Projects Model T roadster on Model A chassis

you'll have to play the c/w song 'pick-up man'--"still wouldn't trade it for a coupe de ville"...

 

I remember having concerns many moons ago that the A column drop and the T dash were not going to get along. I had to clear it for now; my welder isn't at home- since I have no power in the shop, I just left it at work. But I will make that area prettier. Also, the mystery key switch I had zip tied to the column turned out to not fit so I threw a toggle in it for now but will get a Model A switch on order like the one I have in my AA. Or maybe I won't. Who's stealing this junker?

The speedometer works! I have had it all this time and never really knew if it would or not. Next up - I have to stretch the ammeter wires and figure out how to plumb in the temp gauge that will be going where the fuel gauge would have been.

Speaking of fuel gauges... I don't know if there's a way to make that happen with the T tank, but I have been experimenting with the idea of a low fuel warning light... I found a fuel-resistant float switch that I guess is for agricultural applications. I can mount it in the tank and have it light up a warning light when the fuel level drops below a certain point. I'll just have to knock a hole in the tank... on which note, all that soldering and lining we did seems to be holding up. I really didn't think the tank was going to end up being any good but it's holding. So far so good!

 

It's really coming along now that you have it home. I've been working on a few things, not necessarily the SD but getting some tools cobbled together so we can do some sandblasting or something. Car is looking much better now that it's out of my shop lol

 

Forgot to mention I fixed the e-brake too. Since I can't start the car from inside yet it was getting really annoying to find places to park where the car would not roll lmfao

This car will be coming to work soonish so I can get some more welding done, start working on the floors (for the bed as well) and cleaning up the wiring.

 

I notice you keep removing the steering wheel as an anti-theft device. There used to be a commercially made conversion for Model T and A that was just that, a rapid or quick disconnect of the steering wheel. But then you look kind of dumb walking around town holding a steering wheel. The question asked was always " Hey Mister did you loose your car ? Need help looking for it ? "

 

Great stuff! Fun build for sure.
So I looked back but cannot see where the T fuel tank is mounted. What did I miss?
D

 

It mounts up under the cowl, kinda where it would be in a Model A. Not sure when we did it now but this is the original tank that was buried with the rest of the body. It was shot full of holes but we patched it up and did a tank liner. You can see it in this picture.



I think most Model Ts have it under the seat and only the 26/27 open cars have it in this location.

 

How are we going to rig up the starter so you don't have to get out of the car to start the damn thing? I don't remember even ever talking about how to do that?

 

It's easy, I just haven't done it yet. The stock setup uses a physical button to close the contact and send power to the starter. This has a rod that goes through the floor of the Model A with the foot pedal on the end. This doesn't line up to anything on the T and trying to put a jog in it would conflict with the pedals.

What I'll do is take the button off, drill a hole in the contact pad & thread it for a bolt, then run a cable from that to a solenoid and either use a normal 3 position key switch or a button.

 

Glad you got going on this one! Get it running and stopping, then refine.
Wouldn't be wrong to brush on some Black on the frame and brake rods, just like a kid in the 30s making it better.
Any plans for floorboards and windshield soon? Still looks incomplete.

As for the low fuel light, my thinking would be instead to try to find a reserve outlet, like found on motorcycles. Something where if it runs low, you flip the tap and get another few miles. Check heavy and farm equipment maybe? I'd guess the bigger liter bikes are going to draw more than the banger, so they may have a proper size tap. Just need to adapt to your tank.

 

I'd suggest to go simple on the fuel gauge as well. From the aviation world of the time, a sleeve brazed into the fuel cap and a rod epoxied into a cork.


If you want to get racy, a simple hose coming through the panel from the top of the tank to the bottom.


D

 

I'm waffling on the windshield. I think it looks pretty cool without it - kind of exaggerates the length of the body - but I have chopped stanchions and a frame, just need glass. Floors are in the works. I need to do some CAD (cardboard aided design), but my priorities are in perfect order, so today I'll be switching to dual downdrafts instead of worrying about little stuff like floors.

 

Understoood!

Wonder if you could find an old model A wind wing

and turn it sideways for that race car look?

 

Now there's an idea....!!!!

 

Get a grinder or a flap disk after that intake! That thing is ugly!

 

I was gonna, but those welds are pretty porous. Right now it seems to be airtight & being that this is cast iron I really am not set up to fix it if I knock a hole in it grinding on it. It painted up to about a six footer so I'm fine with it for what it is.



I need to surface it before I leave work today but she's ready to run otherwise.

 

Yeah, it will detract from the perfect bodywork and paint!
I'd suggest getting all 4 wires in the same color before worrying about smoothing the hot rod intake!
I know you're teasing Monty.

