Projects 27 roadster on deuce rails

Hello, my name is Matt, I don't post too often..I've wanted to start a build thread for this hot rod for a while now, I've had stage fright I suppose. Anyhow, I've been dragging this body around with me since 1996, Steve, from Berts model A Ford gave me 1000 bucks and this body for a late 31 A truck cab and bed I had back then. I have been building it in my head for years while I've been collecting skills,equipment,spare time etc. you know the story. It may take me a few posts to bring the thread up to date, as I started around a year ago, although not much progress has been made for one years time. Many distractions..I hope to stay on it now until its done. Bear with me, posting photos is another skill I need to hone in.

 

Heres a few more from the day I drug all this junk out of storage.I have to resize the images, so bear with me.

 

A few more...an 8ba from an f3 I had, with a 48 case toploader was destined for this car, it's now changed to a 39-41 21a with a 78 case and dual detent shifter top, which I'm happier with. I ended up building the 8ba for my f1 when it chucked a valve seat on my way home from illinois. The other shots are of a cool old button I found in the kick panel area of the body, and of the 32 rails I started with. They are original ford rails that have had a rowdy life, as you can see.

 

These shots show where the P.O. of the frame had welded a giant patch in the area where the steering box is located, all the original holes in the frame had been welded up, and some really ugly frame horns had been welded on front and back, they were 32 style, but had no radius forming the channel, just square edges like a box..I cut em off. I also cut out the big patch, which was causing all the warping, luckily the passenger rail was not damaged except for the ugly horns. I removed all the floor pieces and a few little inner structure bits, seat riser etc. I want to build a footwell so I can have the seat real low, I hope to make a chopped folding top, so I will need to sit down in the car, instead of on top of it. The last photo is of my makeshift frame table, positioning the rails along the body as well as the width of the frame related to the body. Once I had that I welded them down to my table thingee.

 

Before I could start building the frame I needed the final tire and wheel setup as well as the final spring and crossmember configuration. These are shots of a front original model a spring that I removed every other leaf,polished and chamfered the ends and reversed the main leaf, it goes with an original model a axle that has been dropped 2 inches or so and 40 juice brakes and spindles, the rear crossmember is a 26/27 T as is the spring, I dont remember if I removed leaves from this one or not, although I did the same chamfer/polish bit to them, the spring is hung on a 40 rear end, I made new spring center bolts, and also made some blocks for the spring clamp that I welded on. More to come.

 

I had a few model a crossmembers around, but they all had different issues. When I picked up the 32 rails I got a repro front crossmember in the deal, grabbed it cause I'm a horder,thinking "I'll never use that junk". Well I ended up using it to pancake an original A crossmember that had a blowout in the center, these are some photos of that process, the last photo shows the difference in height, although the end triangle still need filled in this photo. Later shots show it installed in the frame all finished up.

 

Here's the road to the perimeter frame.. These show the relief cut to bring the frame rails back out forward of the cowl as well as how I simply had to cut the drivers side rail off to straighten it out.The rail had been shrunk so much from all the welding in its past life it had to be removed and fixed. I placed the rails along the body for the best match on profile as well as tucked under a touch,so I ended up having to relief cut the rails and bring them back out at the cowl. I was really inspired by Brian Bass 29 roadster build, a true master craftsman. I used his technique to finish off the front of my frame, where the rails will just be tucked into the grille shell, Doane Spencer style. The photos also show the t rear crossmember being welded in. Before removing the frame from the makeshift table, I boxed the rear and front in enough to hold everything in place, I was pleasantly surprised that nothing moved when I removed the frame from the table.

 

Here's some shots of how it's sitting all bolted together loosely, shots without the engine and trans then with..a shot of the headlights and grille shell, still need to chop the shell, the last shot is of a chopped insert I found on ebay, I may use this for chopping the shell.

 

27 on deuce rails--can't go wrong there!

 

You have my attention, sir!

Great to see another 40's style T roadster build!!

