Ok, so here i go again... I had to sell my 27 Roadster, money got tight, blah, blah, blah.... New chapter- I just bought what looks to be a fairly solid 1926 Tall T coupe to build and this time I actually have some cash to build it with. The plan is to build it on a "raked" frame. Some people like the look and others simply hate it. What I'm talking about is a frame that has a "pie" cut right at the firewall and then the back half of the frame is lifted up to tilt the entire body forward a few degrees. I know that "back in the day" there were a lot of cars built this way for a raked hotrod look and I simply love it. I don't want it extreme, but definitely want it noticeable. I'll post a few pics of what i bought and the look I'm wanting below. Obviously, the orange car is the "look" photo I am referring to...
I know that transverse rear springs are traditional and that they work, but do the kits like Speedway Motors sell work properly? Photo below... I would just think that having the fully enclosed rear crossmember would simply work better, but I've been wrong before.
IF I had a 27 tall T.......I would want it like the orange one. Does sitting in it keep scoot'in you toward the dash?! That might get old quick. 6sally6
I'm not sure, but I'm thinking that if I have the seat made with the lower cushion designed in the reverse angle of the body you'd sit flat, but your feet would still have a slight angle down in the floor.
I like it! It's definitely on the wild side.....stance, color, and engine! I'd probably do a 1" or 2" less channel..... just for more interior room, but it still would have the wild look.
I dig it. The only thing I don't care for is the trimmed cowl. I'd have slid the body back a couple inches/engine forward an inch to avoid that. Does that car have a rear mounted radiator? I've been picking up T Coupe parts for some time with plans to build a raked, channeled Coupe. I'm only short a deck lid and one door to having a complete body.
To me the trimmed cowl just adds to the wild look....just like the throttle linkage shooting out the cowl vent! I really like the white zoomies too. Another pic.
I like it !!! Different is good and can be real cool. Yours will definitely draw the eye weather at driving down the road or at a show. Betcha
I agree about less channel and I'm not sure about the radiator location on that car, but I'm planning to run mine up front where it belongs.
To my eye, it needs a bit more wheelbase as the engine is too squashed in there - too "cartoony" maybe. The other T Coupe which I suggest is directly comparable is the Stoner/Conder one pictured above, and that body was shortened to get the proportions bang on the money.
I'm not really sure how your seat will work. My old coupe was channeled 3 inches but level. The seat bottom was about 3 1/2 inches tall at the front to about an inch at the back. with my seats, the raised front section was about the only support for the back of your legs. Had it not been this way, my legs would have been cramping all the time and would have been uncomfortable it would be worth your time to try and find a coupe close to what you are looking to build and make sure you would be able to handle the seating position
Ironically the orange car that is pictured above is local to St. Louis and a friend of mine apparently knows the owner, so the plan is to go see, sit in, look at the design of the car etc. before I do any mods to mine. I want to know I'm going to be happy with it before I start. If it's not comfy to drive it'll end up a garage decoration and I DRIVE my cars. My daily driver is a 57 Chevy sedan... P.S. nice interior in your car.
The example is probably double trouble. I got an idea that it has a swept frame and the body is angle channeled as well to give it a little extra oomph. It is a look that some like and others don't. I love a phone booth, and the Uncertain T is one of my all time favorite cars. But for me personally maybe a little more subtle (says the guy building the Crosley with 20+ present engine setback ) is what I would be after. Not me personally going to be building or driving it though.
I think you have to be of a certain age to like that style. I am of that age. If some is good, more is better, and too much is just right.
The name of the orange example car is the "T Bag"... I think I'd of chosen another name for it, but to each their own...
There probably isn't enough room up front for a radiator. Width of the radiator is fixed.....the only way to go bigger is to make it taller. Much taller and it will start to look wrong.
I don't think I'll need nearly as much radiator as the orange car, I don't have "hemi" money... I'll more than likely run a S.B.C. or a S.B.F. I gotta admit, I'm really a Chevy guy at heart, but I love early Ford bodies... I also have 3 Chevy engines sitting in my garage.
The proportions on the orange T strike me as being just about perfect. I think the long cowl looks better...the short cowl puts way more emphasis on the vertical lines of the body, makes it look taller than it is. Either way, the tightly packaged dimensions are a welcome contrast to all the "long rods" out there. Engine-wise, a SBC will have less visual bulk in the engine compartment to offset the visual weight of the tall body. Part of why the orange T works is it has that big 'ol hemi up front. Maybe try it with model kits first?? Altered States Resin does an unchopped '27 coupe body. Having 3D parts to mess around with can be even more useful than Photoshop mockups.
Theres no rule that says the floor, once inside the frame rails, cant drop down in front of the seat to below the frame rails height in order to make a semi-flat/horizontal floor that is more comfortable for your legs, ankles and feet. Like KevKo, Im of the age which loves this style of hot rod (I blame the AMT models I got as a kid), but Im also of the age that needs some level of comfort to cover distance when driving.
So you used to own the orange car? Seems sad to me that anyone would part with such a neat rod. My next door neighbor is Jeff Zohner, he said he used to work for the guy that built that car.
Hard to beat the snotty idle of a SBF compared to the SBC. They just sound better than chevys (but I'm a Ford guy so........??) You ARE "gonna cam-the-crap" out of it.....right??!! I mean...why build it if it gonna idles like an Altima?!
I always liked the engine setback and hacked up cowl on Littleman's Death's Doorstep. Might be a way to get crazy proportions, though you'll probably have to drive your coupe from the very back of the car. Stoners T from another angle. Might want to study this one too.
I also love the look of the orange car and I am 12 years older than dirt, so it is not just an age thing. I also like the car that "GasserTodd" posted but those damn "T's" are small enough inside without cutting them down front to back if you are actually going to drive the thing, the proportions are just about perfect on that car though. On the orange car it appears not to have a drastically raked frame, but it is that raked channel as beaner mentioned making it have that look more than anything. One thing you will need to keep in mind is not to make it look to much like a clown car. This car can have that look and not be clownish at all, but you will need to be tasteful in your approach. Also it is damn hard to beat the deep horsepower growl of the SBC, over the tinny sound of the SBFord. Chevys just sound better than Fords, but I am a Mopar guy so what do I know? I do know I like to stir the pot once it's been started though.
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