 

I'm surprised he started painting things at all! Trust me, we have had some loud discussions in the shop about paint. When I saw he was painting the coup I was in shock!

He brought a case of that red oxide primer over to my shop a couple of years ago. I asked him what he was going to do with that. He kinda shrugeed and said "I dunno!". When we were gathering up some of the stuff he needed to take to his shop last weekend, he asked about the case of red oxide spray bombs. I pointed the box out on top of a storage cabinet and he grabbed it. Next thing I know the T was painted red oxide!

 

Wait 'til he finds out about all the shiny stuff!
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lets-go-shopping-at-jc-whitney-in-1958.679472/

 

I know you have a couple of Carter YFs or something you just rebuilt not long ago., I guess that is what is going on that red thing?

 

Yep. No clue if I can gravity feed those carbs. We're about to find out.

 

Short answer: no.



Long answer:

I forgot the new manifold gaskets at work, 40 minutes away, so it was never gonna run today to begin with.

I ended up needing to replace the studs for the manifolds because the original nuts have permanently melded with the studs. I was able to find three studs at NAPA but they did not have a fourth. I was confident I could find one at one of the other three auto parts stores in town. I could not.

Undeterred, I figured I would go ahead and mock up the linkages. Did you know no parts store carries carb linkage kits anymore? I didn't. Now I do.

No matter. Everyone carries fuel fittings... or do they? Out of four parts houses, I was able to find exactly two 1/8" MNPT to 5/16" fuel line elbows. I need four. The hoses are only temporary anyway - I will make up hard lines once I'm sure these carbs are actually going to be usable. But I don't want to buy the line and rent the flaring tool & bender if it's not gonna work out.

Then I ran out of daylight before I could make up plug wires for the new distributor cap. Whomp whomp.

No big deal. I'm taking the manifold with the carbs to work tomorrow. We are expecting to have a crazy slow day. We have a ton of stuff left over from my buddy's BMW we made linkages for, so we'll get that working there. I'll make up the plug wires using the AA there, and there are five parts houses in Weatherford, so I'm sure I'll be able to scrounge a stud and two more elbows.

If all of this works out, when I get home tomorrow evening, I'll just need to install the intake, hook up the fuel lines, wire the fuel pump and let er rip. The only bad news?



At least I have a roof to work under.

 

Trevor, don't forget about your local hardware store or farm supply for miscellaneous fittings and other linkage things you may need. I have been able to find things at my local small hardware store that you wouldn't think they would have. Keep in mind a stud is a stud, it does have to be vehicle specific as long as the thread pitch is the same.

 

Yep- the selection in my town just sucks lol. I got everything I needed this morning in Weatherford.



Mocked up on the blown engine in the AA. I have full throttle travel. When I get home all I need to do is slap this on the T, hook up fuel, and see what happens...

 

Something tells me that gravity is not going to be much help. Might want to check into a cheapie tick-tick fuel pump.
Nothing a windshield post and an IV bottle wouldn't take care of, for 'testing purposes' only!

 

It ran pretty well at first crack. Not perfect, but pretty good... had some issues with the carbs that cleared up after running. Float stuck in one and something leaking internally in the other for a bit. They have sat ever since I rebuilt them so I was expecting some issues.

The power jump is crazy. It pulls pretty hard for a banger... let's be honest, it's not fast but it's no slouch.

Unfortunately I'm gonna have to pull the manifolds again and have them machined, I guess. I am having some vacuum leaks and I can see a leak around the no4 exhaust port. Also, I've got some kind of high speed miss under load. That feels electrical - just suddenly quits running and then catches once RPMs come down. Might be related to the new distributor cap but could also be something to do with the vacuum leaks.

Got a little video but not much- sorry.

 

Sounds close. I'd guess it needs to be a bit richer. For the high speed miss, check with a timing light. See if it gets flashes at the wrong point or breaks up completely. Suspect point bounce. They weren't built to rev real high.

 

In the first two videos it was running with a vacuum port plug out, I realized before we took it for a drive. Ran a lot better then. It really runs pretty good but can definitely tell when it starts sucking air.

It will rev to the moon sitting still, only really does it on the road. Still puzzling it out. Point float makes sense but why not when sitting still then?

 

Load. Free rev is not not working hard.
That's either not enough fuel, or the spark is not strong enough (probably not points).

 

What it feels like is someone reaching in and turning the ignition switch off. It quits firing completely. I am still leaning toward an electrical issue but as far as I can tell everything is tight. Hard to diagnose when there are so many other issues concurrently. I need to deal with the manifold issue pronto.

You could be right on weak spark. This old coil of unknown origin might be getting weak. The spark wasn't quite blue.