Projects My '26 Roadster / Vintage photo search

Clayton, You are a great inspiration for both the youngsters and the oldsters (if they don't - they are just being obstinant !

Love the pix of the three rods inspired by your "T" Roadster. Hell, you even inspired Jim Galli to buy a "T" Coupe ! Now son, that is saying something !

Dave
AKA Gandalf (face of TPS)

 

Hey Clayton - its 'question guy' here again. I think you have had enough praise for one week so I now need you to divulge some of your secrets. I was thinking about your A bonnet (hood?) and moving body back 4 inches on ch***is - as you said the longer bonnet is one of the reasons why we love the way your T looks (ok that was unintentional praise) - did you move the body support brackets on the ch***is rails or did you attach new ones. Was the stretch south of the southern engine mount ? I hope questions weren't lost in translation.

Kume

 

This just made me chuckle while reading this

When I moved the body back on the frame....I removed the original body mount brackets and re-located them in the correct new location. If my memory serves, I think I pushed them (and the body) back 2-1/8 " inches....which is the difference between a stock '26-27 T hood and a '28-29 Model A hood.

'26-27 Model T = 26 3/8"
'28-29 Model A = 28 1/2"

 

Sounds very similar to what I have planned for my car. I'm planning to move the body back the distance I lose when I flip the front crossmember. I've just got to figure out how I'm going to keep the rear wheels in the same location relative to the body.

 

*UPDATE*
Slow weekend...but still got stuff done

It turned into a slow weekend, but still got something done. Troy and I made a bit more progress on the lathe but we ran in to a stopping point. The Chicago OD bearing retainer is hardened steel and even the cutting tools we have for stuff like that is having a tough time with it...so I sent it off to be annealed and won't see it back for about a week.

So in the mean time, I gave Troy a hand on one of his projects, then spent a little time finishing up my new pedals and getting them and the new hogshead painted. Everything should be ready to install Wednesday night.





More to come, Stay tuned!
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Clayton, Boy, that "hogshead came out *****in' ! ! ! Nothing like a fresh motor all decked out in a fresh coat of "Hot Rod Red" ! Having a motor fresehened up for my '41 Ford Tudor. It will good old FoMoCo blue - but tempted to change it to red . . . (NOT !).

Did chris post any pictures of the freshly painted speedster parts ?

Dave
AKA Gandalf the face of TPS.

 

Thanks Clayton.
I figured it was probably that simple but you just never know with you creative ironsmith chaps. Thought you might have recycled some running board brackets from a 1916 Delage or exhaust supports off a 1906 Winton you just had lying about at the back of the shed. That would have been most annoying as it would have taken me years combing swap meets looking for suitable Delage or Winton parts.
Kume

 

Yeah, I always thought it would be a good color...and I didn't have the heart to change it. I had toyed with the idea of going blue though

..I could tell you that, if it would make you feel better

"The new body mounts were made from a set of running board mounts from C.S. Rolls' private car and and the exhaust support brackets from a 1903 Grand-Prix Fiat. They had been silver and gold plated and custom engraved by Peter Carl Fabergé.

I found them in an old box in the back of the shop and thought I would put them to use"


... Better?

 

****** hell Clayton. My entire project is now on hold. where on earth am I going to find exhaust support brackets from a 1903 Grand-Prix Fiat. Surely there was only ever one set.

Funny you should mention silver and gold plated and custom engraved by Peter Carl Fabergé, I bought a boot lid from Howells for my 26 roadster last month and for what it cost I was expecting it to be cast in solid gold and signed by Marcel Duchamp but alas is was made from recylced toyotas.

 

I know how you feel. I have been looking for a decent original '26 roadster deck lid since I started my car...and for what some people ask for them, you would swear they were made of gold plated, platinum dipped silver...

 

Clayton, No not at all. They are probably made of unobtainium !

Dave

 

*UPDATE*
Sadly...not much of one

Though I did make some okay progress last night, visually I don't have much because the batteries in the camera died just after my first picture.

Troy and I are kind of at a stand still on the machine work until the new carbide boring bar for cutting on the original Chicago retainer. We also can't go any farther on making the plug to fix it until we have the original part bored out.....so we're stuck.

I did get the old motor pulled apart and the parts I needed cannibalized for the new motor. It was nice to look at the old motor and see what kind of shape it was in.......I'm really surprised is lasted this long and as well as it did.

The bearings (my biggest concern) are toast. The mains are mostly still tight, but have so much end play...the entire crank can slide back and forth 1/8 " with a "clunk". The crank looks okay, but is actually an early "AA" series crank...not the later and way stronger '26-'27 "EE" series crank like the new engine. The rods are all miss-matched and all have ancient bearings as well as the mains. The cam looks okay, but the cam gear was just loose....and had no retainer nut. it has been just rattling around behind the timing cover for years like that. I don't know were the nut went as it could not have come off or broken off because It would have cause issues. I also can't believe that I FORGOT to put it on either. It had one on it when I took it apart and I remember putting it on..... that is a bit embarr***ing.

Anyway, I also got the hogshead ***embled finally. All the pedals are painted, new cams installed, cotter pined and ready to go...so that is good right?

Here is all I got for photos last night. Saturday, I promise to make good progress and have my battery charged...and take lots of pics.



Stay tuned!
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Hey, progress is progress, right?

