Suedes Car Club

General => Project Reports => Topic started by: Tom on October 23, 2008 2:50 pm

Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 23, 2008 2:50 pm
Most of you know I plan to make a mild custom out of the old rag top. I picked up some skirts from Chris ( Lucky1974 on the HAMB) and started to clean them up. They are going to need some work, but I should be able to make them fit.
Title: RE: Re Do the 4De
Post by: SJFast on October 23, 2008 3:15 pm
Taildragger ? That is the next item on my "wish list". Something chopped and riding LOW !! :)

Good luck with that.
Title: RE: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on October 23, 2008 3:19 pm
Have you tried them on the car yet to see how they look?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 23, 2008 4:02 pm
I love it.  The skirts look like they may have had a pretty rough previous life!

Tail dragger - that's where my Flatback is headed...I'm going to try making a set of skirts.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 23, 2008 4:50 pm
Yes, they have been around. I couldn't beleve all the rust under the bondo on the one I have bead blasted. Metal prep should help. It's going to take some metal work to fix them up so as not to have to use as much filler as was on them. There were 3 coats of paint, one black and two green.

As for fit, it's going to take some welding. I'll post some pics when I get to that point. It should give me the look I'm after.

I was going to make a pair also, but when these came up for sale for what the metal would have cost, I went for it. This way I don't feel bad about having to cut them up. If I would have bough a new pair,  I'm sure they wouldn't have fit like I wanted them too and would had to modify them.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 23, 2008 8:25 pm
I've read a few tech articles on making them on the HAMB and think I'll use the ideas from this one from R&C.

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0604rc_fender_skirts/index.html

I've got the roof skin from a '90 Chev. PU which seems to have the right shape. When I get started and determine if it's going to work I'll go to the yard and cut out another one.

Ever been to this guys photo site? Good stuff......

http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/customcars_i_like/chevy_custom_cars/40-41_chevy_customs/40s_-_50s_built/
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: sixinarow on October 23, 2008 9:10 pm
I can get lost in Rikster's site all day. The boss doesn't like it though.....
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: pinstriper40 on November 01, 2008 11:21 pm
Lets see some mock up shots!!!  (please)...
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 05, 2008 3:02 pm
Well the good news is I will not have to C the frame. This is the look I wanted, the rim will be covered by the skirt when aired out. The bad news is I have to move the upper pocket where the bags mount and a cross member that the drive shaft goes through.

To get the skirts to fit thigh against the fender has been a challenge. you move it on one side it changes it on the other. The lip on the bottom side of the skirts was to wide, so I had to reroll it after I cut some off.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on November 05, 2008 4:10 pm
Skirts look good, especially with the new top!
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 24, 2008 3:53 pm
Finely got the skirts to fit. Here's a pic with it setting on the floor. The black wall tire is closer to the size I will be running when I get wide whites. Sorry Tim, I got rid of the new top. :(  :lol:
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: flatheaded on November 24, 2008 4:46 pm
I like it!!
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: AntiBling on November 24, 2008 5:13 pm
Lookin' good.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on November 24, 2008 7:00 pm
It's lookin good.  Are those the smaller tires you were talking about?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 24, 2008 7:36 pm
Quote from: "JakesBackyard"
It's lookin good.  Are those the smaller tires you were talking about?


Nope, but they are closer than what was on there. When I get the size I want should get a 1" rubber rake. Do you still call it a rake when the back goes down?? :?  :wink:  I'm hoping to get another 3/4 of an inch when I get the bags moved up.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on November 24, 2008 7:40 pm
I think they still call it a "rake"....but I like the term "tail draggin" my self.  :)
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on November 24, 2008 8:04 pm
If you don't get the "rake" you want I guess you could always rise the front a bit as wrong as that sounds.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 01, 2009 10:01 pm
I had another thread on bagging the 4d but I’ll  stay with this one. I redid the top mount so it would set and ride lower. I hate do over’s but I seem to have a lot of them. Any way I cut out the top of the old coil spring mount, made new top mounts and then boxed out the floor to cover them. I also had to redo the cross member to clear the rear end ( no pic ).
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 01, 2009 10:07 pm
When aired out it's against the frame, can’t go any lower without “c’ing “ the frame. I’m trying to get that fifty’s, sixty’s look so this should be low enough.

