Projects The 23T project is well underway!!

Today I switched out the front perches with the SoCal Adjustable Dead perch system. The folks at SoCal were awesome, had the parts in stock and shipped it out right away. Let's see if the car rids itself of the death wobble when you let go of the gas and slam the brakes as DanaBarlow calls it. PS, Dana, Thanks a million for your help and expertise on the suspension and steering geometry advice.

If anyone who has a spring over axle set up is having wobble issues, I highly recomend the SoCal Dead Perch set up, The wobble is 95% gone, Driving the car and crossing a railroad track at 40 used to be a white knuckle experience in guessing which way the car would want to steer. This set up eliminated that bump steer. Coupled with the SoCal steering dampner was quite a fun driving experience.. Now on to setting correct Ackerman!!
Dana Barlow is an absolute Godsend, his amazing Racing suspension knowledge has made my Model T safe to drive. A Million Thanks!!
Don't forget to check out the quick 38 second video of it driving around in several stages, Without the doors, and with the doors and new 27 Windshield and 32 grill shell.

While I was at it, Removed the Coil overs and polished the S$#@%! out of them since they were covered in overspray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl8cZobjxmY

 

Made a few improvements on the Front side of the T. Installed one of those Speedway Balancer covers, cause the new balancer I had, got some surface rust on it, so I figured this was the easiest way to get it done on the cheap, but tasteful.
Also installed a Lokar dipstick. and got the GT2 styled front spring shackle from SoCal. I figured instead of taking the Red 50 to the shop to be re-done, that one's for sale now, and I'll leave the T Bucket at the shop for a month or so, to finally get the Hood done, and the front fenders, and add some body lines on the gl*** body to get it looking a little less gl***y.

 

I like what you're doing and the way you're doing it! Your detailing is a real plus in this build. The only thing I would do differently is the exhaust;.... zoomies or lakes style headers would be a natural for this roadster;.....just a thought. Good Luck!

 

Thanks Dan, I'm taking off for a job in DC for the next couple of months, but I'll be back home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'll be going to the Turkey Rod Run and will be looking for headers that are tighter to the body. I need to stay with something that both looks good and can be driven in the rain. The car is normally parked under a roof and gets a NOAH/weathershield cover on it from the California Car cover company to keep it dry, but I love to drive it....alot. So once the hood is finished and the front fenders ( at least if not all 4) I'll work on getting the convertible top installed, so it's fully functioning and then the interior, in that order, so it will be drivable in all but the nastiest weather. I'll be looking for other T's with convertible tops at the rod run in daytona and taking measurements, asking questions, etc.. to be ready to order what I need to get it done by the years end. I'll have the hood and front fenders done I believe before Thanksgiving. And work on the interior and top before the new year. Thank God I'm working.


UPDATE DEC 20th,,... Daytona was a blast saw alot of convertible top examples and bought a KWIK TOP frame set up, and i'll cut it and set it up to fit the T this next week coming up. The fenders and hood haven't been done but the rear hatch and safety locks, etc.. have been started.

 

So the T Bucket is at the shop, getting a few things done. Decided on 32 Roadster side mirrors and those were installed on the side of the windshield posts, installed safety locks for the front of the suicide doors, my builder JC decided he didn't like the rear hatch and re made the entire hatch, replaced the 2 hinges with one long piano hinge and a 32 hatch handle to finish the locking portion. next week gets the radiator adjusted a bit, 90 degree filler neck installed, and the top outlet moved over, so when that's done we can adjust the alternator lower to clear the hood that's being made. Here are some pics.... Work done by Designer Street Rides. Good metal work. The front fenders and hood are going to start being made in the next 3 weeks.

 

Headlights are in and so are the stands. This coming week will bring alot more detailed changes. The radiator will go under the torch for some fine adjustments of the filler neck and the upper outlet., Also Hood hinge set ups should be installed, and some front frame holes left over from the old light stands will be filled and smoothed.
Happy Holidays!!

 

Allright folks. I'm in Austin still bu my guy is still workin!. Ordered these fenders today and will finish them up this week and make the brackets for them. Can't wait to see these things actually installed on the car, changes the look of he front, and with the new Guide Style lights, it's really looking sharp.

 

The fenders needed little bit of adjusting and the radius on the sides will be cut to better match the white wall's radius, The p***enger side is more how the fenders will end up fitting. Liking it so far. End of the week should have more updated pics..

 

Hi there folks, here are some pictures from today. The fenders got the center strip removed and made a bit narrower, the sides of the fenders were attached but not completed yet, the hood was started, and got some round stock welded in for bracing and support, the one side opening hood system has been started.
All in all it's looking good. Should be ready for it's 2nd Turkey Run this year!! But with lot more stuff than the last time it showed in 06.....

More to come next week.

 

Def shaping up nicely,sure going to be even nicer then before
I got Rosh's done 3 weekends ago,all but a little of my striping and doing his rod name on his tank like he ask,but he bizz driving it now,.
I got these photo's at the Betty's Best Burger Rod Show sat nite of rosh's

 

Well, Javier ( shop Owner ) didn't like what the fenders were looking like and decided to start from scratch instead of continuing to modify the fenders he bought, then splt, then put together, then split again.. So he started from scratch, which is turning out much better than at first. Much better radius matching and a much cleaner look. Here are a few shots of the side and above the car for reference how it's coming along.

 

I like where this T has gone. Excellent work. What shocks are you using on the front and where does the lower eye attach?

