Projects 1926/27 Roadster on an A chassis: The Sugar House Spl.

I guess it's about time I started a thread about my project.

In 2009 I found this T roadster, complete but completely disassembled about a mile-and-a-half from me. It had local ties to a local lumber yard named Sugar House Lumber.

Here's the roadster, the day I found it.



Here's Sugar House Lumber. These images were taken in 1915 & 16 by Bill or Harry (who also went by Bill) Shipler, local photographers.





After purchasing the car for $2,000 I sold off everything I didn't want or need and made all my money back. I wasn't in the position to be building a car, at the time. So, the project got shelved and life went on.

From the outset, I knew the car would be on an A chassis and would, most likely, be banger powered. But, I always went back and forth on the era of the build. I had time since there was a long list of things to get to before this car. So, if anything, the fun was the planning, sourcing parts, and doing research.

 

subscribed, need to get my thread up to date and get back to hot rod stuff. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

In considering era, I had some guidance along the way.


@Bugsy and his Dust Bowl Spl


@general gow and the Silver City Spl.
@thunderbirdesq and elements of this build and elements of his style.


@MrModelT and his car for proportion and certainly his willingness to make it all work.

Then, of course, images I collected during my research.


However, it was this in-progress shot of The Silver City Spl. that was the tipping point. I knew this is the direction I wanted to go. The 31 aprons did it for me. Although Mark opted for 28/29 aprons for aesthetics, and I don't blame him - he's a trained artist. I'm just a schlub!



For the next few posts it'll get a bit out of order. I'm probably the only one that would have noticed otherwise... but the work I was getting done was even out of order of how I would usually do things. My main goal was to get stuff done, regardless.

 

Like a lot of hot rodders and parts chasers I'm (for no good reason) always on the lookout for parts. I came across a chassis that looked like it would catapult me to the finish line with a lot less time, effort and expense.

I called the guy and we talked a bunch over the phone. He's a hot rodder and he gave me the good and bad of it. We struck a deal over the phone and I planned a trip down to AZ.



It wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be but, the pros outweighed the cons.


So, we loaded it up and headed out. The whole time the little issues were bugging me. I had this idea cooked up in my head and before we got to Vegas for the night, my mind was set, I was going to swap all this over to a different frame. Actually, it was the frame that was previously planned for the car.



The front member was bolted in. Most of the (undersized) bolts had become loose over time and cracked the frame and cross-member and worn the rivet holes significantly.

As well, the ID numbers were chopped out and replaced. It wasn't all that big of a deal but it was another thing I didn't want to deal with. The less stuff I needed to mess with, the less stuff that didn't look out of place was my thinking.

 

The nice thing about desert climate automobiles is how easy they come apart. The not-so-nice thing about old, worn-out, chassis is that there are a bunch of little things lurking. So, I figured I'd have some replacement parts to buy, but the list got a little longer than anticipated. For the first time in my life, I was going to restore a Model A chassis.

 

I have some neat period parts collected for this project. In referencing that, now would be a good time to discuss what I am aiming for.

I want to keep it simple and put a roadster together that could have existed right on the cusp of either end of the war. And then add an upgrade or two that would have been post war.

After doing some research about Sugar House Lumber, I learned about the area during the store's heyday. Farming (like many other areas) was pretty big. As well, there was a range of automobile racing going on, from the elite putting race cars on trains and coming through the city on the way to the flats to folks with more modest means racing on the dirt roads outside of the city, proper. I am still looking for more information about it but it looked like a pretty big draw.

I came up with an idea similar to @general gow that this car would have been something a "beet digger" (the term given to the kids and young folks that harvest sugar beets) would have built by scavenging a roadster body and hopping up an old derelict Ford chassis. And while it wouldn't have been like the Essex racers and big touring cars that raced it would be something that a guy could have a hell of a good time in, storming past farms and fields.


Sugar Beet Kids


A shop on Main St., Salt Lake City with two Essex racers that showed for a local race.



Here's a photo that was taken in 1910 of a local race, 7 years after the first car arrived in Utah. This isn't far from where I live, now.

Below are some fellas that shuttled a car on the train out to Bonneville, in August 1914. Imagine being a kid hearing that these guys rolled into town before heading further west.

 

A local guy heard I was looking for 31 aprons and had a driver's side, which was in rougher condition than the roadster, and since no one wanted it (and he didn't want to scrap them), he gave it to me. It gave me a decent idea of what I was working with while I looked for parts that could authentically fit the build.


I found a guy on Ford Barn. His set were perfect for what I wanted.


And, since I was still waiting on parts (and had TRoG as a future destination for the car) I had a local guy, Matt Wood, letter them. Here's the interesting thing, when I brought the pics of the building to match the G in Sugar, it turns out that Matt's grandfather was one of the local sign guys way back when and he could have very well done the signage on the building. Who knows for sure... but it's neat to think of the possibility.

 

Here's a shot of some of the parts for the build along with the roller. The red wheels are too much. I love the wires, they're in terrific shape but the red is going to need to go.

