1947 Ford Coupe Sedan Restoration

[Guest StevenT]

My name is Steven Thomas, 31 years of age and a new member to the AACA. I wanted to say hello to all the members and also share my current restoration project with everyone. This is my 1947 Ford Coupe Sedan, the project has been ongoing for about 1 ½ years so far and I have tons of pictures to share. The Restoration will be completely original. I will do my best to keep posting updates as I progress. Hope you enjoy, and I hope I can also answer questions anyone might have.

Here is how She looked on Day 1:

[Guest StevenT]

Dismantling process begins. I wasn’t really prepared for the amount of work I was getting myself into. Once I started taking the car apart I thought to myself this must have been sitting in a lake or something, I was a true rust-bucket! It’s not the worst I’ve seen and I know some of you have worked on worse, but for me it’s been a challenge to say the least.

Edited September 1, 2011 by StevenT (see edit history)

[Guest StevenT]

Time to get that body off the frame

I always love seeing the different ways people get their car bodies off the frames. Here’s what I did: The whole car was jacked up high enough to roll the frame out. We then used chains and 4x4 beams to support the body. We then removed all the necessary bolts and lowered the frame.

Edited August 20, 2012 by StevenT (see edit history)

[Guest StevenT]

Frame work

Next challenge was to get the engine out and all other mechanical parts off.

[Guest StevenT]

Next was getting the frame on the rotisserie we built. Then came scraping, blasting, and whatever other horrible methods I could think of to get the frame clean and rust free. After it was clean I used a rust protection primer.

[Guest StevenT]

I painted the frame and mechanical parts with a semi-gloss chassis black paint. The Engine was scraped and cleaned using any and every method I could think of. One thing that worked really well was a wire brush attachment for drill. The engine was then de-greased, boiled out, and then completely rebuilt. I used Bill Hirsch ford blue engine paint. One thing I did change was to make the new brake lines using stainless steel. I also completely rebuilt the brakes.

[Guest StevenT]

More of the frame

[Guest StevenT]

A Before and After shot

[Guest stephen48]

Good to see ! I have a 46 business coupe that I have owned for 34 years.These era Ford V8s go well,sound good, and are nice to drive.

Look forward to seeing more photos of your progress.

[Guest billybird]

StevenT: welcome to the wonderful world of AACA. The restoration looks great so far. I look forward to seeing the car at a future AACA event. A National Meet perhaps?

[Guest StevenT]

@Stephen48: I'd love to see some pictures of your 46 sometime.

@Bilybird: Thanks! Yes I do plan to take the Ford to many of the AACA Shows. I'm on the US east coast so I usually attend most of the eastern shows and Hershy. It's my plan to have the car finished around Feb. 2012

[Landman]

Good job Steven. It sure feels good going from the crud to the new bolts doesn't it?

Pat

[TexRiv_63]

Steven,

My mom had a 48 ford coupe when I was a kid, your car brings back memories. You are doing a great job, looking forward to the next steps.

[Scotts_DG8]

StevenT,

First welcome to the AACA. You've got a great looking project there and looks like a lot of progress has been made. What lead you down the path of tackling a restoration? Just curious. Did you workout what colors, interior/exterior, your going with yet? I too will be following along and will be looking forward to your updates. Scott...

[Guest StevenT]

@Pat: Thanks, yes it does feel great to put brand-new bolts into a freshly restored and painted part. It beats taking old ones out any day, on this rust-bucket that was no easy task!

@Don: Thank you sir

@Scott: Thanks! My Restoration background no question comes directly from my Dad, he’s been doing it since he was young. We recently finished restoring our 1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKII and he is working on his 1953 Buick Convertible that I’m helping him with and he helps me with the ford. It’s been a great way to learn but also its been a great way to spend time with him. We do everything ourselves from blasting to paint and everything in-between. Also, nothing beats the beauty and style you get with the Classic cars.

Yes, It’s going to be an original color from its era, either Shoals Green Grey, Botsford Blue Green, or Cloud Myst Grey, whichever one I think matches what I’m looking for. It’s kind of a pastel looking grey green color. The interior will be the original light grey cloth with the gunmetal colored dash.

Body Time

The Next thing was to get that horrible looking body on the rotisserie. We bolted the front part of the rotisserie to the body where it would normally bolt to the frame, and then I made a support beam to bolt the rear to the rotisserie where the trunk area bolts to the frame. Amazingly the body sits good on the rotisserie and is extremely easy to turn all the way over. I then started the process of striping and blasting the body. As you can see in the photos there were quite a few rot-through areas especially on the lower cowl corners, front area of the floor board and access panel, and In the trunk floor.

Edited September 1, 2011 by StevenT (see edit history)

[Guest StevenT]

Time to start patching the areas that had rot-through. I started with the Front floorboard and access panel area. Here’s what I did:

I first purchased a long sheet of 18 gage sheet metal from a local supplier here and then I bought a bunch tinny magnets and thin tracing paper. I placed the tracing paper over the rotted area and held it in place with magnet while I traced out the area I would replace with a sharpy marker. I made sure the sharpy bled through the tracing paper so I would have an exact copy of the pattern on the area I would later cut out. I then took the pattern and put it on a flat piece of new sheet metal and went over the same lines with the sharpy so it would bleed on to the new metal. I cut the new metal pattern out, rolled the supprot grove, and formed the metal into the correct shape. I then cut out the old rotted metal and used the wire brush attachment to clean out any rust. I then painted it with rust protection paint and welded the new patch pieces into place.

