Torchies new project
- This topic has 960 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I hope to be able to start posting regular progress reports on the Dodge custom now that the Chris Craft bottom project is completed.
I rolled the boat back over by myself and 4 chain falls. It is now on the trailer getting ready to be moved to storage for the winter. AS can be seen from the pics it will end up being completely rewrapped with new Mahogany. That’s for another day.
The plan is to get both the chopped and sectioned body and the donor car in the shop for the winter. (Which will be here soon.)
I have also been searching for more missing trim pieces. Picked up a complete outer windshield trim set. Most of these are missing the seam covers at the top and bottom of the center bar.
I also found the DS rocker trim. Now on the hunt for the passenger side.
Torchie
Progress.
Boat out. Custom in.
I will be pulling this off the rotten frame so I can turn just the body side ways and then move the donor car in to where this one is now.
That will happen in a couple of days.
Torchie
Just some stuff while I rest up….
Pic. 1. Found this one for sale on FB Market place. Same car as mine but with the rear quarter window left short.
Pic 2. A friend practiced doing a color rendering of mine using the photo shopped pic the guy in Germany did of it. Kind of has a Gene Winfield fade paint job on it.lol. He’s learning and I applaud him for that.
PIc 3. This is the color I plan to use when I paint it. 1957 Johnson Javalin out board. I call it Butterscotch for lack of a better name.lol
Torchie
Gotta love progress. I dig the Griffith Observatory photoshop.
For sure Ian. That damn boat bottom took up way too much of my time.
Here is the original photoshop done by a person from Germany that has been following this build. You never know who’s watching.LOL
Great stuff.
Torchie
Did all this today in the pouring rain as it’s supposed to start pouring snow here.
Rotted frame out. Custom body sideways on dollies.
Donor Dodge in.
The 2 pics of me show the height difference between my chopped and sectioned car and a stocker.
I hung the custom so the rockers were at the same hight as the stocker.
Just for scale I”m 6 foot 2.
Torchie
Busy getting the old homestead ready for winter. But on my breaks I’m engineering the custom.
Since the custom body has been sectioned 3″ that means that I have to allow the stock steering colunm to raise up into the dash. You can see from the pics where that puts it.
My thoughts at this time is to spread out the gauges to allow for the column. 2 to the outside and one between the column and the radio grill. I cant really move the chrome trim as it connects to the radio grill and continues on through to the PS.
I think once up into the dash the bottom of the column will be above the trim.
Any thoughts and or comments are always appreciated.
Some caveat’s . I don’t want to use a new or newer tiling column as I want to retain the 3 on the tree.( Plus I don’t like the looks of them in a vintage car. JMHO.)
Torchie
The body section means that you will be sitting 3 inches higher on the stock seat. I would consider lowering the seat frame ( or at least the cushion height) and trying to split the difference of perhaps raising the column an inch and a bit and lowering the seat height two.
It would be tricky to reposition those gauges aesthetically given their square shape but there are plenty of nice low profile gauges to be found. Can you pare back to two gauges either side of the column and place the third on the glovebox?
Q.
The gauges , starting from the DS of the dash…. Amp and oil pressure.
Speedo. Temp and Gas gauge.
not sure which one of any I would move.
I understand and agree with your thoughts about the seat height and asthetics but will reserve any action on it until I have it in the custom body. I should be able to lower the steering column a bit based on messing with the one on the rotten frame. The rub with that is i still want to run the 3 on the tree so I don’t want to have issues with linkage binding..
And even with lowering the column I would still have to cut up into the dash the 2 inches so I either move the gauges, or look for something else. I knew I should have kept the 41 Ford Gauges I sold with the custom truck.
Here is a better pic of the same dash. Even if I put a gauge where the clock is I’m not sure I like it.LOL
And some pics of the possible stock gauge relocation. The gauges are 4×4 square.
Thanks for the thoughts and the comment Q
Torchie
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
.
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by .
I agree with Q’s first paragraph.
I would at least mock up a lower seating position to test.
How is the column to steering box connection effected now? In Q’s car he was able to leave the steering box in it’s location, held by one bolt. The steering column could then swing to the right location in the dash mount position. Re-drill new frame holes for the remaining steering box mounts. Adjust dash mount accordingly.
I know this sounds academic as I’m not there with the car in front of me, so take these as ideas to consider if applicable.
Could you tighten them up and move them all to the left of the steering column? Do a sort of asymmetrical thing and then move the column up into the dash. It’s not like they are centered on the steering column now.
I agree with Q’s first paragraph. I would at least mock up a lower seating position to test. How is the column to steering box connection effected now? In Q’s car he was able to leave the steering box in it’s location, held by one bolt. The steering column could then swing to the right location in the dash mount position. Re-drill new frame holes for the remaining steering box mounts. Adjust dash mount accordingly. I know this sounds academic as I’m not there with the car in front of me, so take these as ideas to consider if applicable.
You know I’m the King of the mock ups Tony. This car has already been mocked up more then actually built. LOL Steering box bolts thru the frame . Then a direct shaft right into the box. Based to the one from the first frame, once unbolted from the dash support there is some allowable travel left and right as well as up and down. Plus there is the option of putting a joint in the steering shaft, But as I said I can’t compromise the 3 on the tree. I’m not a big fan of floor shifters on this era of a car. I know…I’m picky.LOL
Could you tighten them up and move them all to the left of the steering column? Do a sort of asymmetrical thing and then move the column up into the dash. It’s not like they are centered on the steering column now.
I looked at that as well Ian. It might fit but would be getting into the curve at the end of the dash I think. I’ll do a mock up of that tomorrow.
Thanks for your comments guys.
Torchie
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.