Well George I can't say anything bad about the DeBinictus roadster. I'll have to relent on the mid '60s style of a level body and a straight up windshield as long as it isn't leaned forward. I think I told you I talked to Dennis's wife Shirley at a Goodguys show earlier in the year and was told somebody in Sacramento owns his roadster now and is wanting to make an Ivo clone out of it. I know I hate it too. Evidently his roadster was originally built by an old Oakland hot rodder with one of those ugly fat turtle decks and when the fiberglass P.U. beds came out he bought one and changed it. Marty those V.W. Bus steering boxes and a nice looking little box. Really looks a lot like the old Ross.
Really, when I posted the pics of the DeBenidictus car, I should have asked that we remove our hats and have a moment of silence...
The one in the B&W pic is the nuts! I've heard the Grabowski story too. I remember as a kid the bumper cars at Carsonia Park had reverse steering. Took a little practice to be able to do some serious damage to your friends. The number of times I was kicked off for violating the "No head ons" rule...... Eventually I'll score some dark centers. Until then steelies.
That's right ! At So Cal Speed Shop on a Friday night before LARS, I had 2 of my Track Roadsters there. Norm spotted the black one with the cut down Deuce shell, and ambled over to talk, it wasn't long until quite a group had gathered. I said "why don't you tell these guys, the story about the reversed steering ?" He proceeded to tell it, as no one ever could, he was a hoot ! That is the great thing about our hobby, if you attend some of the big events, you will get to meet the "Legends".
Steel Rebel talking about windshield an column angles matching dose help a clean an should be there look of things,dose not have to be,but I like it when it can be done. Finding just the right place for a number of things takes work,don't just hook stuff up,test an retest. . I've built a lot of rod. For steering n seating by the time I know were the body is going to be,there are limits to room you have. But by time you need to finish how seat an steering will be,your pedals should already be as far forword as you can ,an out of were steering column is coming between or near. The steering box so its clears an has as min. bumpsteer{gives about were box/bottom of column too be. So with a number of odd custions to play with to be temp seat to try {an adjust an moving the column/steering wheel around tell the fit feels as good as can be for driver. You can end with something much more drivible then many rods. This was my son an I playing with fit with his T-bucket we built together for him. PS; I did a lot of rods an in "T"s I really like adding a column brace that you don't see in too many,a close look at photo dose show the type I build that gives a stronger feel for driver. Goes too dash an then to firewall,helps.
Funny, Marty. Norm said something loose about it, I just figured it was Norm just 'extending imagination', as he would. ("Imagine what came to me when I put the pitman arm on pointing the wrong way...Turn right, go left...") I never dreamed it really happened. Never saw Norm enough. I don't think anybody did. (But nave to wonder if the Creator's tired of him yet?)
Yeah, They came with Ross and ZF, and they were built totally different. Notice the removable mass jacket on the Ross. They shared the the same clamp mounting, which is a nice feature.
Learn something every day. Norm's roadster probably had the clamp mount as I heard his used to move forward and back. Mine has a bracket with bolt holes on it.
I'm gonna keep out of this one! While I can certainly see the astetic value of a near vertical column, they drive me absolutely nuts to drive after a very short time. I knew going in that my 45 degree column wasn't exactly "period correct", I do that in all the buckets I build. The reversed Corvair box IS later sixties to be sure, but geometrically it's correct, and damn my car is comfortable! 'Sides, not every early 'Bucket had a vertical column....
I love Ivo's car, but this one is 100% iconic in it's own right! How could someone come to the conclusion that THIS is the car they should buy to make a clone of another? Incredibly sad...
"I'm gonna keep out of this one" BUT! Love ya man and your roadster BUT I would like you to strike that pose in the front half of a middle teen to early twenties T tub body. I'll bet you have at least six inches more leg room and a wider down area in yours. But then you did say you are into the middle to late '60s bucket style and you have achieved it. And I give you credit you drive the shit out of it. In fact guys if you don't know Chip this his daily and only transportation.
