Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Cool!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

this week's progress on the drivers side rear dog leg.i'm my own worst enemy.i had fixed this already but i wasn't happy with it so i cut the bottom off the dog leg and the top of the rocker panel and re-did it.much happier now.i was going to start on the floor tomorrow but i've been looking at the front cowl sides down in behind here the rear ends of the front fenders bolt to the cowl.there are caged nuts inside the cowl and rust has formed in between the outside cowl skin and the nuts,swelling up the cowl skin and one one of the bolt holes,rusted right through the cowl.so that'll be tomorrow's project.
an update on my truck in Utah that was supposed to be picked last Wednesday in Ogden,Utah and be in Maine Monday this week,well it never happened.truck is still in Utah?hurry up and wait?

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

That looks really great!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Thanks Ryan,a little more progress.more today i hope.
Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Just read through this. Very cool work and some great fab skills! It's nice to see one of the rare ones get attention. Well done!

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir,i appreciate that.i read on here somewhere,where a fella said he did some of his best work when backed into a corner.that's sort of how i look at it,i can't buy anything for this car,so if it's going to get fixed,that leaves me in charge.it's a pile of thinking,makes my old head hurt but we'll get'er done.
take care,all the best.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

a little more progress in the cowl area on both sides.i didn't know i needed to fix this til i looked closely.the square caged nuts inside the cowl where the back end of the front fenders bolt to the car were not in great shape and rust had formed between the body metal and and nuts,swelling up the sheet metal,making it very thin,so i cut out the old body around the bolt holes,removed all the old caged nuts,put new nuts inside the cowl and a reinforcement to hold them in place and then cut new pieces and put'er back together.i have a few wobbles and waves in the cowl from all the welding but i'm sure a real bodyman,when i find one who wants to do this car,can straighten her out.i'm tackling the floor next after i plumb up my compressor.i need some air.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

You have been busy! Nice work

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir,probably not as busy as you but we're making a little progress now and then.take care
Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

not too much to report.my 72 truck that was held up in Utah with the covid mess and not being able to go get it,arrived by car carrier a few months ago so i hadn't done anything to the Chrysler,working on getting the truck going after 25 years in storage and waiting for the sheet metal shop to make some pieces that i plan to shape into a floor. the truck is running very well now and the pieces are here for the Chrysler floor.i thought for a while about the floor and how to rebuilt it and decided,right or wrong to put the body back on the frame.the first 2 body mount locations at the body of the cowl were there,not damaged or repaired and 2 mount locations over the rear housing were rotten in the body but intact so i decided if the body was back on the frame,i could see all the mount points in the frame for body mounts,so i'll build the floor to fit and put the body mounts where they need to be.today i lifted the body up off the cradle it was on,did a bunch of welding under the body that i couldn't do while it was on it's cradle and then lowered onto the frame using 4 old rubber mounts that i saved from when i took the car apart.i do plan to pull the motor and trans from the truck,it seems to have a 100 oil leaks and build a floor for the Chrysler,so it'll be a busy,productive winter(i hope)

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

I'm glad I came over to alternate tinkerings to take a look at this. It will be quite something to drive when you're done. I wish we could see the expression on the face of somebody who built one of these originally in the factory. If they saw the meticulous work you are doing and realized that you valued this vehicle enough to bend and install all of your own parts, I think they would be shocked. Not to mention what they would think if they got a ride with that modern engine and transmission. I'm really enjoying your methodical metal work. Is the flat disc what gives it that final finish?

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks,i feel guilty,the poor old Chrysler is getting no love at all,the truck is hogging it all?oh well,almost done the truck and then get back to this old girl.the floor that i wanted done,isn't but that's where i'll be going when i get back to it.i use those flapper wheels.they seem to be "soft" but will still take material off so you have to go easy but a not so aggressive grit and take your time,it'll make a nice finish.i do think often about what the old timers who built this would think if they saw it today?as a friend of mine used to say"they wouldn't know how to act" i think about my old Grandfather,born in 1900,died in 1969.there was no electricity where and when he was born,horses and wagons and before he died,there was a man on the moon?just imagine?anyway take care,i promised my father-in-law a drive in this car so i'd better get back to it soon.all the best.Greg.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

Very nice work sir! It was a good idea putting the body back on the frame to do your patching. I wasn't going to on my 40 but it was a good thing I did. It didn't want to go back in the same place it rested for 70 years. I had a heck of a time getting the doors to open and shut again. Then again, I replaced the firewall and on the fords the toe boards are wood so that could have been part of it. I hope you can give that ride! My Aunt wanted a ride in the 40 before she passed away but unfortunately she passed away and it didn't happen. My wife is going on a trip during spring break so I think I will bring the 40 home and hit it for a good week and see how close I can get it.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thanks Ryan.i hope to get back to this old girl soon,the truck is almost done.i was lucky,the floor in this car was rotten but all the door closed real nice,hope i can keep it that way.there is no wood in these cars so it must've stayed fairly straight?there will be more pictures once i get back to it.you'll make some progress on yours when you can.it'll all work out.take care.Greg

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

well after a year or more,on the back burner,the old 39 Chrysler is getting some tlc.my truck that has been going back together in the thread called 1972 Cheyenne Super coming apart to go back together, is back together,does run and just waiting on some spring weather to get back out and be driven.when i left the Chrysler,i had just put the body back on the frame for some repairs and start on a new floor.i didn't remember how bad the floor really was up front but the first section at the base of the firewall was not too bad,only a few rusty places on either end,so i repaired the original section and will re-use it.the next section back over the transmission was very good in the center but rotten on the left and right sides,so i re-cycled the center hump and made new sides.now i'll work back from there on the next section and so on right out to the tail of the car but there's nothing now to save i don't think.it all looks pretty rotten.here's a few pictures of the work started this week.more progress to come next week.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

well a little update.i'm officially done with my 72 Cheyenne Super truck that butt in line ahead of the old Chrysler.i was about 2 years on the Chevy truck and got into a lot more work than i planned on,but it looks good,runs good,i'm very happy with it but now back to the car.i built a metal workers table,i call it to help with the floor and now that's done.it gives me a 48 inch brake,a pipe vice,a place for my bead roller and shear.today i spent a bunch of time on the first couple of floor sections getting them to fit better,then i made the first piece over the "X" in the middle of the frame.it's not in there for keeps,just clamped in place but tomorrow,we'll make some more.more pictures to follow.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

a little more progress over the last couple of days with regards to my floor making adventure in this old car.i am quickly realizing a new bead roller with a longer throat and a motor is going to be in my future,it's too awkward feeding metal through the dies,trying to follow lines with one hand while the other hand turns the wheel to drive it?a fella needs another arm?

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

That floor is coming together nicely. Great progress. Even if I had the skill to do what you're doing I don't know that I would have the patience. It's cool to see the car from different angles, it's going to look really good when it's back on the road.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

thank you sir.i will have some pictures later today or tomorrow with some more progress.i don't know much skill is involved??stubborn as a mule so i keep going?5 minutes with the computer not working correctly and i'm ready to smash into 7 million pieces but an old car or truck is different?take care,hope all is good on the west coast.

Re: 1939 Chrysler
 

a little more progress on the floor.it's slow going,every panel takes a pile of thinking.i don't have much to think with so it takes me twice as long??i'll get there.waiting on a new bead roller i ordered for the next panels that are too big for my little baby bead roller to reach the middle,that and ordered more clecos tonight.i'm trying to have the complete floor made before i start welding it in for good,just in case i make to make changes?we'll get there.