51 Ford

[jaybee]

That's coming together nice. Tough stuff making one of these fit well. They really aren't even made to fit well.

[idrivejunk]

That's coming together nice. Tough stuff making one of these fit well. They really aren't even made to fit well.

They sure were constructed for a loose fit and its tough to predict how much of that it will still need but...

As KB kinda just suggested (whew, thought I might have stepped on a toe, Bill. Frank knows to let me stomp all around his, never flinches.)...

Not unlike the prewar stuff, a wild array of variation comes at you, in utter defiance. You peel back major layers of discrepancy, then moderate, then minor, then one day long after the rod breaks your spirit and you stop trying to spit out the bit (horse reference)...

an originally intended overall flow of contour catches your eye and you get it.    From there on out, the nightmare fades. Overwhelming sense of accomplishment arrives and you grin and think of how long ago it was new. I am now having that pleasure once again. But it is hard to achieve.

Thanks!

[idrivejunk]

Bingo!

Thanks Stand by for better looks at fit, but... I thought these smooth treatments around the latch and striker, once bathed in tasteful color, will have a sensible but slick vibe. Part of me hesitated about putting the edge of the striker filler panel outside the hood's bottom lip but man, this way just looks so much cleaner.

Boss and I were just texting over how to pause with least backward steps. Sent him a current status sketch page to ease his mind and help plan. I entered run like hell mode the moment I was satisfied with hood operation. Theres a vertical latch support now, etc and I have a clear shot at what remains to fix. You'll see  

Just remember guys, that last night I spilled all thoughts about all of this. Then lost them. That was so tragic to me because everything was thoughtfully covered. Wah, but I can't make any effort to re-say any of it. So if there's a question, ask.

[idrivejunk]

If I am doing a complicated post, many times I will type it in windows notepad, then when it's right I'll copy and paste to the RRT. Even then I sometimes have to edit it. Repeatedly. And remember Jesus saves, and so should you.

I gotta ask: When did you ever go more than a couple lines and a couple links, Mr One-liner?



You get it done, to the point. I'm a Cancer, like Mom. We "feel".  :? I know. Ew. I been wanting to ask how the Mrs.' healing is going. I know enough about that operation to prompt me to inquire. Hope all is as well as can be and that you have a caregiver setting on your ability knob, that can be awkward for a guy to adjust to.

In retrospect, sincerely I know the lost post was beyond mortal attention spans anyhow. But there was good you guys stuff in there along with all the explanations. Just as well. I might ought to build me a PC but its operating systems now, that are like choosing the politician to vote for.... crummy options only.

[enjenjo]

When I am doing a tech post some of them are quite complicated. And no, I haven't done one lately. Most of the work on this truck is stuff I have covered before.

I been wanting to ask how the Mrs.' healing is going?

Well, the heart bypass is well healed, but there are complications. For one she is having trouble eating. I won't go into it all, but suffice to say she has lost 6 lbs. in the last two weeks. And of course there is the problem of getting two Cardiologists, an endocrinologist, a ENT, and a Gastroenterologist all on the same page at the same time. Some of this predates the heart work. She will be getting some tests tomorrow, and that should give me the ammunition to kick some butt.

Is this long enough?

[idrivejunk]

"Wide hood gap, top of fenders" is still on my fix list but they ain't that awful bad. Bolts toward middle of fender are out of the driver's side in these pix but the passenger side is still all bolted and not as bad. The right fender was not assembled accurately. With fender tops level, horizontal fender gap in front of wheel is around 3/4" different in height. Something didn't jig up right or whatever, stamping dimension somehow off, who knows? Multiple shameful issues to correct. But here...

Walk around her-













Just aiming for par, no hole in ones required but she shouldn't need a heap of bodywork excuses in the end.

Somewhere in that ^^^ batch you can see where I have been marking new gap and trimming interference in the vertical portions and bottom corners of rear hood gaps. Thats what was keeping the hood up in back, not the struts. Still, the struts are too powerful and a half inch too long. Up front, I notched halfway into the 1x1 striker support tube to raise the mount plate and it worked. Pop up spring isn't enough with striker out that far, at least right now.

Aww, nopenope nope... I was starting to try and re-explain. Again... Question? Ask. Glad to get asked. Good to have buds speak up when I get troubled, too.



Left out that scrap pile vertical support, didn't I? It'll be there. I may switch to Bronco anytime, or may get to go on and knock this one in the head.

As radio Marshall Dillon always says: "Its a chancey job, and it makes a man watchful. And a little lonely."

You may also have noticed above, that I started the slice and fill for skinny, consistent cowl to fender gaps. Right side.

Heres a thing that I couldn't resist bumping forward in priority once I realized a tiny bit shows. Just roughed in one side to see if the cat licks it up but there was prior talk of it and sketchery and so now I feel more finished-er with that area, having expressed the idea. It could be switched to being part of the latch panel, we'll see. Theres a piece to look at. Initial, simple.

[idrivejunk]

When I am doing a tech post some of them are quite complicated. And no, I haven't done one lately. Most of the work on this truck is stuff I have covered before.

I been wanting to ask how the Mrs.' healing is going?

Well, the heart bypass is well healed, but there are complications. For one she is having trouble eating. I won't go into it all, but suffice to say she has lost 6 lbs. in the last two weeks. And of course there is the problem of getting two Cardiologists, an endocrinologist, a ENT, and a Gastroenterologist all on the same page at the same time. Some of this predates the heart work. She will be getting some tests tomorrow, and that should give me the ammunition to kick some butt.

Is this long enough?

