Help Me Plan My Cheap T Project

Great info on cowl steering:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77658&highlight=cowl+steering

If you get an early 60s-mid 70s Mopar manual box, they don't need to be reversed, FYI.

 

If you want real steel try model T haven in Ks. they have a website

 

I built a car for a little over $2000,BUT it is not near as nice as those you have pictured. It has a 100,000 drive train out of a Chebby van and I scrounged parts for almost two years to get them at My price.
As a matter of fact ,the time you have available without screwing up your family life should be considered.

 

I'm pretty sure that car has a 440 Mopar in it. Look in Hotrod Magazine I'm actually 99% positive its the same one. But correct me if I'm wrong

 

That would be amazing...damn 440's are huge!!! That car's scrub line scares me...I like the look but a flat in the front at any decent speed would be disasterous!!

 

I've seen several cast-off, early 80s style T buckets around $3500, aftermarket frames and all.

Honestly, that's where I'd start if total cost is your concern. Sell off the stuff you don't want and the end result is the best $2500 starting point you're gonna find. $3500 is WAY meager, no offense.

You may also wanna consider other projects to boost your budget. Buy another car or two to part out, or fix a late model with mechancal woes and flip it for project money. The same skills that will build your car, can also pay for that car if you just get creative and put some sweat equity in. Good luck.

 

That appears to be a 20s-early 30s chevy or GM frame turned upside down. Ts had cross springs, GMs had parallel leaf springs.

Cowl steering can be done with aftermarket sprint car boxes, but that would blow about 1/2 your budget alone.

 

This T has a 283 under the hood, 90 inch wheelbase, a z-ed in the rear model A frame, 23 gl*** body, Duece grill, the right wheels and tires on 40 brakes and a banjo rear. It can be done, with Rams horns or block huggers, the hood sides could be closed in. A lot of thinking went into this to get the engine height right for a hood top.
This is a great little car, I bought it here on the HAMB in Sept.
(Picture stolen from BURNY, Thanks)

 

do as much of the work yourself . hit alot of junk yards and swapmeets and know what u need and dont need and u can build a car on a buget . i got about $2500 in this one. (my 1st car build)

 

Good luck with cheap .

 

Thanks for all the info guys I spent tons of time last night reading in the Tech section.......I decided to go with a suicide front end and fibergl*** body from speedway, I am going to build the frame myself I have plenty of expeirence fabbing stuff for 4x4's so it shouldnt be a big deal.........

Anyone have a source to order some drum brakes for cheap? Also I need to order the CCR plans but I cant find them online, do you have to call to order them? Anyone know if they have electronic copies?

 

Thats the direct link to ccr
http://www.californiacustomroadsters.com/

 

I love that car.

Can you post more pictures? (under hood, front suspension, steering, rear suspension, rear view, ....etc)

 

I sent you a PM.
I've got the perfect project for you.

I've got a REAL STEEL '27 body and a ch***is that needs some work....

I'll set you up for $1500.

Come and get it.

......I need to focus on my Fairlane.

 

I would jump on that. Not only real steel, but the '27 is more roomy, and just better looking in my opinion. ****, I wish I wasn't knee deep in projects, I'd get it myself.

 

Also the car in that link on the first page it has a model A grill on it right?

I may go that same route Model A grill just a homemade hood with no sides, 300, c4, fibergl*** body, suicide front suspension, and about a 14" z in the rear with whatever axle I can find cheap, tall sknny radials.....sorry I know there not traditional but I prefer them.....on my homemade frame I have almost all the parts for free......

Anyone know cool ways to dress a 300 up, I will probably go with one sided exhaust maybe lakes style? what about covers and carbs, intakes etc......

 

If you are doing a "T"and want to add a grille and hood the pre 1925 T's have very small cowls and radiators making it almost impossible to hide a V8 unless perhaps you went with an early 60s 215 ci aluminum engine from the Olds F-85s and Special Buicks and stick with inside the frame headers. The 26-27 "T" is more suitable because of the larger cowl area.

