1931 Ford Model A

Added 5/31/08

I had to add another Friday update because you just can't rush perfection. I wanted to finish up the car and hit the weekend car show circuit but I gave my family strep throat (which I had 2 weeks ago) so I went to Argyle, TX to Wheezers shop (my fellow Air Traffic Controller and mechanical teacher and fabrication wizard, Bill). My wife and son didn't need me hanging around while they convalesced at home.

First things first; the newly rebuilt rear brake system works TOO good. Bill and I took the little '31 out on the road for a test spin last Friday and discovered that the rear wheels lock up prior to the front wheels. This is bad because it means that the car wants to swap ends if you lock up the brakes. I jumped on-line to my favorite hotrod store, Speedway Motors, and ordered a proportioning valve for the rear brakes. We spliced the new adjustable proportioning valve into the rear brake circuit so I could have a way to adjust the brake pressure that is sent to the rear wheels. I took the car out for another test ride this Friday. Bill, aka "Wheezer" decided to stay at the shop during my test run - I can't imagine why. Anyway, after about a dozen heavy braking sessions I finally had the rear brakes set so that the front brakes locked up prior to the rear wheels.

Check out what Wheezer has been doing to the interior of the car when I'm not around:

Wheezer is installing the fabric on the right door panel.

This is the completed left door panel.

Wheezer had the rear panels finished up earlier in the week. Pretty cool looking eh?

Yes, the seats sit directly on the floor. Kinda weird driving a car that's channeled over the frame because your legs stick out straight in
front of you when you drive.

Check out the new ceiling panel.

New carpet (with pad), new "bomber style" bucket seats and all new interior. This 'Rod is cool.

This is the passenger warning sticker on the dash board.

My wife got me this skull aviator shift knob for my birthday.