Cabrio upgrades

With the Stowe, VT show coming up, I thought I'd fix some of the things the judges found wrong with the car last year.

1st was having Phillips head screws holding my top boot snaps. I replace those several months ago with the correct type. Funny that I never noticed that.

2nd was the unfinished backsides of the bumpers. The bumpers should really be rechromed: whoever did it last time did a very marginal job. But they aren't bad enough to warrant the expense, so I'm living with them. The insides were painted (unevenly), but there were several rough edges from the replating. I ground those off, then painted the back with silver Hammerite paint. They look much better now. I also did the coupe's bumpers while I was at it.

Here I'm grinding off the rough edges:


Then painted them with Hammerite:


3rd was an incorrect rear tail pipe hanger. I had a picture of a correct one, so decided to make my own. I got some flat aluminum stock from Ace Hardware, then bent it in my vise to form my own. I can't swear to its authenticity, but it's close enough:





That took care of the deficits, but I also wanted to add they call a radiator condensor (overflow) tank. In the May 8, 1936 service bulletin, PMD advised dealers to add these to cars that were having overheating problems (it was sold as a kit). Since the Sixes did not have pressurized radiators, I assume that was a fairly common problem. All they were were one gallon metal cans, the kind paint thinner or turpentine would come it, mounted to the inside LH fender and connected with a hose to the radiator overflow tube. I knew exactly what they look like because I have original one on my coupe that I got off a parts car.

So I started with a can, removing the handle and the plastic safety piece on the cap.


Then I had my body shop guy braise a tube on the can and painted the ends with Hammerite:


I roughed the can up with some sandpaper, then painted in black. I made a bracket to hold it out of the same aluminum stock I used to make the exhaust hanger, drilling holes in it and the inner fender, mounting it with 5/16" stainless bolts.

Voila, here it is on the car:


I don't really have a overheating problem on the car, but when we took a rest break while driving through the mountains last year on a hot day, did blow out some coolant. The can would have captured it. If it happens again, I'm ready.