32 163 total restoration

[odat]

Well here goes, After too many years of planing I am about to jump in full boat on the 32 sedan.

I am opening up this forum to bore the rest of youu with my questions and problems that i am about to undertake. I plan to split the body from the chassis by the first of the year. the bodywork will be done by someone with a paintbooth and paint knowlage. whilr that is being done I hope to do a conplete one the underside, Engine ,trans. drive shaft, rear end and all other goodies underneath.

Iplan to paint it Washington Blue, There are severial colors that are the same under differant mnames but for a start it is close for now, My question is there a darker blue that would work on the trim and fenders?

Second should I drop the wood wheels in linseed oil now and finish later or do something eles with them?

this could be a very long blog as we all know how these project stay on track!

But it is a start!:confused:

[Povertycove]

It would be good to see some photos. I'd like to see what you're starting with.

[trimacar]

Good luck with your restoration! Take plenty of pictures, bag and tag pieces and fasteners as you take them off, make sketches and notes in a notebook only for that record keeping. Don't rely on your memory, the trail grows cold and can guarantee from experience that without documentation there'll be a lot of head scratching and "now, how did that go together?" moments.

Franklins are great cars, have fun!

[odat]

I have pictures but do not know how to input them into the blog??

My son will have to help me!

[Steve Braverman]

The 163 was Franklin's very best, in my humble opinion. I will write up an instruction sheet for inserting photos. It is a somewhat convoluted procedure. In the meantime, you can e-mail them directly to me at sdbraverman@gmail.com, and I will insert them. I know I would love to see what your car and what you're doing with it, and I'm sure other would as well.

My own 163 should be coming out of hibernation soon. The top half of the engine is on its way home from Odyssey Restorations in MN. I will add to my own thread as I make progress. http://forums.aaca.org/f164/i-hate-when-happens-333353.html

[Franklin31]

Run all the photos in a Picasa album then all you do is share the link to the album !!! You can write a caption under each photo to tell what it is, etc and what is going on. can look at them as a slide show or individual--is DEFINITELY the way to do that. go to www.Picaso.com ; cost is ZERO. have 156 on my '31 restoration(NOT concours) now and still going. You never worry about how to put photos on this page. Here is a sample of a grill that I have for sale>> https://picasaweb.google.com/rdryman/Franklin153GrillAssy#

[odat]

I sent the pictures via e-mail to steve. I could build a machine to make mainfraimes but loading a picture would take more time than the restoration!! The wood is all solid and the 4 doors close with the push of a finger. I allready have the short block done with new mains and insert bearings in place. also of course I have the steering box done!

[odat]

is it too early to start asking for hub caps?????

[mikewest]

ODAT, I have a fair supply of hubcaps,as well 29-34 Franklin parts . Email your needs to mwest729@aol.com Mike

[Steve Braverman]

Here are photos of Odat's car.

[odat]

Ok the first real question. I need to start on the wood wheels. They seem to be very tight and in great shape but need to be refinished.

the only way I can see to rework the steel rims is sanding and useing high build primer and a lot of "finger" sanding. I have heard severial things to do to the wood. Drill the center with a 1/8 drill and keep injection linseed oil or soke the whole wheel in oil for a few months is a second option. If I soke them will I ever be able to get paint to stick ? there must be a proper way to bring good wheels back to life.

[trimacar]

Hi- if the wheels are tight, then I wouldn't recommend soaking them in anything. If you want a "natural" finish, then you can clean wood (I'd wash off, then sand with a very mild sandpaper), bleach the spokes, then apply varnish/stain to the wood.

If you're going to paint the wheels, then clean them, apply a coat of epoxy primer (DP-90 or equivalent two part epoxy), then apply sandable primer. If there is grain showing, then you'll either have to use a filler or keep applying and sanding off the primer. On my NEW wheels on my Hupmobile, I primed and sanded three or four times, a very time-consuming process.

[odyssey]

I agree with Dave -

If the wheels are tight now, then whether or not you go the natural look with varnish, or the painted & striped spoke look, once the wood is completely sealed, future shrinkage is minimized to a degree. If it's varnish, or DP90 (or other epoxy sealer), brush it liberally at every spot - on the end of the spokes and the joints where the butt together. Some like to use a penetrating sealer such as Rot Doctor that will soak in (although not much on hickory wheel spokes). Kwik-Poly can work well as a sealer too - it sets up much faster than Rot Doctor. On new spokes, I like the regular automotive epoxy primers. I over-reduce a bit and brush them on liberally. On old spokes, I prefer the penetrating sealers.

