Posted By |
Discussion Topic:
The Exterior Paint Work is Almost Done...
-- page:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
|
|
RAK402 |
10-08-2022 @ 4:53 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
Spent the day learning to re-upholster the seats, starting with the Rear Seat Cushion... Took off the Seat Covers I put on, back when I was in college (late Pre-Cambrian or Early Mesozoic Period). Then took off the original Bedford Cord upholstery, the padding, etch. Had to hog-ring a few stray springs but everything was in pretty good shape for its age. 20 year old LeBaron Bonney seat cushion upholstery went in pretty well. Big learning curve for me in doing this. Still trying to work out a few puckers, but I am pretty close now. One down, three to go...
|
RAK402 |
10-07-2022 @ 7:59 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
Got a little bit accomplished on the 1940 Ford Today... The Heater Cover is now installed, after letting the paint dry for a few days. The Door Lock is now installed as well. This one took more time, effort, and $$ than it should have... The spring loaded cover on the original door lock had a broken spring, so you couldn't swing it up and have it stay in place (took two hands to unlock the door). The lock was also sticky sometimes. I had a spare original lock, which I took to a lock smith to have it re-keyed to match my original lock and ignition key-for some reason he couldn't quite do it. He made a slightly different key which did work in the lock and the ignition, but none of my existing keys would work with newly re-keyed lock. I also had a new Bob Drake lock, but it had still different keys, so that wouldn't really work. I ended up watching a bunch of YouTube videos on re-keying locks. I took the key pins from the original lock, put them in the Drake lock (in the correct order) and substituted some of the locking pins from the Drake lock in place of the original locking pins. Now I have a door lock that works smoothly with my original keys and matches the ignition lock. Even though it was necessary, I felt like I wasted a lot of time messing with the lock...
|
RAK402 |
10-04-2022 @ 2:46 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
I am about done working on the car today. For once, I got more done than I planned (usually, I seem to get far less done than I planned). I ran ground wires for the Heater, Instrument Cluster, Turn Indicator, and High Beam Lamp to a location under the dash. The High Beam Indicator had not worked since I replaced the socket and I suspected a bad ground (it is normally grounded to the panel through the Jewel) due to the very soft, thin metal of the repro socket (it was not tight against the bottom or the dashboard or in the Jewel). I got the repro Steering Wheel installed-it fit beautifully. Also installed the new Horn Wire and contact, and a new Horn Button. The Steering Column is now tightened under the Dashboard and the Clamp which holds the base of the Column to the Steering Gearbox has been tightened. This was done last as I thought that I might have to slide the Column vertically on the shaft to make sure that the Coincidental Steering Wheel Lock engaged properly, but it wasn't an issue (showing my lack of knowledge here). A new Seal has been installed at the base of the Steering Column, along with the plate which covers it. Finally, I installed the Turn Indicator Switch on the Column.
This message was edited by RAK402 on 10-4-22 @ 2:59 PM
|
RAK402 |
10-02-2022 @ 7:35 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
I didn't get as much done on the 40 Sedan as I wanted to today, but I did get the Heater Cover finished (with the red stripes). I cheated a bit on the vertical bars. Several people posted suggestions regarding how to make them out of stainless steel (some of them brilliant), but I do not have the skills to pull that off and have it look acceptable. In the end, I used repro Glove Box chrome trim strips, cut down. I do know that they are not properly pointed at the top and bottom. I will continue to look for the correct stainless steel strips, but I will not have to look at the empty holes in the front of the heater for the time being. The doors will be painted tomorrow...
|
RAK402 |
10-01-2022 @ 5:50 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
Still working on the 1940 Ford almost every day-today was no exception... Rear View Mirror installed (with two screws for the first time ever-Ford did not drill the hole for the right side screw at the factory). Sun Visors installed as well. It was pretty nerve wracking cutting holes in the new headliner for the screws and the rectangular part of the back of the brackets which house the bent-up ends of the rods and the springs.
|
RAK402 |
10-01-2022 @ 7:59 AM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
1940 Ford work from yesterday... Freshly painted "Zephyr Beige" parts. Clockwise from left/top: Robe Cord Ends, Sun Visor Brackets, Rear View Mirror Mounts, Assist Strap Brackets, Rear View Mirror. Missing is the Bezel for the Courtesy Light Switch-that will be painted today.
