*MrModelT and Powerwagonmaniac build a T speedster in 6 months!*

Clayton, This was quite a fast year. Didn't know the date Bill died - the one year date will be here very soon. Bill will be in our thoughts on that date. He is greatly missed .

Thanks so much for update and reminder.

Dave

 

...He is GREATLY missed for sure

I find it hard to believe that it has been a year already....seems like just yesterday he was still shuffling around the shop, gripping to Chris and I about tools that needed to be picked up (to which we would both reply "Yes Dad!" ) and fiddling with the '09 Brush.

...I still expect him to come down and see what's going on Wednesday nights with this look on his face...

 

*UPDATE*
"Aye Capt'n!...Tharrr be fenders Ahoy!"

It has been far too long since I posted a decent update on "The Special" ...and I know many of you have been "chomping at the bit" for something new. Sadly high summer temperatures and summer work schedules hampered any attempts to make any decent progress, but this weekend we had good temperatures and a free weekend...so Chris and I got to work!



The first step was to get a decent seal coat on the underside of the fenders, to protect them from water intrusion in the areas that will be hidden behind the fender frame work.



Next, we applied the 3/16th" fiberglass cord to the edge of the fenders..to simulate the beading. Once this cord becomes soaked in resin, it will become equally as strong and give the fenders a nice rounded edge.





Now we were ready to begin the glass work on the inside of the our first victim...the driver's side front fender. I mixed up a good amount of resin (a 2:1 mix ratio) before showing Chris how to lay out the cloth. The first layer (of more to come) was to be done on the underside of the fender, to bond the steel frame work to the cardboard skin.








After about 25 minutes, we had exhausted our "pot" of resin and had the cloth sealed in rather well to fender and walked away to tackle other projects on the car...leaving it to cure over the next several hours.





Our other project for the day was finishing the spare tire carrier. Chris and I did the final cutting, fab work and welding to finish the lower brace and lower lug stud (to accommodate the double spares). We may still need so addition bracing yet, but for now....it's done. One more thing to scratch from the list.









Chris also did a bit of welding on the gas tank to add the fuel pressure line from the hand pump.




"Holy Updates Batman!"

"That's right Robin...never have we seen such a description of ingenuity and progress"


Stay tuned for more!
​

 

bump

 

Clayton, Great update. The fender looks to be coming along good for you. Will be standing by for more updates.

In the first picture the car in the background - is that Bill's Brush ? I have never seen one of those. How about some pix of this ride ?

Dave
-

 

Thanks Dave! Chris and I are quite excited at how the fenders are turning out. Chris laid up the first layer on the outside of the fender Tuesday night. It turned out VERY hard and stout. No pictures yet, but Saturday for sure.

The bigger car in the background of my first photo is actually the Becker's 1917 Hupmobile Model N.

The Hup, or "Whooper" as she is called, has been in the Becker family since 1963. Restored by the Oregon State Penn in the early 1950's (painted at the time powder blue) and sold at auction to one of the prison gaurds, she lived through the late 50's car show scene until 1962 when the brakes on her transport trailer locked up on route to a show and flipped the trailer with the ol' Hup on board....destroying everything on the right side of the car from the belt line up. The owner of the now destroyed Hupmobile (and a friend of Bill) gave the Hup to Bill 1963...who promptly took the car up to a friends shop on Whidbey Island (Puget Sound, near Seattle) and restored the car to it's current appearance in a month







1917 Hupmobile Model N
4-cylinder 30 hp
3-speed gear box
4.10:1 rear axle
35-40 mph


The '09 Brush was Bill's favorite "toy". A gift from his parents upon his graduation from High School in 1965, he was slightly intimidated by the lil' Brush...and felt greatly limited by it's 20 mph max speed. He decided to sell the brush in 1971 in order to purchase his 1913 White GAF 30 touring (a much faster car). At the time he sold the Brush, he made a request of the buyer...a good friend of Bill's from the Horseless Carriage club: "If you ever want to sell it, I want first chance at buying it back"

...fast forward to 2003. The Brush has been sitting in the came garage (unused) for 30 years. The owner, now 90, can no longer maintain or operate the Lil' Brush and decides to part with it. He keeps his promise and calls Bill....."If you want the Brush back, this is your lucky day".

