*MrModelT and Powerwagonmaniac build a T speedster in 6 months!*

Clayton, You and Chris sure do quite the bit of labor as you work on the Speedster. Bet that hood will look like it was made of metal when you are done. Love the shape of the hood and really like the fenders. Too cool to describe . . . . .

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

I hope when we get done with everything it looks like everything is made of metal. I left the design of the Special up to Clayton. Thanks for the kudos, I don't think I could have done this by myself. Dad always wanted different looking speedster and Clayton sure gave it to him. If I have a bright idea about how to build something on this I try to run it by the head designer! Although I did choose the colors without asking him. I just painted the parts showed them to Clayton after they were finished!

Really the only day me or Clayton gets to work on either of our cars is Saturday. We usually put in 8-12 hours on any given Saturday, maybe a couple or 4 hours on some Sundays.I also work on them a couple hours after work here and there, and Wednesday evenings from 7-10 pm, unless I have to get up at o'dark:30 in the morning. Clayton's got keys to all of our buildings and comes by when he has some extra time not taken up with his new family life.

 

Chris, I envy the work relationship you and Clayton have. It is very neat to see two guys working so hard for a common goal. Do you also assist on Clayton's "T" ? I thought you do but just wanted to ask. Here I may have lots of car friends but they are busy with their own projects. A couple are working on guys cars to make a living. Sometime it can get very lean. Glad my build will be at my pace (controlled by size of my savings for the project. Hope I can honor your guys on my Dodge/"T" and "A" build. I know - - I'll call it the Heinz '57 Special ! No the body won't be RED ! Probably black to honor a friend who found out he has the big "C" . . . He's going to whip the Big "C" !

Dave

 

Dave ,

I hope he does whip that Big C. I know too many friends and family who have had it or have it and under stand totally. Prayers sent out for you guys.

I like it, "The Heinz 57 Special"!!! Don't knock the Red idea. Dad was going to (now I am going to) paint his 1913 White "Pope Hartford Green" (think of 1970's "Frigidaire Green" and you get the picture), well when we started the "Special" Clayton was thinking that same puke (see comments above^^^) green dad liked. I didn't like the idea of having two cars with the same color, YUCK!! So when I started painting the chassis I found 1968 Vedero Green matched perfectly except...IT WAS METALLIC!!! ( I didn't run this idea by Clayton I painted the parts and said "what do you think???").

Look at the old reds from the 1920's and find some thing that matches the tone except in metallic and it gives you a whole new look with that vintage flair! I totally look forward to your build on the Heinz 57 Special...you need anything don't hesitate to give a shout! Do it at your own pace and do what you want, when you want and how you want it.Don't hesitate to ask friends for help when needed.... now get working on the" Heinz 57 Special", as I'd like to see it at Bonneville with us someday!!!

Yes I do help Clayton on his Roadster. Clayton is way faster at the fab stuff...he can see it in his minds eye, put the idea on paper and build exactly as he planned (after he runs it by one of other hot rodders at our shop who happens to be and engineer) and have the part knocked out by the end of weekend. If we come upon a problem we end up collaborating together to come up with a solution (usually enlisting some of our other guys). Clayton's not a machinist. I enjoy playing with the lathe and mill so those projects of his become mine and then Clayton can proceed on to something else while I am machine that particular piece. Body and paint work we do together. I am better at it as I have been doing paint jobs with dad since I was a little tyke .So yes we do work together on each others cars, not for money just for the fun of it.

I reference there are there people out at our shop on Saturdays. On any given Saturday usually there is 6 or 8 of us there working on our own projects. My mom and dad run a Do-It-Yourself restoration business,we rent out spaces for others to build there project cars in. Spots are 15x15 with Air and Electricity. The customer provides his generic tools and we provide the heavier equipment i.e. :welders (TIG, MIG, plasma,) lathe, mills, body tools, paint booth....

The cars run the gambit:

Gene... is working on a 1949 Power Wagon crew cab (engineer)

Mike... has a 1952 Chevy 2 door post he's hot rodding (excellent at patch panels and troubleshooting)

Terry... restoring a 1951 MG TD that came to the shop boxes

Wayne... hot rodding a 1955 Chevy & redoing his wife's 1937 Nash

Clayton... Of course doing his Roadster and someday his '65 Falcon

Brian... building a hot rod 1926 Chrysler boat tail with a 500HP 283(Resident wood worker, and locksmith)

Myself... The Becker Special and maintain our family collection of 6 antique cars (with Clayton's help)

Most are complete ground ups. Every one works together we have a great community out there and it is a very busy place on Saturdays. Dad started this about 10 years ago and it just kept building, check out the Web site beckersauto.com

Sorry for being so long winded...

Chris

 

Woha. Hot rod utopia.

-Dave

 

That is true! Dad and I, even my grandpa always liked having others around and helping each other. Sometimes we don't get much done but that's ok.

 

I agree!! A lot of times people talk about going to car shows as the social element of hot rodding, but to me it's hanging out in the garage with friends and family that I enjoy most.

Makes me miss my dad.