Also the back bumper has been moved in about 1 ½ in and a 52 Chevy front bumper guard/license plate holder was modified to fit than sent in to be chrome plated.  I had new exhaust installed by Dave Barth here in Bismarck, if you need exhaust work he the guy to see. The last 2 and a half feet of the exhaust is stainless steel.You have to furnish the stainless steal pipe.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 01, 2009 10:42 pm
I like it. Purty good lookin' Chebby!:)

Got any more of those bumper guard/license surrounds laying around?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: flatheaded on October 02, 2009 12:31 am
I didn't get a close look at it in Watertown but the black skirts and hood sides kick ass! Really set it off just right. What are the port holes from?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: sko_ford on October 02, 2009 2:45 am
still looks level to me
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Serious on October 02, 2009 3:21 am
It Looks Much better Tom.  the work you have done to change that thing around is looking really good.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 1:34 pm
Quote from: "JakesBackyard"
I like it. Purty good lookin' Chebby!:)

Got any more of those bumper guard/license surrounds laying around?


Yes I do. It cost 176 bucks to have mine plated. You still intrested??
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 1:40 pm
Quote from: "sko_ford"
still looks level to me


Ross , here's a `40 Chevy that was built in the fifty's also a `40 Ford ( not sure when it was built ), that's the look I'm after, not the 2009 look.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 02, 2009 1:48 pm
Quote from: "Tom"
Quote from: "JakesBackyard"
I like it. Purty good lookin' Chebby!:)

Got any more of those bumper guard/license surrounds laying around?


Yes I do. It cost 176 bucks to have mine plated. You still intrested??



Yup.  How much?  

Are you having it plated in St. Cloud?  

Also..Are those stock 40 Chev. Bumpers? Can you measure them for me (straight across from tip to tip)?

Thanks......Jake
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 2:15 pm
Quote from: "flatheaded"
I didn't get a close look at it in Watertown but the black skirts and hood sides kick ass! Really set it off just right. What are the port holes from?


The black is DP90 sealer to cover the primer, in time the car will get a new paint job.

The port holes are `50 Buick, if I have my info right they are the only year Buick had them on the hood. The other years they were on the fenders. The port holes were used with the idea that's something a guy would have done back in the day, try to make his poor Ford or Chevy look like one of the high end models. They just happen to also vent the engine compartment.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 2:55 pm
Yup.  How much?  

Are you having it plated in St. Cloud?  

Also..Are those stock 40 Chev. Bumpers? Can you measure them for me (straight across from tip to tip)?

Thanks......Jake[/quote]

Jake, check this link, might be the way to go.
http://www.brizbumpers.com/guard.htm
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 02, 2009 3:39 pm
I've looked and thought about the Briz Bmprs., but just not sure I like them.  The price is reasonable, but I'm just not excited about the look.  I'd really like '41 Ford Deluxe bumpers, but they're tough to come by and big bucks when you find them.  So I've been leaning toward 39 or 40 Ford bumpers, but I do like yours.

So how much for the surround and can you measure your bmprs?  What year are the bmprs.  I'll have to check out Chevs. of the 40's.  I'm just not sure I can come to grips with using that off brand stuff on my Ford. :)
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on October 02, 2009 4:33 pm
Just say no to the Briz bumpers.............. 41 Deluxe bumpers must be as hard to come by as the 41 zepher front bumper I am looking for.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 4:48 pm
No Jake not the Briz bumper, there License plate guard. They say you can grind off the rib part to fit on a flat bumper. They don't list a price on the web site but if I remember right it was like $130 or $140. That would be cheeper than bying one and have it plaited, and yes I had mine done at Kustom Shine Metal Werks.

