Monday, December 3, 2007

the '37















































































So here's the '37 coupe, which we've had since I was about 8. This is the second time in 20 years it's been in the driveway. And it drove right up, no sweat. OK, a little sweat...it's blowing oil due to a busted valve or ring or something. Might be getting a new motor, we'll see. Oh, and glass. Gotta keep the spiders out, at least.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

The other cars








































Here's a coupla shots of the other two cars, the 1951 F-1, and the 1934 Sedan. So you can see the scope of the arsenal.

The welding's getting a tad bit better...

































































































That Chevy axle is temporary...Chevy parts are a rarity at our house. The Ford axle is on the way. Those huge wheels won't be used, either. This is just to help us move the chassis around. The transmission cross-member is mounted, as are the engine mounts, so it's just finishing up some welds that are currently tacked, and then on to the front end once the new axle arrives. My welding's getting a tad better, after several screw-ups on my end, I'm finally getting the hang of it. And by hang, I mean by a thread. But it's coming along. The car's never going to be "pretty", and it's not supposed to be, really. I'ts supposed to be fun, and it's been a blast so far.

Monday, November 19, 2007

So it's got a coupla bullet holes, big deal...


























































Here's the body. We bought it for a song after it'd been sitting out in a field for forever and a day. At one point, a tree fell on it, hence the bent-up roof. We'll replace all the wood and put in a new top, no worries. It's got at least 5 bullet holes, and those'll stay. You're looking at the paint, minus some touch-ups we'll undoubtedly apply post-minor body work, and the number that'll ride on the door. The chassis and motor will be painted to offset things, and you'll see the motor, as we'll be running it without fenders, running boards, or hood sides.

The other car is our 1937 Ford Coupe, which we've had since I was about 8. It's running now, but needs tires. We've got a restored 1934 Sedan and a 1951 Ford F1, too, which is a semi-daily driver for me. I'm sure you'll see some pics on this site as we go.

From the ground up...













































































So here's Day One, working on the chassis. The rear end is out of a '59 Ford. We're doing a lot of custom stuff, though the car will ultimately be a daily-driving rat rod. Witness my VERY amateur welds! Genius. It's obviously going to sit on springs as opposed to coil-overs.

This is a project to help me learn about how my dad and grampa, both professional Ford mechanics, did things. My dad is from that era when you'd race for gas and pink slips, so we're building this thing like he would've in high school. It'll ultimately have my grampa's racing number on the door. He at one time built and maintained indy cars, pre-WWII.

I'ts gonna be a fun ride, both in the building, and in the driving. Stay tuned.