Hopefully, Santa is bringing me a turtle deck this Christmas. I am on the fence about how high to mount it. If some folks could post up some pics of T's with turtle decks, I would greatly appreciate it! (The body is a '23)
Here’s irontraps T. Just because it’s beautiful. r Every once in a while, life gets a little more surreal.
Irontrap's car is absolutely amazing! Big difference in the height of both turtle decks. Raven, your car looks like it will also going to be outstanding. Is this the difference between a '23 style and the '27? Or is it personal preference. I need room for my fuel tank and the battery underneath.
My car is a '26 RPU cab but I'm using an earlier turtle deck that was widened, it sits on top of the frame rails instead of lining up with the top of the back of the body like a stock 26-27 does. There's not a lot of room inside one, in fact, my gas tank sticks out of the top of it, although it's a big tank. Here's one without the tank, and one with it. You could build a set of false subrails that would mount on your frame and hold the deck up about 4 inches, like what a stock 26-27 has, and gain a lot of inside trunk space.
I think it depends heavily on the build style of the car. Looks good low or high based on that. maybe post a good side shot of your car and someone can photoshop or sketch the deck on it at different heights?
I love turtle decks. Never understood the popularity of pickup beds when you could have a turtle deck. I don't dislike pickup beds but like turtle decks a whole lot more.
Okay, I will post a side view, but every time I show a picture all the critics come out and say: "this is wrong " and "that is wrong " even though I have explained that I am changing just about everything that they hit on, like the valve covers that are going to be replaced with finned covers, the wheels that are being replaced with steel wheels and wide white walls etc. I have thick skin, but it can be annoying... Also I am on a fixed income, and things will get done as I can afford it.
26-7 style. Scale was guessing off the rim size of each photo. second is my favorite. The late t deck but I moved your axles back. Kept the same wheel base, I just grabbed the wheels together and moved them back and third is a 23 ish turtle deck in the low position. Pardon the random bit of wheel/ fender. second and third photos got swapped gah. You get the idea
Already ordered the early T deck, and it does look better. There is going to be some overhang, so it will have a kind of "T altered " look...
The turtle deck should sit within the character line in the back of the body. Here's one I build many years ago. SPark
Try to find a '26-'27 turtledeck and you'll have your answer. They're hard to find, and when you do they aren't in great shape or cheap. Plus, the decklid is usually missing. Modern reproduction lids are out there, but they aren't cheap either. And the steel one from Howell's doesn't fit anyway. I do know of a pretty nice one that's for sale, but it's priced at $3k. A little more than I want tp pay to replace the one I finally found, that's going to need so much work the $3k one will probably seem like a deal when I'm done.
I ordered one from "Class Glass Performance" made right here in Maryland. $235 with a separate trunk lid. Best thing is that I can pick it up at their shop and avoid shipping costs! I assumed that the body line in the back was where the deck was mounted...
Ya ya I know, the Tires are in the wrong place. That said the Turtle Deck sits on the body nice. I do believe that is a late Turtle Deck though.
Probably best bet for you is when you get it, mock it up at various heights til it looks right to you...after all it is your car not ours. May have to build a custom tank to fit though. There are some low profile marine tanks, but not sure how safe or legal on a vehicle
A word of caution - Long ago, I bought a 'glass '57 bumper at Rod & Race Fiberglass in Laurel, MD. Didn't understand that newly made parts are ''green'' and don't fully cure and harden right away. I didn't store it perfectly straight, and it forever had a twist in it.
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