I've been scribbling away using your thread for notes. You're just full of invaluable information. One of these days.. I'll have a menacing T and it'll all be your fault.

 

Yeah, but I should be WAY farther along. I wanted to have the engine in and running by now. I have 2 months from now to have it finished and road worthy.

Glad you have been and thanks! one H.A.M.B.er at a time, everybody will have a T before too long! They are fun and liberating in many ways.

 

No bacon rind or shoe leather in the engine? Sounds like it was well-maintained to me.

 

you do have a point! I knew the babbitts were okay, but probably tired when I put this thing together the first time.....it was just a learning motor though and I didn't have the knowledge or the funds to have it re-done at the time. I just cleaned it up, put in the new cam and pistons and called it good. I had nothing balanced, checked, machined or trued.

The new engine is WORLDS apart from the old engine.

I learned and it shows. Guess this is also a testament to how reliable and stout a T engine really is....

 

Clayton, You should feel proud. You have learned quite a bit on Model T's. You might be the Model T master in the very near future. I think you should be proud on what you have learned and accomplished. Way to go !

Will there be an update on Chris's Speedster ?

Dave

 

*UPDATE*
"Houston, the motor has landed...repeat, the motor has landed"

Well, I guess this update doesn't need a whole lot of explanation...because "I got the motor in the car" is all I need to say to get the awesomeness across

I spent the morning getting the little stuff ready and about 1:00 pm I lugged the short block and the transmission over to the new building to start ***embly. First was getting the transmission bolted up to the crank:





Originally (and on my old motor) The trans-to-flywheel bolts were just run in until snug (as per the service manual) and ran a single loop of safety wire through all for bolts with a single twist at the end. While this didn't fail, I added some hefty lock washers this time around and safety wired the 4 bolts together in pairs the correct way.

After that, I gooped up the gasket surfaces and Chris and I lowered the ***embled long block in to the pan, sitting in frame:







..Then curiosity got the better of me and I mocked it up with the manifolds...



..and if I have it that far...why not the carbs too....












Stay tuned for more Wednesday night
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Clayton, That mill is going to look super clean and the perfect detailed Model T Hot Rod Mill ! Could just imagine mt Heinz '57 Special all detailed up like that ! Way to go, way to go !

Dave

 

You only stopped at the carbs? Slacker.

The motor's looking mighty fine.

 

Wow, that's hot rod.

 

I know....I wanted to mock up the distributor, fuel pumps and filters, wiring, etc .....but I was just out of steam for the day

 

Clayton, Don't let them rag on you like that. Look at all the parts you have created and the way that your car is going to sit. I think they are just envious of things they can only imagine. You went ahead and made it the prefrect Model T mill !. . . .

Dave

 

Thanks! I'm super happy with how this motor is looking and it is really nice to finally see the manifolds and the carbs on it. I can't wait to see everything plumbed and wired though

That is exactly what I said when I stood back to take a look..."whoa"

I do have some fit and clearance issues with the exhaust hitting the frame and a possible clearance issue with the maximum intake height (carbs and scoops) and the hood. The exhaust manifold-to-pipe flange over hangs the frame by about 1/2" or less (as seen below)...so I will have to notch the frame a bit for it to clear.

 

OK, I see an alternator in the last engine shot I think?? You really should remove the magnets from the flywheel if you want to get the response from the throttle up there next!
All of the T hotrods my brother builds have them gone and do they ever perform like a different beast with this simple trick.... My nephews three Model T rods will run circles around most of the guys in the Model T club with their fancy Rajo's and such... Just used Aluminum pistons, high compression heads, large flow intake and exhaust manifolds...and the lightened flywheel trick...

 

Clayton, Like BC327 said - "That is a Hot Rod !" Got to love the intake, header and the twin carbs. Bet this one will be spinning them tires for a good distance ! ! ! Hope my Hot Rod Y-Block in my "A" Coupe will get as much attention as your Hot Rod "T" !

Dave

 

I am running an alternator on this engine because I want a charging that actually works

That is true, but there are a few advantages and disadvantages to that. It is true that pulling the magnets will lighten the flywheel and add a few extra RPMs. The magnets however act as oil slingers to properly oil the transmission bands, the clutches and the front main bearing. with out this oiling, none of these will last long. Even the accessory slingers don't seem to "sling" enough volume as a full load of magnets.

The extra weight of the magnets also give the motor more centrifugal weight for more hill climbing power. My new engine will still be able to tack up as high, but it will have the power bulldoze up an over hills in tall gear without downshifting.

I pulled the magnets from my first engine and had issues in both of these areas...so this time I decided to leave the magnets on.

 

According to Murry Fahnestock, adding a second flywheel by machining out the center of and bolt a second Ford flywheel to the original might be an advantage.

As Mr. Fahnestock writes in his book "Model T Speed Secrets: The Fast Ford Handbook",

"If smoother running is desired at low RPMs in high gear, then greater flywheel weight may be an advantage. Whether or not one really wants a heavier or lighter flywheel depends on the manner in which the speedster is to be driven. If the speedster is to be paraded through traffic and driven on rough roads, with only an occasional burst of speed...a heavier flywheel may be desired. For use on a half mile dirt track or where quick acceleration is needed, the Ford flywheel even without the magnets is sufficient. As a general rule, The Ford flywheel has ample weight for all occasions unless the magnets have been removed."

 

Well said Clayton & Mr. Fahnstock.

 

What cyl. head are you going to run?