Not many items are designed with individual expression in mind in today's bolt-on hot rod parts market. Ian Roussel of Way Kool Metal Werks is an artist who expresses himself in metal, and more specifically with hot rods, and he has come up with a few interesting products to help rodders make a personalized statement with their rides.
Ian invited us to tag along as he fit one of his V-Windshield frames, designed for universal fitment, to a '29 Ford Model A roadster. This frame works well on all open Ford roadsters (as well as formerly closed models that have made the transition to "open air" topless types), but because it has been designed with extra material cast into it to be ground away for custom fitments, this frame works well on everything from '20s and '30s off-brands to more modern Volkswagen-based rods. Virtually any car or truck with a slightly curved cowl can be fitted with one of these stylish windshield frames.
The three-piece V-Windshield kit also "werks" well with limited budgets because of its very reasonable price; you just need to be able to perform some simple shaping with a disc grinder and sander for a truly custom fit. Some welding may also be required if you want to make the frame one piece, as Ian did in this story, but it's not mandatory if a welder is not part of your home tool kit. Ian Roussel is also available to custom fit one of these Way Kustom Metal Werks frames to your hot rod in his shop in Sun Valley. Check out Way Kool Metal Werks' Web site (www.longshanxxx.com) for more of Ian's custom aluminum castings.
The starting point for this...
The starting point for this project is a '29 Ford roadster with a stock windshield setup that even a restorer would have a hard time loving.
The new V-Windshield is a...
The new V-Windshield is a universal unit designed to fit many applications with a little finessing at home.
Way Kustom Metal Werks' proprietor...
Way Kustom Metal Werks' proprietor and main metal artist Ian Roussel gets started by drilling the mounting points in the frame.
Removing the stock windshield...
Removing the stock windshield posts and frame is a step in the right direction. Next to go will be the dash rail under the windshield and the stock gas tank filler neck.
A pattern for a filler piece...
A pattern for a filler piece was traced on a piece of cardboard and then transferred to a piece of sheetmetal. The filler piece was then welded in place and ground smooth with a hand grinder.
After drilling, a tap is run...
After drilling, a tap is run into the freshly bored holes.
A cut-off wheel made clean...
A cut-off wheel made clean work of the removal of the stock windshield post mounts. A plasma cutter was used to remove the factory fuel filler neck. (Safety note: The lower portion of the fuel tank had previously been removed so we didn't need to worry about gas fumes igniting.)
The windshield was then set...
The windshield was then set in place and the mounting points for the windshield's center bar were marked and then drilled through the cowl.
Mocking up the side pieces...
Mocking up the side pieces showed where the material needed to be initially removed. The oversized pieces were designed for universal fitments, so trimming should be done in small portions until the pieces fit perfectly. Patience will definitely pay off in the final product.
To get a good snug fit where...
To get a good snug fit where the side pieces met the center bar, Ian set the pieces in place and marked the ends where they met the center bar. He then trimmed off the excess.
A trial fit of the center...
A trial fit of the center bar showed a little material needed to be removed from the back edge for the desired final windshield angle.
Ian worked patiently with...
Ian worked patiently with the grinder to remove the marked material from the post. He carefully checked the fit as he went to ensure that he was not removing too much material.
The trimming began with the...
The trimming began with the outer corners. Note that the corners were eventually trimmed completely away for aesthetics, but initially the design had not been set in stone.
Now that the length was right...
Now that the length was right he had to match the windshield rake of the center bar. He set the side pieces in place and marked the inside surface of each one for trimming.
After more patient work with...
After more patient work with the grinder and test fitting, Ian had the pieces matching the cowl as well as they mated each other. The corners were now totally trimmed away, as mentioned earlier, and the windshield was placed in a little more.
Once the pieces were all lined...
Once the pieces were all lined up, Ian welded them together, running a bead both on the front and backsides.
The new laidback frame is...
The new laidback frame is a big improvement over the stock unit. The sweeping curve of the new frame matches the cowl perfectly. Pieces of welding rod give a visual reference of how the frame will look with glass in place.
Ian used a piece of Lexan,...
Ian used a piece of Lexan, cut to shape with jigsaw, to use as an eventual template for finished tempered glass. The rough edges were cleaned up with a hand grinder.
Once the Lexan fit into the...
Once the Lexan fit into the frame, the top edge could be trimmed. The flanges on the upright pieces hold the finished glass in place.
A local glass shop can easily...
A local glass shop can easily transfer the final shape of the Lexan to tempered glass or you can send your pattern to The Glass House (call (909) 592-1078; www.theglasshouse1.com) and have one cut.
Another completely different...
Another completely different result using the same pieces (this time without the center bar) comes from the outer pieces mated together to make a stylish frame on this '26/27-style Model T Ford roadster.
The finishing touch was grinding...
The finishing touch was grinding and smoothing the welds.
With the welds ground, it's...
With the welds ground, it's impossible to tell that this now-one-piece unit was not specifically designed for this car.