Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

You have done some great fabrication, and engineering.....but this is a challenge to yourself....if it wasn't, you would have been done by now.

 

I remember well that deal! Gina Lauria was a serios "Yum" on my list at that time!

 

I'd have to disagree with this. Especially if it's only the body that is getting used...as far as being a "real Henry". I can't see steel or fiberglass making a difference on a non-factory/homebuilt chassis, imo.



When I was a kid I had a Bird brochure & big ideas. Vague recollection of a yellow T w/ a lot of brass/gold accessories & big ugly fenders on the cover...?

I'd think that the wood dash & the near vertical steering on mine would be enough of a clue that it's not a modern "kit".

 

Yes, absolutely there is a challenge in building any project, engineering and fabricating and at times you ponder and scratch your head wondering how you can make something work.

There are challenges to anyone doing a project like mine, not just me.

Challenges like time, finances and if you followed my build thread at all you would know that a couple of those challenges for me have been major health issues.
I'm doing this all by myself, I don't have anyone to step up and do things for me when I'm in a hospital bed and almost a year goes by where I'm not capable of turning the key to get into the shop never mind build something.

As time goes by I will get done and I think the results will be worth it.
It sounds like you are doubtful of that if so stand by, patience is a virtue

 

I'd have to disagree with this. Especially if it's only the body that is getting used...as far as being a "real Henry". I can't see steel or fiberglass making a difference on a non-factory/homebuilt chassis, imo.

My friend you can disagree with this all you want but fiberglass bodies came as a kit you could assemble to make the car hence the name "Kit" cars or you bought the parts separately but if you used a real steel body then it is Henry unless you know other folks making original steel model T bodies?? back in the 60s.

 

I know of at least two old '50s hot rodders who discarded their old steel T bodies for the new fiberglass ones that came out for one reason or another. You have to remember nostalgia wasn't in vogue back then. It started catching on in the late '80s. In fact my wife says Von Franko and I started the trend. We were in on the ground floor anyway. Those '50s and '60s guys just wanted to build the nicest hot rods they could with the newest stuff out there. Grabowski took out the flathead in the roadster he bought and put in a three or four year old Cad. engine out of his parents almost new car.

 

Please don't take offense to my comment.....I have actually read your entire thread, multiple times. I have no doubt your project will be completed. I sincerely wish you success with your project and healing.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. I wasn't really offended, just hope that there is a little understanding in the challenges I'm facing with the build and otherwise.
Since you know my build thread then you also know that the project has evolved as I move along, things get changed along the way.

As far as healing goes, it is better every day. Each day is a small step towards total recovery and normalcy, feeling more like myself and happy to be alive.

Sorry for the small hijack here let's carry on this thread is fun to follow.

 

Hoping for slicks tomorrow! It is looking like my hopes for driving it to L.A.R.S. are diminishing though. In the heat this week it's started to have some serious problems with the trans...

 

I still think a 289/302 and C4 would work awesome....

 

Trans shouldn't be a deal killer, my kid and I pulled the mill and changed out the trans in my "T" in an afternoon.

 

Shouldn't be a problem mounting a cooler under the Not So Ugly T. I was surprised how cheap they are when I bought one for my Plymouth at Napa Auto Supply. Under $50. But then I'll be towing my roadster on a trailer behind my air conditioned truck. Anyway hope to see you next week. Wow just a few days away.

 

It's the considered opinion amongst most T owners on another site that a trans cooler on a T is not needed [unless you're running a REALLY high stall converter]... my guess is you've got other problems...
dave

 

don't you have enough resources lying around there to get this taken care of ASAP?

 

Chip, that's too bad - was hoping to see the T in person! Are you still planning on attending though?

Steve

 

And that considered opinion is wrong, a T needs transmission cooling like any other vehicle.

 

Oh, I will definitely be at L.A.R.S. That's the only non-negotiable there is in my life. I haven't missed in 25 years coming from as far away as Sweden to get there. I suppose if my mom was dying or something I'd skip it, but she would have to guaranty me she was gonna go that weekend! Judy found out the first year we lived together that that particular weekend was not to be played with. She made plans for us to go to friends wedding over father's day weekend that year, and got it explained to her by Elpolacko's girlfriend that wasn't going to happen.... Hell, my buddy Larry Young went in 2005, and he died in May of that year! That was his last wish that we take his erne to all of the events we could that summer one last time. He referred to it as the w "Weekend at Larry's tour"!

The trans trouble itself really isn't an issue, it's the time to perform the swap that I will be lacking between now and then, not to mention that it's 110 - 115 out there which drastically shortens a given work day (I actually saw a time/temp board out there on the way home an hour ago that said it was 122 today). With the current workload, I will probably be out in the shop punching louvers a couple hours before NitroBrother and myself shove off early on Friday morning.