I did not want a vertical steering column in my RPU. It's one of the things that I really dislike about a lot of T's. I wanted a more comfortable wheel position and angle. You can see the wheel position a little bit in this shot taken at Rod Tops shop.
Honestly Gary, the body on my car is stock dimensions. I've compared it with my '25 steel body, and it's within a 1/2" everywhere. It's all just packaging, and packaging around me. See, I and my immediate family never advanced too far beyond our ape roots, and as a result, I can easily scratch my kneecaps without bending down! I literally AM all legs and arms. And, that is the reason for so much of my interior packaging. Move that steering box out front, and move those pedals as far forward as I can. Butt goes down as far as possible, and unfortunately, the steering wheel a bit higher than I like, so I have room for my knees to move. The we get to the quick disconnect shoulders, and the primary reason for my dislike of a more vertical column. Hurts like hell after a long day in the saddle to try to saw that wheel around in that position. Plus, with my abnormally long arms, there is no place for my elbows to go.
Gary, are you saying that a bucket built from the front half of a touring is shorter than a bucket built from a roadster body? I have a roadster but no touring, so I don't have one for comparision, just guessing that's what you are saying?
I agree and my steering situation will be similar to Blues and Louvers. That column stick up through the floor would not only hit my knees, but as far as looks go, it would drive me crazy. In my world, it just doesn't seem right.
You know George that's what I am saying but I'm not sure they just look shorter and I find it hard to believe that the body on Chip's bucket is not stretched.
Yup, mine is 46" from the dash to the body back, which is exactly the same dimension as my steel "T" body. One of my "Cardinals" in building 'Buckets is, I simply won't build a stretched car. Period. They just go so far out of proportion that it's impossible to make them look right. I should know the dimension for a touring front half, as I have had a steel body here for the last year. It went home last week. I would wager it's within an inch or so though.
I have a steel roadster PU body for mine, it looks the same as Chips. Mine will have less room in it than Chips, as I am pretty determined to try to run low-back fiberglass race buckets in mine (part of the early inspiration for the vision I have had in my head for 45+ years was building the Monogram SweeTee kit as a kid, and it had low-back race buckets in it) but I am not as lanky as Chip, it should work for me. I need to get a back panel for my body mock it up and try to sit in it, but I think it will work ok.
I have one of those VW boxes here in the garage . Didn't know what it was. Cool little unit. How many turns lock to lock?
Just went out and measured mine 40" dash to body back. That is a good place to measure. I wonder if the front of a touring car is 6' shorter than a roadster. It does look shorter but so does the De Benictus roadster body look shorter than Chips. Can we get other people to measure theirs. This a simple way to measure. Top of dash to inside roll of backrest. Just the open area.
You know Chip in I wish you would stop with the no stretch thing. My RPU is 4" longer behind the doors and I think it looks right.
Big interior size difference between a '25 and under and the '26-'27 style body, primarily in the foot well area. I agree that most just don't look right when you mess with the dimensions, and I really dislike the ones with the boxes built on the kick panels for more foot room. My body measures more or less 52 1/4" long, 46" at the widest point, and 24" at the highest, (rear seat back). I don't have the dash in yet, ( Brookville deuce dash recessed in flat upper rail to follow the cowl top), so not sure there but I'm sure it will be about the same as a stocker. I really like the way the pedals set in the Ivo roadster. Thanks for the great pics of that. I mocked up a mint Gemmer pickup box, I believe I acquired it from a '56, and it seems to look fairly nice. In reality there is no rocket science at work here. Pretty straight up steering geometry. I will definitely have a column support of some type even though I probably wouldn't need it. My biggest concern is getting my seating position low enough.
Blue-Larry? Senior moment-lifetime. I can't speak for Chip BUT I will. I think he/we, is/are just talking about '25 and earlier T roadster bodies. I for one like the look of the extended body on your '26/'27 and I wouldn't say that if it were not true. Their are couple of visual things I don't like about your build but the length of the body isn't one of them but that is just me. I do love the quality of the build and most of the decisions you made. Of course front drum brakes to mention one was a defining change. Gary
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