Hot Rods *Mr.Model T's New Project: A T-V8..

Thanks for the quick answers. Just wondering about the shackles, rear end bolts, backing plate bolts. Are those to be painted? Are they stainless? These are things I have trouble with.

 

So all of the hardware for the rear axle is unpainted stainless with finished heads, or in the case of the backing plate stuff, Grade 8 that I'll finish in a false silver cadmium finish to hid them.

The shackles are the newer style Pete&Jake's (I know, wish I could have done all NOS stuff) that I flipped to hide the logos, painted to look like steel (to hide the Gold Cad finish) and doctored with castle nuts instead of the supplied nylocks (also drilled for cotterpins to have the look).





I like the detail of exposed hardware, safety wire, cotterpins, etc rather then hosing the thing down already assembled.

I also nickeled some chassis stuff, like the wishbone frame mount plates.



Those are finished off with custom hardware, castle nuts and cotterpins.

 

Thank you! That is great detail work that adds so much to the visual effect. Not picked up by all but there for the picky to wallow in. Top notch work. Love your builds! Inspiration!

 

Thanks brother! I appreciate the kind words!
This car is a definite departure from my build on the '27 Roadster for sure. Doing a finished car to this level is definitely different for me.

I 100% agree on the importance of, but not leaning on details to a car. All of the subtle details should equal the sum of the build equally, not lean on a few heavy, flashy details to try and make the car.

Sometimes it's the little things.

 

Thank you for the updates.. color looks great .. I like that you when with a nickle finish..

 

I agree. Nickle looks much softer, better, authentic then chrome. Are you doing your own plating? A friend does all of his including bumpers and they look great. I can hook you up if needed.

 

I have always liked Nickel, so I figured it would be a subtle and different look on a car like this. Most were Chrome.

It has such a nice warm, bronzy hue, much better then colder Chrome. Right now, I have a contact down in CA doing it (can't recall their name), but they are decent on price and the stuff looks good. I would LOVE to be able to plate at home though. Hook a guy up! lol!

 

Hahahaha!

 

Give me a little time. He's down under.

 

No worries, I'm not in a rush. Thanks for doing it!

 

Update: The Columbias are assembled!

I finally got the chance to assemble my Columbia axles this weekend after several years of waiting, mostly because I was still altering other components and needed just the bare housings for mockup and easy assembly and breakdown. Since the chassis were now in color and everything else was done, it was the next step.

First, I needed a holding fixture. I had seen a few styles mounted to benches and big vises, but I did not have one stout enough. I then realized I did have the perfect solution and came up with a brilliant idea: Use the receiver hitch on my truck! I bought a 24” piece of heavy wall steel tube, measured out for a 6” tall vertical stand, harvested the end flange of an old torque tube and came up with this:




After removing a triangle shaped pie-cut section and cold bending the tube into an L shape, I welded all the seams, used the triangle as a gusset and welded the torque tube flange on top before drilling the pin hole. This gave me a solid stand to bolt the axle to and a flat pad to magnet my Dial indicator to.

After this, I went to town:






Several hours, forgotten safety wire and a stripped bolt later, both were adjusted and assembled. This week I should have the drive shafts, radius rods and trans mounts assembled, so we can then install the axles for the last time.










More coming..


~Mr. Model T

 

Looks super nice! I ended up making an adapter plate for one of my engine stands. That let me build it standing on end and then rotate it down horizontal once I had it together to assemble the brakes and put the spring on. I guess with a little more height yours could be made to do the same thing. It'd be almost like some hitch mounted bike racks. Did you find it ok to build it horizontal?

 

I had contemplated building an engine stand adapter too, but 1) the axle weight and length just made me a little nervous to tipping over on me and 2) it also would not have allowed me sufficient room to roll it without hitting floor and trying to manhandle it over by myself didn't interest me.

The receiver hitch adapter seemed like the most stable and easy to work with. Horizontal assemble was not bad to be honest. It made lifting the Columbia side of the axle (assembled with its innards) a bit of a heavy challenge to lift up ans bolt on by myself.....but after getting ahead of myself a few times and forgetting stuff, I had it on and off the banjo a few times just fine.

It was easy enough to see what I was doing and the pad for the dial I dictator was perfect. To get it out of the hitch, floor jack it up, slide it out. Done and on to the next.

 

We are who we are and I'm sure we all had " he could have ........" thoughts & ideas. I won't even say what mine were. The thing that matters is you built what you needed, it worked, and the Columbia is together. All done! Great job. That paint looks so good!

 

100% agreed. each situation requires exactly what we need and what we build to get past that point. No Wrong answers really. We have all had great ideas and misfires (I've had plenty) and plenty of " he could haves".

But on a different point, Lets all enjoy some nickel split wishbone bracket goodness

 

That bracket is mesmerizing...

 

Yes, it is. I'm glad you put the castle nuts on the outside where they can be seen.

 

@MrModelT...you are way at a different level with this build...high praise...it looks fantastic...

Your Roadster was rough around the edges and equally special but wow your bar is again way high here. Really enjoying your journey...

 

They really are. The nickel work really turned out great.

There is no other way. I made those specificallyto show them off to look period. They are even cotterpinned.

Thanks for the kind words! I hope this car turns out as nice as I hope it does. This build is a real departure for sure. I had already built a prewar Gowjob that had that well worn look, so I really wanted to do a finished car period correct for 1937-'40. There is definitely some DNA from the roadster build in my execution of things, but it will be a vastly different build.

 

Is the frame boxed with crush sleeves where the wishbone bracket bolts on or is it the original "C" channel?

(sorry if I missed it on the previous pages)

 

It's not boxed. It's a mild flathead, so I didn't feel the need. The frame is plenty stout.

 

Oh, I'm sure it is and I wasn't implying it should be. Just curious.

 

It's all good. I had thought about it, but I figured it probably wasn't worth the trouble for what it was going to be. Its reinforced around the drop and the F-1 crossmember helped stiffen it up too.