In the mean time, I'm just sort of getting the last little bit of the trans out of this thing I can, as I'm having to drive 25 miles one way to get this '40 coupe done. It's latest trick is to shift from first to third, so it's playing "powerglide" on me. Second is no longer actually a gear! I'm literally going to drive it until it drops, then call AAA to haul it home for me. That is some of the best money I have ever spent, by the way. 60.00 a year and I have unlimited towing.

As far as the general consensus on a trans cooler, I wouldn't consider building a car without one! The arguments are that a 'Bucket is light weight, etc., but most places aren't dealing with the extreme heat that I am either. When I bought the car, I looked up under the body and saw a cooler there. I didn't look very close, because it was solidly screwed to the bottom of the body with no airflow at all... Pretty sure overheating is what spelled early death on this one, as the beginning of the end came the other day in heavy traffic on our first 112 degree day. The day before at 104 it had been fine.

The other thing I have to deal with RIGHT NOW is a heat isolator for the carb. since the temps have clipped over 110, you can literally hear and see the fuel boiling in the carb. Won't stop running though, and I can't get the temp to go anywhere over 190. We have the ethanol in our fuel, and through some experiments that Elpolacko and I ran a few years ago, I found that the biggest problem with it is that the boiling point is right at about 195. That absolutely sucks for around here, as anytime you stop in our crazy traffic or shut the thing off for a bit it'll at least flash to that point, and boil away what ever is on the float bowl. Not to mention that 190 is the coolant temp, not the temp of the block and it's attendant aluminum and cast parts. The bottom line is that over this last week that I have been doing this commute, my fuel mileage has dropped from about 20mpg to about 14 mpg. Sucks, but the environmentalists know what's best for us, right?

 

Chip
Don't think we'll be going to So Cal Speed Shop this year. It was just too crazy a couple of years ago when I saw you there. We should be on the fairgrounds Friday afternoon, Sat. and Sunday though. I'll leave my cell # on the seat in case anybody wants to get in touch with me and I'm not around though.
Hate to brag (shit happens when I do) but all seems well with my roadster. Got the headers painted and am starting the engine heating them on and off to cure them.
See you next weekend.
Gary

 

Chip I'll be with the Canucks. Look for a Black RPU with blue flames and a BC plate.
Fuzzy

 

I'll be in there somewhere, maybe over by the cackle cars since my co-pilots a crew member on the Magicar. Anybody got any ideas how to get a melted micro fiber cloth off #4 header tube? I was checking the tranny fluid last night abd the wind snatche it away from me. Bastard landed right on the Header and instantly melted to it!

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Once the header tube is cooled off and is dead cold, a good trick is to spray it with a stream of CO2. it will make the melted stuff brittle and it can be removed.

If your headers are coated, steal a plastic spatula from the kitchen and peel some off with that.

 

Well gang,

A day I have waited for has come! I off loaded a bunch of cheater slicks from Towel City Recappers today, including a pair for the humble 'Bucket! These things look absolutely aces! The outer sidewalls are completely smoothed of lettering and such, and I noticed little vulcanized weight packages in side the tires. My old pair of Hurst's took a bunch of weight to get balanced, and it looks like they thought ahead a bit with these. I can't wait for Monday to get these mounted up and on the car and see what it was always supposed to look like again!!!

 

That first shot was about half the order, in my living room. Two seconds after the picture was snapped, Judy walked in from work... "What the Herr stink!" "No no, these not stay in house tonight!" So they are out in their temporary holding pen... Oh and the shop too.

 

Great looking cheater slicks for the Less Ugly '60s T. Hope to see them,it,you at LARS next weekend. I've thought about slicks for my T but I just need to quit and call it finished.

Gary

 

Proof positive that women can't take a joke! HRP

 

Those slicks will look sweet - will be waiting to see pics of your T with its "new shoes".
And that comment from Miss Judy was a hoot!

 

Funny, my wife LOVES the smell of vulcanized rubber...

 

You still got the falcon returning to the earth!

Them do look good, but I don't think so for my truck!



jerry

 

Totally bummed right now.....was supposed to have the T in the San Diego Fair opening day show today......well, that didn't happen. On the way there, the lower radiator hose blew off (not quite sure why, think a list of contributing factors lead up to it) , coated the car and us in hot antifreeze. No one was burned, so that was lucky, and considering we were cranking down the highway at 75 or so, it could had have ended a lot worse (Anitifreeze under 19.5" Mickey Thompson's can be REAL bad!). As it is, I'm gonna be cleaning and polishing for days! Checked all the hose clamps tight already, one or two were "slightly" looser than I like, not too sure that caused it. I'm thinking about shit canning the cool flex hoses, but it would be damn hard to find another upper hose to snake around the blower drive. I always say "All cars are pieces of shit, and if it's a hot rod, it'll break and you'll walk, sooner or later!", but Damn this has me second guessing driving up to LARS this next weekend.........
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Looks like fun times ahead. Now I'm thinking a set of those and some chrome steelies is just what my A coupe needs...hmmmm.