Popular Post Nominal Posted November 4, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 4, 2020 New metal 32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted February 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2021 Two is better than one, right? Bought this 4-door project and had it shipped down from Hamilton. I was really after parts from it, particularly front end sheetmetal and things. Should be the same as the Woodie from the firewall forwards. A bit of a garage shuffle, 2.5 51 Fords. The 4-door has a valid NZ ID and will be for sale again soon, just waiting to get one of the guards back from the panel man. 23 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nominal Posted May 16, 2021 Author Share Posted May 16, 2021 ^^ Only two?? 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted May 31, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2021 Bit of catching up to do... Bit of a road trip back in September to pick up a running 49 Mercury flathead. The Mercury engine is 255 cubes (stroked crank) and 110hp compared to the lowly Ford at 239 cubes and 100hp. It is stock as far as I know, except for the triple 94's on an Edelbrock manifold with dodgy air filters. It came from a 49 Mercury where the owner had already had a newly rebuilt C4 auto adapted (in NZ) and converted to 12V but was being pulled to be replaced by a Windsor 302 (or similar) 20 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted May 31, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2021 I took the radiator out of the project for an inspection. It looked OK to me but the radiator man told me it needed recoring and would be $$$ to do so. Dropped it off before the November Beach Hop and picked it up on the return. I knocked up a wooden frame on casters and mounted the engine and radiator up. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted May 31, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2021 I dicked around with the starter for a bit - it's called a rat-trap style with a mechanical linkage to push the pinion into engagement with the ring gear. It's pretty new actually, to go with the C4 I guess. \ Started up OK after that Since they are both in the same part of the garage I ran both Mercury V8's together. Both pretty dirty looking though. 32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 13, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 13, 2021 On 16/04/2020 at 23:34, Nominal said: While in the USA for work last year (we won't be back there for a while I suppose) we visited Rick Mack. He's probably the best supplier of this type of wood. As noted above, the frames were laminated in the original ford design. This because there is a lot of curve in the pieces as the come up over the upper parts of the door 'skin'. If they were bandsawed out from a timber blank then the grain would weaken the structure. Rick doesn't use a microwave bonding but laminates the wood strips into forms using a press. Pic below is Rick's personal woodie. End result of the visit was an order for a full wood set. : It was a long process, we confirmed the order in September 2019. The framing is maple and the insert plywood is mahogany veneer. Also included a full set of the interior panels also in mahogany ply. These pics are from April 2020 which was of course Covid Time. I'd also bought a few necessary parts from Rick, and others from Tom Fritz (https://www.ccrod.com/home.htm). Got some new repro sill plates from https://cgfordparts.com/. These parts were all shipped to Rick in Tacoma who crated them up for me along with the wood parts. I arranged the shipping with Mainfreight / Kiwi Shipping including the Tacoma WA to Garden CA leg. They left Tacoma on 22 July 2020. 29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 15, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 15, 2021 The crates left LA on 7 September 2020, but didn't arrive in Auckland until 30 September, then down to Wellington by mid-October where I had to pay the shipping and taxes (ouch) Just managed to squeeze them into the Poojero for the trip home. They were very well packed. The smallest crate was assorted parts the middle one had the door pieces, even signed 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 15, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 15, 2021 I eventually unpacked the whole lot because I didn't want to risk the masking tape becoming permanently stuck to the wood. A quick test-fit of one of the rear pieces but for now the wood is all back in the crates to protect it from the sun and damage while I work (or not) on the body issues. It's seriously nice stuff from Rick though. 44 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 24, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2021 Picked up this other Woody for a parts car for the project, but might be too good to wreck? 22 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 26, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 26, 2021 So, the new one has a little bit of history in NZ, built in Nelson back in the early 2000's https://themotorhood.com/themotorhood/2008/1/3/articles-surfin-usa-1949-ford-country-squire-202 It's was sold to the previous owner up in Whangamata several years ago. Sill much the same running gear I think, except for an aftermarket Scott front suspension setup. All I've done so far is remove bamboo roof rack and most of the stickers. The roof needs a touch up where the roof rack was mounted. The wood will have to come off and be refinished 'soon' 27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 26, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 26, 2021 I've tried to sell the project, but it's now kind of expensive with the new wood so it looks like we'll keep it. This taillight and a couple of spare door locks have been soaking in the molasses thank for a few weeks, pulled them out a couple of days ago and washed them off. I have a collection of taillight parts from Rick Mack, along with the original fairly rusty ones. The lights pivot down with the tailgate hence the funny linkage. There should be enough parts to make a couple of good ones. The actual light units are 33-36 Ford items so I got a couple of repro ones. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted June 27, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 27, 2021 Dismantled all the taillights and put some zinc primer on the worst ones. The better parts have been sent to the molasses barrel for a soak. Should be enough parts to get two good omplete units. Also have the structural part of the drivers door pillar done and it closes and latches ok. Next part is probably the sill and where it attaches behind the door. Stay tuned. 20 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted July 5, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 5, 2021 Trying to be sure I have the overall alignment right before further cutting. Pulled out the door lower wood piece and clamped it on. Looks OK I think? I'm a bit bothered by the way the reinforcing plate between the pillar and the floor is bent to less than 90 degrees. 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted July 6, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 6, 2021 Unboxed the lower quarter piece to test fit. Not too bad but I think the B-pillar needs some persuasion. I'm going to make a pattern off the good car for a comparison (although I don't know for sue if that is exactly right either). This wood stuff seems easier than making steel skins up though 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted July 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 11, 2021 Made up a door template from the good car. Fits 'OK' in the project for a start. I added the upper parts too to check the vertical positioning. I sent some pics to the wood man and he said it's not the worst he's seen so I suppose that's good? Also took the new one out for a breakfast run and tour of some of Rod Clifton's tractor patch. 32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Nominal Posted July 13, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 Cleaned out the rear of assorted parts and junk to I can get good access to the sills. The rear floor isn't too bad actually. Plenty of room for activities. The 51 design is better than the 49 as the rear seat actually folds down. In the 49 you have to hump the whole back seat out to get the extra space. There was an optional 3rd row seat that would sit in those little slots, and that ribbed spacer lifts out to provide foot room. I don't have the extra seat though. The floors get worse as you go forwards. Next job is to get the seat back out I think. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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