Edited September 1, 2011 by StevenT (see edit history)

[Guest StevenT]

Here’s a before and after. After I finished I painted it with rust protection, but I will have to go back and finish grinding down the welds before final paint.

[Guest StevenT]

Here's how the body looked after I finished sand blasting and coating the inside in a rust protection paint. You can also see where I cut out the rotted area of the trunk floor.

[Guest StevenT]

Time to fix the areas around the lower part of the cowl on both sides. Not only was the outer part of the cowl rotted but the frame box behind it was in bad shape as well. I was able to purchase a patch part from EMS for the outer part, but I had to fabricate the frame box area.

[keiser31]

Awesome work, Steven!

[Landman]

Yes, that should be good and solid. Keep this up and you'll have an excellent foundation to build on. Nice work!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Nice work and great documentation of your efforts, Steven!

[Guest stephen48]

Hi Steven. How is the restoration progressing ? He is a photo of my 46 business coupe taken a few years ago when I drove from Auckland to Christchurch and back. Regards, Stephen.

[Luv2Wrench]

Great work Steven. Can't wait to see more!

[Guest StevenT]

@Stephen: That's a nice business coupe you got there! I can't wait for the day when i can do drives like you did in that photo. The project going good, I just finished the body work on the the cab of the car and put a nice coat of primer on it. I will try to put up a few pictures of the progress tonight or tomorrow.

@Luv2Wrench: Thank you

[Guest StevenT]

Here's a couple shot of the body after all the body work and primer was completed. Note: I haven't done any bodywork on the fenders yet, that's why it still looks beat up.

[Guest StevenT]

Hey Guys

Well its been a while since my last update! During that time we've done nothing but body work on the cab of the car and a few other things. I'm happy to say the body work on the cab has been completed and I have painted the first rough coat on the car. I will probably wet sand it this week and spray on the final few smooth coats. I had the hardest time finding the correct color I wanted but finally got what I was looking for. I went with the color "Cloud Mist Grey" that I then lightened and tinted just a little and took to our local PPG supplier to match. Here are the results, hope you like:

Edited August 22, 2012 by StevenT (see edit history)

[keiser31]

We like!!

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

We like!!

Yep, sure do!!

Ben

[Landman]

Ditto!

[Scotts_DG8]

Great color choice. I'm right behind you just picturing what it will look like all together. What will the interior color be? Scott...

[Guest StevenT]

@Scott: The Interior will be the original style gray cloth (like whats in this photo)

Edited August 21, 2012 by StevenT (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

Looking great!

[Guest StevenT]

Ohh I forgot I also finished the the dash.

[Landman]

Steve, if the rest of the car looks anything like that dash, you the man.

[Woodfiddler]

That dash is awesome! Help me out with the function of the push button switch at the far left. So glad for the updates on this beauty, keep them coming!

Chuck

[Scotts_DG8]

Ohh I forgot I also finished the the dash.

Sure, you forgot. What a tease. Also, I see where I did ask the question on the interior earlier when I reviewed the post from the top but am happy that I asked again because the sample picture that you posted helped a lot to visualize it. With the pictures of the body color, interior sample and now the completed dash one can imagine the completed car and it is looking great. Great job, will be looking forward to seeing future posts of your project coming together. Scott...

[Guest StevenT]

@Woodfiddler: Thank you Chuck! The push button on the dash is the starter button. There's also a turn key on the steering column but that's for locking the steering wheel and turning on the ignition, but you cant start the car until you push the starter button.

@Scott: Perhaps it was a tease... I wont tell. Thanks for the comments. Ya trust me I imagine the completed car on a daily basis hoping for day when it will finally be finished. My new goal is for it to be completed in 3 months, but it will be definitely will ready for spring and will be at the AACA shows in Charlotte, NC and Cleveland, TN.

[Guest BLUEZEPHYR]

Dismantling process begins. I wasn’t really prepared for the amount of work I was getting myself into. Once I started taking the car apart I thought to myself this must have been sitting in a lake or something, I was a true rust-bucket! It’s not the worst I’ve seen and I know some of you have worked on worse, but for me it’s been a challenge to say the least.

Hi name is Rick from the UK , i,m putting back together a 1947 ford Sedan , but the front end was complety stripped down , i,m not too sure how the panels are bolted to the frame for the Radiator support and how the inner front gaurds meet the frame , have you any more pictures to give me a guide , my email address is ricks1947ford@aol.com if you could send pictures

many thanks

rgs Rick

[Guest StevenT]

Hi name is Rick from the UK , i,m putting back together a 1947 ford Sedan , but the front end was complety stripped down , i,m not too sure how the panels are bolted to the frame for the Radiator support and how the inner front gaurds meet the frame , have you any more pictures to give me a guide , my email address is ricks1947ford@aol.com if you could send pictures

many thanks

rgs Rick

Hi Rick, yes I have tons of pictures of the dismantling process that I can send you. I will send you a couple of the ones in think will be most helpful and then just let me know if there are any other areas you need a good picture of.