Recent content by Russ B

I went from a Tudor to a roadster to a closed cab pickup with my high school car over a period of thirty years. CA-DMV required getting it weighed before they would change the registration to the commercial body style. I had bill of sale for the pu body. The bolt holes needed were in the 1929...

Army 1968-70, Vietnam 69-70 Americal Div. G-2 Chu Lai/southern I Corps

Y-Blockhead: regarding fusible links. Such links should only be used outside of the cab so any link that burns while doing its job will not expose occupants to significant smoke and fumes. The Ron Francis Wiring company has its own product competing with the low cost, easy to install fusible...

I did 12 volt negative ground on mine . I used a generic 10SI GM alternator, one of the smaller amp rated ones. I put a fusible link between the alternator output and a wiring block on the engine side of the firewall. Fusible links were commonly used instead of fuses where you didn’t want fuses...

My cabriolet is capable of cruising at 60 on the freeway and the engine is still running at what feels like a comfortable speed. Stopping comfortably in traffic is what keeps my speed down. I need to keep a lot of extra room for safely braking, and as the traffic gets heavier, I find newer cars...

Pricing needs to reflect your objectives and priorities. If you want the best price and have space and time, the price is different from when you want more space quickly. I generally price things to sell quickly. If the market is unstable or dropping then you may be best off by leading with a...

I’m 79 and thinking about it now, starting with my ‘51 ford club coupe. It will be the first to go. I have a 29 ccpu hot rod I have been holding for my daughter. I originally built it for her 16th birthday, but she hasn’t used it since she headed to college. I need to push her more to take it or...

As a kid in the 60s who didn’t know much, I learned about all I needed to know just by reading a bit and talking to mechanics and parts store guys, but mostly I learned by doing. Now at 79, I can mostly diagnose my Model A problems and buy parts that might be needed. All I need is someone who...

My cabriolet went through the depression and WWII in active use. My father bought the car around October of 1929 in Woodland, CA shortly after the stock market crash, though he was only vaguely aware that it had occurred. He was 21 and working, and the cabriolet was one of Ford’s most expensive...

I don’t understand why people think that locking up the brakes on a car is proof the brakes are good. Locking up the brakes is bad. Once the car is in a skid you have lost control of braking. Not good if it is mechanical or hydraulic brakes. You stop faster and more safely if you can pump the...

I knew my cabriolet’s original color because my father bought the car new, Andulusite Blue. I think A’s should be painted in single stage nonmetallic colors. But beyond that opinion, it is a decision for the owner to make. I got the PPG formula and did a paint out on four variations to get a...

I believe the Grain-it process is focused on patterns and colors used by automakers in n the first half of the twentieth century. The hydrographic companies are more generally focused on providing a wide variety of patterns, but not necessarily matching any used by auto manufacturers. Sothe...

https://woodgraining.com/faux-finishing-tools/ Grain-it claims to use the original process as used by Ford and other manufacturers. They have materials to match many grain patterns and colors. The web link above is theirs for a Model A kit. You might just browse the site to learn more about it...

In 1963, a friend of my dad’s was ready to give me an oval window. Stupidly, I passed on it.regrets for years.

Hobbies can be outrageously expensive, or can be enjoyed by frugal people as well. Folks with less free cash will need to approach a hobby and their activities differently than someone with more disposable money. Similarly, someone with a demanding job will approach a hobby differently than a...