"Gowjobs": Depresion Era Performance and Early day hop-up tech

Dave are you mounting the front spring over or behind the axle?

Ron

 

Ron, I want to use the T-spring mounted over the axle. Same in the rear. I think my inverted front crossmember and fabricated suicide perch should get it about where I want the car to be.

Dave

 

got this when i went there to a better look


"Hot Saturday ..."
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Sorry about that.

 

Can we talk '20s steering boxes? Speedster guys seldom keep T steering, with many having opted for anachronistic F1, F100, Vega, or even Volkswagen boxes. I think the period gold standard was Franklin steering, as seen on the midget above. The modern Saultsbaugh T gow used a Model A Ford box, GARY? is using a Schroeder cowl-steer setup, and MrModelT has a Willys-Knight box.

I'm considering using a Jacox (predecessor to Saginaw) from a teens or twenties Buick if I can find one. Anyone know anything about them or other options?

-Dave

 

There really isn't a right or wrong answer to this question. Though many T speedsters did retain the original T steering setups, pretty much anything goes as far as steering from about 1910 through 1927 or '28....whatever they could find. Most if not all manufacturers ran the same basic steering design, so any are usable: Dodge Bros, Franklin, Buick, Oldsmobile, Willys, Overland, Durrant, Essex, Hudson, Nash, Packard....well you get the idea

The Franklin steering boxes became popular in the late 1930's and throughout the 1940's because of their aluminum construction that made them light and the fact that they came from big cars ment they were durable....and on the salt or the dry lakes when weight became a big factor and every pound ment a few more seconds, having one of those Franklin boxes became the hot setup. I would say that it really would not have been a must on a "gowjob" like this though.

The T columns do hold up, but are a bit on the flimsy side, which is why I switched out to my current Willys-Knight unit.

I think the Buick box your looking at would be fine, but like I said....anything goes.

 

i'm splicing two together to get a pitman shaft long enough for my center steer....not going to say what they are from, as i'm embarrassed .

 

No no, you can't jut make a post like that then not tell us....

 

lets just say that the boxes will be the only thing newer than 36. but not permanent to the car. center steer box would cost me 50% of the entire build.

 

The biggest complaint I hear with the T steering is not the flimsiness of the column, but that its quick ratio gets squirrelly at high speed. While I don’t doubt that many ‘20s and ‘30s era speedsters retained their Ford steering gear, that seems to be far less common among modern speedster builders.

Still, I want my car to be “pure” and have no post-1932 parts. Practically speaking, I should probably use an A or ‘32 box, but since I have a Chevrolet engine made in Saginaw, I’d like a Buick steering box (also Saginaw-made) to go along. In fact, my grandfather worked at Saginaw Steering Gear in the 1940s.

Glad to hear it! I don’t suppose you know anything about them? I’ve seen them, but off hand I can’t even remember if they are drag link or cross steer.

Oh, and thanks for setting me straight on the era of popularity for the Franklin box. Not sure why I thought they were bigger earlier on! Edit: I figured it out - my confusion arose from the popularity of Franklin tube axles in the early dry lakes days. I remembered after looking through bct's three-springer thread.

I agree! Not fair. I was contemplating using a Vega box for a while, because they’re so popular and inexpensive, plus the name sounds period correct (Lockheed Vega, anyone?), and I certainly don’t begrudge anyone going modern when it comes to brakes and steering. My T will never be my primary hot rod, so I can make it period perfect if I want, but not everyone has that luxury!

-Dave

 

In the interest of keeping mine all Ford and pre-'36, I'm using a '33 pick-up box.



TIt bolts to the original steering box hole in the model A frame. there is a boxing plate behind it that extends 2" past both ends of the mount.

Ron

 

Youngster, that's nice looking. Any overall pictures of your project?

-Dave

 

Here is my 1932 Chevrolet BB Pick-Up. Does this fit the criteria, nothing newer then 1932?

 

The "nothing-pre-1932" criteria are just mine. Anything pre-1937 tends to go around here. Cool as it is, I'm not really seeing much gow jobbiness on that truck, though. Looks like a good, solid, used truck for the era - which is how I tend to like my trucks.

Can I ask: What's the carburetor on your Stovebolt? They made some (Carter-designed) Chevrolet carburetors of that era here in Bay City and I've contemplated seeking out one or two to run on my '28 Chevy four.

