More progress, very slowly…
Spent the yesterday in the shop for 13 hours, but got a lot less done than I hoped I would. I hadn't figured on the amount of time necessary in this phase of the work. It's considerable.
Got the firewall pad, and it is pretty close, but not exact. The biggest incorrect feature is the plain brown skirt: it should be brown ribbed rubber. It also turned out to be about 1/2 inch too long (my fault in measuring) and was missing the starter pedal hole. Otherwise, it's fine and a big improvement. Guess that's what you get for being the half price guinea pig.
The hardest part was cutting out the padding behind the holes - something the maker doesn't do for some reason. Even a razor blade didn't cut it very well. The round holes could be punched out, but the other notches and the rectangular holes were a bear. The heater holes were mispositioned the first time, but that won't show once the heater is installed. Here's what it looks like now:
The pad isn't anchored in yet, just held in place with a couple of bolts in the corner wiring harness clip holes. There are special flat head fittings that are used to anchor the pad in its center, which I know I have, but I couldn't find them of course. They'll show up sometime. I did find the hood handles and the gear shift knob at least, so only the step pad and 1936 license plate are among the missing.
Got the wiring harness in, with the light switch anchored to the dash. Only a few wires are hooked up, but that will come easily enough. What we forgot to do was rivet in the firewall ID tag beforehand, which I hope we can do next time without a lot of hassle.
Also got the wiper linkange and transmissions in. An easy job you think, except it took the better part of an hour to cut and fit cork gaskets to the transmissions and way more time than it should have filing the linkage to fit properly on the motor. All that replating changes things in small but significant ways.
Here's the wipers and dash:
Just to feel like I was getting something done, I put on the front bumper brackets and the bumper itself. It actually went together properly the first time, a rare event. Tried to get the windshield molding in place, but didn't have the proper mounting screws, so only the divider pieces are done, inside and out. The woodgraining looks real good.
Managed to bolt on a few other minor parts, speedometer cable and hood latch pieces among them, but all and all, not a real productive day. Bet I could do it a lot faster a 2nd time, but everything is a first on this project.
Did get to visit with Ken Mitchell, owner of a 1935 cabriolet. I first met Ken and his car 25 years or more ago at the Owl's Head car show when I was there with my coupe. Lost track of him and his name though, but found it at the POCI library exhibity at the SC convention. He was listed in a 1979 membership directory. A few phone calls and I found him, now living in Hudson. I hope to see his car two weekends from now.
Leo's Upholstery in Auburn tore into the front seat. It too is in tough shape, with very weak wood and a cobbled together bench spring. I had a spare coupe seat that was in very good condition though, so we will use the bench from it and adapt the backs to fit the convertible (the corners are cut out to fit around the top well). Several more hours of work of course, but well worth it to have it right.
Got the firewall pad, and it is pretty close, but not exact. The biggest incorrect feature is the plain brown skirt: it should be brown ribbed rubber. It also turned out to be about 1/2 inch too long (my fault in measuring) and was missing the starter pedal hole. Otherwise, it's fine and a big improvement. Guess that's what you get for being the half price guinea pig.
The hardest part was cutting out the padding behind the holes - something the maker doesn't do for some reason. Even a razor blade didn't cut it very well. The round holes could be punched out, but the other notches and the rectangular holes were a bear. The heater holes were mispositioned the first time, but that won't show once the heater is installed. Here's what it looks like now:
The pad isn't anchored in yet, just held in place with a couple of bolts in the corner wiring harness clip holes. There are special flat head fittings that are used to anchor the pad in its center, which I know I have, but I couldn't find them of course. They'll show up sometime. I did find the hood handles and the gear shift knob at least, so only the step pad and 1936 license plate are among the missing.
Got the wiring harness in, with the light switch anchored to the dash. Only a few wires are hooked up, but that will come easily enough. What we forgot to do was rivet in the firewall ID tag beforehand, which I hope we can do next time without a lot of hassle.
Also got the wiper linkange and transmissions in. An easy job you think, except it took the better part of an hour to cut and fit cork gaskets to the transmissions and way more time than it should have filing the linkage to fit properly on the motor. All that replating changes things in small but significant ways.
Here's the wipers and dash:
Just to feel like I was getting something done, I put on the front bumper brackets and the bumper itself. It actually went together properly the first time, a rare event. Tried to get the windshield molding in place, but didn't have the proper mounting screws, so only the divider pieces are done, inside and out. The woodgraining looks real good.
Managed to bolt on a few other minor parts, speedometer cable and hood latch pieces among them, but all and all, not a real productive day. Bet I could do it a lot faster a 2nd time, but everything is a first on this project.
Did get to visit with Ken Mitchell, owner of a 1935 cabriolet. I first met Ken and his car 25 years or more ago at the Owl's Head car show when I was there with my coupe. Lost track of him and his name though, but found it at the POCI library exhibity at the SC convention. He was listed in a 1979 membership directory. A few phone calls and I found him, now living in Hudson. I hope to see his car two weekends from now.
Leo's Upholstery in Auburn tore into the front seat. It too is in tough shape, with very weak wood and a cobbled together bench spring. I had a spare coupe seat that was in very good condition though, so we will use the bench from it and adapt the backs to fit the convertible (the corners are cut out to fit around the top well). Several more hours of work of course, but well worth it to have it right.
posted by Bob Shafto at 8:36 PM
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