Constructing and Aligning

Now, in January, 2011, we're working on the cowl section -- the sheet metal that is located forward of the doors and includes the firewall.  Dan has carefully removed all the wooden substructure and has sent the instrument panel to the sandblaster.

 We discovered that one of the sheet metal vent deflectors was missing, so here Dan has fabricated a new one using the remaining original one as a pattern.  

Here's a closeup:

When Dan was removing the windshield posts, he determined that they were frozen in place, firmly corroded to the forged braces that hold them in place and attach to the cowl and firewall.  Ultimately, the only way to remove them was to saw through the 3/4" steel bolts that were unmovable.  This meant that Dan then had to drill out the old remnants of the threaded rod that was cast in place.  This was quite a delicate operation:

 

And now (January, 2011), Dan has begun making the wooden pieces that comprise the cowl supports.  This is the section of the body that includes the firewall and extends back to the posts in front of the two doors.

 

It's very important to get this entire structure precisely in the right location and at the correct angle if we want the doors to align properly and latch securely.

 

Note the large forged and cast brackets that were designed to securely anchor everything and keep it in alignment. 

 

Dan wisely decided to make the upholstery panels that go on each side of the rumble seat before we put the body metal back over the wood framework.  Here are the pattern and the finished product (before any upholstery is applied).  The hole in the left panel is to access a storage area for the side curtains.  It will be covered by a hinged cover with a rain protection flap on top.  There will be a similar cover on both sides.

New Sills!

It's October 29th, and reassembly of the wood structure has begun!

And now, Dan has started gluing the parts together that form the area around the rumble seat...

Still More Dismantling

Now, as we near the end of August, Dan and Deron have removed the cowl section from the sills (the long heavy beams that mount onto the frame and provide the support for the body structure).  They have also removed the sills for Dan to use them as patterns.  Here are a few photos of the progress:

More Metal Work

It is now early August, 2010.  Dan has finished a lot of needed metalwork on the main body section and lots of small miscellaneous body pieces.  A few pictures tell the story better than words.  His workmanship is remarkable!

A Little Priming

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

6-4-10  The main part of the body is back from the plastic media blaster.  Here, Dan is spot cleaning some tiny blemishes prior to applying a two-part epoxy primer that will protect the sheet metal.

 

 

Here is the rear floor pan from the 1932 Plymouth roadster.  It has been bead blasted, and Dan is spot cleaning a few spots with metal prep before applying the 2-part epoxy primer.  Can you believe this sheet metal is 78 years old????

 

More Wood Repair

6-2-10  Dan has finished saturating the two door jambs with Kwik Poly and has patched the end of one.  He has also scraped them back down to the original surface.  He has just begun saturating and regluing the large structure on the left of the picture that surrounds the back of the seat.  It is the piece that the lower edge of the top material fastens to.

Media Blasting

5-5-2010 - Dan Shady took the rear part of the body up to Murfreesboro to have it media blasted.  That should reveal any further problems we may have to deal with.  The cowl section is still mounted on the frame.  We'll probably remove it in the next couple of weeks.