We started by ordering a set...
We started by ordering a set of louvered hood side panels from Rootlieb. We also ordered hood lacing, grille lacing, rubber stops, and a reproduction stainless-steel hood hinge from C.W. Moss (Vintique).
We installed the hood lacing...
We installed the hood lacing and rubber stops on the cabriolet's cowl. We also found and bolted down the centrally located hinge bracket.
We mocked up the old hood...
We mocked up the old hood top with the new Rootlieb hood sides, making sure the alignment of the parts fit in their respective openings. As you can see, some work was necessary to get the parts to fit perfectly. The passenger hood side was in alignment with the grille shell, but the other side wasn't even close.
The hood sides are made to...
The hood sides are made to the correct '36 Ford dimensions and have a small 90-degree lip at the top for the three-piece hood hinge. Since the cowl of the '36 tapers, the 90-degree lip has to be trimmed so that the side panel will sit flush against the body.
For a perfect fit, some gapping...
For a perfect fit, some gapping was needed at the side panel's rear edge. Since the rear of the sheetmetal has no hem (rolled-over edge), you can grind the metal to the correct shape.
Using a felt pen, we marked...
Using a felt pen, we marked the fender area where additional clearance at the front was needed for side-panel clearance. Since these are fiberglass fenders, we were able to grind the clearance into them with a carbide-tip die grinder.
In order to secure the bottom...
In order to secure the bottom of the hood sides, we had to make alignment dowel pins from 1/4 x 28 bolts by turning the ends down to a point. We also had to construct tabs for the dowel pins from 10-gauge steel.
We then welded the tabs to...
We then welded the tabs to the rolled edge of the hood sides. We placed them toward the front and back of the hood side, as shown.
We placed the hood sides back...
We placed the hood sides back on the car and marked where the dowel pins would have to be mounted. Using a 1/4-inch bit, we drilled the holes for the dowel pins.
In this photo you can see...
In this photo you can see the pin secured to the fender. A small piece of rubber hose was installed to act as a hood cushion.
With the side panel and hood...
With the side panel and hood top reinstalled, you can see that there is a tapering gap between the hood side and the top of the grille shell that will have to be filled.
Using a straightedge and a...
Using a straightedge and a felt marker, we drew a line where the shell would have to be cut in order to add a piece of metal to fill the gap.
We measured the gap at the...
We measured the gap at the top and bottom so that we could cut a piece of metal with the correct taper. It is advisable to make a cardboard template first, then trace the shape on a piece of sheetmetal.
After we cut a piece of sheetmetal...
After we cut a piece of sheetmetal the same thickness as the shell to size, we installed and tack-welded it to the shell. As you can see, it's a perfect fit, effectively closing the previous gap. Now the grille is in perfect alignment with the hood side.
We finish-welded the section...
We finish-welded the section to the grille shell, then smoothed out the welds with a large hand grinder.
Although it's a little hard...
Although it's a little hard to see in this photo, the hood hangs over the grille shell. That means the grille will have to be spaced outward to match the contour of the hood top.
The grille shell mounts to...
The grille shell mounts to the side of the radiator, so this attachment will have to be shimmed to align the grille shell with the hood top. We measured the overhang and made a corresponding shim. We then bolted the shell on and checked the alignment.
With the shim just added,...
With the shim just added, the hood and grille were in perfect alignment. In part two we will show you how we installed the hood top and made a hood latch mechanism. We have a few other tricks to pass along, so check out the next issue.
Without question, '36 Fords had some of the nicest body lines of any car built in the '30s. The main body line flows gracefully and continuously around the car, the body curves are sensuous to a visceral degree, and the roundness of the fenders is accented perfectly with a peak that flows from front to back. Ford designers did a fantastic job on this car and that's probably why they're still popular today. We've always liked the '36 body design, but were never really won over by the stock hood louvers. When we started building this '36 Ford, we knew those louvers had to go.
Since louvers are an essential part of the car's cooling system, we decided to change the hood sides to hot rod-style louvers. We called Rootlieb and ordered a pair of louvered side panels that were designed for a three-piece hood instead of the original hinges. By changing to this configuration, we could also eliminate the unsightly hood handles. We figured we would run a one-piece top, but had a problem finding one that would fit correctly. Since we had the original two-piece top that was in good condition and fit perfectly, we decided to use it. What we ended up with is similar to a three-piece hood on the bottom half, but the hood can be opened on either side on the top to access the engine. While in the process of building this hood, we also wanted to clean up the car's nose by eliminating the V-8 emblem and trim. In this story we will show you how we worked the hood sides to fit the car. In the next installment, we will show you how to build a hood latch system, as well as how we bullnosed the hood and grille.