This message was edited by RAK402 on 10-1-22 @ 10:22 AM
|
RAK402 |
09-29-2022 @ 7:09 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
Spent today running around and collecting more parts on the 1940 Ford Fordor Sedan... Finally have a spray can of the elusive (at least to me) Zephyr Beige for the Mirror, Visor Brackets, and Assist Strap Brackets. Also have a replacement door lock being re-keyed. Picked up new Hub Caps and Beauty Rings at the Early Ford Store in San Dimas I went out this evening and took photos of the things I missed yesterday. The now installed Instrument Cluster and the long missing Dashboard Brace. Would never have known that Dashboard Brace existed without the book "It's Ford for Forty." I walked into The Early Ford Store a few months ago and asked Mike (the owner) about the Dashboard Brace-not only did he know all about it, he had one in stock! Still working on organizing the wiring behind the Dashboard. After that is done and all the electrical is working properly, the Steering Wheel can go in (technically it could go in now, but it is much easier to work without it). Still a long way to go, but getting closer...
|
RAK402 |
09-28-2022 @ 11:22 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
The Choke and Throttle Knobs are in (the cast metal housings on the repro grommets had to be machined to fit into the holes in the dashboard where the originals still fit fine), the Glove Box Door Latch Bezel and Button have been polished and installed, the instrument cluster is installed with the special washers (forgot to get a photo of it from the front), and the brace from the window frame to the lower rim of the dashboard is installed (no photo of that either-it's up underneath-I may try to get on in the next few days before the radio goes in). Waiting for a new glove box and some headliner material to line it with.
This message was edited by RAK402 on 9-28-22 @ 11:23 PM
|
RAK402 |
09-26-2022 @ 2:28 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
From yesterday and today (before it got too hot)... Windshield Wiper Knob and Linkage Installed (antenna is now sitting the the correct spot (waiting for the radio). Ammeter is installed in left Ash Tray, Ash Tray Door is installed, as is Electric Fan Switch (under the Dashboard, so it cannot be easily seen), Panel Dimmer rheostat, Headlight Switch, Cigar Lighter Socket (not connected to power), and Cigar Lighter. Getting ready to install the instrument cluster (it is just sitting, almost in the rectangular hole, in the photograph). Master craftsman Dennis Poloni made a set of the correct type of washers to mount the cluster-these are not reproduced. I didn't know these existed until joining the Early Ford V-8 Club Forums-Mike Kubarth kindly provided the dimensions on another thread here. Also to be installed is the Dashboard Brace/Strut. This runs from underneath the window frame down to the Dashboard (just to the right of the Panel Dimmer rheostat). This was missing from my car when I got it (and for the last 47 years). I would never have know this was missing or that it even existed without the book "It's Ford for Forty."
|
RAK402 |
09-24-2022 @ 10:36 PM
|
|
|
Member
Posts: 430
Joined: Jul 2015
|
Worked all day on the Ford again... First of all, Thank You to Mike Kubarth for supplying the photos of the dash welt on the other thread-this really helped a lot. Front window garnish moldings are in along with the double-beaded welt that goes between the dashboard and the garnish moldings, the stainless steel windshield divider is in, and the radio antenna is in. The welt is not the correct color-technically, I should have painted it Monaida Maroon (the same color as the upper portion of the dashboard), but with it being so hot here, and with the fact that I intend to drive the car quite a bit, I was afraid that the maroon paint would eventually crack and end up looking worse (I have seen this happen when people paint over the welt on the outside of the car-I don't know if it would happen with the welt on the inside). So the welt is a brownish color (what LeBaron Bonney supplied all those years ago). And yes, I know the antenna is in the hole for the windshield wiper knob at the moment-it is just parked there temporarily. Now that the car is fully sealed (with the addition of the antenna) I can finally wash it after about nine weeks.
|