Rodent ???

[geezerman35]

When I posted the finish of the Rodney build Friday, I had no idea what I would work on next.
I had parts of a 36 roadster glue bomb, body only - no chassis or motor, and the scratch built 29 cowl. Nothing was jumping out at me as what to do with them.
I was out looking at some new Morning Glories Friday morning about 8 AM, when I glanced down and saw inspiration the basis of my next build.
I will use the 36 body, but a roadster didn't fit my vision.
Parts box search led me to a chopped 50 Ford windshield and a ragtop. i would have to narrow the windshield, lay it back and narrow and shorten the top. I'm starting to get into this, and so stoked, I didn't take time to ask Bob to open a new album for it in my DPMCC Fotki. I'll have toi catch it up seein's, now, this might work.
The top is so long it comes to the middle of the trunk area. As I pondered this, I suddenly was put to mind of the coolest 35 sedan hot rod featured in the latest issue of Ol Skool Rodz.
Now, I'M excited !! This'll be cool if I can pull it off. I went balls out Friday afternoon figuring things out and fitting the windshield.

OK, here goes. I'm petty excited on this. I was a little hesitant on putting this out on the internet, don't want to make an ass of myself in too many places. But it looks like I may be able to pull it off if I don't damage... 'THE FIND'

The find :


The vision: You can see here where I am replacing a missing cowl side piece.


The rear end inspiration:


Fitting the 50 Ford windshield:




First cut on the top: This'll be a chore. I don't want it to appear as a rag top.


BTW, I think the rodent skull is from a small squirrel.

[geezerman35]

I consided this as the point of no return:



Not too bad.





At risk of blowing my image, I'll confess that a lot of what I do is trail and error. I'm now thinking that I was a little hasty in making the long pie cut to the front of the roof. It distorts too much when I draw the sides together. Since I'm not preserving the ragtop, I should have just trimmed the sides forward to meet the windshield. So, I'll try to find the section I took out and put it back !!!

[kirbside]

Looks like a cool vision, with a large mix of trial & error. Should be sweet when done.

[stevegt738]

This will be fun

[virgmeister]

You have me intrigued. I will keep a watchful eye on this build. Doing great!!

Virgil

[geezerman35]

What was it they tried to hammer into my head back in the day when everything was analog? "For every action there was an opposing reaction". Something like that.
Well I put the strip back in the roof pie cut and shaved the sides to meet the windshield, resulting a lack of material on the sides. So I had to build them up to have something to work with. I also had to modify the hoodends because they nowhere began to match up with the cowl.



I weakened the body by scribing the rear door lines almost all of the way thru, reinforced and pulled the upper body sides inward. The stock body curvature was bulging way out from the roof line and I plan to install 'B' pillars to make the model resemble a 2 door sedan as much as possible.

[virgmeister]

Im starting to get a picture in my head now.....The 2-door sedan idea sounds like the way to go. I like the way it is coming together. Good job.

Virgil

[lo51merc]

Dang Clay, this thing is gonna be WILD! It's already looking great! Gary

[geezerman35]

Got the right side roughed in. Now I have to do it on the other side
I may get it to fairly resemble a sedan after all.
( I don't like that factory body line, But I'm gonna live with it !)

[kirbside]

I'm liking it! Keep it coming.

[geezerman35]

Body is at the point now where it's gonna just need a lot of detail sanding. Notice I decided to not leave drip rails on.



So now, I'm starting to look at frame, engine and other stuff. This is the engine I replaced with a flathead when I reworked Idle Hands I. I think I'll use this.....nice and aggressive looking.



And I'll be starting in on the scratch built frame.



Wheels and front tire will be some of the old KKKKK castings, and the rear will be a brand new set of hoarded R&RoM Street slicks.

[virgmeister]

You chose the right engine for this build. It will set it off nicely. The rear wheel you have in the pic would look "era" correct for the build. It has a drag racer look. Great job. Keep us informed on the build. Thanks.

Virgil

[geezerman35]

When I was building "Rodney", I made the comment that it probably would have been easier to build a frame from scratch than cobble one together the way I did.
These components, however, went together rather easily.



And will make into a pretty cool frame when completed.

[geezerman35]

Catch up a bit here.
I have fitted the skull and have opened the hood for engine clearance.
Coming along fairly well now. still a lot to do.

[geezerman35]

Geezer and Igor have gotten the chassis up on its wheels out in the garage.
Working on the interior, which will be built right on the chassis. The Geezer seldom uses a 'tub'.



The 'billit' piece on the front of the engine was fabricated from a soda can, several years ago when this engine was first built for a 32 3 window.