double deuce project

[Paul Payne]

I decided to build two deuces at once, nearly identical but... one will be as built in the 1940's, the other updated with a modern engine, disc brakes, and wider tires. The 40's deuce will be midnight blue metallic with a blue interior, the updated deuce will be metallic maroon with maroon interior. Each will have an engine turned aluminum dash, shortened chassis, gas tank moved to behind cockpit, quick change rear with axle tubes, dropped front axles, and steel wheels with center hubs and trim rings. I also plan to hinge both hoods using liquid silver tube beads. Here are some pix:

general construction mess

modified chassis compared to kit chassis

the modern engine

[Paul Payne]

a few more pix:

the flathead test fitted

another view of the flathead

valve cover detail for the big block

[Paul Payne]

one more time!

seats are front and rear seats from a Pyro Cord- best part of that kit!

regular depth and deep dish wheels, but all steelies

another view of the wheels and tires

[Tuffy's Garage]

Thats going to be a neat project

[jbwelda]

cool idea!

one question: where did that face plate on the flathead come from, which kit i mean?

i used one of those on the lincoln v-12 i built that you may have seen but i just found it in my parts box. now im getting ready to build another, this one to keep, and i couldnt figure out what kit it was in!

i think i also stole the trans and oilpan from the same motor so getting another example will kill three birds!

(note to my liberal friends: no birds were harmed in that last remark, its purely for illustration only. note to british liberal friends: no girls harmed either!)

any help appreciated!

[RyanSilva]

Il be watching thisone closely. Im a big fan of traditional hotrods.

Where did that flathead 3 deuce air cleaner come from? also those ''firestone'' big print tires and quickchange center?

[Paul Payne]

jbwelda, the flathead is from the Monogram stock 1950 Ford pickup with aftermarket heads and intake manifold. All the blue plastic parts are from that kit- excellent detail! Ryan, I just replied to your boat tail build, thanks for looking at mine. The air cleaner is from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland (Norm Weber)- I'm not quite sure it will really work with 3 carbs- usually it was used with 1 or 2, so it's a stretch. The Firestone big letter tires were in a bunch of tires I bought on E-bay- I have no idea what kit they came from, but they are very, very old- in fact, I don't even know if they were kit tires- could have been from a toy- if anyone out there can help us, I would like to know, too. The quick changes were from my parts box. AMT's 1940 Willys coupe had a nice quick change, and Norm also has them and includes axle tubes with them, so you don't have to rob a kit!

[Brian_R]

Paul

Can you explain a little more - "I also plan to hinge both hoods using liquid silver tube beads." Any pics?

I haven't heard of that before.

Brian

[RyanSilva]

http://www.artbeads.com/lqdsvr-1.html

Those are liquid silver beads. There small diameter rods basicly. Sewing pins fit inside very well.

[Paul Payne]

I haven't started on the liquid silver tube beads for the hood hinges, but these are very small diameter tubes made from silver. I used these as part of a throttle linkage assembly, and realized they would simulate scale hinges for classic and hot rod hoods. Here are some pix of the throttle linkage:

My idea is to string them on a stiff wire and compare the length to the length of the hood, allowing for paint, and learning whether beads would need to be shortened at the front and rear. The center hinge would have the wire ends trapped between the cowl and grille shell, the side hinges would end at the ends of the beads. I have an ancient set of Trimaster photoetched hinges, but have never had the courage to use them, so I thought I would try this!

[Lyle Willits]

Neat deuce projects. I'm looking forward to seeing these finished. BTW, Norm's last name is Veber, not Weber.

[Paul Payne]

Lyle, my digital dyslexia must be acting up again..... thanks for looking!

[Paul Payne]

a few new photos of progress- beginning the liquid silver beads for hinges

more engine progress

some color on the wheels

[Mr. Metallic]

Looking good. How do you plan to replicate the engine turned dash? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Paul Payne]

I used sheet aluminum and used a small diameter diamond grit grinder in my rotary tool. You have to be careful because it wants to dig in....

Hopefully this time I will have better control and get a better pattern.

[Paul Payne]

finally some progress pix!

semi-scratchbuilt exhaust manifolds for Boss 429- will get photoetched header flanges

the other side not finally fitted

modified Weber carbs- flanges thinned, velocity stacks removed, will get new aluminum stacks with jets, which will hopefully fit under the hood....

[Paul Payne]

flathead still needs carb linkages, fuel, and oil lines

radiator modified for 4 water hoses

[Paul Payne]

working steering for 40's rod

pitman arm fairing similar to Doane Spencer roadster, windshield mounting recesses filled, windshield cowl strip top filed at an angle so windshield will lay back

gas filler added, rear crossmember drilled for license plate and club plaque mounting brackets, fillers added between body and frame at rear

Edited October 7, 2007 by Paul Payne

[Paul Payne]

eyeball shifter, soon to be 8 ball shifter, manual pressure pump knob

the beginnings of the engine turned aluminum instrument panels which will be mounted over the kit panel

steering boxes, oil filter, coil, master cylinder, fuel pressure pump, disc brakes

[Paul Payne]

cogged blower belt and pulley for Boss 429, salvaged from cartridge drive belt from defunct printer

grillles, the maroon one needs foil and a black wash like the blue one

groove tread front tires for the 40's deuce, from Arrowhead Aluminum

[Paul Payne]

interior buckets, lots of work yet!

the liquid silver bead hinge for the hood didn't work out the first time, will attempt again using a different method

[my80malibu]

interior buckets, lots of work yet!

the liquid silver bead hinge for the hood didn't work out the first time, will attempt again using a different method

It looks absolutely fantastic so far I would really like to have a steering front end like that could you post more detail pictures as you continue on with that

[Paul Payne]

my88malibu, I used pieces of styrene sheet glued onto 1940(?) Ford wheel backs. I removed the axle ends and wheel backs from the kit front axle, then rounded the cut-away area to form the spindle, then drilled a hole down through the center, working from each end. I then spaced two styrene pieces to go over and under the spindle ends and glued them to the wheel. I drilled one hole in one piece and the lined it up on the spindle and drilled through this hole, the spindle, and the second piece of styrene. I then added a second piece of styrene to the bottom at 90 degrees and drilled through again, same procedure, then drilled a hole for the tie rod end. The driver's side was done the same way but with the addition of a piece above the top piece parallel to the axle, drilled through, then drilled a hole for the drag link attachment point. The tie rod was bent up from brass rod with aluminum tube on the ends with holes drilled perpendicular for the pivots. Got all that!?!?!?! I will post more pix when I get a minute with the front end disassembled, then my directions may seem a little clearer (sounds like English translation of Japanese kit instructions translated by way of an obscure central Amazonian dialect....)