No Hot Rod work today I am still working on the ceiling frame work. Slow going when yo work by yourself. I had to make brackets off the collar ties to hold this long piece and let me get it level before making it permanent. It is dead level and I have another 12 feet to go this is only 14 feet done. I think by Monday Ill be back on the car. Ill do this ceiling in stages next month I will do the sides left and right from center. I took a photo or so to prove im not goofing off on the job!!
Scratch Building a Coupe
- Thread starter rsfyj
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
I am done with the ceiling for this month. my allotment is gone. next month ill get the 2X4 for each side of the center beam. I want this ceiling thing done before warm weather. Monday I go after the Mekur and start taking parts off for the Coupe.
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Well I never got to take anything off the merkur. I was tripping over debri from the wood work on the beam and left overs from welding the Coupe. I spent the day cleaning and moving junk around to make room for the parts I get. So I plan of parting out the Merkur.
All I accomplished today was to cut the lower bar from my wind shield to give me a taller view when sitting in the cock pit area. I also added supports under the bar before cutting with the saws all. I have a few photos of this operation. I also have a few photos of the Merkur engine bay where i am going to strip the wiring and other stuff for my Coupe. However we have a problem of transferring ownership so we are on hold for a while to see what develops. I have some photos coming,.
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Everything is all worked out now and I can go to town on this Merkur parts. I started today and got the dash , steering wheel and post out. I also cut the front and back wiring to the lights and other stuff so I can re-splice them when i am ready. just follow the color codes from the manual etc. This will be a while doing all this part robbing and figuring out what i want and what I don't want. I have some photos of what I did get today. The nice part is I got the instrument cluster with the speedometer and tachometer all in one unit and I like the looks of it. I will use this for sure in my dash as it will work right off after i re-splice it back to my car. It goes with the engine package i am installing in the coupe. My plan is to strip the body and wiring goodies off the car. And save a rolling chassis with 4 tires and suspension for a frame for another Hot Rod. This has an independent rear suspension etc. Just ripe for a small v/8 and a tubing chasis. maybe,,hmmm
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ronnysplymouth
Well-known member
I watch your post daily and am eager to see your progress......great job........I'm confused on what your doing with the framing in your garage roof though.
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
jmlcolorado
Well-known member
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!
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
Fascinated by rolling objects!
I enjoy your updates. Like how you are looking ahead to the next project which means you are not burning out with this one
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.
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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.
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..
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rex1927
Well-known member
Nice project
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!
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!
