeping it in place where there was access to the back was proving to be beyond my imagination.
Then I remembered I had a grill - actually 2 grilles. I decided to keep the best one as a back-up - paint it body color an move on. I used the other one to make the new grille.
I started by cutting the center out of both sections.
Then measured and divided by the number of spaces to get the spacer size. The center is wider than the ends and needed a little more than 5/8 - used tape to get an added .012". Alum foil was wrapped around one so I could weld next to it.
I didn't weld in the outer 3/4" bars until after I cut the top and bottom out of stock grille. Screwed up on the first half and ran the bars over the mounting holes - had to fix that.
I sanded off all the plating I could, but there was still plating and rust so I used silicon bronze to Tig braze the bars in place.
I still have some trimming to do and there is a cover for the joint in the center. It's not done, but I'm happy with it so far.