-Dave

 

Chris, My friend is friends with a group in Bakersfield. They meet every Thu nite and have spaces and tools for restoration. They are mostly into Model "T"s but they kind of grow on you. They are spindly and very light duty. I hope my Heinz 57 Special fits in with some of these artists.
Hope you and Clayton have a busy weekend and get lots of progress on the Speedster and Clayton's Roadster. Love these updates . . . . .

Dave

 

-Dave, sometime the shop is the best place to socialize. I wish dad was still here.

41Dave, it will be another busy Saturday look for update first part of the week.

 

Chris, I will be looking for that update !

Dave

 

Recycling ain't just for the Tree Huggers!!!

Well since we started doing the fiberglass thing the hood has been the one part that hasn't turned out all that well. The more I tried to work with it the worse it got. I knew the hood sides would be made of metal so we could put louvers in them. Well on the suggestion of one of the guys out here on Saturday (lets put it this way more like he challenged me ...!!!) I decided to bite the bullet and make a completely new hood out of aluminum.



So Saturday I spent the day making up patterns for the new hood set up. This is my first time attempting some sheet metal work so I am not sure how well it's going to work.




After getting the patterns made I needed to find enough aluminum to do the job... Well I started with searching through the shop. Nada! Tried the hardware store... Too rich for my blood. Then tried the local metal supplier still too rich... last week got talking with a friend of mine he was trying to get rid of some extra junk and some happened to be old road signs. Well guess what they are just perfect .062 in thickness and 4'x 4' sheet or 30"x 36"sheets, got one of each! Best part, free for the takin'!!! I am just too much of a pinch penny!!!



So now I have all the patterns and and my aluminum sign material, I get go see my friend down South who is restoring a 1927 Baldwin2-3-2 Steam locomotive (Was a park engine that had been vandalized during it display years). Any way my friend George is doing all the sheet metal work on the locomotive now and happens to have 8' Shear, 8' sheet metal brake, and a 6' 3 roller slip roll. He said he'd help me form the new hood up next Thursday afternoon. So Carston gets to go down and see the Baldwin locomotive (He's a huge Steam train fan!!! anything Steam powered...)

Carston and I on a 1905 Case steam Traction engine...



and I get a new hood out of the deal....

Sorry I am late with the update Dave....I need to do better!
​

 

I figured I'd bump it up for the morning crowd.....

 

Chris, you need to make it out to the "right" side of the country and visit the Strasburg Railroad and Steamtown USA... if you come for Hershey in Oct, you two can see it ALL!

 

Sounds like Steamtown would be right up our alley. I really need to go out and see Hershey. Dad went to Hershey in 1976 then again in 1989 while attending a Phantom II Rolls Royce technical seminar in Mecanicsburg PA.

 

Chris, You and Clayton are doing a fabulous job on the Special and now Clayton's "T" also. No one should criticise either on of you. HAMBer are just a dyin' for the next update.

Keep up the GREAT work !

Dave

 

Chris, Oh yeah, going to be following the creation of your new aluminum hood. Maybe a separate thread with an eye at Tech week ?

I will be following along. the "Heinz '57 Special" will be needing a hood.

Dave

 

Recycling part2!!!

Well I took the afternoon off to form the hood parts up. My friend George, let me use his sheet metal rake and slip roll to form my parts.

First thing I discovered was the sign material is pretty thick so when I tried to bend the the 1" flaps I had made to clean up the edges and strengthen them, I discovered they broke off and cracked at the fold. We ended up using his plasma cutter to trim the edges up.


After trimming the excess material off and grinding the rough edge smooth, I was able to make the top of hoods into the slip roll with ease.



To form the tombstone shape I had to go about halfway down with the roll and then stop remove the part and do the other side about halfway. Took multiple passes but it turned out nicely.


After I got the profile of the hood worked out we then went over to the brake and bent the 2.5" side down that meets the actual hood sides.

I had made up wooden bucks shaped like the profile I needed for the hood tops. I used them as go / no-go gauges to get the correct shape.


Hood sides were relatively easy all I had to do was some minor trimming. I had a little oil canning going on so I decided to put a slight "X" from corner to corner to stiffen the panel up. I was pulling it out of the brake and reposition the right hood side when Melissa snapped the picture.


So here is the final product underneath the Christmas tree!!










So now comes the fun part. Saturday I'll get the handy dandy heat gun out and pull off that ugly florescent Orange sign material then I'll start to gently file and clean up the edges of the hoods and put the hinges on.
​

 

Spotlight needs adjustments...

When we built the spotlight mount we kinda forgot about the hood opening up. When we put the hood on the searchlight only let the hood come about half open...

Well after I have tried to build two unsuccessful attempts for a new mount for the Phare Solar search light, Clayton came up with a cool spotlight mount. He based it on the 1913 Mercer and Stutz mounts.

His design off sets the Spotlight to the rear about 4-5 inches so the hood can open up without having to move the spot light. I will be fabricating some time hope fully before Christmas.... the last piece before tearing it down for final paint.
​

 

Excellent work my friend, sorry I couldn't go with you. the new tops and sides turned out great, will look really good on the car!


