37 Ford build--IE: old Header issues thread /37 Ford/5.0/GT40P heads

[Irelands child]

Hi Randy,
Man, that dash was ugly - the "retrofit" sure makes for an improvement. Talk about CB radios - I finally sold mine at a swap meet last fall. Now - what gauges are you using - most of the mfrs have a 4 in 1 that sure would look nice - my preference is Classic Gauges though I'll be using VDO's - simply because Classic didn't have the smaller diameter speedo and tach that I wanted. Best would be retrofitted OEMs (IMO) for yours.

The front of the frame is looking good - but looked better with the engine in place

It has been hottern' the hinges of h@%% with high humidity here and slowing things down but I still am trying to get an hour or so on the car every day. The fenders, grille shell, gas tank, splash shields, cowl cover, running boards and dash are sitting ready for paint. I thought the doors were until I did a final guide coat and 600 grit sand an hour ago - oops, dammit, need some more glazing putty on a couple of places on each door - so tomorrow or Friday will see them ready for paint. Then, the main body gets finalized

I guess we are involved with minutae on our cars right now, without a lot of spectacular changes (well except for maybe a major dashboard mod)is why we have spread out our discussion. I'm still here every day and do participate some in the forum, but have cut way back - it's summer in the great Northeast and "other" things are happening.

Have a good one -

Dave

[randyr]

Hey Dave...

This is the first time that I've signed on and our pics have been reduced to links instead of being open automatically. Is yours that way too?

Anyway, you're right, the old dash was pitiful! But it went well with the old firewall... I have a set of classic styled guages by TPI Tech. The speedo is electronic and the other guages are a 4 in 1 configuration. They fit perfectly in the original holes, white face, black letters, red pointers....beyond that I'll keep it simple, clean and tasteful. I left the windshield crank in tact because I kinda like it and it still works, even though I never open it.

You're also right that the frame looks much better with the engine in it! It's functional, safe and will have to do for now.

Enjoy that heat and humidity! It's about 70 degrees and sunny with a light breeze in Santa Monica today. Looking at the forecast for the next few days, it looks exactly the same.....but I won't rub it in.....too much....

Randy

[Irelands child]

Hey Dave...

This is the first time that I've signed on and our pics have been reduced to links instead of being open automatically. Is yours that way too?...........


Randy

Randy,
I got real pictures - not sure what or why yours would be different

Glad you have those gauges - when I talked to Classic at York, they said that they weren't going to make them in the smaller diameter that I wanted so I chose to go with the 6 VDO's in their Heritage Gold line. I think that Classic will make them now, but too late - my dash and billet surround is done and ready for installation.

The @#$%@&%$# doors are proving to be a pain, but I still hope to have them in fresh primer, final sanded and ready for paint NLT tomorrow this time.

Speaking of paint, my intent now is to have EVERYTHING ready by the 20th so we can leave for vacation in the "sunny" Orkney Isles of Scotland the next day. We'll be back on Labor Day, so possibly paint that week and the next. The only major item left is the body and that's 75% done.

If anyone had told me how bad a Brookvlle body could be............

We have a break in the heat - only in the mid 80s with a lot lower humidity - but rain predicted for tomorrow so will be a good car work day.

Later!!

[Irelands child]

Randy,
Every thing but one rear fender (plus the RR quarter) is sanded waiting color. The doors proved to be nasty but seem to have come out looking nice and smooth with a guide coat sand. I've done all my primer sanding thru 600 grit but I am contemplating one more quick pass with 800.

How's with your endeavors? Last heard was that the dash was coming along.

We'll be leaving tomorrow so will catch up on or about Labor Day.

Dave

[randyr]

Hey Dave,

Congrats on having that thing almost paint ready! That's gotta be a good feeling. Mine has taken a back seat to other projects for the last couple of weeks. The stripped dash is hanging on a nail in my garage awaiting some epoxy primer so I can finish it out. I stripped the rest of the cowl area too, but that's about it for recent activity. Hopefully, I'll get to proceed this weekend.

As for your trip, have a great time! I hope to get over there some day.
Let me know when you get back. Maybe I'll have some progress to report.

Later,
Randy

[Irelands child]

Hi Randy,
Back home and not much to report on the car since we got back sick - twice - with some sort of nasty Scottish Highlands bug and spent well over a week just moping around feeling sorry for ourselves while doing our best to increase the market shares of Sudefed, aspirin and Kleenex.Since it's turning cooler, long past house projects are now due though I am going to try to do some color in the next few day on the gas tank, splash shields, door jambs, and firewall as they are ready(have been for a long time!!) One way or another, I have to get the body on the chassis so I can wire - the body can be masked off and painted later as well as the fenders. And I'm going to NSRA Burlington for a couple of days, just to make life interesting and delay more!!

[randyr]

Hey Dave,
Welcome back to the mainland! I trust your Irish eyes are smiling......isn't there a song or saying like that or something?? LOL

I don't have much to report on my car either. I've been tinkering with a few things on it but nothing really photo worthy or post worthy. I've been busy trying to earn some dough for the next phase....whatever that it is....

I hope it's ok for my engine to be sitting these last few months. I primed the oil pump early on but since then, it's just sat. I can't wait to crank it up but alas, it's not time yet.....

I'm still anxious to see how your painting turns out so get busy! LOL.....get over your bug first though....

Good to hear from you. Will post some progress soon.

Randy