Picture Request: Model T Parade Grounds Racers, Hill Climbers, or Salt Cars

Hmm, perhaps it's not a T. I was hard pressed to find much Fordlike about it, but I only know what I'm told. I thought maybe the framerails had started out under a Flivver.

I know this one's a T. The question here is whether it's an early attempt at hot rodding one, or whether it's a botched restoration.

 

This real "modified" showed up at the last Long Beach Model T hill climb I attended, in the late 70's.
Most of the other guys with their carefully restored or occasionally original Model T's were dumbfounded, some "irritated" that anyone would show this pile the sun light, but it ran fast up the hill, only beaten by overhead cam conversion cars.
It was a race car, not a parking lot cruising "looks like a race car"

 

I don't thin it's either. This looks like a Model A chassis under a Model T body to me. Would have better driveability. Better brakes, better engine, electric start, etc... (ie; ease of use) for touring club events.

 

Look closely. It's not a chassis swap, that's a T frame with A parts bolted on. Such is the inspiration for what I'm doing. I've already acquired the frame, now I'm sucking up to the local MARC chapter so they won't think I'm an evil vulture looking to destroy the restoration hobby.

 

I'm not sure what a A frame looks like compared to a T frame. Even if it's just axles and brakes, the end result is most likely the same, better brakes for touring clubs.

I'd like to drop a 25 T Turtle Deck body on a A chassis, hook up a nearly stock falthead to a T5 or the A banger to the T5 and have a decent, safe and fun driver.

 

i wish that i had been able to see the shell hill climbs, the pics tell some great stories. for the first one a friend of mine (deceased) showed up with his Fiat/Pope race car and proceeded to smoke the field...leading to a subsequent ban on all non model t fords.

 

The tip off that it's a T frame is the dipped front crossmember and lack of frame horns. Model As have a flat front crossmember. In '32 they went back to a dipped crossmember (albeit a much, much flatter one than on the T) and this is why guys building '32 frames use A crossmembers in front, it gains an inch of drop. Also, the A frame is wider than the T, so I don't think this '15 could run fenders if bolted to an A frame.

I think the touring club idea is a good one, but I think a true T enthusiast would have left the radiator brass instead of painting it. It's that particular detail that makes me feel like this was done by an earlier builder looking for the same conveniences you listed (and a normal transmission!).

A rumor I heard on Fordbarn says that the 1928 AR frame came with all the proper holes to mount a '26-'27 style body, in case the Model A body wasn't ready.

I like the sound of your project. It's a lot like mine, except I'm addicted to the narrowness of the T frame (I like how it disappears under the body) and its lack of frame horns, so I'm going to mount all the A bits to the T frame.

 

Oh, speaking of T's on A frames. Here's a '26 or '27.

 

Me likey!! Change the grill to a nice nickel Model A gill, the body to a roadster pickup, add a T5 for good measure, run 21" Model A wheels out back and 19" Model A wheels up front and add a license plate that says "ALITLTNA" (a little t and a - a little word play on the models involved and tit's and ass)

 

I will talk to one of my aunts for you...I think she has picture of some of my uncles racing T's and of the Midgets they used to race at Funland(the old amusement park in North Seattle)back in the 30's-50's...

 

well then what are you?...be proud and say it really fucking loud "I AM AN EVIL VULTURE!!!" (can i have some parts, please )

 

Nope, sorry- thats the only one. I know nothing about it other than someone else here posted the pic a while back. I believe I even started a thread asking for more info on it sometime last year, too. No one had anything to add, though.

 

Here's my landlords little T hillclimber.

 

Salt Car.............'27 Winfield

 

jeezus christ! wtf...that thing must be narrowed 12" and shortened at least that!!!

 

That '27 with "Winfield Spl" lettered on the hood was featured in Hop Up and was supposedly inspired by the Multi Aldrich roadster. See, it always comes back to this one:

 

LOL!! Yeah it's tiny. It is said to have really been a hill climb racer that actually raced on the same hill those pics are from back in 1916. Those pictures are from a "reinactment" hill climb. It's illegal to "race" on NY public roads.

I have pics of other cars, but they are mostly stock. One interesting on is a 1918 (i htink) V8 Oldsmobile thatthe guy that owns it found in an apple orchard way out in the back abandoned. It was pretty much just an engine and a chassis. So he got it dirt cheap and built it into a hill climber. Neat car. I didn't even know Olds had V8's at that point. I have pics at home and I have a couple videos of it running. I also think I have a video, if I can find it, of a lycoming V12 open cockpit fire truck running up the hill. Sounded pretty awesome.

 

Great post!!

 

In Tillamook Oregon they have Pig-n-Ford races. Guys have to race model T's while holding a live pig.

Go to www.pig-n-ford.com for more info

here are a few of the cars.

I've seen this event covered on TV and it looks like a damned good time!

 

This guy is cheating. I know for a fact that's not a pig.

 

We need to organize a HAMB Hotrod Hillclimb. I've got a running T chassis that would be perfect, I'll build it specifically for the event. I'm not really into drag racing, but a hillclimb could be fun.

 

That could be a lot of fun! I ran my stone stock 1912 T in a hillclimb years ago and was 3rd fastest overall, beat some real high end stuff all of it Pre 1916 vehicles.

 

a while back i mentioned having a meeting of the Banger'n, and it was suggested that we meet at the soCal hill climb for bangers...i never could find any information on it, maybe some one could shed some light on it...

 

It seems there's various styles of hill climb cars. When someone mentions a hill climb T to me, the cars GV Gordon posted are what immediately come to mind. But digging a bit deeper I've run across full bodied hill climbers, T's w/ narrowed cowls and tubs, Speedsters, T's that have the Euro. inspired door cut out look, and probably a ton of others I don't know about.

Neat stuff.

 

Go to the NWVS site and look at the PDF's for the MTFCA articles, there are some great articles about the Shell Hill Climb in there. lots of good stuff!!! and no 2 are ever alike.

 

Here's another one. This belongs to a New Zealander who joined the HAMB about a year ago, posted some pics and then disappeared. I'm dying to know what's going on with this car.

 

cool pics.

 

This one wouldn't look out of place on the Salt, hauling parts for your buddy's roadster, tents and the beer cooler:

 

Do you know what issue of Hop Up it is in?

 

Volume Five, page 89. The article is entitled "Four '27s: How Many Ways Can You Hop Up a Model T?" It's about the four 1927 Ford roadsters belonging to Jim and Bill Lattin. The Aldrich tribute is on pp. 92-3.

-Dave