Projects T-V8 Build Thread

Great project. I admire your efforts. It will be a very cool hot rod when its done. Lot of work, but no doubt fun.

 

I must have miss read, we are the same height. Yes I agree it's critical to get the driving position as comfortable as possible. Not easy with so little space. Here is the link to my thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-another-27-on-32-chassis-scratch-build-body.596032/ keep up the good work I am enjoying your build.

David

 

That link worked fine. Your build thread is one I'm watching. Outstanding metal work!

 

This is a great thread, LttP! I'm also at the stage of figuring out seating, so reading with interest. Heck, if we weren't 2,000 miles apart I'd be asking to borrow those AH seats for a mockup.

 

Mike,
I think oxblood would look real nice with the black exterior. I am enjoying this. Keep up the good work.

 

I'm leaning that way myself.

 

Okie Dokie then, here's a little update. I had Superior Radiator add a dummy Model T radiator neck, so I could run a Motometer with a dogbone cap. They made the rad. to fit a Model T low radiator shell and the Flattie.

Then I decided that would look too much like a Fad T-Bucket, which is something I'm trying to avoid. So I removed the falsie neck.....
...and JD filled the neck hole in the radiator shell, and painted it. It's the first of the "real" body paint! I think the radiator and shell look much cleaner this way. (Edit: I just noticed the shell isn't bolted down in this pic, so part of the upper tank is showing. The tank doesn't show after bolting it down.)

I went to my local Harley-Davidson dealer and ordered a pair of parking lights/turn signals which were used on old Harleys. They have clear glass lenses, unlike the newer ones which are red or amber plastic. So I installed those, and the headlights, along with the filled shell. (See, the tank doesn't show now.) I'll run the top of a hood, so things like the master cylinders, voltage regulator, and wiring terminal block will be concealed under that. It'll have an opening for the air cleaner to shine in all its glory.



When I began this project 10 years ago, I bought some repop '39 tail lights for it. I like those, but so does everyone else. They're almost as ubiquitous as SBC's. I decided I didn't want to cut tail light holes in my perfect original turtle, so the tail lights need to go into the panel below the turtle. The 39's would work there, but I don't care for them mounted horizontally as much as vertically. So I went with some lights which were meant to be mounted horizontally -- '42-'48 Ford lights. I like this look much better.


These lights are simple, clean, and Ford. BTW, the turtle isn't bolted down at this point. It will snug down to the subframe after painting. And speaking of PAINT, we're getting dangerously close to that happening. Stay tuned!

 

How long did it take for your radiator to arrive, after you ordered it?

I'm also diggin' your front signal lights. Nice work!

 

Seems like it was a couple of weeks. Besides fitting the low shell and the Flattie, I gave them the dimension for the center of the lower outlets below the top of the frame rail. The rad. is pretty close to the water pump inlets, so they needed to line up. They made them just right.

 

Thanks. I had used Superior a few years back, but had heard they were having trouble delivering in a timely manner. I was considering them for my build. Looks like I'll have to give them a call.

 

I like your choice of tail lights. I think they are the most under-used early Ford light out there. They are clean, simple and quite good looking. Keep up the good work, Mike.

 

Thanks, Ted & Fred.

 

Agreed, those lights look way better than the '39's mounted sideways in the earlier mock up. It's really starting to look like a car!

 

man i wish i had a tenth of your skill. Looks great. I really like checking out the build threads and see true craftsman doing their thing.

 

Thanks for the compliments, Danekejt. I'm not nearly as skilled as a lot of the folks on here, just an old fart plugging away.

 

Nice job. Cool seats!
What year/size wheels are those? Whats the bolt pattern? Was thinking of trying some for fun on my car to see what they look loke but dont know if they would fit. Thanks.

 

Those are stock '35 Ford 16" wheels, sand blasted and powder coated. I believe the bolt pattern is the same from Model A's through '48, except '37-'39 or thereabouts.

BTW, the "cool seats" went on down the road to another fellow HAMB'er for use in his Model A. Just not enough room in a T body.

 

Cool. So they are 5 on 5 1/2" bolt pattern. Wonder if they fit my car. Thanks for the info.
Seats were kinda nice looking even if they were a bit tight for your T.
I have been thinking about bucket seats for mine if i ever want to go with a set. Have to be tall from seat to floor. Like vw seats you know? Not like camaro seats. And those Healy seats looked tall.

 

You guys are way too modest. The work is excellent. Figuring out how to make things work without the aid of all the metal shaping tools and other devices is what real hot rodding is about. You are a traditional hot rodder!!!

 

Thanks a lot, Fat47.

 

Love the car. Glad to see you changed the seats to a stock cushion bench. My friend Burl has been using stock T seat springs in his bucket T cars for decades. Available new every day. My old roadster used a cutdown school bus seat cushion, nice.
Cant wait to see the finished package.
One thing Burl did on his last T with a turtle deck was round the corners of the framework to mimic the round edges of the turtle. He already had the square corners there so rather than do a bunch of cutting etc., he made up and welded a belt section of sheet metal from the corners curved and across to the other side with a top plate. That space came in handy for trailer wiring etc.

 

pasadena -- Thanks for the kind words. I'll bet the rounded corners looked great.

 

IT'S BLACK!!!!!
After 2 or 3 months of building the body, filling and sanding and priming and sanding, and priming and sanding and filling and sanding, JD declared the body ready to be black today. Here are some shots of JD in action.
Ready for paint:


Here we go!



Here it is after 3 coats.




So this was a real red letter day! (Or maybe black letter.) I was really excited to see the body in paint at last.

 

One step closer, Mike! Looks good.

Is that firewall aluminum or stainless?

 

Man I love the tall grasshopper like stance! Screams early T. And the black paint sure sets it off.

 

Congrats!!! On the paint, it looks great.
I never noticed the firewall. I have a 1960's park slide that going to be sacrificed to make my polished stainless firewall

 

Absolutely Fantastic Build!!!! Well done, thanks for posting up.

 

Oh yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh!!! It looks great

 

Thanks for the compliments, guys. I'm really pumped! BTW, the firewall is stainless, about 1/16" thick. I don't know what gauge it is.

 

Hey there, Fayetteville, better late than never. Your ride will be unique, and by that I mean not a cookie-cutter build. Those lower shock mounts that are currently on your frame are neat, and actually are acceptable because lots of us 'traditionally" utilize them lately, so you can tell those narrow-minded individuals to suck wind if anyone complains. You demonstrate a good eye for building so I am anxious to see the running rod. Good luck.