Model A job

enjenjo · August 09, 2019, 08:50:59 PM

A little trick for you. Clamp a piece of angle iron on the edge where it goes off the panel, and grind to the angle iron. You can even use spacers under the angle iron if you hold the grinder flat on the angle.

idrivejunk · August 09, 2019, 10:36:19 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"A little trick for you. Clamp a piece of angle iron on the edge where it goes off the panel, and grind to the angle iron. You can even use spacers under the angle iron if you hold the grinder flat on the angle.

Nifty. The spacers are for curved stuff like this hood, then? Few inches at a time. :?:

I am using a 3" twist lock disc on a 2" pad with a used 3" cutoff wheel sandwiched between them, on a straight die grinder. Not my preference but fairly accurate if I can see the line. If it weren't double layered I normally use a 4" cutoff wheel to even things up. If my 5" grinder worked, I know I could use the angle iron on a straight place and be done in a hurry. I need to buy some more crapola files for fine tuning, mine are officially nowheresville. :?

idrivejunk · August 11, 2019, 06:39:13 PM

Seen one like this? Is it yuck or what?

chimp koose · August 12, 2019, 09:47:35 AM

Not sure on that look , but I have never seen one like that. Give it a whirl , I have never seen A tail lights grafted into the rear fenders either and they turned out great. My only concern with the deuce to A grille is how you transition from the round to flat front with out it looking sawed off . Maybe you diminish the center peak to nothing before it gets to the flat front A part ,or think about a hood ornament that would be a statement piece .

idrivejunk · August 12, 2019, 10:38:10 PM

Quote from: "chimp koose"Not sure on that look , but I have never seen one like that. Give it a whirl , I have never seen A tail lights grafted into the rear fenders either and they turned out great. My only concern with the deuce to A grille is how you transition from the round to flat front with out it looking sawed off . Maybe you diminish the center peak to nothing before it gets to the flat front A part ,or think about a hood ornament that would be a statement piece .

The deuce shell sides should be fine all the way down to where the lower insert begins on a '31. Then down there where it curves forward (way less than a 33-4 does), The rounded shape at bottom of shell, viewed from front, is same or close. I really meant to get the A and B shells in a comparo pic side by side. Just forgot. Once done, the top area looks for all practical intent and purpose just like a '30 shell only all the sharp angles are gone. Heck, Mike likes the idea but can't quite envision it as I do, and honestly the sketch is to show to him and Gary to see if the idea is adequately conveyed short of doing a photo edit. I do not foresee an edit being simple, nor showing the look accurately. The car owner will likely visit this week and as you'll see in the next post, its not so tough to imagine after making a mark for the proposed "bob job" on top of the deuce shell.

I am not going to push the idea, it can totally wait. I confirmed today that we plan to go with no headlight bar. That is against us builders' preference and with owner and boss man's. We would like a dropped bar. Going without compounds the difficulty and practicality of several other things. Mike was relieved a bit when I told him I thought the mill could go four fingers farther back, though. But he is adamant about not cutting the grille yet, saying the little point on top front of the deuce shell may be room he can't do without. Thats fine, I just had an idea that got liked so I tried to whip out a quick visual. No big whoop. You lay rubber in your old pickup yet?

:0-0

idrivejunk · August 12, 2019, 11:13:26 PM

Here is that mark for the flat front and it is approximate.

Here is the old grille screen which I think would look good in black or chrome, with rad core face also black. And thin chrome strip to outline. Or actually a variant of that which is tougher to explain. More A looking than a cut and flattened deuce grille which has depth and two horizontal fin holding bars. We ain't building an A that wants to be a '32, I vote for hugging the Model A image tightly... but cleanly.

If we end up bobbing the shell... and none of you guys say "Hey, I've seen one like that!"... theres a possibility that... heaven forbid... I may have found something new under the sun. On a Model A? I'd be proud of that!

