Woodstock

Update. As far as the arms go, I went and looked at the M37 arms, the original 3B frame, and this frame are identical. Same part number stamped and everything. So Dodge M-series shared some little items with Jeep. Learn something every day.

Got the glass back. (1 month). But the guy is into old stuff, and charged me 1 hour of labor plus material. Cutting the safety glass around a radius involves denatured alcohol and flame at some point, so I was impressed that I actually found someone with old-school skills. And he was happy to do it. And actually reassembled all the parts correctly. Looks good to me, I like the light tint.

I started looking at the next task-installing the outer rubber. The one sold to me is, let's say, questionable, with what I now know. After messing with it for half an hour, boiling it in a pot, etc. , I realized it's not going in, without a fight, or maybe ever.

The profile is wrong. I emailed the seller, who admitted it's a bitch to get in, but I can see, even if I cram it in 1/4" at a time, it's not right, and won't stay in the frame. I pried the 1953 original out to see the profile, and it's completely different. why didn't I catch this before? ****, I don't know. I'm busy.

So, next morning I call Pete to see if he still has NOS weatherstrips for a 3B. He answers..(and use your best NY tone)..."DEBELLA!"
He wanted to ship it to my dad, who is deceased for 15 years. I set him straight, but we had a short talk about my dad. It's on the way. I love New Yorkers.
So next, I am ready to paint the outer frame, but it has been way too cold. I ordered and received Summit's hot rod black urethane. Cheap, fast, and we'll see how it goes once I get anything resembling painting weather.

 

I swear, it's the little things. I found a very nice repro of the Warn overdrive knob. Definitely too nice for my jeep, but I like it.

Received the weatherstrip from Pete. Looks good and started playing with the install. It is perfect, and is slow going getting it in the groove. I tried a heat gun to make it more pliable, and that worked well. It also showed me that the dried film on the rubber is likely cosmoline, which rolls right of with some heat. The cosmoline probably is why this thing is still very pliable and like new after 70 years.

The first test/learning curve was getting it around the first corner, but I now know how to do it. A flat blade screwdriver does the trick.

Got a wild hair and decided to paint the outer frame. Nowhere near a good painting temperature, but at least it's clear, I can heat the garage, and since no one is around for most of the day, I can bring it in after shooting. I review the Summit instructions, mix it up and try my new $29 HVLP gun from Amazon. Figured this is a good place to try it. I got the fast activator (low temp) for the urethane, and the instructions say it should dry in 20 minutes.

A quick garage shoot with the doors open, then closed. Re-coat after 10 minutes, then turned it over.

With the wife gone for the day, I moved it into the indoor winter drying station. There will be some touch up required from moving it so soon, and I needed to air the house out a few times, but kept a good fire going in the stove to counteract the 30 degree outside air.

 

Is your paint a flat or more of a satin? It looks really glossy in the photo, maybe because it is still wet.

 

Good to see ol Woody back.

 

It's called hot rod flat, and was glossy there because I had just sprayed it. It flattened out a lot over night as it dried.

 

The sun came out, and the tux is finished, so I'm back on Woody. Let's start this Sunday with a green beer. No actually let's start with an easy little project. The WOD shift knob.

Sounds easy, but since I previously converted the shift cane to 3/8-24 thread, I need to go back to 1/2-13. so a little weld job. Actually just getting the linkage cotter pin out was the challenge.

Welded, sanded, ready for paint.

All installed, and I know it will shift better now that it has the official knob.

 

With good weather, I saw a painting window. Got the final 2 coats on the outside of the outer frame, then moved it around to sunny spots all afternoon.

Then turned to the cowl gasket I got from Partsdude. This is much nicer than the one on Woody from 2002.

Kind of cold for applying rubber parts, but it went on fine. I bought some #8 sheet metal screws with washers, and they lined up and went in snug in the existing holes perfectly.

WS frame latches are a thing now, looking at the prices, this could figure into my retirement income. And I will definitely look for latches at the swap meet. Needless to say, I rehabbed the ones I had for the price. I blasted and used Eastwood detail gray on them.

All installed, looks good, but frankly, I like the look of the old weathered ones better. Maybe they will get all cruddy and seasoned after a few runs.

 

Nice work Tim....An inspiration. I'll have to look into Eastwood's detail grey. Looks pretty slick.

 

Folded down the original windshield, unbolted the 2 shoulder bolts that hold it on, and lifted it off. Bolted the inner frame to the outer frame on the new, and set it on the hood. The new frame is a handful to move by myself, but there was no one around.

Propped it up with a 2x4 so I can install the arms.

Now it will stay on its own.

It looks centered where it is, and sets in the outer frame nicely, so I tightened the hinge hardware. The holes further down are for the wiper motor. I think I am going to forego that, being as I don't have, or plan to use a vacuum wiper. I will just blank off the holes.

Tried to latch the hold down latches, very tight. It took a while, with cool temperatures and a new cowl seal. Hopefully this will settle in when it warms up. It looks good, except the jeep is dirty.

 

Looks like a pro job....

 

I was admiring my work and thinking it had gone so well. I like the look with it open, and can practically feel a warm Sierra Nevada breeze.

Then...rot roh. It won't fully open, so I force it a little, and the rubber pops past the top channel and won't go back. I think Mr. Murphy of Murphy's law saw me admiring my work and decided to apply The Rule to me.

So what changed? It worked before I put the rubber in it. I go out to check the old original.

Found it pretty quickly. Everyone that says the outer frame on a 3B is the same as a ventilating frame is wrong. The top channel is 3/8" higher to allow the rubber to pass by.

The only way to fix it is...more beer! Or forget the whole thing. After some deep breathing, I started disassembly, and we are going backwards now for a while. To move the top channel up, it's drilling all the spot welds, and rewelding, which I don't mind, but I just got the paint looking good, dammit.

 

That SUCKS!…..I’ve seen your work, you will make this right!

 

After a week of false spring, snow is back this weekend, so no time like now to fix this and get it behind me. I can see the spot welds, so I center punch them all (about 20), and get started drilling with a spot weld cutter.

Start super slow, then speed up once it gets established is the technique I use. There goes the paint job.

Kind of crusty behind there, so I will clean it and treat it with some rust treatment.

I use this from Loctite, called Extend. Turns the rust purplish-black when dry.

The lower mark is where it was, the upper, where it's going, and will match the original VW. I think I will be cautious and dummy this up before welding to be sure.

 

I knew you would knock it out pretty fast!

 

Looks like someone else believes in Blair Rota Broachs. I use lube wax to extend the life of my cutters.

 

Oh, I do believe in them. Great tool.

 

After clamping the channel in the new higher position, I bench-dummied the whole thing up again to make sure it will open correctly. All fine, so time to weld the channel back on

All welded, now the paint is really messed up, but oh well. I will just need some warmish weather again to fix it.

Back on the jeep. Here is the distance between the rubber and the channel. We have clearance, Clarence.

Fully open, I even sat in it to get a feel for visibility.

Going in for the evening, I like the look. Now just need to disassemble and paint one more time...I hope.

 

That's a very cool, tire mounted, tool tray.

 

I was eyeballing that as well....