Okay guys, bear with me because this has been a long time coming, and there is a bit of personal history with this one. I have been meaning to put an official build post together for awhile but I thought now the time was right as it could work as some therapeutic exercise. Plus I really wanted to wait until I had some decent progress on the "T" and until I had settled on what exactly I wanted to do with it; not knowing it would take just about 4 years to do and succumb to the loss of a key player to it along the way. The project started coming together about 4.5 years ago. I told my Dad what I wanted to do and he fortunately had a client that dealt in buying and selling old cars. Little did I know he had been collecting and selling cars for about 50+ years while traveling across Nebraska with the department of roads. Anyway my Dad made a phone call and a few days later he and I came home with the foundation of the project. The deal was I would simply bring it home and store it until I had the expenses for it and my Dad and I would slowly work on it. Well I think all of you know what its like not to play with new toys. Fast forward, now over the next few years I acquired a shop with some friends in college giving me a place to tinker and later that year my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. The car though was something that I was able to focus on and focus I did. Researching everything I could and falling for the Doane Spencer style; clean traditional and functional... The goal of the project became to put together a traditional model T sedan that could exist outside of the typical assembly of a pancaked car and remove it from its r*R* status.... So here's the plan. -1927 Model T Sedan - [To Be Chopped 9"] -Model A Frame - [Modified to suit the Doane Spencer front end] -59AB Flathead/ '39 Top-Loader Trans -'38 Banjo Rear Axle -'33/'34 Front Axle / Wishbones / 46' Hydraulic Brakes -'32 Grille Shell -16" Solids or Wires [Not Sure] Like I said I wanted to wait until I had acquired the parts before I really got going. So let it begin. But first, the real reason to start this now is that my Dad has just passed away after battling Cancer for 4.5 years just a few months ago. In that I have lost someone to share the build with. So I wanted to start this for him, because he was always there and to my recent knowledge enjoyed telling everybody about what I was up to. Take it or leave it guys, critique me as I go as I'll need it. I am in the end a newbie. This is my first build I'm 24 and 4 years in on it balancing college and life [now just life] and I'm literally learning about each step as I put it together. Thanks. P.S. - Pics are on the way.
Hi, Sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. It is great that he supported you on this car. I envy anyone who is close to their dad. My dad and I were not so I appreciate very much what you and your dad had. May your dad RIP. Looking forward to your build as you build your dream. Good luck with it. Dave
I completely understand your reasoning with this post. I lost my father a year and a month ago today. But the good part is he made sure you inherited the hot rod gene and I am very sure you two shared many memorable moments, plenty of stories, and lots of love between the two of you. I still find myself telling my mother stories to which she would reply "Your father let you do that!?" (the scariest one for her so far was me riding shotgun in a NASCAR) but she knew my dad would never let me do anything stupid. Well, too stupid, really. So, as you're building your car, think of how proud your dad is of you. Remember all the moments you two had together. Happy hot rodding. I'll be watching this build thread! Subscribed.
Moved it to temporary storage and did the first "mock-up" The style has changed a bit, I was new to this whole thing. Watched "rides" too much.
Moved it to our shop finally and was able to start work on the body. Started with the big ole dents on the rear and moved to attempting my own body work. LIKE I said before. All of this is trial and error and reading as many articles via the hamb and google about the topic....
Reworked the belt line, not perfect but for something around a 40's era build it should work. Thanks to a tech article via the hamb I gave it a shot and duplicated some hinges for the model a truck door to fit the car. Which lead to the drivers door actually being mounted! It's beginning to turn into a car...
Looks good! You started off with more than what I did. And it's in better shape too! Is that a 60's car I see in the back behind the Buick in the shop shot?
Since the door could mount I gave the sheet metal on the door a look and came up with some replacement panels and finagled them in, one way or another. It's amazing what can happen when you take your time.
TexasSpeed - It is, its a 63 bel-air 4 door. My friend has that end of the shop. There were actually three of us in there. Behind the 63 is actually a 30/31 Model A Sedan and across the center aisle is an early 50's Henry J. Had a pretty cool set up until we had to part ways due to jobs and such...
