Shop Update 11/5/09

Hi Everyone - It's been a busy month in the shop with significant progress being made on several of the projects. The 1972 Morgan 4/4 is undergoing final assembly which means we are tending to many small details that make a proper restoration complete. At times, it is painstaking work since we want the fit and finish to be perfect. The work is nearly done and we are looking forward to delivering this beautiful car to its owner during the next couple of weeks.
The HRG Coupe is also progressing nicely. The trafficators have been installed and we've fabricated some unique seat mounts that keep the seats low in the car (to maximize headroom) yet still allow for a lot of adjustments. We've started on the wiring and are working to connect the linkage that controls the distributor advance/retard as well as the headlight and running light functions. This linkage is controlled by a rod that runs through the center of the steering column. Next, we expect to complete the plumbing of the fuel lines. This will again require some fabrication to complete the T fittings and tubing that will connect to the carburetors.
We've completed the fabrication of new door skins for the '62 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso. In addition, we've done quite a bit of sandblasting and metalizing to the nose, door frames and decklid area. All of the areas have been primed to prevent rust while we do additional bodywork.
We've also begun working in earnest on the Mercedes-Benz 300Sl Roadster. The body is currently having a thin layer of plastic filler applied to help smooth out any minor low spots. The amount of filler required has been significantly reduced by the metalizing process that we performed on the car earlier.
Finally, we're working to wrap up the restoration of the red '71 Mecedes-Benz 280 SE. We hope to have the interior installed and the car ready to test drive before the end of November.
The wood work on the '46 Chevy Hot Rod Panel Truck is nearly complete. Next stop for the '46 is a trip to Portage Trim to have the interior completed.
Check back for more updates as we near completion of several of these cars.
While we're thinking about it, we are currently accepting major restoration projects to begin in 2011. If you are considering such a project, please shoot us an email at info@hahnandwoodward.com or give us a call at 724-865-9684 between 9 – 5 Eastern time Monday through Friday. We'd be happy to discuss your project with you.

Interior Views - '72 Morgan 4/4

On the return trip from taking the '46 Chevy Panel Truck to the woodworking shop, we stopped by our friends at Portage Trim in Ravenna, OH. to pick up the '72 Morgan 4/4. Even in darkness (it was *:30 PM when we arrived), the rich beauty of the tan leather interior was evident.......the seats, doors and dash all really popped. Portage also created a beautiful Tonneau cover and convertible top to provide the finishing touch.
Now that the car is back at our shop, we'll focus on the installation of the audio components and final assembly. The first step has been to thoroughly mask off the interior components to avoid dirt/damage as we work. This includes removing the seats and carpeting and taping off the doors, windscreen and other interior areas. Our goal is to have the car completed by the end of October so we can take it on some test drives and final tweaks.
We've nominated the Morgan for inclusion in the 2010 Amelia Island Concours 'd Elegance and a waiting to hear if it has been accepted. As the Morgan project nears completion we'll begin to focus our attention on the HRG Coupe and Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster.
Check out more interior pics as well as photos from the entire project on our web site: www.hahnandwoodward.com

Dazzling in Daylight....The debut of the '46 Chevy Panel Truck

It's been a long time coming, but the '46 Chevy Panel Truck finally drove out into the September sunshine under its own power for its first shakedown runs before we load it up for the 300 mile trip to the coach shop to finish the interior woodwork.
The truck has been flurry of activity over the past several weeks as we worked to complete the detailed electrical work and interior side panels. The “old skool” styling of the exterior gives way to a wide array of trick interior features including heated seats and cup holders, refrigerator, GPS, multi-speaker sound system, custom lighting, custom dash and steering wheel. This will be one cushy ride.
After spending the morning doing some mild detailing to dust off the exterior, we fired up the trusty Chevy 350 and pulled the truck out of the shop. It was here that we could see just how sweet this truck looks....even without its running boards. Wes took it for a couple of laps up and down the street the pulled it in so we could things over....we noticed a lot of antifreeze running into the overflow and quickly determined the electric fan was not working. The idle was a bit rough as well, so we adjusted the carburetor, reset the timing and got the fan working. The second test run went much better with the truck briskly motoring up and down the street.
The low stance and mild rake give the truck just the right air of attitude to compliment the throaty growl of the mildly muffled exhaust system. Very cool.
Next stop is the wood shop which will be followed by a trip to the trim shop for the interior. Check back for more updates as we come down the home stretch for completion of this beautiful hot rod. Check out some more pics of the truck on our web site....http://www.hahnandwoodward.com/
While we're thinking about it....we've got several leftover parts from this build that are for sale including an original 1946 frame (in excellent condition) as well as a Fat Man Fabrications IFS front end along with several other '46 Chevy parts. Check out our eBay store http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Hahn-and-Woodward-Auto-Restoration__W0QQ_armrsZ1 for pics and info, or give us a call at the shop.

