1942 Ford project
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Thanks Larry and thanks Rik!
When i started the project some years ago i had a complete different vision of it, in between i nearly changed everything i had in mind first. Now the goal is „just“ a very mild custom with no newer part than 1950. One that the average guy could have built in is backyard in the late 40s and updated from time to time. I will keep the blackwalls, i just love customs with blackwalls. And i have seen many pictures from even the very early 50s where some customs still wore blackwalls with even flipper hubcaps.
In the last years i’ve collected some parts wich go on the Ford piece for piece now. For example i‘ve found some 3“ chrome exhaust tips in their original boxes. Today i have built some dummies wich are under the car for now, to test if they will scratch on the ground on steep driveways or so and if everything goes well i will install the vintage ones.
Now i can…
Here are some more updates: In between i have installed a cable for the trunk latch (i used an choke cable from an VW bug), and i had to build something to hold the original latch in place because of the cutout for the sunken license plate:
Today i‘ve welded my hood together and made a small peak at the nose. This was my first try for a hood peak, it took me some hours to weld and grind, after every two welding spots i cooled the area around them with wet towels until it was cool, then the next two spots and so on. I was a bit afraid the hood will warp, but luckily it did not. It‘s not finished yet, but i couldn’t resist and sprayed on some black paint just to see how it looks, i‘m very happy how it turned out. I have to do more sanding and put some filler on it and then some paint again. This is the picture that inspired me for the short peak:
I love the welded and peaked hood, those look so good on these cars. Excellent.
Enjoy the beauty of Customizing
Customing purity! You’ve given interest and form to the otherwise bland rounded shape of the hood “prow”.
Another example that I have always loved was in peaking the rounded 1949-1952 Chevy hood. Amazing transformation, methinks.
Thank you very much Larry! The peak on the hood also reflects the small „stock peak“ above the windshield:
I‘m glad to hear from you too Tony! Thanks a lot!
It‘s good to hear from all of you, that really motivates me!
Last week i lowered the Ford a bit more. In the back i had installed longer shackles before and now i have reversed the eyes by bending both main leafes in the opposite direction. I‘ve seen this done in an Iron Trap Garage video and also by Eli English from Canada in an Video from Bad Chad. I thought i have to try this, and it turned out it works very well! First i did the front spring and disassembled it carefully. Sometime in the past of the car someone put two extra leaves in wich i put out. Also i left out two original leaves. I carefully reassembled the spring and when the Ford was on the ground the front was lower than the back (where are already the longer shackles).
So i put back in the two original leaves and the car sat level. The reversed eyes dropped the front exactly two inches. Next i bent the main leaf from the rear spring and now the car sits lower in the back, like i want it. Maybe, when the front fenders and hood are on i have to try some slightly different shackle lenghts to fine adjust the stance. Now it looks like this:
Here‘s the link to the Bad Chad video in wich Eli English explains how he bent the leaf spring (the spring part starts about at 26 minutes):And the Iron Trap Garage Video:
I did some work in the last two weeks, with the fenders and hood on it looks like a car again, everything is a bit rough, i will leave it this way for now. I‘ve ordered an dual reservoir master brake cylinder and will overhaul the brakes, new copper lines, and then i will install new wheel bearings, and then i can do a first test drive, …after about five years. I‘ve already changed the head gaskets, waterpumps, new hoses, overhauled the carburetor etc., and what needs some attention are the electrics, will be some fun, i have no clue about it…
I decided winter time and freezing temperatures are a good time to crawl under the car again, i had to re-route the front part of the drivers side exhaust pipe because the reversed eyes brought the wishbone closer to the x-member. Before there was more space and i had routed the pipe below the x-member.
Now i have pieced together a pipe wich snakes through the hole in the x-member, then it has to make place for the clutch pedal wich can be seen pressed down in the picture, wich means it has to run very close to the frame, but without touching it, and then it makes two curves to meet the muffler again. The exhaust manifold had to be modified too, the flange now points upward in direction to the hole in the x-member. A lot of try end error and it turned out not too pretty but everything fits! Now it‘s time to clean up the undercarriage a bit…
Just some little updates on my Ford, the overhauling of the brake and installing of the dual master cylinder is nearly finished, the only thing that‘s missing now is the brake light switch wich is on it‘s way. Once i have it i can put in the last pieces of brake line and bleed the brakes. Luckily i have access to an lift in between wich made installing the new brake lines a lot easier!
While the car was on the lift i realized that my front axle is bent, it hits the crossmember when i jump on the bumper. It seems the car was pulled hard with a chain around the axle somewhen in it‘s past. Before the lowering i didn‘t noticed that, but now with the reversed eyes and an leaf out, the axle is pretty close to the crossmember and it hits it when the spring is slightly under pressure. This was yesterday when i noticed this. I thought, damn, now i need another axle, and i thought this will take some time to find one and stupid money for shipping to germany too. But an hour later i found a good 47 Mercury axle for sale in germany! As far as i know, 42 to 47 Ford (and Mercury) axles are the same, so i bought it. I will pick it up next month and then i will see if it fits.
Here‘s a picture of the bent axle, i put a strap on the left side to show how much it is bent:
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