time for tres huevos

Okay - how about 3 cheers for ADD!
With the wife and kids out of town for the past couple days,
I've been spending a bit more time in the garage.
There's so much to do on each project,
that a couple hours on a least important task is like a mini-vacation for me.

1940 ford custom dash

The last time I showed the dash it was that nightmare green paint,
the pro-line epoxy that has taken forever to cure.
The bright side was it allowed a break from the old "tres huevos",
and focus on the other coupe.

green

If you haven't figured this out yet,
usually I'll compile a series of short work bursts
into an article that looks like I just spent one long day.
In some instances that is the best way to work,
as it's good to have breathing room to let things cure or settle,
and not fall into that rushed build trap that I'll regret later.

brown

Over the course of the month,
I've sprayed some rattlecan primer on the dash.
A metallic Mrs. Butterworth's Brown followed that I thought I'd like,
and dang it the pictures were all blurry.
The brown was cool just a little too boring for the dash.
In the dark it looked like the rusty front fenders.
A can of metallic cherry was scrounged up from the kids model paint stash.

hand rubbed

Now that was a color that was a bit subtle and a bit flashy.
A bunch of clear coats were sprayed on,
and a week passed to let the layers cure solid and hard.

A half hour with some 600 grit soapy wet sandpaper,

and this was almost the sheen I was hoping to see.

All it called for was a good hand rubbing with some watered down rubbing compound.

custom 1940 ford dashboard and insert

Sometimes I'll use a soapy scotchbrite pad,
but there's a tendency to gum up and leave swirl marks or scratches.
My bare hands are about 1200 grit anyway!

cozy

What made this all possible was this cozy throne.
Just enough comfort to get the job done,
and let my mind wander into a potential engraving project on the insert.

shiny

The finish is far from perfect,
almost a patina but really just a cheap rubbed out spray job.
I'm hoping it will age gracefully.
At least now it's possible to install some windshield rubber.

deadeye

In addition there's been a little headway in another unrelated area.
These headlight buckets had been rattling around forever now,
and I'm surprised they weren't lost in the shuffle.
The caged nuts had rusted up long ago,
and there was no easy way to bolt them on.

more green

The solution was so simple it took about 10 minutes,
although now I'll need a wrench to tighten things up.

ring

There were a couple instigators.
First off I had found some '39 deluxe headlight rings.
They have the sleekness that this front end needed,
even without the glass lenses.
If you have some send them my way!

stool time!

The second was a surprise package from "chocolate & cheese Dan",
whose been diligently working on the orange roadster.
He had this electroline sealed beam kit,
and knew I loved freebies.

electroline sealed beam headlights

I only needed the contraption that holds the light bulbs,
and now I'll have to figure out how to set these in place.

broken nose - missing teeth

It looks easy but there are a couple catches,

like being able to remove or adjust them,

and not make them look like they're wearing eyeliner.
Funny how headlights make the car look awake.

1939-1940 ford chopped coupe project

Slowly this 1940 ford coupe is turning into a 1939 ford coupe.
As you can see it hasn't turned into a shelf yet!
Yeah I still need to fill in that hood hole...

TP