You Tube Roadster Body Rebuild Series; from the Subrails Up!
 

***After some mixed feedback and a poor thread rating, I decided to change the “clickbait” title that I had originally used on this post.***

My name is Casey James Hudson, though I go by Reverend Casey James, and sometimes “Crazy Casey”, on the ole interwebs. I know that the Ford Barn is a bit of a mixed audience, and this car will be a hot rod, BUT I thought the body rebuilding aspects of the project might be of interest to some of you.

You see, I didn’t start with much, and I am using some reproduction panels instead of making things completely from scratch, but I think it’s still a fairly daunting project (the most daunting one that I have ever tackled, anyway). And I’ve never even been able to thoroughly inspect a really honest open car, so I’ve found myself relying on the Ford Barn a LOT during this build, looking for clues...In terms of the body, I’m trying to do work befitting of a restoration (though certainly not a “points” car).

Here is what I started with:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...9-jpg.3471797/

And, anyway, for the better part of a month, I’ve been making YouTube videos of the project. And so far they’ve been generating a pretty positive response. Listen, I know that some of you are going to cringe...there probably is just no avoiding that. I’m sure I’m making a TON of mistakes, so please feel free to critique me; I have no formal automotive training, and really don’t know what I’m doing half the time. But I DO feel like I’m “saving” one, here. And the reason I say that, is because I’m not exactly quick-draw-McGraw, and I don’t have a ton of cash, either, so the very fact that I was able to bring this one home probably meant that no one else was going to.

So, without further ado, here, friends, is the first video in my YouTube series on this roadster build:

https://fordbarn.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1623212383

https://youtu.be/6xkU5vMQ0qg

If you like the video, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. There have been three more videos that I have posted since this one, and I’m trying to keep up the pace of one new video per week. Also, feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments, and if you feel my work is worthy, hit that “like” button too. These things will all help me expand my audience, which will keep the new content coming (even a 15 minute video takes about 3 hours to produce with all the editing, etc).

Thanks for Looking (and apologies for the “commercial”).

-Casey

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Miss read the request, so what I posted might not be right.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Wow, a commercial...grab beer...change channel...click

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Harsh, man.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

I am really impressed with your work. I give you a lot of credit for saving a car that would have otherwise gone to the scrap heap or just become one with the earth. I look forward to seeing where it goes.

Ken

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Mad Skills

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

The OPs self discription is likely not warranted on a project like this. Although many folks on the barn are die hard restorers, that doesn't mean that they will scorn the hot rodders. Methods of rebuilding & repair of sheet metal are always welcome as instructive in nature. Most scorn would come when the hot rodder takes a well restored car and chops it up. It's currently easy enough to purchase a new roadster body for folks to be changing a perfectly good original so that could cause backlash.

Disregard if "Scum" is an acronym for skilled, confident, & underrated mechanic.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

I agree 110% with your analogy. Very well said!!

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Thank you Ken. I really appreciate the praise. I agree that this particular roadster body would have likely been doomed...

Thank you! Very much!!

Hahahaha! I’m blushing. I wasn’t sure how a “hot rod” post would be received, though I was also trying to lure some eyes with the title. That said, I’m touched that the project is being so well received here. As @burner31 remarked, it IS a bit of a “commercial”, but I have been a long-time member of this board, and have always found it to be an invaluable resource. I’m very happy if all of you get something out of my efforts. Thank you!

Awww shucks! Thanks Brent!

Thank you!

Haha! I tried it a few times and was scratching my head. Oh well. Thank you for clarifying. :)

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Here is a random thing I learned doing videos. You can buy a tripod, but if you already have a dial indicator with a magnetic base & pivot arm, you can use the magnetic base as a tripod that will stick to anything magnetic – of which there is a lot on the typical Model A.

All you have to do is go to Walmart and buy a $5 phone tripod mount. You take the nut off the back, and the little adapter jaws should fit into the thing that holds the dial indicator on the pivot arm. Then you put your phone in the adapter, attach the base to something, and you're good to go.

I used this trick to film my cylinder head series – I could mount the phone on the radiator shell, the cowl, the block itself, whatever was needed, any angle.

The second thing that's good to spend a couple bucks on is a lapel mic. You can get them with long cords, so you can be on the other side of the car from the camera.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Casey, I really did not see where your video was a 'commercial' as in advertisement for a video. When I did initially read the title, I must confess that it did seem like language that is generally considered controversial for here but it did not deter me from looking anyway. I am curious why you felt that particular body was doomed. I did not see it as that bad of a starting piece, -and definitely not a wasted by most craftsman's eyes. Maybe you only said that as clickbait?? :o

Also, I will admit that I was a little disappointed when you said you had replaced the quarters instead of repairing them. I too was hoping to see some of your craftsmanship showing how you fabricated quarters, door skins, sills, etc. from sheetstock to save the majority of the original body. As I understand it right now, basically the Upper Deck Panel, the Fuel Tank, the lower Dash and potentially part of the Doors are the only original pieces on the entire original Body structure that you have saved. Everything else has been replaced with reproduction parts. If I am misunderstanding that, I do apologize.