 

I like the way a 32 trans mount works, I'm going to use a shortened torque tube with shortened radius rods attached as original,so I like the thought of having the transmission being planted in the middle of the car with a solid bolt circle to keep the engine from moving around or the rear end pivot getting sideways. I ordered a reproduction 32 trans mount,and used a 32 center crossmember to make this pattern to transfer to 3/16 thick steel.The engine and trans are placed and stuck down in place while I build the center crossmember around the placement, then everything can follow from there. I've not yet completed the center crossmember..

 

So these are some shots of a fixture I started to build today..I rebuilt the original rear end from my old f1 when I originally saved it from the crusher, it was a dana 44 that I ended up using a jeep carrier and an auburn posi unit with a 3;54 ring and pinion, also from the jeep. I enjoyed that experience so much that I became intrigued with the slip in axle conversions for banjo rear ends. At the time, without a hot rod project going, I decided to try and build a rear end up for a future project. The rear end I will end up using in this car is an unknown year center section with 3:73 ratio ring and pinion with 46 bells narrowed and dana 44 f1 axle housing ends and axles with the 5 on 5.5 bolt circle. I feel it's still traditional as the f1 rear end is from 1951. I will post pics of that conversion process in the future. The purpose of this jig is to locate spring hangers on the axle. I intended on using the 40 rear, but I'm anxious to see if this axle I put together will work or not. Since I cut the original ends off, I have no spring hangers, also the radius rods need to be moved inboard on the axle to keep from crashing the frame. I used a yank of 3" square tube I found in my yard for the base, next I machined two pieces of 3/4 cold rolled bar stock for the pilots which will bolt into the spring hangers, I drilled the 3" tube through and welded one of the pilots in, then I made a 3/4 transfer punch for locating the second pilot.Slip the fixture into one hanger ,square up , then ratchet down and transfer punch up through the bottom of the second hanger, drill and weld in number 2 pilot. The cardboard pattern will continue up around the square tube, then transfer to steel and weld on to the tubing.The fixture will bolt to to any v8 banjo, giving the exact location of 40 ford spring hangers to build from. I had to do this,since I built my frame to the 40 rear end dimensions. Sorry for the long winded biz. That brings me up to date, I hope to move a bit faster than before, hopefully a build thread will keep me going...

Matt.

 

Very cool project !

 

Dang ! Great start for stage fright ! Did I pee my pants....or did you ? !!

I like it man ! Those are always cool rods to build......looks like yours found the right guy indeed. Good luck !

 

Thanks much fellas! hope to get some more done today.

 

are those Guide 903j's?

 

Larry, I'm not sure actually, I got them in a big box of lights at an auction. They dont have any tags, although they have been painted several times, so maybe the tags were removed. They are about 8.25 dia. and 6.0 deep.

 

I remember you mentioning this T while you were helping HI on Bang Bang, SO... loving these T's I will be following your progress. JW

 

JW, thanks for the support. We actually started working on Bang Bang again friday night, pedals n such.Feels good to be back at it.

 

That's great to hear, was wondering about that. Cool things in Denver. JW

 

Great skills along with a great build.

 

Thank you very much! headed out to the shop now to huff some kerosene..

 

Like this project. I'm subscribed.

 

Awesome start. Looks like you have had more than enough time to plan this one out and its showing in the results.

 

A really well executed build on a classic hot rod formula

 

I post all the time, you'll get the hang of it. I do this partly to keep myself encroached in the hobby and to not get too distracted by my other passions. Point is that having your own build thread can provide good motivation, trust me on this, keep at it, yours will be awesome!


"I need my mirror boy"

 

Very nice job

 

Thanks for all the kind words fellas! Runnin shine, it's my hope that the build thread will keep me rollin like you say..I'll post more pics tonite after work.

Matt.

 

kick-ass!!!

 

Thanks Andy. I really enjoyed watching yours come together, it turned out great, paint is killer.

Here's a few shots of the axle spring perch jig coming together, it's done now, I set it up on the axle I'm gonna use tonight but forgot to take a pic. Kind of a big job just to build spring perches, but it was a fun problem solving exercise I suppose.