 

Hey there, Thanks for the kudos, and your the first to ask about the lower shock mounts. The first builder who made the frame and lined the body with steel bars made some tabs for the lower links on each side. Those worked fine for a bit, but then I needed to have a bit more travel when I removed another leaf from the front spring, so I cut those tabs off and made new ones pointed towards the frame, this straightened the shocks a bit and gave them more travel. I'm using the Pete and Jakes short chrome shocks. Here are some before and after pictures of he change to the lower mounting points.
1st picture was at first wondering where we'd place the lower mounts, then the mounts were placd and they worked fine, but I wanted to lower the front and i removed one leaf, so I switched out the links side to side and then the mounts were a bit lower,, then I switched the shocks upside down, then the final thing was cuting them off, and welding new plates at a 90 degree from where they were, and rounded the ends and they look good and work great!

Ozzie

 

Thanks for the response, Ozzie. That's pretty close to the way I had thought of doing mine. It's good to see that the setup looks good and works.

 

So today was spend lining up the convertible top bows. The top frame is a KWIK TOP made in Australia, but sold here by a few folks.
Took a while to figure out where to add the tabs in the side of the tub. The kit doesn't come with the tabs since normally they'd be used on a car that has them already. Looks like it will be very cool The Shop needed to add another 2 1/2 inches to the forward bars that connect to the windshield posts. At the end of a few hours we were done, now to tighten everything up and do some photoshop mock ups with a nice white top. I'll post pics tomorrow night. The one i have on here I did in 20 minutes with windows paint
just to see what the white top would look like. Tomorrow i should get my girl to do a better job on some of the other angles.
Ozzie

 

Looks nice with a top should be a blast to drive when done.

 

What's the rear window plan for top ?,I've seen some neat alum frames made and even a few just from hardwood that were real nice rear views,and some pretty cool shapes used

 

Hi,
the rear window is gonna be a rectangle and the dimensions will be 2:35 to 1, so something like 25" wide by 10.6" high. Somewhere in that range. to ressemble The Anamorphic/Cinemascope framing in motion pictures. I want to be able to see out of it really well. Gonna try for Gl*** so whoever makes the top needs to have their stuff together.

 

Cool car but I like T bucketts

 

Hello folks, many weeks past and it's come along further. it's now back to primer, The top of the doors and the body have been treated to a 1" round bead and the extrusions on either side and rear of the bed were done with a 3/4" roller die set.
Project completion date is set for 2nd week of June. Still no thoughts as to what National show i'll debut it at. Everything is just roughed in as far as the body lines go...Here's to quick progess.....

 

Alright folks. Almost a month has gone by. here are a few pics. The engine/****** were removed and the firewall painted. I just left word for my builder to paint the engine block and the ****** the same color as the car. The frame will continue to be shinny deep black. Should be coming together in the next few weeks.

 

OK, So I went home for the weekend and already returned to Raleigh. But I was able to get to the shop to see the progress of the 23T and the 50 got a face lift also. I had the tunnel/french lights re frenched properly and used the Hagan buckets for them., also smoothed out the parts hood I had for it, smoothing it and peaking the front, the shop DSR did a great job. The Roadster is coming together. should have a full base coat in the next couple of weeks... SWEET!!!!

 

Forgot to add the pics of the 50!

I added two pics of before the lights were newly frenched. they had the "tunnel" french look, kind of bug eye.
Ozzie

 

And again I bring you update pictures.. these were taken today. The T is on hold for the next week, while another car is prepped for another Ink style reality show that's gonna be shooting there in the shop for a day, So no other updates for about two weeks after this.,....

PS, the deep Blue color is a darker version of the color it's going to be, it's layed on to see any imperfections and then sanded off and re painted. he previous pictures of the firewall and the lower steering column is the color it's going to be.
Purchased new header flanges and the Sanderson headers are going to be cut even closer to the frame to avoid any nasty leg burns, getting in or out of the car by the mrs.

Ozzie

 

Don't know how I missed this thread, I try to read all the T threads. Looks really good. I'm inspired to get to work on mine. Thanks for posting the update.

 

Zoomies, or the Track sprint Headers I had on before?
Lake style headers are out since I have the suicide doors, My girl or I would easily burn getting in to the thing. But if I can get baffles inside zoomies, that might be something worth looking into.
Car gets primed this week all one color, checked, then painted, then it's new wiring time for me and start the final ***embly and all that that entails... I figure a month or so before it's presentable..!!

 

Well wouldn't you know it. I recommended the shop I'm using to Ami James from the show I worked on to do his truck, and that truck took up the last 3 weeks!!! cause it was being used in a segment of a new show, so mine was put on the back burner!. But I'm told Monday will see my 23 completely painted with a darker base to look for imperfections, and align everything, then I'll make whatever changes or recommendations, and the real painting will get done. Let's see if it gets done before I leave out of town again for 8 months!
Headers still need to be cut closer to the frame, Guide lights painted, and Radiator outlet /inlet tigged back on in the new spots. let's see.

Remember when I posted pictures of this Chevy Pick up with it's 22" rims, it used to be white. Now it's a mix of Flat black and glossy black, and it has a full AC vintage air system. Still needs new handles, locking mechanisms, and little things here and there.


Ozzie

 

Well, the Model T is getting small fixes on the body done and while that was happening I was approached to take some pictures of the 50 and of the Model T in it's PRESENT state. Soooo. This was my day today..

 

Was at the shop today helping them separate stuff for sale to clean up some space at the shop.
And unknown to me they had sprayed my T with a darker shade of blue as a guide coat to look for flow along the lines . I like it!. It's coming together and the steel rolled edges are definitely looking cool. What do you think?

PS, I know the hood seems off, it's not really attached in the full side picture

 

Looks good Ozzie........are you staying busy with your filming?