It took 6 guys to push the Brush out of the garage and up to the flat deck...because she was so stiff from sitting for so many years. After a thorough cleaning, Bill put the lil' Brush back on the road and managed to amass over 2,100 miles on the car under it's own power until his death last year.....and his wife Karen continues to do so in his stead.









My Dad and Bill on Father's day 2008


Karen and her friend Carole on the final stretch to "Great Oregon Steam Up" 2011


1909 Brush Runabout (speed model)
1-cylinder 12 hp
2-speed planetary transmission
dual chain-drive
22 mph
*Body, frame and axles are all wood. Axles and frame are Hickory*

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GAmiGXKVo54" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Clayton, do you know if Alanson Partridge Brush, founder of the Brush Motor Car Company, bears any relationship to Elijah Brush, mayor of Detroit, and his son Edmund Brush, developer of Brush park in Detroit? I've often driven by and wondered if the name came from the automaker, or whether the automaker was descended from the street's namesake. A little research reveals that Brush Park and Brush Street are older than Brush Motor Car Company, but I'm stumped on whether there's a relationship yet.

-Dave

 

Dave, I cannot confirm nor deny this. I doubt he was however, because The Brush family you speak of here was rather prominent and wealthy. Alanson however grew up in a simple home, went to public primary and secondary school and didn't go to collage.

 

Clayton, I love the look of Bill's Brush ! That shade of blue is kind of different for a 1909 car. Must have been the first Economy Compact of the 1900's !

Dave

 

The color scheme is certainly wild! ..a very 1950's repaint!

The gentleman that restored the Brush found it in a barn, where it engine had been used to power a chicken feed conveyor since the 1930's. The car was simply cleaned and reassembled and given a repaint.....his wife chose the colors.

The car still bears its original leather interior!

 

i just wanted to say thanks for the build photos reason behind its creation. knowing the brush was his fav.. i can almost guarantee this special you are working on would be come his #1.. i can understand the build now knowing about the brush car. it just seems so logical.
i really like th spot light, that just screams the time period you are working in. its funny to think of our modern cars with such a piece. laughs. look forward to new updates. im planing on building a t.. gonna use a cowl, and build a wood body. since im to tall for the fiberglass jobs. however, i cut my finger in half so i aint doing nothing till my finger heals. thanks for sharing.. subscribing,.
chris.

 

Clayton,

Thanks so much for the history of Bill's 1909 Brush. It was wild that was someones go to meeting car in the early 1900's and then a chicken feed conveyor in the 1930's and later lovingly restored in the 1950's. Then ending up as a car that Bill really enjoyed a leasurely cruise in !

Wow ! - just WOW !

Dave

 

Dad really enjoyed his Brush. Right now Dave we are repairing a burned out rod bearing in it. Hopefully will have the new slightly hot rodded Brush engine back by November 1st.!

Right now, quick update before I go to bed for the evening. Well the hand fuel pump works great we plumbed it in and tried it out today. Got the
Special started on the first turn of the starter after a 4 months of not running. Took it out for a quick ride around the neighbor hood. Check out the video I shot with my I-phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xZplXEJMlQ

After that we put another coat of glass on the left front fender and called it an evening. 1 fender almost done 3 more and a hood to go!!

Chris Becker

 

Chris, Video is just down right COOL ! Is that your test course ? Looks like Clayton was having a ball driving the Special. Keep up the good work you guys.

Dave

 

Yeah it's about a mile down and back. Clayton was taking it easy this time.

 

jipp.,

I wish dad had seen it while he was still here. That spotlight just wouldn't look right on any modern cars.It's the oldest part on the car right now. Patent date of 1904 & 1906!!

Hope your finger get better so you can start on your T. Are you going to T or A drive train?

I am going out again today to start fiber glassing the right front fender.

 

...Older still! ...patented Jan 31, 1899 and Aug 25, 1903

"Looks like Clayton was having a ball driving the Special" ...More than you know Dave, More than you know

 

Clayton, I think I understand. What with your cool '26 Roadster - I just know you really enjoy driving something that you and Chris created. I wish I could be there to help you guys out.

