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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Yikes!

Yikes was right when I took this body panel off! I am apprehensive to go this deep into the core of an antique automobile...especially one I've never familiarized with. But the initial fright has slowly subsided as I find out how the basic body structure fits together. A big benefit is the body is bare steel, and was carefully mocked up in it's assembled form before I brought it home. So removing a few tack welds and fasteners have made learning the kindergarten version of Ford Model A body assembly run smooth.

The only reason I'm side tracked on the body is because I made its first mock fit on the frame so I could become familiar with proper mounting locations and clearance (since I've boxed and "Z"d the frame). And this shows me where floor changes need to be made, involving sheet metal work. And sheet metal work tends to get me noticing other body needs...


The above pic is the "yikes!" one. This is the passenger side body panel separated from the inner structure piece.


Above shows the close up of the lower quarter patch I just finished on the big panel. It is a repop patch that came with the car when I bought it. The small compound curve piece is one I made on the brake and the shrinker/stretcher. I used thicker 16 gauge and had to do a series of partial bends to get the wide curve angle that matches the existing shape of the inner wheel structure. It took lots of shrinking, checking, hammer form, more checking, more hammer...


This above picture shows the inner structure that supports the big body panel right inside the door edge. The bottom 4" of the vertical channel and the bottom plate where the angled support connects were rusted through, so I made these patches again from heavier 16 gauge and with the metal brake and shrinker.


And this picture shows the driver door test fit. I just finished chopping this door a true 3". I was a little paranoid- I wanted to be sure I matched the existing chop of the body structure. The 3" chop was already done on this coupe body, and was a major plus when I considered buying it. Any more chop to me is too much, and would look "rat rod" more than "neat old hot rod". I like to think this one is going to at least look the part of a traditional hot rod.


Here's the mock up stage, full view. Now I have to figure out where to modify the firewall...


Above shows my modifications to the factory style trunk floor. This is an upside-down view of the side rails and raised hump that I made. These allow for clearance of the rear crossmember and stepped frame rails; necessary because of the now "Z"d frame.


Top view of tunk panel. I made the hump with the brake, shrinker, stretcher and my cheapo punch/flange tool (for the even weld holes).


Above shows the modified trunk floor installed as it will be viewed from opening the decklid.


And here's another view of the mock up. It is starting to get my ideas flowing...

Monday, January 11, 2010

February 13th & 14th Classic Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia Auction

Footman James Great Western Show and Autojumble
Royal Bath & West Showground

Please view details of the rest of the show on the Bristol Classic Car Show Web Site

Classic's already submmitted to the auction include 'Morris Minor Million' as featured in Classics February 2010 issue and:


A 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL, registration number YRW 623L, chassis number 2285404, engine number 2285404, yellow with black vinyl roof and black coachlines and script. The BMW CSL (Coupé Sport Leicht) was the lightweight homologation version of the 3.0 CS. Utilising thinner gauge steel, bespoke aluminium panels (doors, bonnet & boot), slimmer glass and less sound deadening, this reduced the overall weight by 300 lbs compared to the standard CS coupé. This very rare lightweight coupé is one of 500 right hand drive examples, this being No 404. The specification and equipment levels were high with all-round independent suspension, Getrag 5-speed gearbox, 3003cc straight 6 engine with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection. The performance figures are still impressive by today's standards with 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 149 mph when new. The current vendor purchased the CSL in 1981 and used it as his everyday transport until 1986. The coupé has been kept in dry storage since. The indicated 67,000 miles is believed to be genuine. The history file contains the last MOT dated November 1986, owner's handbook and various magazine articles. The CSL will now require careful recommissioning and localised restoration to retain the originality and should appeal to any BMW collector. V5, no current MOT or tax £3,000 - 5,000