....Ya know, I think that is one toy we need in the shop.......

....A 1925 Baldwin Steam Locomotive! (on the far right of the picture)

...What? ..Did you think I was gonna say the big sheet metal break?

​

Spotlight needs adjustments...

When we built the spotlight mount we kinda forgot about the hood opening up. When we put the hood on the searchlight only let the hood come about half open...

Well after I have tried to build two unsuccessful attempts for a new mount for the Phare Solar search light, Clayton came up with a cool spotlight mount. He based it on the 1913 Mercer and Stutz mounts.

His design off sets the Spotlight to the rear about 4-5 inches so the hood can open up without having to move the spot light. I will be fabricating some time hope fully before Christmas.... the last piece before tearing it down for final paint.
​

[/QUOTE]

They weren't failed attempts....they were just, um...Practice! ..yeah that's it!...practice!

All kidding aside though...

The offset needed to move the spotlight back so that the hood could be opened with the spotlight stored in the at rest position (seen in the middle photo) would be at least 6 inches. Cosmetically that was just too much, but I knew it needed to move back some. The mount I designed does require that the spotlight be folded up for the hood to open, but only offsets the bracket by only 3 1/2 to 4 inches for way cleaner proportions.

The bracket was also designed to mimic the original piece from the 1913 Mercer Type 35J Raceabout.

 

Chrise, Those Highway Signs for hoods is the for sure hot setup. I didn't know that they used vinyl for the signs. Still think that this would sure make a neat entry for Tech Week. Sure would get my vote.

Dave

 

Dave,

Yeah and it's really thick vinyl with a strong adhesives as well. Thanks for the tech week vote but I don't think I have enough pictures to show what is going on.

 

Chris, Looks like you and your son had a good visit to the guy's shop. It looked like the hood was easy to create. No louvers on the top or sides ?

Dave

 

Nope just solid sides to make it easy.

Melissa came along and took the pictures for me and Carston crawled all over George's locomotive.

I had about 30 seconds today to put the hood on the special and it looks pretty good but I still have some finessing to do. Melissa's 35th birthday was today, so I spent my day with her. No pics yet, but I'll be at the shop tomorrow and work on it for about 4 hours or so.

Most of the pics for these posts are taken by Melissa, the Gorgeous lady you see below with our old Power Wagon getting our tree last year (she is looking over my shoulder reading as type!!).



I don't know how she puts up with these boring trips to get parts built for my projects?! I guess after almost 20 years of knowing each other she just understands...

 

Chris, Looks like you and her have a very sucessful marriage going on. My wife and I will be married 32 years in Mar 2012.
Oh, by the way we just had our 25th Great Grandson on Wed 14 Dec. I believe #26 will be born in Apr or May. Around the same time we are expectin our 2nd Great Great Grandchild. Mom and Dad don't want to know so all will be surprised.

Merry Christmas to all of your family and to Clayton and his new lady.

Dave and Bernice

 

Sounds like you have big crowd around the table come Christmas time!!! Merry Christmas to you and Benice. I am pretty sure you and I would have a grand time together. The gals would probably have to drag us apart after chatting for hours! Do you have picture of you and Bernice you could post on here?

Hopefully, I'll have time after church tomorrow to put some time into the hood.

Talked to Melissa's dad today about helping me rivet the hinges to the hood. Jim, Melissa's dad, restores antique airplanes and builds kit planes called Thunder Mustang for clients. I was thinking of doing the rivets after painting everything, but Jim said it would be easier beforehand.

 

Hey Chris, Having a good lady by your side makes everything work better. Been with my Patti going on 45 years this January. She helps with the projects and keeps a grin on my face.

Love your Power Wagon, here's a picture of a Military Dodge M37B1 we restored from the frame up about ten years ago and a picture of my better half by our O/T Dodge Cummins up in the mountains by Mammoth back in '06. It's really dark blue, not tan, just spent a lot of time on dirt roads that trip.





Love the Speedster that you and Clayton are building. Looking forward to seeing it all done.

 

I salute, you men on the work and family ethics, that I see here and read about!

 

64,

I don't know where I would be without Melissa, probably our on the curb begging for money to pay rent! Looks like Patti enjoys playing off road. Nice looking M37,
I have been eyeing one that is a two owner M37. Just don't have the extra funds to get it!

Lb,

Thanks for the salute. I have to give credit is due. Melissa and I make great team.

 

Chris, I know what you mean, we've been working on stuff together for so long and Patti has supported my insanity through many different projects. Hot rods, Motorcycles and an Airplane that spent 23 years in our care. Sorry to say we sold the M37B1 several years back...too many toys and not enough funds. Really miss it but the Cummins does well off road and gets better mileage.

Being retired on social security and trying to build our HA/GR some toys had to depart.

 

That is quite the family, hope you a have a big enough X-mas dinner table

Dave, 64 DODGE and LB:

Thank you kindly for the wonderful comments. Families are important (...so are Hot Rods ), the bigger and happier the better! I am honored to have become apart of the Becker family and them apart of mine the same way.

So to all of you who have watched this thread and offered your thoughts and comments....