Projects Hillbilly Model T speedster (attempt #2)

They have to be truck springs. I didn't realize how heavy they were to till i took them off haha.

 

That frame looks perfect. Nice job.

 

Shackle mounts

 

I'm still on the search for parts locally. Its probably the WORST time of year to be doing this. Winters finally hit, and everything is buried in snow. What sucks is all the really good yards are gone now, one yard in specific really took a toll when they crushed it out. I know for a fact everything I'd need for this build was there, and I knew right where it was sitting...

I've been putting a lot of feelers out, and getting a ton of leads for all the local Ford people. I'm talking really good leads, the old timers who have been collecting for decades. I called one guy who is a Model A guy, incredibly nice guy on the phone. We talked for about 45minutes. He didn't have what I need, but told me about another guy. I tracked that guy down last week and was able to get a phone number for him. Same deal, super good guy to talk to on the phone, had a hard time hanging up. He didn't have anymore T stuff but knows a guy...

He called me up this morning, tells me that he's been calling all kinds of people for me. Hasn't found what I need YET, but he will. haha. I've never met this guy! I'll be buying a Model A steering setup off this man, I cant wait to go see what he has, I've heard stories. When I told him that I am running the Essex axle he perked up. "I had an Essex doodlebug! It would have been great for what your doing! Ran and everything, just a firewall on a full frame." Then he said he sold it a while back, which is most likely 50 years or more haha...

I love car guys, who else would go out of their way like this for complete strangers...

 

Gotta mess with the spring packs a bit. But its back on the ground at least.

 

i know a guy up in Lyons falls that got a few t parts in a load of scrap. Won’t be able to see much now but spring is on the way. Give me a pm if interested

 

sent you a message.

 

Finally. Now onto the rear...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Check out this hot rod stance!

The rear has to drop 8" to be level. I refuse to make an 8" Z on the frame. Im thinking 3"-4" Z on the frame accompanied by moving the spring perches on the axle. I am undecided whether to mount the spring in front or behind the axle. I need to decide before i cut the frame...

 

FWIW: Here is the rear set up on my original speedster. The spring is in front of the rear axle. I believe this kit is a Morton and Brett as I saw it in an original Morton and Brett catalog. It uses the standard Ford spring perch turned on its side and a variety of cast brackets.

Because the rear spring is in front of the rear end, the frame was shortened so the driveshaft did not have to be altered. Since the front axle was moved in front of the crossmember, the wheelbase has remained stock at 100". This car was put together in the 1920s using a Kuempel body kit.

 

Thank you for those pics!

Those rear underslung brackets, are those two piece? If I'm seeing it correctly the stock mount is turned 90degrees with a rod going down? Then it would have to bend another 90degrees forward, or is that bar bolted to another piece?

I've been geeking out on Google. I'm going to do something using ideas from these pics.

 

Obviously I'd have to shorten the frame, but I'm fine with that. It all can be sorted out when i kick up the rear.

 

Let's see if I can put this into words...
-The stock T spring perch is turned 90 degrees.
-There is a long forging that fits into the stock perch and heads downward. There is another forging which, goes from front to rear and wraps around the radius rod at the front. The rear portion of this bracket goes through the vertical forged bracket and is attached with a castle nut. Just ahead of wear it goes through the vertical bracket, it is a "shaft" for the spring shackle to rotate on.
-The spring shackles are unique to this set up. The top half of the shackle is hollow and rotates on the front to rear forged bracket. The bottom of the shackle is a removable "pin" which rotates in the Model T spring eye.

It's a pretty ingenious set up and is period original.

Does this make any sense???

I am currently out of town but when I get back to the car, I can take some detailed photos if that helps.

PS- You're making great progress and you are doing some great fabrication work.

 

Perfect sense. Exactly what i imagined. Thank you.

And thank you for the compliment!

 

I've been trying to track these pictures down for quite some time. Local racing at our county fair sometime before 1928. Actually the white #2 car is what started this whole infatuation for me...

 

Doing another thing...


I will not making another attempt at reversing the spring eye for a measly 1" drop...

 

Fronty Equipped! Very cool pics!

 

Do you have any info on number nine? I'm really digging it.

 

Sorry i have zero info on any of these cars. Don't even have a date. These were taken at the Oneida County Fair in Rome NY. no later than the summer of 1928, that was the last time the county fair was held in Rome.

I got these pics from our historical society, very good resolution. I zoomed in on #9 for you

 

The #2 car is from Erie PA. That is 258 miles from here! Imagine that trip at probably around 35mph the whole way

 

Fronty T, S, or R head, designated by the single intake. Lets hope it was an R head being they were racing. Cool shot, Thanks!

 

Thanks. It looks like it was based on a Chev 490. I thought about doing a 490-based speedster, but was discouraged from doing it because of the 490's heavy chassis.

 

Back to work on these things. I don't know why but they are taking forever...


I drilled out a 5/8" hole in the center of the 2 straps, stuffed the 5/8" rod through and welded both sides.


Next time i get to work on it I'll have to make new shackles to ride on the bar, and make a mount to attach the bar to the bones.

 

Apparently just underslinging the rear spring isn't enough. This car also ran a heated spring. Something i kinda want to do, but all the nay sayers say "torch spring bad" It would make it so i won't have to Z my frame.

 

I've seen a guy re-arch a leaf spring (OT Dirt Stock Car stuff) set using a press and a couple strategically placed blocks. Why not try bending the main spring without heat, using a press?

 

See page 4... I'm trying not to repeat my mistakes...

 

I'm on the side that I see no issues with heating just the ends of the spring---which probably would be getting into the second leaf also. So many of the cars were built this way. If you were to go farther up in the spring pack, then I'd say no.

 

I heated mine, front and rear, so far no problems. Speedsters are so light, and those springs are substantial pieces of steel. Like you say, it was done all the time, back in the day. I'd say do it. You'll be able to get more drop than I did, since your differential will be behind the spring.

 

Still plugging away...