1928 FORD MODEL A SEDAN- belly pan.

then, as I mentioned before, I had another crack at my door latch setup, for about the 4th time!!

first, chop out all previous attempts-
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01052.jpg[/IMG]

then, this is the complete latch and handle setups I got off a late '50s/early '60s bedford ambulance that turned up in my local scrappy. they even came with keys!
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01054.jpg[/IMG]

this is how they fit together, obviously with the door sandwiched in between normally!
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01055.jpg[/IMG]
(this is actually the one for the other side)

but, by some stroke of luck, they bolt straight up to the stock model A door handle holes- they even use the same screws!!
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01053.jpg[/IMG]

then, I folded up a recess out of 20ga deep enough to hold the lockplate, drilled it, welded nuts on the back, then trimmed the door out for it to fit, so it all lined up with the stock model A door striker hole.
then it was all smoothed off and welded up along the edges, bar for the big hole below the catch I still gotta do.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01058.jpg[/IMG]

img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01060.jpg[/IMG]

the striker all needs modding/making to work with this new latch, but so far its looking a lot better preposition than any of the other incarnations! it looks as though it will all work properly and lock too, as well as looking 'right' so all is good here now too.

Just caught up with this

It is stunningly awesome on so many levels, I can't wait to see some more updates

Excellent fabbin' as always Dez - I'm studying the tunnel hoops and planning the GT6 bits to be done using your template. Hopefully it'll be almost as neat (but I doubt it!).
Thanks for the massively helpful info on here - it really does let me get my teeth into how I'm gonna change the racer.

Thanks a lot mate.

john

Interesting - had something similar in the plans for my Volvo 544 dash.

ive got a load more stuff to update on this when I get chance

the dash is about done, all welded up, smoothed off, and gauges and trim fitted, plus a new (much cooler, more 'period') steering wheel (sorry leigh!)

ive also been making up the 'gubbins' to make everything work on the motor, such an alternator bracket, throttle cable bracket+ return spring, sorting out the routing and location of hoses and hardlines, etc. in preparation for wiring the motor up and starting it!!

leigh, the entire dash and gauges are from a 1960 chevy impala- one of three RHD UK-based US embassy cars! its very modified, its had about 8" sliced off each end, 10" out the middle and the centre peaked, and the depth reduced by about 6".
the steering wheel was a aftermarket mooneyes red metalflake item, but with a 1960 ford falcon hornpush adapted to fit. its now got what id guess to be a 50s-60s plymouth item with the centre bored out and a beetle one welded in to fit the column, that I don't know the vintage of yet, cos ive not checked!

update on all this soon

well, ive just identified what the steering wheel is off. 1958 plymouth

thankfully its off the base-spec plaza and not a fury, so hopefully it wont make the car try to do a christine on me

here it is-
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01132.jpg[/IMG]

its actually in pretty damn good nick, one crack up a the top, a little wear to the metallic brown finish (that will be staying!) but nothing much to say its 50 years old. the centre hornpush section will be getting satin-polished to match the dash gauge pods.
nice huh?

and here how to make it fit a 60s beetle steering column.
take one wanky old knackered moth eaten cheap aftermarket bug wheel, that very importantly has a steel boss, and hack out the centre with a grinder.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01130.jpg[/IMG]

throw it in the lathe for a few minutes, and the remaining bits of tin and weld are magically removed, and its made nice and round. then, temporarily cut the centre out of the conveniently steel-spoked/centered plymouth wheel, put that in the lathe, and make a hole the same size as the remaining bit of Vw boss in the middle-
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01131.jpg[/IMG]

then, weld the centre back onto the spokes on the wheel, slot splined hub onto car, slip the steering wheel on and size up for depth, then welderize it on on both sides.

I had to do away with the horn bar and solid mount it as all the bits were missing, so I cut some spacers to fit behind it to hold it in the right place which are tack welded to the 'wheel hub for convenience, and bolted it down solid to the wheel. the horn is now operated by a conventional momo hornpush hidden under the 'roulette wheel' centre cap, with the centre cap glued to it to operate it. sneaky!!

I also finished up the centre of the dash, extending it up to meet the model A window frame rail and blending it all in.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01134.jpg[/IMG]

weld? what weld?!
img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01133.jpg[/IMG]

all done, gauges fitted, steering wheel fitted, new indicator switch fitted, super-rare original '60s sun half sweep column-mount tacho fitted. I feel as if I should sing the praises of choppy my silversmith friend again, who made an absolutely top notch job of polishing the gauge pods- notice the inside ring of them is mirror polished, and the rest is brushed/satin finish to match the bare steel flapwheeled finish of the dash- but the brushed finish runs one way on the 'barrels' of the pods, and the other way on the bit that fits to the dash! hard to explain (imagine the grain on the dash bits goes side to side, and on the gauge 'barrels' goes front to back) and even hard to do or photograph, but f-k me it looks cool!!
the devils in the details and all that.

img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01135.jpg[/IMG]

img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/dezaster/A sedan/DSC01137.jpg[/IMG]

excuse the terrible pics, flash photography on a camera phone sucks. I need a proper camera again I will endevour to sort out some better pic and put them up next week, so the finer details can be fully appreciated.

its just got to have the steering wheel ex-hornbar finished to match the dash gauges, and the glovebox lid and the chrome trim strip added, and the dash is done.

I think the steering wheel suits the car far more than the generic aftermarket moon one, as nice/cool as that was. this whole area has turned out far more 'blingy' that I envisaged, but its kinda 'patinabling', it that nothings been over done or over-finished, so it still shows its age a bit of you see what I mean. plus it looks so goddamn sexy I really don't care

Good lord that dash is sexy! Excellent work as always

looks the tits. well done

Great work..