RPU, bodywork underway.

[donsrods]

Thanks, guys. Certainly not a show car, but it will be a cool little driver I think. And I won't have to climb over the side any more !


I called an upholstery guy today that we have used before, because the shop near me is dragging their feet in even getting back to to me, and I want to keep moving on this thing. So, I called George, who is a Spanish gentleman, and he has done the entire interior on my son Don's Baja boat, and he also put a new convertible top on my ex wife's Mustang. Both jobs were perfect and CHEAP ! He quoted my son Don about $700 to do the entire interior of his T bucket, carpeting and all. Don's T has been on the road for years, so it is time for a new interior.

George is going to meet with me after 5 pm this Friday and he says about two weeks should do it. So, tonight I laid out the upholstery pattern I want him to do by using a silver sharpie on the black Starboard. This car interior is not exactly symmetrical, side to side, so the pleats on the ends will be slightly different on the drivers seat as opposed to the passengers seat, but my 27 is the same way and you never really notice. Just part of playing with an old car.

Here are some pictures I took tonight of the pattern I drew on the Starboard. My sons have talked me into doing the entire seat in off white to match the dash and firewall. I was going to have the smooth rolls done in black and the 1.5 inch pleats done in the off white, but they feel an entire off white interior would look better. They have good eyes, so I trust their judgement and will go with the all white interior.

Once I have the seat done and installed it will give me a better idea of what I am going to do for the door and side panels.

 

[Torchie]

Going to look great Don. [cl
All off white or a Tuxedo (Black and off white) would both look good to me.
What ever you do. Don't let anyone with unwashed new Blue jeans on the off white interior. It will end up a bit blue. Just ask me how I know.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[donsrods]

Going to look great Don. [cl
All off white or a Tuxedo (Black and off white) would both look good to me.
What ever you do. Don't let anyone with unwashed new Blue jeans on the off white interior. It will end up a bit blue. Just ask me how I know.
[P [P [P
Torchie

I've heard that about jeans. I think, if I remember correctly, that blue jeans are dyed and that dye must come off until they are washed a couple of times and then it sets into the fabric.

 

[Tripper]

I've heard that about jeans. I think, if I remember correctly, that blue jeans are dyed and that dye must come off until they are washed a couple of times and then it sets into the fabric.

I wore black jeans for years & they never stop transferring that dye!

BoB

 

[donsrods]

I've seen the same thing happen to boat vinyl seats, Bob. Not sure why that happens.

My little project for today was to get the gas fill finally glued into place. I thought about how to hold it tightly in place while the panel adhesive set up, and I came up with a simple little wooden fixture where part of it goes under the assembly, then a long threaded bolt comes up out of that, and then a little "bridge" slides down over the bolt, which is then held in place by a washer and nut on the top.

Dan came over after work to help me because this is a two person job, one has to work inside the car and one has to be outside putting the nut on and lightly tightening it down.

I padded everything to keep from scratching my new paint, and we taped up the surrounding areas to keep any panel adhesive from getting on the paint. Then Dan slid the gooped up assembly up into the hole, and I put the top part of the fixture over it and lightly tightened the nut, just enough to hold it in place.

I am going to let it cure for a day or so and then remove the fixture, by that time the panel adhesive should be really dry and holding it all in place.

Not a huge accomplishment, but it was something I needed to do before I start working on the wiring and brake lines. Here are some pictures of how we did it. ( I must have been drunk on that last picture)

 

[donsrods]

I forgot one picture, this shows how the bolt comes up through the assembly and how it is held in place by a wooden block under it all.

 

[Skip]

You're being sneaky about something else with this little decoration, too. Aren't you.

 

[donsrods]

You're being sneaky about something else with this little decoration, too. Aren't you.

What's that, Skip ?

 

[Bamamav]

Dang, even your little jig is finished nice! If it had of been mine, it’d been some rough, nasty stick that I’d picked up and hurriedly nailed together!
Loving the details on this little car!

 

[donsrods]

Dang, even your little jig is finished nice! If it had of been mine, it’d been some rough, nasty stick that I’d picked up and hurriedly nailed together!
Loving the details on this little car!

Haha, if my son had made that jig it would have been chromed and taken a month to build and had engineering drawings submitted ! I did this one behind his back.

 

[bruno]

That is on fine looking jig! Maybe you could go help Torchie finish his boat

 

[Skip]

What's that, Skip ?

The body is a 30-31, and the filler neck is a 28-29. I assumed you liked the early style better (I do). Unless there is some overlap that I am not aware of, that is.