Dave

 

*UPDATE*
"Holy Updates Batman!....Part Deux!"

Chris and I continued our fun with fiber glassing This weekend, making some decent progress. Chris and I finished the Drivers side front fender on Saturday night and Chris flew solo on the Passenger side front and drivers side rear fenders Sunday morn and did a great job! Here is a look:







Saturday was also a big milestone because we were finally able to fill her new tank with fuel for the first time...AND got to test Chris's hand fuel pressure pump which work EXCEPTIONALLY well! It is a very simple system consisting of a small manifold with two check valves (one as an intake, one as an exhaust) thus pressurizing the tank and sending fuel to it's rightful place in the carburetor. It worked brilliantly, so to celebrate....we took her for a few spins around the property.

This one is of me giving Chris's boy Carston a ride around the building:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ljy0u6zTOpU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

More to come soon as we head for the Finish line of completion!
​

 

You are correct. There is just a special "something" that I get climbing behind the wheel of a "monster" like this. Going for a ride is one thing....driving it is a whole different story

 

Clayton seems to get to drive the Special more than I do. Oh well I'll put my turn in near future. I will be working on fiber glassing it again this evening.I'll try to get some more pics.

 

Chris and Clayton, The Special is really coming together. Will you be doing a thread on Clayton hand pump ? I know that Brent was looking for an old timey hand pump for his "T". My friend "Moe Speed" makes them like the one on old sprints and midgets. Am interested in what Clayton made. Keep up the great work.

Dave

 

Dave,

Clayton was a little skeptical if it would work so this is my idea and fabrication work...

I will get some pictures of it tomorrow and do a write up. Somebody built the pump but it has no check valves in it. so i bought 2 1/4" npt check valves and a bunch of fittings, a little 1/4 dia copper pipe welded a steel pipe in the top of the gas tanks and walla, it works. System still needs a pressure gauge yet. Clayton probably got more pictures of it... Too start the car you pump up the tank about 15 to 20 pumps. About every 15-30 minutes a couple of pumps more keeps it pressurized enough to send it to the carburetor. We have only a couple of gallons in a 10 gallon tank so it should be less work when full and close to half full. Will be a handful to drive...

Still need to do the finish work polishing better hardware, trim around brackets with nice looking upholstery and paint.

Chris Becker

 

Now, lets get some things straight. I wasn't skeptical that it WOULDN'T work......I just wasn't quite sure HOW WELL it would actually work, and it EXCEEDED my expectations!

We both were not sure how much it would take to pressurize the tank enough to start sending fuel to the carburetor...50 pumps?....25 pumps?......100 pumps? Just 2 PUMPS....2...hit the starter and WHAM! away she goes!

..I was thoroughly impressed.

You certainly do have to remember to keep pumping the thing up....but we ran the car all after noon without any issues. ...as Chris said "you sure are busy behind the wheel"

Though I did offer Chris some "advice" and "constructive criticism" ......
....this little project was all Chris's handy work.

Excellent work big bro

 

Hey guys the special looks great!!! Keep up the good work and keep in touch! -Fred

 

Thanks, Fred! So how did the parts you got for your White work? Any pictures?

Chris,

 

Thanks, Fred! So how did the parts you got for your White work? Any pictures?

Chris,

 

*UPDATE*
Fiberglassing "sticks" around for another week!
(har har )

Now in our 3rd week of "fiber glassing fun"....Chris and I are finally able to see the finish line. One rear and one front done...That's right DONE! The others are one or two coats on the inside from being done and the hood is in the works as of Sunday afternoon. Here are the latest visuals:

A rear fender laid up


The right-front in the same state






And now, a step by step of skinning the hood:

Step 1: apply the cloth after the first "bonding coat of resin is applied.


Step 2: lay cloth out evenly with no creases or bubbles


Step 3: gentle smooth down cloth


Step 4: ...continue smoothing (I'm sorry...I'm running out of caption ideas )


Step 5: Apply second coat of resin to seal and penetrate cloth. More coats of resin and 1 more of cloth will be needed.


That completes this weekends efforts. More to come so stay tuned!

Chris and Clayton
​

 

"Make sure that one's pinkies are postioned appropriately"

 

That is s good one!