It has been over a month so a little update is in order. Mostly just some small things, but still progress none the less. Today will be day number 87 of 100 deg + temps, so it has been hard to accomplish much. But the weather has started to break some so maybe we won't make it to 90 days.

Got the generator taken apart, cleaned up and painted. Picked this up used but looks like it was rebuilt not too long ago. Bearings, bushings, and brushes show almost no wear. Date code is supposed to date it in 1957, an EXCELLENT year. I ordered a gen bracket, and still ended up slicing it and shortening it. I probably should have just made it myself and saved the money.

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I picked up a combo fuel pressure regulator and filter. It's an Italian made unit, I saw this somewhere and with the glass bowl and design it had that early hot rod look. I think they have made this for a number of years and were on some of the Italian Hot Rods. I even found one that had a port for a pressure gauge and I think it looks right at home on the firewall.

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I made a switch panel for the ignition switch and so forth. I also made an insert out of a piece of a stainless steel dishwasher front I had saved. Sanded it and polished it. I will have to make another one this one had two very small dings that I did not see until I started polishing it. Might try one engine turned and see how that looks. I made the panel from a piece of 16 ga. sheet and then welded some 1/8 x 1 strap around it, and finished it off with a piece of 3/16 rod to give it a bead around the edge. This also worked good to hold the stainless in snug to the face. I also discovered that the dash is kinda flimsy at the bottom. Just pulling and pushing the light switch worked the panel back and forth. So I added a couple of braces from the bottom rail, where the panel attached to the dash, to the front hoop. Just took a piece of heavy round curtain rod about 1/2 OD. , smashed the ends flat, rounded em, and bolted it to the dash rail and welded some tabs to the hoop for the other end. There is no flex in that panel now.

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I eluded to the fact I made the throttle cable from bicycle parts so I thought I'd show that. The cable and the cable ends at the firewall and carb bracket are just the adjusters off some brake parts. I fashioned a U shaped piece out of some strap to attach to the throttle shaft. I did use a piece of auto outer cable, leftover from the 48, it was heavier than the bike stuff. Seams to work good. I think I'll make a wire retainer for the end near the rear carb linkage just to make sure it can't get behind the linkage stops and hold the throttle open.

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I started the mounts for the aux brake and turn lites, just to see how they were going to look. It may not show in the pics but they are those bee hive clearance lights you used to see at every auto parts store..........30 years ago...... I had to hunt to find some on ebay that were not led snap in units. These were actually NOS. And yesterday I knocked out the rear bumper. Still needs some cleanup before I paint it. I got some stainless tail light brackets. I believe these were for maybe 34 to 36 or there about trucks. But they worked good for me. I didn't care for the A style brackets. I had to do just a little grinding so they would clear the twin bulb tail lamps. They are Chinese, but I was impressed. Glass lenses, and cloth covered wiring. Not sure about the license plate bracket. I don't like it out there. I might live with it though. Reminds me of a danged boat tailer. I might use that bracket and hang it below the aux brake lights. I could drill a 1" hole in the bottom of that 2 x 4 box and mount a flush mount license plate light. I have a couple on my 48 and they are rectangular and only protrude about 1/2". I'll have to think on that one though. Maybe with a license plate frame it will look better.

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