 

[donsrods]

The body is a 30-31, and the filler neck is a 28-29. I assumed you liked the early style better (I do). Unless there is some overlap that I am not aware of, that is.

Yep, there is an overlap, and it is because this body started out as a 1929 MURRAY body, not the more common BRIGGS body. This filler neck is original to this body, Dan cut the tank out of it when he stripped it down. Now, he has a 30 BRIGGS in the rafters, and it does have the smooth (non threaded) neck and uses a twist on cap like a radiator cap to seal the top.

When Ford was building these Murray bodies they were completely different than any body before them. More steel in them, a longer cowl, etc.

Haha, but now I understand what you were looking at !

Today I removed the jig holding the fill neck in place because the panel adhesive was hard as a rock already. I was gentle with it and it will gain strength over the next week, according to the instructions on the tube. I got all the masking tape and junk off and put the cap on, and it looks good. It is in the middle of the cowl, and my engine is offset almost an inch to the passenger side because I needed steering box clearance, that is why the carbs are slightly over to the left. Just the way it has to be, no biggie.

After that I started doing some wiring and got the main power coming in to the fuse box, ran some wiring for the low and high beams to the relays, and also ran wires to the fuel pump and electric fan relays. I am going to build a little panel to hide all the wiring coming up through the floor in that kickup area, and will paint it the same bedliner as the rest of the floor.

Then I had to play around a little, and I slid the dash in place, as well as the dash rail and also the switch panel that goes under the dash. Finally, I mocked up the steering column and temporarily put the steering wheel onto the column with a long bolt, since the steering shaft is not there yet.

Overall, a fun day and it is starting to look like a car !

 

[Skip]

Thank you for the lesson. I've had a couple Model A's, but there is still much to learn.

The cap looks great.
The wiring is old school cool.
The dash and gauges are freakin' awesome.
Way to go! [cl

 

[donsrods]

Thanks, Skip. Yeah, Ford was using a couple of different body builders back then, most notably, Briggs and Murray. Even though both companies made a 1929 "Ford", there were subtle differences between the two.

I am soooooooooo glad to be down to doing wiring. It is relaxing for me, so much better than all that sanding dust and losing my fingerprints. I should have the wiring finished up in a few days and then I can install the dash for the final time, install the steering box and column, and the shifter too. Once all of that is done I can fill the tank, put in all the fluids, and try to fire this thing up for the very first time.

I am anxious to get with George, the upholstery guy on Friday night. Once he brings back the finished seats and carpeting that will pretty much finish the interior and main body.

This weekend Dan and I are going to drag out the bed and mock it up to see what needs done to it to get it built. That part of the build should be somewhat easier than the main body (hopefully).

 

[Torchie]

Looking really Great, Don.[cl
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[donsrods]

Thank you, Torchie, much appreciated.

It is so much fun to be done with the bodywork, at least on the main cab so far, and I am down to doing little things, like the wiring, which I find enjoyable. It is relaxing, and you hook up one wire at a time until things start coming to life.

Today I worked on wiring up the switch panel that mounts under the dash, and it holds my horn button, ignition switch, headlight switch, fan switch, and electric fuel pump switch.

The fuse box I am using is split into three parts. A section for all the grounds to go to. Another section for accessories that are keyed hot. And the last section that is hot all the time (headlights, tail lights, horn ).

As the day went on, more and more things started to work when I pulled out their switches. First the electric fan, then the fuel pump, then the ignition switch started to put power where it needed to go ( I did not turn the key to "start" yet, as my engine is dry, as are the transmission and rear end.)

So, here are some pictures from today. I still have more wiring to hook up, for things like my gauges, the senders on the engine, and the power to the coil ( I have to figure out where I am going to mount the coil yet)

But at least I have lights !!!!!!

 

[bob w]

You're making good progress, Don. The black with white axle, firewall, etc. really works for me. If I ever paint anything I'll probably copy you.

 

[donsrods]

You're making good progress, Don. The black with white axle, firewall, etc. really works for me. If I ever paint anything I'll probably copy you.

Thanks, Bob. I have to admit that I like the milky white contrasting with the satin black. Kinda looks 50-ish to me somehow.

What I just noticed tonight is that when the headlights are on, they illuminate the entire front end assembly. It should look pretty cool going down the road at night. ( Ethel, what the heck is that coming down the road at us ?) lol

 

[BillM]

It does look really cool with the lights on like you said. I'm in awe of how neat and tidy your wiring job is! Makes me want to go back and have another go at mine...