Five Years (+10) and counting

[gasman826]

I kinda thought I was on the downhill side of things.  Well that was just wrong!  The paint is too thick.  Things that fit and had adjustment left are way too tight and no adjustment.  One good thing about COVID, neighbors are always home.  I got a neighbor to help me carry the hood out of the basement.  I carried the hood and put it on all the time by myself.  Between age and shiny paint, I wasn't taking a chance.  On a body stand in the shop, I added blind, J-nuts for the hood hinges, installed the chrome, and used the cherry picker to install the hood.  Note to self:  don't put so many coats of paint on the mating surfaces...save it for the top side.  I also found out that when I send out more chrome to be picky about the studs.  I run a tap or die over all painted threads.  A die won't touch threads on fresh chromed studs.  I've put the front sheet metal together many, many times but I just found out that the header panel between the hood and grille MUST go on before the hood or grille...one or the other but not after both are installed.  Guess what I'm doing tomorrow.  Oh, leave the headlights out until the last thing.  Adjusting the front end, putting in grille bolts and getting the front header adjusted is so much easier by accessing bolts through the headlight openings.

[CobraJoe]

 

[Ford Blue blood]

Hate having to undo the done!

Gary, one thing I discovered putting the Ranchero together, the front sheet metal specifically, was save the splash pan for last.  The hood, chin and fender alignment were all finished and tightened up for the final time.  The grill assembly went in one part at a time.  Pulled the halves together at the center first then tightened from the center out, put in the center piece.  I'm lucky because all the tabs on the bottom lined up with splash pan.  With the pan off all the bolts and nuts can be accessed from under the front and through the head light holes.

[gasman826]

Pushed and pulled until my hands were cramping but finally beat it into submission.

[lalessi1]

Looks AWESOME!

[RICH MUISE]

running out of words, so I'll just use Lynn's.......looks awesome!!

[gasman826]

finally...pick list is getting short

[Ford Blue blood]

Outstanding!  Very nice!  They are a pain.....I know you can tell the tail of every nick and gouge endured along the way but looking at that gorgeous piece of art makes it all worth while!

[CobraJoe]

Very nice!

[jviera]

Gary, perfection great job. John V

[mustang6984]

WOW! Just plain WOW!!!

[Fabulous50s]

Looks like nothing short of perfection to me!

[gasman826]

Dusted off and lubed the old Singer.  I also changed out the motor for a servo motor (RPMs are adjustable right down to 200 rpms).  CARPET!!  Ya' buddy...got carpet installed! 

Still fitting the package tray and merging stainless into the quarter cards.  So very slow.

[mustang6984]

Damn! You do excellent work! You missed your calling in life! 

Steering wheel...T-Bird?...what year?

[gasman826]

Isn't that the way, you figure out what you're good at when it's too late to make a career out of it.

Steering wheel and column is '76 Lincoln.