rear cab panel

After much grinding, a little filler and some sanding. the back of the cab and rear lower corners are starting to take shape. The exterior is all one color for the first time since it was painted by Ford in the 1930's. A few more fills and primer will have the cab ready for paint. But, that's a long way down the road....stay tuned..... to paraphrase my friend Mick F. " Perfection is the mortal enemy of 'close enough'.

cowl repair

Remember that cowl vent that was rotten with rust? I don't have it anymore. I replaced the vent with a rectangular panel of 20gauge steel. Now I have a smooth cowl without the rust.....

lower cab repair

I know, I haven't posted an update for a long time. I've been very busy procrastinating. I finally convinced myself to "bite the bullet" and finish the body work (which I hate due to my lack of skills). The left rear corner and the entire width of the back were rotted away. The patch panels, that I received months ago, have been clamped in place. I need to work on the fit a little more, then tack weld. When the patches are primed, I'll post an update.....

door corner repair

The clutch and brake pedal assy is being modified at the machine shop. In the meantime I am working on the lower door skin repair. The image on the left shows how the lower front of the passenger door has disappeared. I made new door bottoms with the help of Tim. And, as indicated, cut a patch to cover the remaining hole. After welding the patch in place, I'll fill, smooth and primer and be ready for paint. Pedal assy will be ready tomorrow and, barring any further clearance problems, should be ready to tack in place.......

Engine Mounts

Will and I mounted the radiator and then set the body in it's final position so we could locate and fabricate the engine mounts. The blue tape in the image on the left defines the lower edge of the hood center section and the top edge of the door opening. After much head scratching and confirming the position of the engine we made the mounts as shown in the other image. Now the outlets on the water pumps line up with the lower outlets on the radiator. The next phase will involve the positioning of the brake and clutch pedals, followed by "K" members and transmission mount.

Radiator Shell

Yesterday I lowered the front suspension 1 inch and raised the rear 1 inch. I'm getting closer to the "attitude" I'm looking to achieve. This morning I repositioned the engine/trans and put the radiator shell in position. Now I can set the body in place and begin to make all of the brackets. This is my friend Charley. He has been of no help whatsoever on this project. Well, maybe some moral support. Oh ya, that's my dog Copper.......

engine mounts, etc.

After adapting the 5spd transmission to the Ford flathead V/8, I'm ready to begin the fabrication of the body, engine, transmission and shock absorber brackets. Once all the major components are in place, I'll work on the chassis "attitude". That is, making sure the hotrod has the proper stance......stay tuned!!!