i'm at one of those cross roads you come to in a stalled project....i have had this t going together ( in various forms) for 12 years....finally just when i think i have the style , idea , and concept nailed ....i start thinking otherwise....little things are bugging me ...and are probably the reason i pushed it aside last winter.....right now the body is channeled over the ch***is 3" to cover the rails...i had to notch the lower rear section to clear the hairpins in the back...it was one of those deals... i did the cut to set the body on it ....but never really cared for it....today ....i started thinking about unchannelling it....a little easier said than done...as the track nose is already mounted for this ride height...raising the body 3" would help me in a couple areas...the next thing i started thinking about was to look for a steel 23 -25 body ...which probably ain't going to be too easy ....another snag with the car....i did a little wheel swap the other day ....needed to get it rolling again....put on some 12 spokes....started thinking 15" 12 spokes , 15x8 smoothies on 10.00 / 15 slicks and a 354 hemi ....suddenly the track roadster is now a drag roadster....and i'm ready to cut the car up and start over... i guess the question at hand ...what do ya do... finish as intended ...unchannel the car and go from there....slap that hemi on that thing and let er eat.... sorry for the rambling....this thing has been bugging me ...bad. brandon
WTF! Your almost home with the Track-T - keep going and do a drag car next time around. To me it looks like there's alot already done in the roundy-round direction (nose, stance, hairpins, wheels, etc) and to stop and go 180 degrees in the opposite direction is nuts. -Bigchief.
i think my big question ....is channeled or not ...i'm going to shoot some dark paint on the side tomorrow and see how well it hides the notch....and they need a little clean up work anyway.... thanks brandon
I think it's looking pretty cool as you've done so far. If it helps, here is a gl*** body T we are building for a customer for comparison on the body placement in relation to the frame. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=186704
Personally, I like the way your car looks right now. Here's are some pictures of my car, which is channeled the width of the rails, but doesn't sit nearly as low as yours. I do agree that if it weren't channeled, there'd be more room in the car -- I kinda stick out of mine. I sent you a PM about a steel turtledeck that I have. Let me know if you're interested.
thats a *****in ride....i'm 5'9...and when i am sitting on 3 1/2" of board my shoulders are almost even with the back panel...if i unchannel it , i'd be that much lower.... thanks brandon
I really like where it's headed. Keep the padding to a minimum and you will still sit down in the car. chuck
If you don't like it enought to finish it in 12 years and then ask what to do with it I'm thinking your need to ripe it apart and try something different. Sometimes I try to please others sometimes I don't. On that note I just got a 23 T body at Louisville at the NSRA meet And I don't have a clue why or when it will be finished.
I like the look of it channelled but I refuse to sit way up in a roadster. If you're comfortable with the driver's ride height as it is now, I wouldn't change it..it looks great. If you're unhappy with how far up in the air you sit....gotta make some changes. Personally, if I sat too high in the car,I'd prolly blow it apart and severely Z the rails front and back so I could sit down in the car. I gotta local buddy who made his own frame for his A, RPU. He bent up some rails that hugged the inside curve of his body...right up against the inner door panels and Z'd the rails at the firewall [behind the cowl so you can't see it] and Z'd the rear rails behind the back panel. even tho it was channelled the width of the frame, he sits loww in the car and he's over 6 feet tall. The car has a shortie windshield too...very comfortable because he sits down between the rails now.
Brandon, You're close to enjoying a neat little car so go ahead and finish it up with the 2.0 or 2.3 banger and enjoy it. One thing, though, ditch those oversized headlamps for some period small ones like Arrows or Dietz. Those frog-eyes overpower the front end completely; save 'em for your 32 project in the future. You have obviously been changing your mind alot but try to get through this first effort and you'll have the freedom to start again with a solid plan instead of the ****tergun approach which is holding you back. It'll be worth it, you'll see. 50Fraud, your seating in that slick little roadster is just fine! Sticking up??
It looks great, I like the look and the direction you are headed. Obviously, you are the one who needs to be happy with it. Try and finish it........ '22
I too, agree with keeping the track "T" vibe, but I can't believe if you've got an early HEMI you wouldn't do whatever it took to get it in there.
Tape some poster board in the cutout in a concave shape and then look at it. If you like, it gl*** it in. I think a finished notch would do away with a lot of your concerns.
I think it looks *****in as it is, could you maybe make a fairing of some kind for the rear hairpin mounts? I agree with Josh tho, the notch makes it look more like an actual track car. But if it bothers you either hide it with paint (cut to match, beat to fit, paint to cover) or make a fairing of some sort and polish it (even if it is only Krylon fusion 'chrome'). At least that's what I would do FWIW.
Howdy Brandon , keep goin' the way your goin' with it , looks good , try raisin' it 1 1/2 inches and see how it looks , but personally I would leave it , looks the ducks nuts to me , after ya putting smiles on ya miles with this one , start with ya drag roadster , .......turtle deck , 12 spokes , hemi ....etc
where in the county are ya from .....? as for the car and the 12 deal....its been a on and off affair....it just seems to take 2nd or 3rd on the car build .....there have been probably 30 others since i started this deal....and its had parts robbed off of it togo on 3 model a's , another t , and even a anglia... ...got some time today ....might try a couple things....thanks brandon oh yeah ...let me know if you want to get rid of that t body......