Technical New to pre war, need advice

What about Total? I think the remains of them ended up in Florida, last I knew. Maybe gone now?

 

Yeah, either CCR or Total, I forget?!
Fun fact, in the early years of the HAMB Mickey Lauria from Total was your typical old guy (East Coast attitude) with disdain for the internet. A few HAMB hoodlums bombed his forum when he screwed with a couple HAMB guys selling T kits.

 

I could make them, and then they could copy me!

 

All the steering and wishbone rod ends need to be new, as do the shocks. Tires and wheels need to be trued and dynamically ballanced. Run lower air pressuer in front tires like 26 lbs, 30/31 lbs will make them bounce.
Never turn left in the rain.

 

Get a copy of a Pete and Jakes catalog and it will explain what you need to do when setting up a front end to avoid problems. Read what they say before buying anything. Also, expect that whatever you buy "cheaply" is probably going to need some parts and work. If you are armed with some knowledge before you buy, then maybe buying one that obviously needs repairs may be better than one that appears fine and bites you later. I'd stay away from Ts other than roadsters, and a roadster probably isn't going to make a good daily driver either.






This is the kind of info you are looking for, its not just about making parts longer or shorter so they fit.

 

It rains in western Washington ?

 

Get a windwing or "Go Right" to stay dryer.

 

I like the looks of that chopped, raked phone booth T. But I can't see the front suspension and steering good enough to comment on it.

There's a lot of good advice on this thread, and the Pete and Jakes info is priceless. There's no reason that a car with a straight axle and split wishbones, hair pins, or a four bar can't be daily driven anywhere safety and comfortably. As long as the parts are of good quality and aren't worn out, the geometry isn't messed up, and the alignment is right. I've got a straight axle and hair pins with coilovers on my 31 coupe and I've been 140 on the drag strip and driven it thousands of miles on the street. The front end is rock solid, I don't even give it a thought anymore. And lots of cars obviously have gone much farther and much faster with the old Ford style suspension. You don't need independent suspension or anything fancy, it just needs to be right.