O/T, but I need your help/knowledge

[Mike Britton]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/440/hotrod051.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/familyb069.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I'm starting here, I'm not sure where I should put this. I realize this car is way o/t for you guys, but it's a 'glass body, and every time I ask someone a question about 'glass, I get sent to the "t-bucket guys". So here I am, hoping to learn from all of you about the feeding and care of a 'glass bodied car.
Actually, after you see photos of the frame and suspension, you will see that for all intents and purposes, it's a bucket.
I have a ton of questions, mostly about wooding the body, hanging doors, etc., and since you guys think out of the box better than any other realm of hot rodding, I'm all ears. It's not a bucket, but it's what I have at the moment. I hope you will let me into your circle. Thanks, Mike

 

[2old2fast]

What are you planning, a street vehicle ?
dave

 

[Keeper]

Thats pretty cool

 

[Mike Britton]

Yeah, if I can get a title! I met a guy at the Ft. Worth swapmeet couple of weeks ago that said if I could produce the bills of sale for various components, I could get a VIN number assigned by DPS at the Ft worth impound lot. From there, I could apply for a bonded title, and start on titling the car under HB890, the new street rod title.
I have a "historic document", but I'd really like to do it the right way....I'm about 50% finished on the car, so I have time to see how this will wash out. Thanks, Mike

 

[Youngster]

What do you have for a floor now in the body?

Ron

 

[Mike Britton]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Right now, it's a "Fred Flintstone Flyer", but I was at the home store looking at 1/2" birch ply yesterday. I'm going to make a subfloor out of 1" square tube as soon as the 350 turbo shows up so I have the shape, and I'm thinking from what I've read here already that 1/2" should be sufficient.
I just came in from the garage for lunch, and I'm making a pattern for the bulkhead behind the seat. I'll probably do that in 1/2" birch ply also, with a coat or two of resin, and tie it to the roll bar that will go in.
I haven't decided yet if I want to do epoxy, or 'glass. Both have their strong suits.
I can't find a builder's tag on the body, I know it to be at least 40 years old. I talked to the fellow that owns Poliform yesterday, and he said it wasn't his, he said he has never put out a '29 body that was just two layers. I'm guessing A1. He told me that if I can get it to 1/4" I'm plenty good to go, especially with tagging in some stringers, and wood around the doors. I got the impression from him that metal in and around the doors was overkill, but why does every body manufacturer do it then?

 

[Youngster]

I did some work on one of this type body years ago. In essence what I did was to set the body on a sheet of 3/4" plywood and traced around it. I split the length of the firewall and the rear valance to find a centerline. Then at the doors and wheelwells made sure they where equal distant from the centerline. The plywood was then cut and 'glassed to the body. It was to be a channeled car so I raised it 4 1/2".

The next step was to make a template of the body at the back of the cockpit, the dash and the firewall making sure it they were symetrical. That body accually "leaned" to the drivers side. The templates were then transfered to 5/8" plywood. the dash piece was just screwed to the body and the firewall and bulkhead were 'glassed in place. This was followed by stringers along the top of the cockpit and one front and rear of the doors. The deck lid didn't open or did the doors on that car so there wasn't any wood in the back. The dash template was cut to form the dash and 'glassed in place.

That is how I did that body but feel free to go your own way.

Ron

 

[Mike Britton]

Thanks, Ron! Great idea about just setting the body down on a piece of ply and tracing the outline on .
This body has a small ply flange around the base that makes me believe there may have been a floor at one time that got cut out. With your idea, I can easily make the new floor fit the irregularities of that missing floor.
I like the innovative way T-bucket people think.

 

[Mike Britton]

I looked in search, no luck.
I'm getting ready to cut wood for the firewall. How much clearance do you guys normally give the distributor?
I'm going to use a small cap distributor, preferably an electronic. I wish there was a small cap HEI, they are wayyy trouble free. Thanks, Mike

 

[BodyCount]

Very beautiful car!! Congratz from Brazil.

 

[T-Odd]

Well, I tried to edit your post to include the images, but the IMG tag dropped the URL for some reason... gimme a second to try to fix that.

Sorry, I think it was my goof.

 

[T-Odd]

There, how's that?

 

[Mike Britton]

??????no images. What images????

 

[T-Odd]

Mike, the "IMG =" tag you used did not produce the images properly for this forum so I fixed the tag, now the images are displayed in your original post.

 

[Mike Britton]

I don't understand. All the posts I've done since I signed up have had images, no problem.
There were two that I changed the size on so I could get two images on one reply, is that what you are talking about? Mike

 

[Mike Britton]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I'm proud of myself! I bought some bear claw latches, and they came without attachment plates.
I could go to Speedway and get some, most all these latches are made by Tri-Mark, so they would probably fit. But then It occurred to me that part of this journey is the learning/doing curve. I enjoyed metal shop in school, let's put those skills to use.
I started with a 4" piece of 14 ga. 2"x2" square. Cut it in half to make two "L"s. From there, it was a simple matter of marking with a sharpie and cutting out. No fancy machines. two hacksaws, one with a round, cut in any direction, blade, and some files, and the bench grinder. If I can do it, anyone can do it! Thanks, Mike

 

[Mike Britton]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I'll probably have enough room in the door jamb for these screw heads. If not, I'll countersink and use 1/4x20 flatheads. This side took all of twenty minutes. The other side will take less time.
Thanks, Mike

 

[Mike Britton]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Shapes for wood bracing are all made, all the rest will be simple 1x2 hardwood. The local home store gives me a choice between birch, and red oak (much more expensive).
I tried a bit of glassing yesterday, on the panel behind the dash, I don't think the instructions for the hardened were for 80 degrees and 80% humidity!! I got about 75 % of my resin on before it kicked.
I'll learn.... Thanks, Mike

 

[HenrysT]

I would use the Birch, Red Oak isn't very good for exterior use... If it was White Oak, that's a different story.

 

[Don'tCallMeJimmie]

X2 on the birch. Red oak is very porous, splinters easily and is brittle as well as chock full of tannins that you can do without.