Welder Series ’32 Update: E-brake linkage revisited

As I’m reassembling the car, there are some things that I think I should have explained a little better at the time of the first article. The emergency brake handle mount is a neat little piece, but I don’t think I explained how it attaches to the floor.

See that little bung at the button end of the ‘canoe’? The bottom of that bung sits on the top surface of the bottom floor panel. Get that? I think you will. I used the Lokar ratchet mechanism and incorporated it into the canoe, which drops the handle into the floor.

The canoe was made from the outside section of a bent 1-5/8″ tube.

This is the hole where the canoe sits.

Below the 2″ thick floor, the linkage fits through a slot in the bottom floor panel. I bent up a linkage rod required to clear the center section tube and threaded it on both ends.

I drilled and tapped the Lokar brass block so it would work with my threaded linkage rod.

I used a 3/8″ heim joint (or “rod end”) to support the linkage rod and also to serve double duty as the upper bolt for the transmission mount.

A little out of place, but an update nonetheless. I put heat shrink on the wires as they exit from the frame rail and tuck in to the grille shell so they won’t stand out like… wires.

Welder Series ’32 Update: tank vent

A gas tank needs a vent. Otherwise, as the fuel leaves the tank and is blown up in the engine, a vacuum is created and eventually the fuel pump won’t be able to suck hard enough. Try this: plug your nose. Say “wukka wukka wukka!” No seriously, plug your nose and breathe through your mouth. Then cover your mouth with your hand. Not for very long though. Now release your nose. Your nose is like the vent valve, your lungs are the engine. Oxygen obviously represents gas. As your lungs try to get more air, pretty soon the reserve in your mouth runs out, but as soon as you open the vent (your nose) the engine runs smoothly. If this experiment didn’t work, see a doctor – you’re not plumbed right.

Moving right along, here’s how I vented the tank.

Revision 1 was slipping a rubber hose over the barbed end of the gas tank vent. Revision 2 was copying Cam, who slipped a short section of rubber hose over the barbed fitting then transitioned to stainless hard line. Here’s revision 3:

The brass piece on the right is the rollover valve/ vent. You can see the barbs on the top of the fitting where hose normally slides over. I’ve ‘toned down’ the barbs.

The 3/16″ stainless line *almost* fits inside the barbed part of the brass valve, so I machined it down just a bit so it slips tightly in. Remember, this line is mostly for vapors, with the occasional fuel sloshage. The two hex fittings are threaded on to a joiner fitting which I machined the hex off, just like the front brake lines.

Here’s the final product (I hope). You see, the tank is already in place so I had to use a welding rod to get the basic shape I needed, then transfer those bends to the stainless line. I put the joiner fitting in place so that the fitting can be installed and then hooked up to the vent tube, since there’s not enough room for the whole thing to twirl around as the vent is tightened.

For more articles, please visit www.welderseries.com.

Hot Rod Interior Guy Finishes Own Car!

The post man doesn’t go for a walk on his day off and hot rod builders, painters and upholstery guys never get a chance to finish their own cars. That’s almost a rule! That’s why it’s my pleasure to show you the finished product when they do.

This is th 1932 Hot Rod “Shop Truck” is owned by Glenn Kramer of Hot Rod Interiors, located in Glendale Arizona.

Glenn says, “I’ve been doing upholstery since 1980, and decided the best ride for me would be an all around hot rod shop truck that I could use for work & play.”

If you can’t reach Glenn at his website, or cruising his cool new shop truck at the Mesa Cruise or downtown on Central, then head over to his website at hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com or give him a call at 623-872-2242.

Glenn will be the guy grinning ear to ear when you see him and his wife cruising all over in the shop truck. Way to go Glenn!

Barrett Jackson Auction’s Salute to Boyd Coddington?

I expect a hot rod driver or builder to know who Boyd Coddington was. Like him or not, there’s no denying his influence on style and the budget of custom cars, especially the one-off rides built for his TV show, “American Hot Rod”. His death almost 1 year ago shocked the custom car world.

It looked like there were alot more hot rods and cars that I’ll call “regular” at the 2009 Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona this year. What the heck is regular? Well, I just mean they’re somewhat obtainable by more then just wealthy collectors out there. I guy with a dream who’s been saving for a while might have a shot. With the “dreamers” and the collectors all gathered at Barrett Jackson, how many knew who Boyd Coddington? Quite a few!

Case in point are 2 hot rods sold on Saturday at Barret Jackson. The first is this neo-classic styled: chopped, red and flamed but with billet (of course Boyd’s) wheels, 1932 Ford 3 window coupe. A great looking, no-expense-spared car, no doubt, but was it worth the $200k it sold for? (without commissions) Who knows the actual build cost, but that could be said for many cars on the block. From what I heard the auctioneers saying, many cars were being sold for the cost of the “frame off rotisserie” restoration. Not this car, I think it sold for a premium because it was a Boyd car. It’s tough to hear in the video below, but the cheers from the crowd as the price kept rising support that theory. What do you think? (after a short word from their sponsor…)

Also supporting my Boyd buy theory is this Chip and Sam Foose built 29 Ford Sedan. This steel car will be the topic of another blog. I got a chance to chat with the new owner and he was tickled to have such at great car for $50k (without commissions) With 15″ Boyd wheels, this low slung sedan is in fantastic condition and anything with Chip Foose’s name on it, I think, also should fetch a premium. Did it? I think in a few years, it’ll take alot more money to own a car built by Foose. More on this cool 80′s time machine in a future blog.

Finally, I’ll throw out another 32 Ford 3 Window coupe for you to ponder. This is a different, much more nostalgic looking 32, but for years, any steel 32 was fetching big, BIG dollars, weren’t they? This car sold for $58k. Is that right? This car was CHERRY! I checked, it’s a steel car and features a somewhat ordinary 350/350 combo, but with the simple but stylish interior, artillery steelies and whitewalls, this is my style.

So did the Boyd name bump up the price at auction or was it a simple case of 2 guys really wanting the same car?

Squeeg’s Kustom Goodguys Lunch Stop

The Goodguys Southwest Nationals rolls into Scottsdale, AZ only once a year and with it comes a mad thrash to get your car ready and some great chances to roll your car out (even a roadster since it was in the 80′s that week!) have some fun and meet some other rodders in the area.

Doug Jerger the owner of Squeeg’s Kustoms in Mesa, Arizona landed the lunch stop for the Goodguys Show. Doug was kind enough to let me take up some space at his shop and hand out some of the posters we made.

The open house came at a perfect time as Squeeg’s was debuting 3 trick hot rods. Doug’s shop can build and paint anything you want and do it to near perfection. The 34 Ford Roadster shown above was one of the cars. Everything on this car screams professional builder and the style and execution let you know this car had a solid plan right from the start.

The other 2 hot rods finshed were a 32 Ford Roadster and a 40 Ford coupe. I’m not showing the 40 Ford right now because we’re all hoping the coming out part for the 40 will be on the pages of Rodder’s Journal.

Make sure to look closely at the pictures below. Maybe I got a shot of you or your car? If so, let me know.

Until then, right click and save the image of the poster we made and use it as your wall paper. It’s a good size file and should look great as your screen saver.

Special thanks to Doug and all the guys at Squeeg’s.