Absolutely, Windy.  

Not what I wished to hear but what I and probably we, needed. Medical care is a circus. Nuf said, I get the drift on complications. Its a gigantic disturbance of the body no matter how routine it may be for docs. Wishing her some fortunate breaks and the fullest, if not fastest, recovery. Peace to you as well, as you maintain an even keel for her sake. Hope you get the whole nine yards and victory. Take good care of you both, until some normal can sneak back in.

[idrivejunk]

Speaking of excess speaking, there was a word I kept hearing on westerns. I asked everybody what it was, only got contextual guesses. Finally saw it written somewhere recently, and now I know.

Palaver.

As a noun, its an unnecessarily elaborate or complex procedure. Frank, that means you can use it at the doctors', in a sentence.

Also, an improvised meeting of cultures lacking a shared language. Now theres a thinker.

Hopalong mostly used it in the avoiding flocks of chatty busybodies, in the verb context. As in lets go around those church ladies over there, I have a herd to drive and its too hot for palavering.

I thought it would be rooted like the word blabbering and have bb in it. Nope, v.

L.I.B.  Learn something new every day. You just don't get that off any old everybody's threads.

[kb426]

Once again you can see that many repo parts come with their own surprises. There is the question of the original parts they used for patterns. Maybe been on uncle Fred's farm to long and was used to chase cattle. Truck's coming along good. It's too bad it goes to building 3.

[enjenjo]

There is the question of the original parts they used for patterns

Ford parts in that era were not that good. I have seen fenders that had the wheel opening as much as 2" different from the next one stamped in a another plant.

[kb426]

^^^^^
I had the same exp. when building a 53 Chevy pickup. I measured four different rear fenders in my town. Almost 2" in opening length difference. I thought the lip was hand rolled and they didn't quit until it looked right.

[idrivejunk]

I believe that the trick is in choosing what to use as your standard.

The latch panel ends-to-fenders fiasco is a perfect example. Four roughly triangular shaped mating surfaces, intended to all have the same shape.

Logic flow went thusly-

Hold it up there between fenders.

See that both ends won't match up at the same time and both poorly

Trace patterns around all four places. Cut out and overlay patterns

See that latch panel ends match one another

See one fender not off by a whole lot, and one way off

Standard established. The latch panel is what to match


That round of logic overlooked bolt holes so it went another round

The pattern with right and wrong holes in it (not shown yet) illustrates the discrepancy plainly.

But I will be past that area soon. Welding gap fix at rear, RF fender now. Getting re-started at front of that fender while cooling at rear. Spent a good chunk of morning making a temporary pull handle for the latch and an extension for the catch lever so the hood operation is almost normal.

Mike approved of the little engine bay corner filler, says it is not in the way. We agreed it ought to be part of the latch panel.

My scrap grab vertical latch support is oriented wrongly and I intend to connect the grille directly to it at the stock bracket tabs.

The bldg 3 pause is directly related to boss freakout level but he stays well ahead of the curve on those things thankfully. This situation is an I have this much now and am unsure how long another bill's worth will take to gather (cust) deal and on the boss end its a matter of trying to land on an efficient stopping place. Both forward thinkers who stay in business. I worry little. As should you guys. Pauses are not uncommon but work flow is a juggling act and I think Gary does a remarkable job of it. He was going to have more info today and seemed more relaxed last evening. I did a smog Bronco middle floor fab and this one has been fiberglassed there, so... again, following the logic of the moment.

Oh, I investigated another word: Narcissist. Oh! Asked an old friend if that was me and the reply was without hesitation: "Well, now that you mention it...".    

Fortunately it is mostly hereditary and at any rate theres no cure, only talking treatment. I don't fit the specs 100% but its a cannonball across my bow so I'll try to bear that in mind. Coulda swore I have a low opinion of myself but trendy psychology buzzwords get tossed about a lot and before I get pegged with a label I wanted to know what it means.

[idrivejunk]

[chimp koose]

Wow that is a lot of work . Speaking of panel irregularities , on my old anglia the reveal on each side of the rad shell was different , like 1/8" or more different

[idrivejunk]

Yessir CK, bunch of work that I am fortunate to have. That seems like a ton of variation but if you take the state of the world into consideration, its hard to imagine the things given priority and not. But then there are situations where say if you had a bead width difference like that, and tape across it and mark the tape then try it on the other side and it matches. Because there is also a bead height difference and the correct amount of metal is in both, due to who knows? Handling on assembly line, variance in stamping apparatus, that little dent at the other end of the panel, all that etc.

I did the tape thing up front, on the side of this fender and just shook my head and went pfft when it was close. Wadded the tape and cast it aside, scoffing. That joker is meeessssed uuup.

The vertical support making... sketching and erasing in 3D starting with scrap 18ga angle was less than efficient but I like the result. The hood safety catch lever extension this morning also might have been thought out better but I like it too. Did not get a pic of that but you can see my taped bolt n' wire T pull handle for the release.dangling there.

The idea with the close fitting fenders at cowl is to put a short, narrow, tape backed and D shaped bulk weatherstripping on the fender flange. In from the edge like say an eighth inch. We want all the welt fans to peer into the gap and walk away muttering about fiberglass.  

We gotta must countersink the hood latch screws for complete slickness in front of the radiator. Can't say I have the proper gear for that but since theres 3/16" stock under the 18 ga latch area patch, it could happen. Latch screws were toolbox top finds and barely reach. And that striker pin is out as far as it can go. Saw that it also needs a tilt adjustment for easier closing today. Details. I gotta sweat those to be done.