I must confess, a couple of things that did kinda bother me in your video is you said you would always purchase from Brookville (-actually that is Antique Auto Sheetmetal) and not Brattons. That really is not fair to Jeff, as he sells both the Howells panels and the Antique Auto Sheetmetal panels. Jeff does not manufacture those panels, ...and apparently it was you that chose the cheaply made pieces yet blamed him for their lack of quality. How many people will unknowingly choose to not purchase from Brattons because you lead them to believe that Bratton's sheetmetal pieces are poor quality? :rolleyes:

I close by saying it appears you are doing a good job and will definitely have a nice hot rod when it is finished.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Brent,

I think the implication was that my post was a commercial for the video, perhaps. At least that’s how I took the comment. In terms of the body, and how wasted it was, I guess it’s a matter of opinion. I tell you this, though (and here’s where we’ll start to get controversial, perhaps). I have come across some Model A’s that I felt were WAY too nice to hot rod, and, being a hot rodder and not a restorer, I have brought them home, giving less than what I knew a bare body could fetch, and then I tried to “turn” them to somebody that would restore the car...and I’ve not once been successful in that endeavor.

In 2010 I brought home a complete “barn find” ‘31 coupe that had been restored in the 70’s, and had sat since 1985. It had four rotten tires, a cracked engine block (from freezing), and the top insert had been torn up by rodents, but it was straight, rust free, and the paint still shined. I gave $3,500 for it, knowing that, at that time, a clean 30/31 A coupe body could fetch $5,000. I put it out there at $5,500/obo, and put in the ad that it was “too nice to chop”, and I basically gave all of the rodders that called me the run-around. I had a handful of restorers who called on the car. The best offer I received was $2,500, and I got all kinds of sob stories about how they just aren’t worth enough restored to spend any more than that for a starting point.

Ultimately I gave in to a guy who, knowing full well that I didn’t want to see the car cut up, offered me an additional $500 ABOVE my asking price for the body alone (telling me to keep the rest and sell it). And I never bought another “nice” Model A again...

I also gave $3,500 for this roadster body. It was a rip-off! I knew I overpaid when I bought it, though I didn’t realize how bad the quarters were, because I bought it sight unseen. My skillset isn’t such that I’m going to craft anything (except the floors) from sheet steel. And the quarters were technically salvageable, but they were beyond my personal reach. The panel below decklid was literally paper thin, and had more holes than the subrails, which were cut from two separate cars (one of them a coupe). I do regret not saving some of the front cowl sides, though they were cut short at the firewall, as well as being rusted through on the bottom 6”. And almost all of the braces, and brackets were completely missing. In point of fact, the only pieces I did not save, that could have been saved, were those quarters, but even still they would have never been “right”. FWIW, they are going on to live life on the back end of a “Coupester”. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than rotting back into the Earth...

The original panels remaining on this body are as follows:
Complete fuel tank and upper firewall section, lower firewall, cowl posts, belt rail, dash rail, instrument cluster, door hinges, complete doors (less bottom few inches patched), panel above decklid, upper trunk drip rail, and rumble seat platform.

As for the Bratton’s comments, your point is well-noted, and I’ll issue a clarification and apology in my next video. Not to make excuses, but at the time I bought these parts (2016), I was not offered any choice in terms of quality level. I bought several of the parts through So Cal Speed Shop, and when I went to pick them up, the tags simply said “Bratton’s” on them. I assumed (incorrectly) that they were the manufacturer, and not merely the supplier. The second round I ordered direct from Bratton’s over the phone, and once again was simply quoted prices and shipped parts. No offer of high or low quality made, in fact I thought I remembered them saying “we have to make those up”, as many “suppliers” often do, though I could be remembering wrong. The last round of parts came from Chattin Chassis, and they only carry Antique Auto Sheetmetal (Brookville), I guess. They also quoted some really fair prices on the stuff, which were similar, and sometimes even cheaper, than most the Howell’s stuff advertised by other suppliers. Nevertheless, the info in the video isn’t “correct”, nor is it “fair”, so I will do my best to make it right.

I think I touched on everything you mentioned in your comments. I really appreciate the feedback. And sorry to have ruffled any feathers.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

I may be chastised for my comment, who knows. I have liked various cars. Chevy, Ford, etc. I have liked stock and modified. I can remember when I got a 51 Hudson, 2 door. Parts were hard to get so I pulled out the motor and began to make me a hot rod. I put in a 351 Ford engine, Dodge Aspen front clip, Mercury differential, Cadillac tilt telescopic steering column, Buick Riviera seats. Frenched in the tail lights with some fancy lights. Put in a new updated wiring kit. Then 10 years later you were able to buy almost any Hudson part you wanted. I bet I had $10,000 in that car if not more. I ended up selling, it because I still was not satisfied with it . I now own 2 stock cars. A 28 Ford Roadster and a 1964 T Bird. I am glad I did not modify them because the parts for them are plentiful. Go figure. Cars that old and you can get all the parts you want for them. You can make them hot or you can make them original. People like the looks of both, just depends on the crowd you run with. Loved your utube video. Great work.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Man, thank you Alexiskai! The dial indicator camera mount is something I would have never thought of in a million years. I wonder if there is a Bluetooth lapel mic that’s cheap. I can picture myself tripping over a corded mic. Hahaha!

