Model A job

[idrivejunk]

Crap, I skipped a pic at lunch-

[kb426]

Pretty good day, Matt. I used to straighten parts like the core support because people had no money. Now I would call it "quick and easy". Just not the best way. Is that close to being correct?

[idrivejunk]

Thanks. Oh I was headed that way. Because from crash experience I know insurance will always think everything pulls out. So if you figure replace without having pulled, yer wasting their time. Once a replacement part is OK'ed, that time gets called "pulls before replacement" which is not usually a bad idea because it urges adjacent panels back home so the new part drops in better. This one just got killed in the vertical support where the mo-clamp was, and of course I could fix all but the grille and side panels if I were in Zimbabwe and had to. And even those could work for me if it was mine. I'd be spending some of the insurance on modern brakes in this case.

How many times have we jumped through fiery hoops or tamed lions just to save some poor soul from paying their dastardly deductible?    Yeah.   That "entitles" the fixer to take the whole amount then cut corners as they see fit when the insurance check goes to the owner. What folks don't often consider is that halfassed things which may alter the crash rating (the $ part) can mean you aren't covered like you think you are in a second wreck. The insurer may want to see the first wreck's finished repairs and can refuse to cover it or only offer liability coverage if they don't like what they see. They have every right to do so.


My motto:


Heat it til it drips

Pull it til it rips

Cave it

Pave it

Blend it

and...

Send it  

[idrivejunk]

Spent this day mostly figuring out how to make the hood latch bars' attachment points adjustable. Purt near a complete redesign, and the firewall cover panel is on thin ice because several things. Back to the drawing board on that. I figured the hood stuff was ready to go but that task must have been abandoned at the first opportunity to say "its on". Way unfinished. Working on it. Left the phone at work because there was nothing of interest to photgraph at end of this day either. Made a rear bracket and started modifying front on one side. The super puny fasteners in panel holes same size as the hole drilled for tapping are going away (says pfft and makes sweeping hand gesture) and body bolts in foldover nuts on slots is more where I'm headed.

[idrivejunk]

Purt near, hell.

This is just as soon as I could bring myself to make another post. Made a couple previous attempts but nope, wasn't ready. Still ain't.

Here I am, down a rabbit hole and four sentences in and still don't know what to say. Somebody(s) will end up under the bus if I try to explain. If it was me, I might not mind. But as you can tell, my mental status simply is not sufficient. Theres been too much bad.

Reading just that ^^^ would be a lot to ask without some kind of update though, I realize that. So... while not yet fully refined...

The hood sides and top have rubber strip under them now at rad and cowl, with grommets under the pegs that drop through aprons. Latches work and hood fit is reasonable all around. Adjustment is possible. I had the nerve to post yesterday AM, even uploaded a couple pix... but got a text message just before hitting post that took the wind plumb out of my sails.

That news was that I am to take the A all the way to ready to tack and shoot and will assemble the body after. The thing thats getting to me worst is about the money involved and is a colossal mental burden to tote throughout the remainder of the job. Beyond my understanding and scale of reality. That hurts me but what scares me is lack of confidence in my physical condition. I am about to go through a period of pain and constant discouragement which comes at a bad time for me to cope.

A week of forum absence should tell you something. I feel a little queasy from just trying to let you know I haven't gave out yet. Doom is around every corner. Just be glad I have spared you from blow-by-blow coverage. Soggy weather has stayed here several weeks now and if I've learned anything about myself its that no sunshine for extended periods puts me in a very precarious frame of mind.

You guys take care and wait. I will do my best.

[chimp koose]

Take care man . I can hardly wait to see the A in paint . Yes it may be an expensive project but looking at the car now to what you started with , it aught to be expensive !

[idrivejunk]

Thanks, CK. Always with the encouraging words.  I mean that smiley but yeah it is supposed to be getting painted now. Just  

At long last, I am willing to show these end of day shots. All they are is gaps. Again, but for real this time. I see several spots needing further attention but where attention can stop is the current hot button. The gap grid I see in this twenty footer picture lessens my burden-



It just looks orderly and proper. Thank goodness. It may only look different to me. But I know that gap variances have been equalized and are adjustable, hood top front n rear edges have been trimmed, it is latched securely and latches lock open for removal, it rests on the rubber all the way across cowl and shell and is near flush or will be after fill, and that the shell / fender / hood side intersections appear neat and equal. Thats a mouthful! On what we started with, I am starting to believe the people reassuring me that it is remarkable. To a degree. Safe to say theres more of my best in that car than in any other.

So I am starting to feel better and that 800 lb money gorilla in the room will just have to stay hidden behind the curtain and I will just have to get ready to be pounced upon by it at any moment. Meanwhile, heres enough to soak in. I will likely never want to describe what I started with on this hood setup but figure the stuff will be shown apart later so's you can see how it ended up. You see that? I just used an apostrophe where none was needed. Thats a good sign but its going to take some Redd Foxx or Foster Brooks level comedy to coax out a laugh. Sometimes I forget to add music, too. Helps me find my bootstraps sometimes. Now, lets see if I remember how to do pics again...



Yes, a whole sheet of paper will slide between grille and HL bar.














I believe I can work with all that. The day may come when I can feel right proud on it but between here and there I gotta buckle down and book it, man. My paper-sliding putty-whipping days are long past, I just don't know how bad its gonna hurt so I got me a fullblown dread going. Gotta HURRY! Uh-oh.

[idrivejunk]

Epoxy-













Theres enough sun to cast a shadow today.  

[idrivejunk]

[idrivejunk]

Its flush, you can run a DA right over the hood / cowl gap. Anticipating kind of a mess on the sides-







Thats a work in progress, buzzed and ready to start blocking.

Four day weekend now. Heres how the latch bars attach-







I made the mount points on the cowl into studs. This is a latch handle. Theres one per side and after final cable trimming, they catch to lock open on that screw sticking out rather than the end of the pull handle-



Nylon blocks on hood hinges slip into these pockets and the cables work the pins to lock them in-



The fasteners for the whole setup are microscope and tweezers sized and as such are way smaller than any tool of mine, way way smaller than something I can grasp, and way way way too tiny to find if lost. Not to mention being far too ridiculously undersized for attaching body panels to any actual vehicle. But thats a show car for ya.

[kb426]

Is the latch an aftermarket part?

[idrivejunk]

Yes.

https://www.haganauto.com/product_p/hdh2832.htm

No reviews on the site.

[idrivejunk]

I'll have to decide on a trunk lid prop or struts or something pretty quick too. I just don't think the lid is tough enough for struts.

These pieces are down to the pinholes, took about a day per side-

[moose]

The telescopic prop rods work well BUT the stock style prop works well also. Comes down to preference. both are available aftermarket and I believe the stock style is also available in Stainless.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/United-Pacific-B20037-1932-Ford-Trunk-Lid-Support-Arm,278363.html?sku=91132632&utm_medium=CSEGoogle&utm_source=CSE&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2NyFBhDoARIsAMtHtZ5hAh0W2x4UjV1gOtHdFpFjQNln_pVudJ9j_pnPMUupOwDsykXrGRIaAutpEALw_wcB

[kb426]

I watched several people use the electric opener on trunks. I don't know if it's a good answer or just an answer.