Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

Kiwi,

Got what I could, but some of them didn't come out so well....was using my wife's new camera, and apparently I got some learning to do.

 

Grasshopper T

 

Lightning Bug...

 

Himsl's T

 

T Rex....(Speed Improvements tube chassis)

 

And another couple of T's I didn't catch the name of.....

 

The others...

 

Chip,

I hope you feel better soon. Take Gary's advice if you're not feeling better soon.

RodStRace,

I placed the fuel tank on the passenger's side in an attempt to offset my weight on driver's side. I have an Odyssey PC680 concealed under the passenger's seat. It doesn't take up much room or weigh much, so I figured I'd put all my electrical stuff in one spot. As I iron out the final details and decisions, I'll post some pics.


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Two observations guys, No.1 : Tim, have you tried lowering your rear tail lights ? You are using the same as myself and I believe yours may look better mounted down a wee bit. Just have a think about it please while you are redoing the fuel tank.
No.2 : Guys, this one is more for you guys in the know. Was most of the " upholstery ", yeah, I put that in for Chip,, screwed onto the vehicles in the 50's and 60's hot rods ? I have noticed that several pictures of those early cars had the upholstery screwed on, now I realise that most were trimmed, whoops, upholstered by the home builder etc so they took the easier route. I personally just think the screws make the job look cheap and will be working my upholstery using hidden trim clips as used in more modern vehicles although they were used in motor vehicle assembly back in the 40's I believe.

 

Tim,

Just curious, but does your weight make a difference? I weigh 230 and mine doesn't lean at all (not that I can see it in pics anyway). I have a full width tank by the way.

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Maybe in your neck of the woods; but around here trimmers upholster cars and a good percentage of the auto upholstery shops have "trim" in the company name.

 

Sorry Whip gotta agree with Rich, my brother is a motor trimmer, has been for the best part of 50 years. I've only ever heard the trade as being refered to as trimmer even when doing furniture.

DSC_0049 by k1w1rodder posted Aug 9, 2014 at 6:20 PM

here he is head down bum up working on my roadster

 

Blowback

I like the photos you got!



To me Grill shell and radiator looks of, some how. Can't put my finger on it.

Do you have anything to say about the mill?

The car with the tube frame I liked a lot to. Need som de uglifying under the dash. But looks good to me.

Some of you pictures was out of focus, but that wasn't bad, there is an AMBR threat, by jimmy B, that link to a page, with a lot if pics, and they didn't show as much as some of yours!

 

Yep, Trimmers are also Upholsterers and yes, many refer to themselves as Trimmers as did my Brother who is or was a Automotive Upholster by trade. I have actually sold stock to many Trimmers / Upholsterers since 1985 when I got out of Panelbeating and become a Sales Representative for a company suppling the Auto Repair and Manufacturing Industry so am fully aware of what they call themselves but that wasn't what Chip had wrote in his explanation on the differences between an Upholster and a Trimmer. And that is why I felt I needed to correct his " Terminology " on the matter. So we have learnt something new tonight.

 

Here is a rear view of my T with the tail lights mounted down the body better Tim. Of course it is your choice on your car but I thought I would just fly another idea at you.

 

Looks good Whip but whats that shinny word on the back?? JW

 

That car have the stance. What a great start.
I would leave the windshield as is but that just me.
And the mock up tank you did is a jackpot.
The wires may not be era correct but those few rods with wires
i find in the magasines of the 50:s are all T.s

 

Tim, I agree with Whip regarding your tail lights but I see that if they did come down a bit they may interfere with the rear tires. Just an idea, try them under the box just in from the curve. JW

 

That is an old picture right ? And that shiny script word has been removed right
It has no place on that otherwise nice car.
And I also have to say that I don't care for the amber rear lights.
Even if they are only turn indicators.

 

Blownfuel,
My car has no lean with just me in it, but I am just trying to get as good of a weight balance as I can, so that's why I have the tank on the passenger's side.

Whiplash and 26T,
I used to have my taillights in a different location, but I got nervous that with today's traffic and drivers, my brake lights wouldn't be seen way down there and I'd get rear ended! I will be redoing the taillights one last time, but I think they will be staying in the same location (just with more tasteful brackets). I'm still planning to daily drive this thing, so I will probably be running cycle fenders in the winter months when it's so rainy. So that's another reason why the lights are mounted higher up- to stay out of the way of the tires and removable fenders.

Old pic, but you can see where I used to have the taillights mounted:





Then I got these '32 Ford brackets and lights, and thought I could mount them to the bed sides. Turns out the brackets are huge and way out of proportion to a T. They made the car look line an alien!





So I made these little brackets and drilled/tapped them so I could mount them in the bed pockets. I'm not happy with them and plan to redo them one last time. Again, these are old photos. The body is much higher in the rear now.








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I like that last picture with the lights tucked up high

 

Of course mine is higher in back than yours but I've never regretted mounting them here. Love 32 taillight brackets hope you can find a way to use them. Play around with it.

I love your rear end. Nothing personal but if it's not a banjo I love a big rear end. I'd really like to see a little more of it. It reminds me of those old '50s Olds differentials used in the late '50s and early '60s. Is yours a 9" Ford.

 

^That's how they are currently.

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Hmm, my last post was in reference to Tman's comment, and I had one other post that isn't showing up. I'll try again later.

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I see the reason, for the light plasement, I knew the could look better lower.
But safety first! Always!

I've been thinking about use a set or Early bug rear light, pre 1959. They are small and elliptic, they got two functions and a build in reflector.
Been thinking of different ways to use them.
You could use the housing, flip them side ways, and put then below the lip on the body, above the bed.
Or in the bed, like chip, The BofU.

But I don't mind them you got, just thinking out of the box.

 

Well after seeing those latest photo's of your T Tim I can see why you have your lights where you do. Man that is a narrow rear end compared to my mile wide mother, and if you want the ability to use fenders through your winter months I can see that you have little space for them anywhere else.
Now guys, that chrome sigley badge is still on the tailgate but will be replaced with a Hot Rod one as soon as I get the car ready for the road again. Funnily enough before I purchased it I asked several rodders what the definition of a " Hot Rod " was compared to " Street Rod " was and got so many different answers I decide that due to me wanting to drive the car as much as possible on the streets, it should be a street rod, but then that was before I started getting into the HAMB site and learning.

 

Out of interest Tim, what does your rearend from outside tyre to tyre measure compared to the front ? When I set mine up I wanted the rear to be slightly wider then the front which I'm happy with the overall look of my T.

 

Whip,
I'm heading out there in about an hour, so I'll take a couple measurements and post them. I remember being really nervous when I dropped off my rear axle at Dutchman's to have them narrow it. "Sure hope I measured that right," I kept thinking. Turned out pretty good.

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Yes, I can relate to that as I have created more work for myself when I decided to shorten my pickup bed and started cutting before brain was in gear so now have extra work in fibreglassing up the cockup where I cut all wrong.

 

Since the thread has had some discussion on upholstery and gas tanks here we go
I mocked up my gas tank in cardboard and it takes up less than 1/2 of my small bed so it's a bonus that I'll have a little room left.
It ends up to be around 17 gallons, so a decent size.
I'll make it from aluminum.
Now to the seats- upholstery.
I had a pair of aluminum bomber seats made by Frank Wallic. And had a set of pads made up for them covered in black vinyl.
I've been up and down with the decision to use them or not, or to build a bench style seat of the typical wood etc.
After having them sitting in place and sitting on them I think they are starting to grow on me.
And they are quite comfy actually.
I'm still on the fence but....
And, one more shot of how she looks today.
Larry