Custom Schmustoms

[Quentin Hall]

Had a productive few days. This car will have a removable hardtop as well as a traditional conv top mechanism under a hinged, all metal hard boot, ala Y job and 53 Eldo.
Lots of measuring and remeasuring to determine if it will all work and so far I am confidant that it will. Otherwise I have some big, heavy hammers to rectify any problems.
   I always imagined this car to be General Motors 1939 Worlds Fair car. Instead of the Delahaye 165 being the highlight, I have  always dreamed and wondered "What if Cadillac had done something extra special ?"
   After revisiting photos of the Delahaye , I suspect it may have looked like a diminutive toy compared to the "graceful bulk" of the Cadillac.   
   Also planning to frame the windshield in a stainless sheath. Got the idea from a 31 V16 conv coupe.

[INTMD8]

Nice metal work! You are making fast progress. What do you plan to use as the folding convertible top structure?

[Quentin Hall]

Gday Jim, thanks for your keen interest. Otherwise the response so far has been.....underwhelming. To answer your question,I have the partial remains of a 46 conv top Mech and luckily the missing parts are ones I would have to modify our fabricate anyhow.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Far from being underwhelmed, I think everyone is just being blown away with the images you are posting.

Bruce.

[Quentin Hall]

Thanks Bruce, I'm a sensitive soul and my vulnerable ego needs constant stroking. Q

[35-709]

Consider it stroked again, the car is beautiful --- needs white walls.   

[SixDucks]

Hi Quentin,
Outstanding work! I would love to see more photos of the process with perhaps some insight as to how and why you went about deciding where to cut and what to cut during the process.
I'm truly impressed with your work thus far. Have you decided on the color and interior appointments yet?

Terry

[RobertM]

Quentin,
I'm really admiring your work and your courage for such an undertaking!  To take it from digital dream to reality is quite impressive.  Keep the updates coming
Bob

[Quentin Hall]

Hinged the parade boot. Lots of detail work to get it to all work. But looking good from every angle. Inspired by the y job and 53 Eldo parade boot. Once this is sorted I can move onto the hardtop details.

[76eldo]

Very impressive!

BR

[David King (kz78hy)]

Way cool!

David

[N Kahn]

Incredible work and vision

[Quentin Hall]

Now i am well aware that I am treading on delicate ground on this forum. But i am customising this car "in the tradition" of how i think a factory custom may have been done. So with that in mind , please let me present this challenge.
    I want to do rotating headlight s like the Cord and Y job. I am struggling with a mechanism that would allow it to rotate like a soccer ball. I want the headlight to remain in the guard when up not with a bulbous protuberance like the Cord, but recessed like the Y job.

      Anybody seen the y job headlight opening?? Any guys handy with a pen and a napkin and a mechanical bent in problem solving out there?

[INTMD8]

I'm not familiar with Y-job headlight operation but if I understand you correctly, you want headlights open/closed to remain flush.  If there is a lip around the headlight opening it seems to me the headlight when going from closed to open would need to pull back slightly, in order to clear the surround. (unless you had quite a large gap to begin with).

The way I would do this is fabricate a pivot point on the headlight bucket centered up and down but slightly forward fore and aft. Ends of the pivot/shafts would be geared, riding on a geared track that was straight forward/back. Offset pivot and geared track would allow it to dive in and clear surround on inital movement but end up with headlights being flush after 180deg rotation.

Just my initial thoughts, may be a more eloquent solution but I can draw it up if my description is difficult to read.

[Quentin Hall]

You are definitely on the ball Jim. Yes all you said is spot on. It is the initial roll inwards to allow the ball to rotate. Doesn't need to go 180 degrees, just 90 degrees. I think what I will do is to mould some fibreglass to the fender shape and make a few trial pieces to practice on.
      Oh as I'm typing, I just had a brainwave. I'll have to draw it a few times.
     Finding a working pen and a clean sheet of paper......now that is a challenge.
     I'm thinking  rear window tracks how the window comes up and then comes forward into the channel the last inch or so.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Exactly.   The track movement will allow you to have a more solid edge around the light opening so that the fender is still structurally stiff.

A bit like the operation of a 1935 or '36 Ford front door window.   It moves backwards a couple of inches before descending.   Wouldn't take much to design a double action to move the light, and the cover.

Bruce.

[Quentin Hall]

I've been scratching my head wondering where have I seen a double action mechanism that does exactly that and  "Eureka" I just remembered, 53 heater box vent flaps. One goes up another flips up into the space to change the vent flow, two movements with one cable pull.

[Quentin Hall]

Decided that the roof was too full in the middle, so sectioned 20 mm out so that it is flatter on top. Also raked the screen back, which in turn moved the roof back, giving better balance. 
Went to the Regent cinema in Perth on Saturday night. Can you imagine the 39 parked out front.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

That's better.

It is all about those little items that need "Just that little bit more, or less" that does the trick.

Bruce.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Q,
Can you send me a direct email? bobscads@comcast.net
Thanks, Bob