Goodguys Muscle Car of the Year Finalist

Congratulations to our good friend and long time customer, Gerry Kerna and her beautiful, black 1971 GTO hardtop on its selection as a finalist for the Goodguys/Hemmings Muscle Machines Muscle Car of the Year at the Goodguys Rod and Custom Assn. 8th Annual Blue Suede Cruise sponsored by Dupont and held August 28 – 30 2009 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH. A previous award winner at the Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance, POCI Nationals, GTOAA Nationals and various AACA shows, this was the first time Gerry has entered the GTO at a Goodguys event.
Goodguys holds 22 events throughout the year and selects one Muscle Car at 19 of these shows to be a finalist. Designed to honor a superior factory stock or fully restored Muscle Car, the award winner will be announced on Friday, October 16th 2009. Given the current popularity of muscle cars, to be selected as a finalist is a terrific honor. We've got our fingers crossed for you Gerry!
The restoration of Gerry's GTO was completed by Bill Hahn in 1999. The car was brought back to showroom original condition right down to its greasepaint option markings. Outfitted with a 400 Cu. In. Pontiac engine and 4 speed manual transmission, it is the definition of a muscle car. The GTO's selection out of a strong (and large) field of “Mighty Muscle” entries, speaks to the quality of the restorations we can do as well as the TLC Gerry gives her favorite “Goat”. Bill Hahn and Wes Woodward have maintained that if properly done, a car should only need to be restored ONCE...this certainly gives credibility to that statement.
The judges were impressed with the car's originality, straightness, and fit and finish (which is doubly highlighted by the gorgeous black paint....sprayed by Adam Abbot). Gerry led the procession of award winners from the Goodguys winners circle to the dragstrip, capping an exciting weekend of Show Cruising, Nostalgia Drag Racing and vendor displays that made up the Blue Suede Cruise.
Check out more pictures of Gerry's award winning car along with our other ongoing restorations at our website: www.hahnandwoodward.com
For more information on the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association, please visit their website at:
www.good-guys.com

Shop Update 8/19/09

Hi everyone! It's been a little while since we've gotten around to writing a new blog....that's because we've been quite busy on several fronts. This is a good thing! Time to post a little shop update -
We recently completed the repair work on the little '64 MG that we were working on. It was finished in time to attend "British Car Day" at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix last month. We also completed the initial build-up of the '72 Morgan 4/4. The engine starts and the car moves 9and stops) under its own power. We trailered it over to our friends at Portage Trim in Revenna, OH to have the interior work done. We expect it back in early September at which time we will complete final assembly and testing. This is a beautiful little car. The paint job turned out extremely well....more to come on this little beauty in the near future.
We have also focused some major effort on completing the wiring and interior structures for the '46 Chevy Panel Truck. It is due to be sent to the woodworking shop for some finish work on some interior components and will then be sent to the Trim shop for the interior upholstery.
We've also made a major push on the 1938 HRG Coupe. It is our goal to have the coupe running and mechanically functional by the end of the year. Because this in a one of a kind vehicle, we've had to do a significant amount of fabrication, fitting and refitting to achieve a "period correct" look and functionality for the car. We've hand fabricated the exhaust system, thermostat housing, Fuel delivery system, kick panels, foot boards and transmission tunnel. We still have some interior work to do as well as the sunroof, side curtains and electrical system. There is a long way to go but we're making very good progress.
Finally, there is the 1962 Ferarri 250GT Lusso. We received the car back from it's alkaline dip. It has been fully prepped and primed and is currently undergoing some minor bodywork. We should be ready to start on the assembly of this drop dead sexy car in the near future.
Stay tuned for more updates!