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Thanks Micky! I like a whole slew of stuff as well. I’ve got a Mustang that I’m trying to make a dead ringer for the car from Bullitt, and I’ve got a van that I’ve converted to 4 wheel drive, in addition to the A project. One thing I like to do is to pay tribute to the era that the car is from. If I modify things, I like to try and modify them in a way that they might have been modified, way back when. Though, at the end of the day, when it comes to our hobby, to each their own. So many young people could care less about ANY of this stuff, so any way that we can pull them into the hobby, we should.

Hey Micky, I also used to have a Hudson. A ‘47, with a Ford FE between the fenders. I didn’t swap it myself, though, and would have actually loved that car to have had the original mill in it still. If you scroll down my list of videos, there are some fun in car ones from when I had it for sale, a decade ago. Also, thank you very much for compliment on my video. I appreciate it!

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

Your attention to detail is refreshing - much more so than many so-called restorations. I just skimmed thru your video quickly but one area caught my eye and wondering if you're aware of the original use of 2 rivets in the front part of the rear wheelwell. The rivets go through the same outer holes used to attach the subframe cross channel to the main subframe rails and basically secure the mid bottom area of the quarter panel. I may have some pictures of that area. Also the placement of the front vertical braces to the subframe in the rumble compartment doesn't appear completely correct for what it's worth. Keep up the good work.

-
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...2&d=1620976302

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

I also noticed the missing rivets. They didn't have a lot holding the sill rails to the rear quarter so those two rivets are important. The joint would be a pinch weld point in the modern era but not back then. I've seen more than a few old model A roadster bodies that were rusted away a bit above those rivets so a person has to look at intact bodies to see what was there originally.

Re: Scum HAMB Hot Rodder Trying to Save a Truly Wasted Roadster...on YouTube!
 

SHOOT! Yep. That makes sense. Gosh darn it! Thank you for pointing it out, though. I’ve got rivets going through the subrail into the cross channel, because there was a little rusty “nub” left on the inside of the original rear subrail in that position, but there was nothing left of the body in that area, and the only thread I found over on the HAMB suggested that the only thing that held the quarter to the rail was the folded sheetmetal. I didn’t think that sounded right. This is going to take some creativity to “fix” at this point...

Thanks Randy for the compliment. See my comments to @rotorwrench above regarding the rivets. You were right on the money, and thank you for your keen eye. That’s going to be fun to fix.

As for the front vertical braces, I do touch on that whole fiasco in the video, and you’re right, again, but that one’s not my fault. :)

I ordered those vertical braces for a rumble seat roadster, but they weren’t long enough to reach the lip on the panel above decklid when set in the correct position on the subrails. I’m not sure if Howell didn’t make them correctly, or if Bratton just sent the wrong piece, but either way, they were about an inch too short. At that point I was scratching my head, but this matter was further confused when I examined my original subrail for signs of where the bracket HAD BEEN attached. It turns out that the back half of my original subrail had been grafted in from a coupe at some point in the car’s life. That led me to try the braces base on that upper step of the subrail. And a few inches forward of the coupe location was the only place these particular brackets were going to fit my roadster, so that’s where I installed them (thinking that I had probably been overthinking their placement). It was a good week later when somebody pointed out that the further back upper rail attachment point was for coupes. Duh! Chalk it up to never having messed with one of these cars, I guess.

Once again, I’m a little upset that so many of the parts I purchased were so far from being “usable” without literally cutting them apart and adding material, but I’ve learned that you have to be careful what you say about suppliers on this forum. I was hoping that Brent would chime back in after my response to him regarding Bratton’s. And the more I’ve thought about it since, I do think they’re deserving of SOME criticism, just not, maybe, the exact criticism I bestowed upon them. Mistakes happen, but I’d sure like to know if I received the wrong part, or if this part just wasn’t made correctly by Howell. Still, if you’re going to sell inferior parts...and if you default your customer’s to those inferior parts without also openly offering them a better choice, it seems like you’re playing fairly “fast and loose” with your own reputation, When I ordered all this stuff, I was completely green. I thought Model A sheetmetal “made in USA” was gonna probably be “pretty good”, no matter who made it. It seems that those “in the know” steer clear of the Howell’s stuff. Hindsight, as they say...

Re: You Tube Roadster Body Rebuild Series; from the Subrails Up!
 

Don’t mean to double post, but here is the latest video in my roadster build series, if anybody wants to watch me struggle with a Brookville Deck Lid and aftermarket hinges:

https://youtu.be/YueQrHppljw