I'll get you  a mesurment on the `40 Chevy bumpers.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on October 02, 2009 6:06 pm
I doubt they're as rare as the Zephers, but still tough. If you find a lost pile of Zephers I would gladly take two.:)

I know Briz has the license surround but I'd like Chrome.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 02, 2009 6:49 pm
Quote from: "JakesBackyard"
II know Briz has the license surround but I'd like Chrome.


That's the reason I didn't go with Briz. I'll get back to you with the info.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 05, 2009 5:31 pm
Another thing I'm going to change is the tranny. With the smaller tires in the back the rpm's at 75 mph is not acceptable.....going to install a 200R. I came one step closer this weekend.

Last year the Holly carb I had on the car had a little hesitation in it. Rather than installing a kit in it I rebuilt a Qjet for it. ( yeah yeah I can hear all the moaning now ). So this weekend I removed the Qjet and replaced the main throttle shaft with one from a newer Qjet. This will give me the right hookup and proper movement for the pressure cable for the 200R. Because the shaft from the newer carb  was longer I had to cut it off, mill new flats spots and drill out the end and retap. ( see pics) You can see the brass bushing's I made and installed in the throttle plate when I rebuilt the carb last time. I have it put back together and it's ready to install.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: racerjohnson on October 05, 2009 6:32 pm
No moaning here, I think Qjets are brilliant carbs, you'll love it.

Have you been on the Jalopy journal lately Tom? They have a nice candy red tail dragger on there. Cant remember the name of it.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on October 05, 2009 7:01 pm
Yeah Pete, when we went to the Pile-up last year I had the Qjet on at that time. I have had good luck with them.

Are you talkin' abot the Custom from Hawaii??
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: racerjohnson on October 05, 2009 7:11 pm
ya, the hilo hot rod. A neat car.

I really like your car Tom, its classy and I love how its evolving.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 10, 2009 2:03 pm
Installing the 200-4R.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on November 10, 2009 2:09 pm
Did you weld the rims together or is one bigger than the other?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 10, 2009 2:18 pm
"14 inside of "15 and welded. With the dish in the rims where the tires set in, makes it so the car stays put.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on November 10, 2009 3:31 pm
cool idea
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on November 10, 2009 5:18 pm
The white rims.........3 are 15 X 8 and one is 15 X 7. So I took 3 each 14 X 5 to use with the 16 x 8 and one each 14 X 6 to use with the 15 x 7 that way they are the same height. I had to add 2 x 4s under the front rims so the tranny would clear when it was on the the tranny jack and pulling it out from under the car. I have the oil pan off now to do the rear main seal and pan gaskets. god I hate workin' with oil and grease!! I rather fab metal any day.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: sko_ford on November 10, 2009 11:48 pm
i guess with all those wheels setting around ya need to find something to do with them
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on May 26, 2010 3:33 pm
I'm down at the LA Roadster run in the hills this weekend and my teenaged friend Kellan calls and ask if I have time to stop by Dickinson on the way home cause he has something for me. Since I had given him the materials I kind of guessed what he had for me ( see pic). Now when he offered to make them for me he said they would be a project he could make in school. That didn't happen so he made them on his own time, had I know that the deal would not have happened. He’s a great kid and has a lot going on in his life so his time is limited and I felt bad he had to spent it on my crap. He even made a box just to hold them!!!

Now I know what you’re thinking..........you can buy them. But the ones you buy are not the same as the old school ones. The current styles has clear centers, the ones Kellan made are just like back in the day, and since I'm going to keep the tilt wheel in the 4d I will need all the help I can get to pull off the fifties look on the interior.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on May 26, 2010 3:43 pm
Wow he really did a nice job on them. How is it done?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: 31Rodder on May 26, 2010 3:43 pm
nice
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on May 27, 2010 3:52 am
SEXY! :)
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on May 27, 2010 1:44 pm
Quote from: "Eyeball"
Wow he really did a nice job on them. How is it done?
 

1/8 inch sheets of plastic, rough cut and glue together.( In the pic I have one turned sideways to show the layers.) He had access to one of those 1 inch wide belt sanders, than buff with compound on a buffing wheel.