Of Rods and Rain

The annual Goodguys Columbus PPG Nationals is a short three hour trip from our Western PA. Home base and attracts thousands of the nations fines hot rods, customs and street machines. This year's edition was no exception as the Columbus Expo Center Fairgrounds (and surrounding hotel parking lots!) were packed with an outstanding collection of cars.
My girlfriend Linda and I arrived at our hotel about 10 miles north of the fairgrounds on Friday afternoon and unloaded my '23 T Roadster for the trip down I-71 to meet up with my good friend Gerry and her '51 Chevy Pickup and get our registration credentials. Later, as we all returned to the hotel complex we found hundreds of people lining the street, sipping on a cold beverage and watching the “cruise” as the cars ran up and down the street.
Saturday dawned warm but cloudy with a definite threat of rain. After some breakfast we headed to the show and found a nice place to park. Fortunately, we packed a cooler, pop-up canopy, chairs and my car cover in Gerry's truck (since T-Buckets have virtually no storage space)......because by 11:30 the “scattered showers” had turned into a steady rain. This didn't deter the spirit of the crowd or our determination to have a good time. We parked ourselves under the canopy and enjoyed a couple of beverages ourselves. Eventually Gerry's boyfriend, Dave arrived having ridden his motorcycle from Pittsburgh that morning (the last 70 miles in the rain). By this time we were getting a little damp and everyone was hungry......so we piled into the cab of the truck and set out in search of umbrellas and a decent place to eat. Meanwhile....the steady rain turned into a major monsoon complete with flood warnings. After waiting out the worst of it we returned to the fairgrounds to find the T still high and dry under it's tarp in the parking lot. So far, so good.
By now the rain had pretty much stopped, so we decided to attend the awards ceremony to see the “Street Machine of the Year” and “Street Rod of the Year” crowned. Western Pennsylvania was well represented in the Street machine finals by the guys at RPM out of Warrendale, PA with the '69 Trans am they built for Bryan Frank. In addition, Bill Steele's recently crowned “Hot Rod of the Year” 1930 Model A coupe was on hand for the crowd to admire.
The ride back to the hotel was a little damp as the rain started again (and can be a real adventure with the big rear tires on the T) but it subsided shortly after we got on the interstate and held off long enough for me to get the car back in the trailer.
Sunday was bright and sunny, so we headed to the fairgrounds for one final day of hot rod fun. Although the parking lot wasn't nearly as full as Friday or Saturday, there was still a nice crowd. We hung out for a while before getting ready for our ride home. All and all, it was a great time with great friends and lots of cool cars. Definitely a worthwhile trip!
Here's a shot of our cars on Sunday morning.

Diagnose Overheating Problems in the Mercedes-Benz 300SL

The issue of overheating is not an uncommon problem when first starting and test driving a newly restored/rebuilt 300SL Gullwing or Roadster. Since there are a number of possible causes and solutions to the condition, we thought we'd list a comprehensive approach that can be taken to diagnose and correct overheating.

First, check the obvious items common to all cars.

• Is the radiator full of anti-freeze/water?
• Is the thermostat stuck? If it is not new and has been sitting around for a number of years, this is a common problem.
• Has the radiator been cleaned and pressure tested? Any leaks?
• What's the condition of the radiator cap? Does it hold pressure?
• Is the fan belt slipping? It should have 1/4” to 1/2” of play....any more and it is probably slipping.
• Has the fan been installed correctly? We have seen occasions where electric fans are installed backwards....which doesn't help the cooling at all. Is there a shroud around the fan?
• Is the water pump new? Has it been rebuilt?
• Have you checked the timing? Retarded timing will cause the car to run poorly and run hot. Certainly worth a double check.
• Is the engine running too lean....a lean running engine will also run hot.
  

The next possibility is a little more serious

• Is there any oil or exhaust gas bubbles present in the coolant? This would indicate a blown head gasket (best case) or possibly a crack cylinder head or engine block (worst case). Often the case with a rebuilt engine; no one checked the mating surface of the cylinder head. Aluminum heads quite often warp when engines over heat. Steel cylinder heads will also warp to a much lesser degree, but enough to cause problems.

The following items are more specific to the 300SL

• Has the water pump been topped off with 90 weight gear oil?
• Has the fuel injection pump been recalibrated? You cannot rebuild the engine on these cars without recalibrating the fuel injection pump.....it's like putting old wine in a new wine sack. The pump has wear on it and has, in a way, recalibrated itself to the old motor. It especially may be running lean/hot.
• Check to make sure there is oil in the injection pump.
• Check the spark plugs. We recommend NGK BP6ES or possibly one range cooler.
• Try one of the many “Water Wetter” products that are on the market.
• Did you use “break in “ oil to break in the engine? What grade of oil are you using now? Is there enough oil in the crankcase? (these take 15 Quarts of oil).

As you can seen, there are quite a number of conditions that can lead to your engine running hot. Start with the simplest, easiest to implement (changing one thing at a time)....and see if you get any improvement. As always...at your service!