There are a couple items not pictured, a T spring in the rear, a Burns single downdraft, a pressure gauge, and an exhaust needs to be fabbed, etc. But really, this is the majority of parts to hop up the car.

 

Decklids for these 26/27s are rare, I don't need to tell you. And, it was the only body part missing from this car. The one I bought for this car, years back wasn't very good. The skin we could have made work but I bought it for the inner piece - and that sucked. It needs work to be saved. So, foolishly I bought a repop lid. I should have used the crusty, dinged up one I had - without the inner portion and got that to fit.









Chris @Salt Flats Speed Shop got the repop lid into shape and fabbed a pretty neat inner structure. My only issue is (and it's an odd one) it's too nice. With me, that could lead down a path of making things nicer to match. And while I planned to hammer and dolly some of the rear tin, I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to make the new lid fit in.

 

While he was at it, I chopped some stanchions.



One fits perfect. The other the female socket for the frame needs to be adjusted. Another project for another day. It was my first set I've ever chopped. Lesson learned.

 

Subscribed. I'm also building a 26 roadster on an A frame and I have been saving pics for years but I hadn't seen some of the period pics you have posted above, very cool to see. I like all of your plans and work so far.

 

Awesome start. Thanks for letting us watch.

 

Yes, yes, and more yes! This is going to be killer!!

 

Awesome!

 

This is a nice build! And compared to Denmark and what is avalible here, your frame and body looks mint!

And I will love some progress ☺

 

very Cool

 

superb, love T's... why not prop your deck lid against the wall for the winter and let nature mature it for you?

 

Your yellow tank is stainless steel. It was a beverage container that was repurposed in 1942 to serve as an oxygen tank for bomber pilots. This post is an excellent example of a traditional hotrod. Henry shut down the factory in April 1927 so not as many 1927 cars were made and yours is most likely a1926. I love what you are doing

 

I'm in

 

Well I'll follow along. This is going to be good!

 

Following along

 

following

 

Neat info. Like any hot rod and war history fan I knew about the B17 O2 tanks but what I haven't ever heard is that they're repurposed. Interesting.

When I cut into the tank for the fill and such (see below), I noticed it was oily inside and there was a material that was like loose coffee grinds. I wondered if it was carbon or coal from a filter for the air system? I don't think this tank was used, at all, for any other purpose. It was in great shape until I got my paws on it. Anyway, before it holds any fuel it will need a serious cleaning.

Here's the tank and fab parts:


Three holes on the top of the tank: the fill, a hole for the air pressure line, and a militarytank level gauge. I assume it was for oil "bags" and such. I am curious how the cork will react to gasoline.



I filed off all the burs. The holes for the gauge and the fuel line (at the bottom of the tank) needed some filing work to fit.

This is a really neat item. I've had this for a long time. I got it from a HAMBer @chaddilac a long while back. There's a red aluminum plug that slides up and down with the level of the cork. This car won't have a lot of extra parts or shiny do-dads but it will have a couple neat items that will catch your eye if you pay attention.

I put four stainless rivet nuts (rivnuts/nutserts) in to mount the gauge. I had Chris tack them since my tool hasn't arrived yet. Should be tomorrow or Monday.


This is the tolerance of the bottom bung. I'm showing this one off because it's better than all the others.


The filler neck is stainless, too. Finding one that I could put a vintage cap on was important. Turns out I could use a 30/31 radiator cap on this one. I don't remember the size off-hand. But if someone is interested, I can dig it up.

The cotter pins worked perfectly to get the cap centered. Chris burned it on while I worked on setting up the headlight bar.


Here he is working his magic.


Again, showing off his tig skills and biceps. Ha ha ha.


The rad cap:



All welded:


Once it's time to put it in the car I'll share what I came up with. It should completely fit the aesthetic of the car AND it's a part that's readily available. I think there are a bunch of folks that'll appreciate it.

 

The only reason the car is staying the way it is, for now, is because of the signage painted on the car. Truthfully, I go back and forth on painting it and having the signage redone.

However, it's this door that keeps me from messing with the car. I'm won over by the time it took for Hardware Dept. to bleed through or the over-paint to somehow wear away. I'm a shiny paint guy. This car is a pretty big departure for me, style-wise.



That said, I don't think anything I could do could replicate the wear and tear of this body. I have a couple ideas that go along with putting this car in TRoG or the hillclimb. I'm still not 100% sure how to proceed.

Edit: Oh, and thanks fellas for following along. I'll do my best.

 

Will we be seeing a hand-punched louvered hood?

 

Please do let us know the source and PN for the filler neck.

 

It's the deck lid that will get punched. 2 rows, a row on each side of the lid.

 

From Coyote-Gear:

Stainless Steel 321 Weld-on filler neck
OD 2.28"
Bung Height 1.28"

 

Great build so far, I'll be watching for sure. The body and signage are awesome AND could never be duplicated, keep going as is please!
Johnny

 

Thanks for your post!
This is one reason why I come back to the HAMB daily.
A special treat - reading about your car as well as the local history around it...

Keep posting.............