See how easy I made it sound. :D
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Eyeball on May 27, 2010 2:27 pm
What did you use to glue them together?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on May 27, 2010 3:30 pm
The place where I bough the plastic had the glue. It's some good shit,once it's set you don't move the sheets. Hase a two year shelf life and it was kind of spendy as I recall.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: fomocokid on May 28, 2010 6:41 pm
The knobs aren't to dificult to make, but very time consuming. I did the final shaping with 80 grit sand paper by hand and then I worked my way up to 1000 grit. I found the best way to polish them was with a small buffing wheel on a dremel. I chose the dremel because you can use a really low speed to avoid losing the point or over heating which can cause melting to occur.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Lord_of_the_Dance on May 28, 2010 8:57 pm
Great Job fomocokid!!
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: flatheaded on May 29, 2010 8:59 pm
You do very nice work. They turned out great! Good to see some people still aren't afraid to work. Tom, they are gonna look killer in the '40. Your lucky to have such a good friend.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: pinstriper40 on June 02, 2010 1:20 am
I like your knobs Tom!  Kellan- way to go making them; you're a regular Bob Hirohota!  What's the name of the glue, and where do you get the plastic from?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on September 13, 2010 3:01 pm
Quote from: "pinstriper40"
!  What's the name of the glue, and where do you get the plastic from?


The place is called Plastics Plus, and he sell the glue to use with the plastic. I'm sure if you check around F/M you would find a shop.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on September 13, 2010 3:24 pm
Most of what I have been doing lately is has been under the car. Installing the 200-4R trans and drive line related. Kellan stopped by one weekend and we started to install a gravel pan. I finished it off the rest of the week.

1940 was the last year Chevy DID NOT have a gravel pan. I moved the bumper in 1 1/2 inches and down a 1/2 inch. Cut down a gravel pan from a `41 ( has this neat art deco design ) and welded it on.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on September 13, 2010 3:39 pm
In 1940 Chevy  started to use hidden hinges, but only the top one, left the bottom exposed. ( see pic) So thanks to Tracy I picked up a `41 where they had made both hidden. I hope I can make them work on my `40.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: JakesBackyard on September 14, 2010 2:15 am
I like that design on your stone deflector.  Are you putting one on the front also?

I think you should turn that '41 into a parts hauler...:)
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: sko_ford on September 14, 2010 2:53 am
41 ute
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: AntiBling on September 14, 2010 12:27 pm
Quote from: "sko_ford"
41 ute


I concur.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: pinstriper40 on September 16, 2010 7:01 am
Looks good Mr. Huber!
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: racerjohnson on September 16, 2010 8:27 pm
To me, the subtlety of the whole package speaks volumes. Its just "right." I admire the steady and constant effort to refine this car Tom. Can't wait to see the hidden hinges too. Repainting everything the same burgandyish color?
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on September 20, 2010 1:33 pm
Quote from: "JakesBackyard"
I like that design on your stone deflector.  Are you putting one on the front also?

I think you should turn that '41 into a parts hauler...:)


No stone deflector on the front. I'm not sure when they started on the front. They didn't have one in`41 when they started on the back. If I was changing the grill it might be possible but I'm leaving the stock grill.

As for the `41, it's a POS. I think it was the hardest car I have ever loaded. All 4 wheels were locked, had to drag it on to the trailer. Tracy and I were out of gas by the time we got it loaded. When I got home I took the front wheels off and broke the brake drums while the car was on the trailer. Used my tractor with the loader to lift the back end up and pull it off and move it around.
Title: Re Do the 4De
Post by: Tom on September 20, 2010 1:35 pm
Quote from: "racerjohnson"
To me, the subtlety of the whole package speaks volumes. Its just "right." I admire the steady and constant effort to refine this car Tom. Can't wait to see the hidden hinges too. Repainting everything the same burgandyish color?


Thanks Pete. Yes, it will be a darker redish color with a white top.