Great project Dick - I hopeyou enjoy sanding!

tom

[Steve Braverman]

Man those wood wheels look cool. The only thing I can add, is that as much as I think they would look nice on my car, I did like having my wires sandblasted and powder coated for $65 per wheel.

[odat]

Merry Christmas,

My body man is tied up with crash work this time of year . the plan will be to take the body off and set it in the corner and worl on the chasis for the winter. then in the spring he can set the car back on and line everything up.

does anyone see any problem with that attack?

[mikewest]

odat, Keep in mind that wood work and metal work should be done with the chassis mounted on the body,not horses. The fenders should be "worked" mounted to the frame(front) and the rears need to be bolted and worked attached to the body.All the tin on the car needs to be fitted at least twice before paint ,making sure of proper fit, alignment,and correct body line gaps.With the fenders bolted to chassis,make sure all the apron ,running board ,and fender holes are a SLIP FIT for the new hardware. This work may damage the paint on your new chassis. I have worked bodies and fenders on a restored chassis ,but dropped a plastis drop cloth over chassis first ,them set body on to keep out the dirt . Good luck.

[keiser31]

I think the car looks better this way...

[odat]

If it was originial I would concider keeping it but it has had a lot of repaints and some hack work.

It is time to bring it back to its glory.

[franklin28]

Don't forget that we are competing to see who completes their restoration first. That being the case, I would strongly suggest you not waste the time taking pictures or making notes. I would also suggest you take as many shortcuts as you can to save even more time. Just rely on your memory and I am sure you will win the race.

Being a good sportsman I will take notes and take a lot of pictures thus giving you a good headstart. Let the race begin.

[odat]

No problem . At your age you will forget where you put the notes and pictures!!!

The race is on.

[Franklin31]

Still suggest using Picasa; you can make notes under each photo there (will hold thousands); saves printing photos, making notes and scrap-booking. But you still want a journal with expenditures by month/yr.; pocket folder with all receipts in order; and a journal with notes as you proceed.

Albeit, each person has their own ideas on all this.

Do have moderate haste or your heirs might have to use those notes, etc to finish the project once a 'general' probate settles!! And by all means insure the car during restoration; understandable, if you have ever known someone who's restoration was burned up and they did not have insurance specifically on the car. 2 cents !!

[odyssey]

I have over 30,000 restoration related photos on picasa. I can find any photo nearly instantly. It has it's drawbacks, but I have not yet run across a simpler method.

[franklin28]

I have over 30,000 restoration related photos on picasa. I can find any photo nearly instantly. It has it's drawbacks, but I have not yet run across a simpler method.

I have never even heard of picasa. I did investigate and ended uo loading the program and put all my pictures there. Have now started to add descriptions. I am beginning to see the power of picasa. I did have a problem when I first loaded the program. I got promped to also load some other programs I thought was part of picasa but was not. It ended up locking up my computer. Took a day to get rid of the unwanted junk.

[odat]

Me too but I will have my son/IT guy look at it. the program looks great but nI needd to get rideof the junk that loaded with it.

I hope the restoration goes better!!!

[odat]

I striped some paint today useing spray stripper and rags to go layer by layer.

I found black over black over very dark blue over the originial color of my first choice of a close Washington blue. This was so much fun to discover. Then I went to the belt line and found a birdsegg blue. Not my choice but could look interesting and happy! I still think that the darker belt line will look more regal.

Any thoughts???

[franklin28]

I striped some paint today useing spray stripper and rags to go layer by layer.

I found black over black over very dark blue over the originial color of my first choice of a close Washington blue. This was so much fun to discover. Then I went to the belt line and found a birdsegg blue. Not my choice but could look interesting and happy! I still think that the darker belt line will look more regal.

Any thoughts???

What brand spray paint remover did you use ? I would like to try it on my project to see if i can discover what the original color was on my car.

[odat]

New problem with the wheels.

I have got the rim looking great except the outer most part of the rim. You all know where I am speaking of. It is the area where over the last 80 years people have use everything from screwdrivers to bumperjacks to pry off the retainer rings. My question is what is the best way to fix all the divets and gouges. I have smoothed out as much as I can without going deeper than originial surface. Should I fill the dents with weld. (or is heat bad?) If I use filler how can I remount the wheels without damage? JB weld?

Also would you buy new chrome rings or re chrome the old ones. The cost is close but I do not know if the new one are as good as the originials.