Roof and bumper decisions

The running boards from Bob Drake and they should be by the front door soon. The existing running boards were functional, but had some straightening issues that would have consumed some serious bodywork time. Drake had a sale on their running boards for $875.00 which probably comes close that what we would have had in the existing one to get them right.

1935 Ford with an insert from
a 1971 Vega Wagon

1934 Ford with a smooth insert.
The owner did not know anything
about it.

We are still debating about the top. The car still has the soft top on it. It will need to be replaced when painted. The debate concerns whether to fill the top or leave it in the original soft top condition. if we decide to fill the top, we have some options. We can purchase a steel insert from Walden Speed Shop that can be bolted or welded into place. The other option is the old school method of cutting a top from a wagon and welding it into the opening. We have a couple options here from a Chevy Vega (if we can find one) or a Volvo. If we went with the Vega style option, it could look like the red top picture. Another option is to use a top without the ridges which is illustrated in the dark colored 34 sedan. If we decide to go with the original style top, we can use a cloth similar to what is used for the Mustang GT premium convertibles instead of vinyl.

Rear bumper attached below the
original bodywork opening.

Front bumper moved closer to the
fenders with new brackets.

The final issue at hand concerns the front and rear bumpers. Our desire is to move them closer to the body closing the distance between the bodywork and the bumpers. The red 1935 Ford provided at least one option to consider. He lowered the rear bumper below the bodywork by making an adapter that connects the bumper brackets to the frame. For the front bumper, he used an adapted bracket to move the bumper closer to the fenders.

Wheel Options

We have have been considering several wheel options lately. The general look is generally set. There will be a chrome outer ring and spider caps to cover the hub and lug nuts. We have went back and forth on the color for the rest of the wheel. I think we are settling on a candy-apple red. The picture is what it would look like.

Final progress on seats

The front seats are complete. Danny has finished the upholstery on the front two seats and they look great. The brackets for the seats are also complete. These started with a base of angle iron, but that is not what comprised the final brackets. The brackets were revised after dad built the driver's side. The angle iron option was too complex and did not provide the sturdiness. The final option included 2 inch tube iron with milled notches to accommodate the original brackets of the seats. Now on to the rear seat and interior panels.

More Seat Progress

The progress in the interior is ongoing. Here is the completed driver's seat and work in progress on the passenger's seat.

The completed driver's seat

Pocket on the back of the seat

The original fabric of the seats are used as the pattern for the
new material. The fold-down arm will remain between
the two front seats.

Interior Fabric

This is the bottom portion of the seat.

 The interior is underway. Danny Barger is sewing the new material on the front seats. The rear seat has yet to be determined as to its fit, but we are going to use the original seat with few modifications. The carpet and headliner is also still under discussion.

Interior design

The interior has been mostly decided. Several shades of grey will adorn the interior. The front seats are replaced with bucket seats from a 1992 Ford F-150 extended cab. selecting the seats was somewhat difficult as we needed them to fold forward for rear seat passenger entry. With most passenger cars being four door, few seats will work as many do not fold forward. The F-150 seat fit the requirement. Danny Barger is doing the upholstery work on the car. Here are some of the renderings of what we expect the interior to look like.

History of the car

August 2011, ready for restoration.
See more photos of car on photos page.

The 1934 Ford sedan has been in our family for just under fifty years. The car was originally purchased in 1963 or 1964 by my Dad and his brother, Ron and Don Abell. They borrowed $200.00 from the National Bank of Greenwood, in their home town, for the purchase. The seller, who lived on East Washington Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, decided to move to California and could not take the car with him. This seller had replaced the original engine with a flathead engine from a 1953 Mercury mated to a late 1930's floor shift transmission.The car had the original spoke wheels on it, but the fenders, radiator, front grill, doors, running boards, hood, rear backsplash, bumpers, seats, and many other items rode to their new location in the back of a pickup truck. As the truck towed the remaining parts attached to the frame, Ron steered the car while sitting on a milk crate.
During the next year (1964 or 1965), Ron and Don bolted the body parts to the frame and installed glass on the '34 Ford. When they completed this, they towed the car to Acton Indiana. Jack Rayburn a local mechanic wired the car and brought it back to life. The car was driven back to Greenwood for paint. Harry Wagner coated the car with Black lacquer paint. This would be the last job completed at his paint shop at the corner of Fry Road and Madison Avenue in Greenwood as this location was to become a Shell Oil gas station. Fourteen inch Chrysler wheels originally put on the car were later replaced with chrome wheels from an early model International Scout. Bill Hendley sewed a black leather roll and tuck interior for the car and installed it in his Phillips 66 station in Franklin Indiana.

The car as it was mechanically restored
by Ron Ennis in 2006.

The car stayed in this condition, including mechanical brakes, until 2006 (?). During this time the car was always garaged at either Ron or Don's house and seldom driven. In 2006 (?), Ron and Don took the car to street rod builder Ron Ennis for a mechanical overhaul. Ron Ennis replaced the engine and drive train with one from a late model Mustang (1988-1991). The front end of a Ford Mustang II/Pinto updated the original front wheel assembly. Ron Ennis also added air conditioning to the car during the update. With a drive train in the car that was mechanically sound, Don took the car to Oklahoma City in 2006 (?) for the Streetrod Nationals. After this trip, the car again mostly sat in storage. In 2011, Don sold his share of the car to Ron's son. Currently restoration continues on the car.