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A 1979 HONDA CB250N SUPERDREAM MOTORCYCLE, registration number YYE 679T, frame number CB250N2012571, engine number CB250NE201578, blue. This very original two owner motorcycle has covered a believed genuine 2,800 miles from new and the current vendor purchase it direct from the first owner. The air-cooled over head cam parallel twin Superdream has a 6-speed gearbox and a pair of bespoke panniers. The history file contains a workshop manual, owner's handbook, old MOT's, tax discs and manufacturer's hand tools. V5C, MOTed to May 2010 and tax £600 - 800


THE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT ONE MILLIONTH MORRIS MINOR 1000 SALOON, registration number 1 MHU, chassis number M-A2S3/1000000, engine number 503889, originally 9M-U-H/504066, lilac. The millionth Morris Minor rolled off the No 1 assembly line at the giant Cowley Works on the 22nd December 1960. Its designer Alec Issigonis was there with other Nuffield organisation top brass to savour the success of a car which had captured the hearts of the British public. The publicity department played their part, issuing a press release on 4th January 1961 entitled The Morris Minor Million - a Great Engineering and Commercial Achievement, which went on to tell of the feat unique in the history of the British Motoring Industry i.e. the production of one million vehicles of a common design - the greatest British-made seller in any class. The Millionth Minor, one of 349 Specials produced, 318 were sold on the UK home market, 31 left-hand drive models were exported to North America and 9 to Europe. Based on a standard 1961 2-door saloon, the Millionth Specials were painted in eye-catching lilac. They received a luxurious white leather interior with black piping, white door cards, black carpets and grey sun visors, externally they bore extra chrome rings on the wheel trims and unique 1,000,000 badgeing.


The actual Millionth Minor was passed from the Nuffield Group publicity department to the National Union of Journalists on the 20th April 1961 for use in a National fund raising campaign in aid of the British Red Cross, and was subsequently raffled on National television. The lucky winner was a Miss Susan George from Wales, who was too young to drive at the time and it was subsequently sold to the local postman.

The Millionth Minor came to the attention of the current owner in 1970 when visiting his holiday home in Dyfed Wales, still going strong, although now painted red. In 1971 the car was involved in an accident when it slid into a ditch damaging the driver's side.

The current owner purchased the car soon after the accident and trailered it back to his Birmingham home. Two further house moves and two decades passed before restoration took place at Northbrook College in Worthing, where it received a full restoration by Derek Smith, a Senior Lecturer in Motor Vehicle Studies. There is a vast history file with the car within five document wallets containing receipts totalling approximately £15,000 for the restoration, various magazine and newspaper articles relating to the car, photographs of the rebuild, Heritage Certificate and old MOT's. The car has been dry stored in recent years due to pressure of work and has only covered a nominal mileage since the restoration. This is a unique opportunity to purchase an historically significant vehicle and a small piece of the British motoring history. RF60, V5, no current MOT, currently on SORN £18,000 - 22,000

A 1960 ROVER 80 P4, registration number 631 RPH, chassis number 645002463, engine number 645002776, green. The Rover 80 was introduced in 1960 and continued in production for two years until 1962, and had the 2286cc four cylinder engine mated to a Solex carburettor producing 77bhp when new. This three owner Rover 80 has covered a believed genuine 37,199 miles and has cream leather interior with walnut dashboard and door cappings, and a 4-speed gearbox with overdrive. The history file contains all MOTs, tax discs and some service history, the vendor informs us that he has known the two previous owners to verify the mileage. V5, MOT to July 2010, tax exempt £2,500 - 3,000



A 1977 TRIUMPH TR7 COUPÉ, registration number OTC 730R, chassis number ALG 14140A, engine number CG009632HEA, white. This time warp TR7 has had two registered keepers from new and covered a believed genuine 16,000 miles. The first lady owner sold it to the current vendor in 2000 and it has been part of a small private collection since. The current vendor has undertaken some preventative maintenance work including a new cylinder head gasket, radiator, tyres and a full service. This rare automatic coupé has red carpets, black vinyl and red tartan upholstered seats, radio/cassette and electric aerial. The history file contains a full service history with all old MOT's, original owner's handbook, and workshop manual. V5C, V5, MOT to May 2010, currently on SORN £3,000 - 3,500