The dark metal behind the screen is just to help the screen show up. Notice painted posterboard upper insert indicating shape of top of proposed opening. Bottom of shell would be chopped off and shaped with new metal or reconfigured existing bits for the A shape.

The deuce shell conflicts with whatever this center piece is called-

Roughly notched fender brace. Some relieving of fender also may not be required on all builds but this one seems to need some to not lay against the control arm shaft. I cut one fender for that. Also, the grille shell will require trimming for the fender to pass under the edge of it.

Same place, other side, with first try at reinforcing tacked. First piece. Its a little too tall yet, barely.

Right rear tire's view, looking forward. I scored and folded the apron down short of the frame rail. Will probably get cut off. Left the front few inches where it shows and has the front body mount hole through it. My intent is to attach aprons to floor rails, don't see a need to sandwich them between body and frame.

Fore/aft body placement appears to have been spot-on. Woo hoo! I am now ready to stick RR fender back on and get it all bolted then finish the Sonic side.

idrivejunk · August 13, 2019, 01:33:39 PM

Theres some grill comparison shots, FWIW. I'm about to trim this apron same spot as the other-

Can't find the dadgum running boards or they would be hung, too.

idrivejunk · August 13, 2019, 07:53:26 PM

enjenjo · August 13, 2019, 09:03:40 PM

I like it so far.

idrivejunk · August 13, 2019, 10:35:32 PM

Glad of it, I'm hogging your forum.

On the left apron inner edge I scored and folded it over flat so it can be it's own reinforcement and drilled a row of 1/4" holes 4" apart but did not attach it there yet.

Do you guys know how to run fenders without a headlight bar?

idrivejunk · August 14, 2019, 08:28:21 AM

I'll take that as a collective no. All I find on web is one guy who gusseted one side of the fender braces. I don't think that is enough. Its like building a car while marooned on a deserted island with rocks and sticks. Was there a "lets stop using RRT" discussion I missed at the nats or something?

I will engineer something. Nobody is gonna like it.

enjenjo · August 14, 2019, 10:13:52 AM

Whoa! Whoa! Give us a chance to think a bit. My first thought is a more substantial fender brace, possibly incorporated into the fender. The original brace depends on the light bar for triangulation to support it, and you would lose that. I will do some more thinking.

idrivejunk · August 14, 2019, 01:33:14 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Whoa! Whoa! Give us a chance to think a bit. My first thought is a more substantial fender brace, possibly incorporated into the fender. The original brace depends on the light bar for triangulation to support it, and you would lose that. I will do some more thinking.

Thanks. I am thinking pitch the stock brace below where the HL bar was. Figured with as many as there are running around that way, there would be a common solution. But then this is an aftermarket frame. Don't knock yourself out, I have some ideas brewing and no materials to consider using. Mostly my thoughts are of mounting points in the suspension attachment areas and frame horn. Assuming nothing can be visible that a stocker does not have. On top of that, customer now states it is to be a daily driver. Probably will want to be able to sit on the fender. So I am also considering an incognito wheelhouse of sorts to protect fender behind wheel and that it could serve as part of the solution. Some of my thoughts use the motor plate type design.

idrivejunk · August 14, 2019, 01:37:11 PM

Frank, my brain did the switch flip to disagreeable yesterday. Randomly and earlier in the week than usual. I don't have control of it but usually switch back in a couple days. Thanks again for your patience. Now giddyup.

I cleaned up the firewall and stuck it back in, trimmed driver door interference at apron. Today so far.

chimp koose · August 14, 2019, 07:38:02 PM

my 26 T has no headlight bar , as stock . In 27 they went back to using one as a result of ripping fenders . Considering the roads or lack of , in those days it doesn't surprize me . I will not be using one and will be using one extra attachment bolt than stock . If I need to strengthen the bracket I could box it in . Check out MTFCA web site for pictures of T fender braces . You should try finding 26 T non headlight bar lights . One year only piece and only 93 years old ! I lucked out at a swap meet years ago