Well, you get the idea. The body started to come together after a few years honestly. Winters really suck to work in. So found another shop, got it set up and started to concentrate on the frame since the body was pretty much ironed out beyond more of the finer details. Like I'd said before I've spent countless hours staring at photos I'd taken at Bonneville and researching the Bones/Spencer suspensions and decided to just go for it by starting with pinching the model A frame like the Bones. [thanks to the mag. articles] This is where the project ended up and was the last time Dad actually was able to see what I was up to... [roughly a year ago]
Ended up moving the project home for a bit and was able to work pretty hard on it which brings the progress up to date. Front suspension with grill shell checking fit with spring and axle. How I resolved the front spring perch. I ended up making a set of bushings to accept the tapered end of the perch rather than machining the perch itself. The idea was to save that bit of taper for added strength to support forces applied to the perch. Perch holes drilled and bushings test fit with front suspension entirely mocked up before initial tac-welds prior to final welding. Tac-Welds all in place and assembled prior to being final welded and burned in real good with 220 Mig. This is the desired angle for the wishbone but I'll probably have to mount the rod ends a few inches below the rail rather than immediately on the rail once the tire rake comes into a more accurate measurement.
This is where it sits now until I can get back on it, probably in a few months when I can get some more time when life gets less hectic and I can get back home. I think tires are the next step and a look at the drums/bearings/brakes. Until then here are some mock up photos that are keeping me going hopefully they'll speak of the true direction its going. P.S. - The duct tape on the car is the potential chop line. SO the top of the tape would be the roof.
Sorry to hear about your dad dude. He would be proud of your progress so far. It's looking real good!. I love T-Sedans. I didn't read any mention of a chop. What are the plans? A nice chop on a Model T is a beautiful thing. Best of luck on the project!
You do some very nice work. One thing I want to mention is make sure your spring perches are far enough apart so the shackles are at about a 45 deg. angle when fully loaded. I know a lot of people that overlook that and think long and hard before you do your chop. I've got one buddy also sentimental of his T now considering adding a few inches back to it.
In Dads Memory, go for the gusto! My father didn't leave me any money... he left me something better...a lot of know how, work ethic and that a mans word/handshake was better than any contract a dozen lawyers could dream up... Dad deserves the best in his memory. So sorry for your loss my friend.
Yeah I know it seems like a lot of chop. I'm hoping I can get around it since I won't be channeling the car. I was also playing with the idea of raising the cowl (adding 2 in) to raise it so it runs even with the deuce shell so I wouldn't have to section it. Proportion is key.
I love your project. I also really like T's with a heavy chop. They just look mean. Have you considered running a T grill shell? To me, it seems to loose something when you use a 32 shell on a T. Just a thought. Great Car. Mike
nice start, I think you should rethink the heavy chop. the car is not going to be superlow (big rake possibly) from what I can see in the chassis build and that might throw off the proportions. I would raise that tape line some. I know you want that heavy chopped look but that is a boxy body compared to a 32-34. I would not chop it until the car is on the ground at ride height with motor/ trans in it. Then you can stand back and visually look at the car. comparing the ground clearance to the overall height of the car..
Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'm going to wait to chop it until the body is bolted to the frame and just about everything is situated for proportions sake. As far as the extreme chop is inspired by the early dry lakes era. I've seen some severe alterations. Although I can understand the point of too much chop. When I get the motor mocked up and tires/wheels on we'll see what happens.
Nice work on the T. So sorry to hear about your dad. My dad is building a '26 T Coupe right now. He chopped his 7". I think it looks really good that way. Not too extreme. Keep up the good work. Subscribed
Hope you don't mind but I was bored: Chopped and I raised the cowl to meet the grill shell like you were thinking. I couldn't do it with the software I have but how about flattening out the top of the cowl to resemble the model A or 32 type cowl top. If you add height to the cowl and chop the top the windshield may look way too small, but if you flatten the cowl top you retain the windsheild height you loose in the heightening of the cowl. Jeff
Great work. If you look up "Short T" you can see my new sedan that is chopped 11.5", that'l give you an idea of what your looking at. Where did you get your replacement panels? I need to do most of the repairs you did, and was going to go to howells. Also, if you have any good pictures of the back bottom corners, mine are completely gone, and I'm trying to visualize how the patch panels are going to fit in. Keep up the good work!
The Jalopy Journal