-Dave

 

I can get some numbers off the Carb and get back with you.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

-Dave

 

They certainly are flimsy...and can tend to "drift" around the car while driving if they are a bit worn out and the dash brace is missing ...

The ratios are actually fairly decent, but more so on the later '26-27 columns. The earlier columns did have a little quicker ratio, but the major "red flag" on the earlier T columns was that they had no "stops" to keep them from going over center. These were added to the '26-27 columns....which both T's (the black "Becker Touring" and the "Becker Special") at the shop have. The "Special" does just fine with that late style column.....ironically the original column from my roadster

Don't know much about those boxes specifically, but I have the feeling they are the same general design as almost every other steering box of the same period....and if it's from a big car like a Buick, it going to be a drag link style steering setup. Not many manufacturers (except Ford) used cross steer setups on the bigger cars.

What year Buick where they from?

I agree with ya on this, I can't fault them either. The only real rule for these cars, especially driven ones.....is SAFETY . You can of course drive your car even if you use all period parts, you just have to know how to DRIVE it properly in modern traffic. I drive the HECK out of my roadster...it's just all in how I drive it. You can't treat it like a modern car and you have to anticipate your stops WAY before hand!

Nice lookin' truck 1932roadster!

I didn't really put a year "criteria" on this thread because info on the "gowjobs" is spotty at best and there really isn't a set period that the came and went in the "Hot Rodding Universe".... Bigcheese and I have estimated the period to be from about 1926 to 1936 when the Flathead V8's started to make their appearance on the dry lakes...and the 'bangers rein began to dwindle. Your truck is totally welcome here

On that note, I can certainly see this truck as the family's "farm truck"....used for parts and wrecking yard trips during the build up of the young kids hot new "Gowjob" taking shape in the family barn...next to the blacksmith's shop that was used for shoeing the plow horses

...Perhaps he scored some nice wire wheels for the farm truck as well on a run to the wrecking yard....and a brief stop and the auto parts shop, to drool at and dream about the brand new RAJO head in the glass display case under the counter

 

Here ya go big cheese. This was the first time the body meant the chassis.



Ron

 

Speaking of 30 something Chebby's ... here's another project for a friend going together in my shop. The cab, hood and radiator shell are Chebby. Everything else is hand crafted.





Sorry ... couldn't help crowing a bit.

Ron

 

Nice lookin' truck Ron!

Nice work on the bed and rest of the truck! What is the plan for this one?

 

Handsome! Thanks for that.

-Dave

 

I have sorta started a build thread. I moved some of the pic to a new file. I can post them again if you want to see them.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=556518

Ron

 

This Chebby will be just a cruser. SBC/350 and 8" Ford rear. Damn cute lil' truck if I do say so myself.

Ron

 

Closed cab trucks are gowjobs??

 

As long as I'm doing my dog and pony show here, this is my mid '50s hotrod waiting till the '21 is done.





I call it "Project TKO" (technical knock off)

There are also parts for a SBC/glide, Jag rear t-bucket laying around the shop. Guess you might say I'm hooked on all T styles

Ron

 

Not in my book. Sorry for the OT. Guess I got carried away. Now back to our regularly scheduled progaming .............................

Ron

 

plenty of pics of my chev 4 powered T body on this thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=583579&highlight=three+springer&showall=1

i'm not fussy on whats pre what... i just consider myself lucky to have 90% of the parts 28 and earlier. the 36 dodge wavy front axle is too cool to ditch .....unless i find a franklin or some other early tube. my kickup isn't really period either but i am building for me. this car will never see public roads

 

I’ve long been interested in the “junk formula” at Indianapolis in the early 1930s, but it seems to get little more than a passing (usually dismissive) mention in most professional histories of the race.

I discovered this interesting thread on those years this morning. It seems Studebaker engines did pretty well in those years, and possibly Buick?

I’d sure like to know more. Heck, I’d like to read the rulebook if anyone has a copy!

-Dave

 

Dave ... There is a book out there, "Dirt Track Auto Racing, 1919-1941, a pictorial history, by Don Radbruch, that has lots of info on these types of cars.

Ron

 

There were quite a few Model T's that were built for Indy in the same "Junk Formula" fashion during the 1920's. At least two such cars finished in the top 5 (in 1922 and in '25 I think?) I believe the 1922 car placed 5th and was photographed in the pits after the race with the crew and ol' Henry himself behind the wheel!

I know I have copies of the article, will get them scanned and posted for you Dave

 

Yup- it's a Fronty!