A 1976 AUSTIN ALLEGRO 1500 VANDEN PLAS, registration number NYB 805P, chassis number VF4SJ-232183A, engine number 36544, Pageant Blue with gold coach lines. The luxury version of the Allegro was introduced in 1974 and continued in production until 1980 when manufacture ceased. This three owner Vanden Plas has covered a believed genuine 46,477 miles, and has a cream leather interior with walnut dashboard and door cappings, thick carpets, extra sound deadening and rear picnic tables (which were very unusual for a mass produced car from the 1970's). The history file contains the original Austin passport to service with eight stamps, old MOT's, tax discs, owner's handbook and some service history. The vendor informs us that he has known this Somerset registered Allegro from new (purchased from Bartletts of Wells) and the two previous owners to verify the mileage. V5, V5C, MOT to September 2010, currently on SORN £700 - 1,000

Saturday, January 2, 2010

The Model A Coupe

Change has been happening. (Heck, I have spent the last two months just moving tools!) But even change becomes a "has-been", and I slowly grow almost comfortable again. Amid getting accustomed to a new place, I am actually starting a new project...and it's an intimidating one. Recently I have carefully scrounged parts and pieces for building another hot rod, and finally the job is underway. From the free engine (thanks to the Wiscombe family!) to the unbelievably cheap frame, I am now officially working on a '30 Ford Model A five-window coupe.

The almost professional picture above is actually about the coupe body, not the ladder... I picked this body up from a gentleman in West Jordan. It was nicely chopped only 3", and came with an entire new floor section as well as lower patch panels.



Here's the start- an excellent '28-'29 Model A frame. I have just finished a very moderate step to the rear frame/crossmember, following the measurements of the Bishop-Tardell rear frame stepping procedure. The only difference is I "Z'd" the rear kickup rather than straight cut. Same end result, but the overlap feels better to me.



This picture shows the passenger side of the frame and rear crossmember, and the flush cut edge of the crossmember as done in the Bishop-Tardell book. This is for body clearance from the now kicked-up rear portion of the frame. The "Z" shape is welded and ground smooth.



Above shows the driver's side rear frame area (same process), with 10 gauge fillets welded in and the area ground clean.

Frame Boxing

Continuing with the preliminary stuff, I am now boxing the '30 Coupe's frame. The process is rewarding so far, and I haven't had to buy any of the metal! I am using 10 gauge, lining it up on the spot and scribing a mark line. The picture below shows the first piece (placed for marking) under the c-clamps.




Then I take the piece to my flimsy table and mark a Sharpie line 1/8" inside of the scribed lines. This gives me a line that makes up for the oversize pattern that comes from scribing the piece from the outer edges of the existing frame.



Here's the marked piece with makeshift guides clamped along the pattern markings, about another 1/8" outside of the marker line. This allows the drag tip of the plasma cutter to rest against the clamped guides, and lay the cut right on the Sharpie line.



And here's the plasma cut piece test fit on the frame. The space next to the middle crossmember is left open so I can remove the crossmember before completing the boxing. I left the center 'member in to assist keeping the frame true while welding the rear. It will then be removed to allow full boxing.



And above shows the frame sitting flat, with both rear sides boxed and welds cooled, allowing removal of the center crossmember. I just cut and ground the rivet ends, and hammered out them out.
The welds are turning out less than good due to the inner frame being still full of impurities, as well as my skills at the 250 MIG being very rusty! Even after cleaning the welding edges with a flap disc, I am leaning toward using the stick welder and DC 7018 rod on the front boxing sections. I am still easing into the big MIG though, and I was even able to get it to run better towards the end of the day (well, after re-spooling the .035 wire, replacing the tip twice, and...) All in all, the car is an intimidating task. But it also happens to be an old car. An awesome old car!