Car Craft magazine did a series on building a "T" project in the early 60s including fabbing the frame engine mounts and wishbones. Mine are in storage but perhaps a fellow HAMBER can scan them for you. I used that series extensively when I built my ex's nephews car right down to the wiring schematic. ( It was the first time I had ever attempted to build a rod.)

I strongly suggest you not be tempted to do a suicide front axle just to get the car low. I got mine plenty low and was able to keep the geometry right by some focused heating and bending in two places on the 54 chevy spindle steering arms. Early 60s VW buses have steering boxes that work great with a few mods.

I didn't skimp on the radiator because the engine was a cammed and tunnel-rammed 350 small block. I went with a thick Walker that fit perfectly under a fibergl*** "T" shell. We built the car in 1976 for $6500 with minimal chroming. The picture below is the same car as it exists today after he spent several thou on chrome as the years went by.

 

I knew I wasnt going to be able to use a V8 that's why I decided on the 300 or a ford 2.3 and auto setup from a ranger, I could get the whole running ranger around here for about $500

 

Hello?

Is this thing on?

 

The Shell on the first one appears to be a Deuce shell.

For dress up, shiny paint, till you can afford aluminum pieces.

For Perf, check Fordsix.com and Inliners.org

Oh Yeah, you might PM Frenchtown Flier for suggestions on perf.


If I were trying to dress it up on a budget, I would paint the head and block body color (as close as you can), paint the side cover and valve covers white, then 'Aluminum' with a blue accent on any script (ie Power by Ford).

I would probably put a couple of Carter Webbers on it (two or three) as you have the cubes you could probably work 3. I can't remember if it's here or inliners, but sombody just posted a thread about cutting up 3 factory manifolds, welding stubs over the ends and using the carb flange portions with balance tubes between to make the ultimate cheap tripple carb intake (IIRC its a 300-6, I'll hafta find it).

Personally, I would split the exhaust into two pipes, however that works out (3X3/4X2). If nothing else it sounds *****in (kinda like a cross between a pissed off Porche, a rabbid cahinsaw, and an old Detroit diesel 2 stroke).

 

Yep

If I could figure out how to get it here I might take you up on it. If I had the $1500.

 

I don't understand why he doesn't want it, either.

 

Post some pics. I'm sure somebody wants it.

 

Damn I want it

 

That CCR is expensive check MAS or speedway for the body they are like 400 versus 1500... Personally I think you are nuts going fibergl***... I thought about going that route as well. Take your time buy a cowll, and build the rest. Been don many times on here to build a little roadster modified.. Heck man you are in the south don't you have junk yards that have all kinds of old stuff sitting around not a rust to death? Try living in the salt belt...

 

Here ya go Flipper; once again, Thanks to BURNY, here's his pictures:
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/RonBurnco/Cars/T Bucket Latest/

And the HOT ROD article :
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/52859_1923_ford_model_t_coupe/index.html

This car was really well done, Gadman put a lot of effort in packaging it all with no wasted space.

She's resting in the garage now, gonna paint next month.

Frank

 

I sent him this link by p.m. with no response either, everything he needs.

http://rochester.craigslist.org/car/542034710.html

 

A tripower 389 (w/ trans), a Flathead, AND most of the other stuff to build the car, for $1500.00?!?!?!?!?!!!

Damn, this keeps up and I'm gonna have to move.

 

Where were all these sub-$2k complete projects when I was looking a month ago?

As for brakes, just run Ford F100 stuff from the early-50s. It's the same self-energizing brakes that everyone was looking for lincolns for. Get yourself an F1 front end and you've got brakes. I got mine for FREE from the girlfriend's grandpa's farm. And, at $20 a pair from rockauto, wheel cylinders aren't even worth rebuilding. I think this guy's just dreaming if he can't s****e together $1500 to get a metal body and frame ready to go from Tingler...