Projects Direction change, better or worse?

This model A. RPU was stretched 4-6”.
At 6’3” I had plenty of leg room.
What I didn’t like was the windshield height. I spent my driving time with my neck crooked trying to see the road.
This thing was a rocket.

 

Brookville also sells 6" extended rear panel, those and the 4" extended door should make for lots of room

 

Did that cab come from Chris in NC?

 

Both the T and the roadster pickup are very limited on space. four inch longer doors would help but I'm still skeptical.. I would suggest finding a 30/31 roadster body which will allow you to use a seat on tracks that can go all the way back under the rear "tulip" panel allowing you to really stretch out. My avatar is set up like that. I've had guy's that were 6'5" set in it and they were surprised how comfortable it is and they can easily use the clutch.

 

No, came from a fellow HAMBster in North Alabama.

 

I'm thinking what I'm getting is going to have to work. It helps that I'm long in the torso and my legs are a little shorter than what would be normal for my height. Now, another thing in my favor is that I do all the cooking since my wife is unable. She is on a very rigid diet that she has to follow so, a side result is that I'm losing weight.

 

Alan, my Grandpa was long in the torso, like Popeye. He could stand on a stack of books, and still put his hands flat on the floor.

 

No, I'm wondering wtf I got in it for!??

 

Well, @Dean Lowe, here's a question. What would you have done if you hadn't got in it? Would you have taken up stamp collecting, growing prize petunias or the world's biggest pumpkin? No, you would have done just exactly what you did. Look how much you've enjoyed your hobby and inspired others over the years.

 

@Dave G in Gansevoort , Got the A body home. This was a phaeton originally, but someone offered the previous owner a lot of money for the back half. He ordered a rear panel from Brookville and tacked it in. I don't know if I care for the squared off rear corners but I think I can fab some radiused corners without much trouble. I also got a shorty bed and a good tail gate. The doors are stretched 4" and need a little finish work but the cowl and firewall are really great. It's definitely going to give me leg room. I turned the first pic 90 degrees. The vise stand isn't really sticking out of the wall.

 

I sat in that red stretched RPU this year at Deuce Days about 5 minutes after I sat in one with stock body dimensions and a recessed firewall for a SBC. The difference in room and comfort inside the cab was incredible. The stock-sized one was awkward to get into and out of and felt awkward once you were in it, the stretched one was really quite comfortable.

At several shows and friends places I've sat in at least 8 different 28/29 Model A roadster pickups with different seat configurations, cab stretch, and firewall positioning. These cabs really need to be lengthened if you want to use them. I'm 6'2" and slim with long legs.

I'm building a 28 RPU that started as a phaeton as well. Mine still has the section between the doors from the Phaeton, so I'm going to stretch mine that way. I'm interested to see how yours progresses.

 

Phew! I was starting to get freaked out, thinking too much turkey today! Or something...

Anyway, that body looks good. I'm terrible at bodywork, so to me those doors look fine. Keep the pictures coming

 

Thanks for sharing this stuff. And keeping it rolling. I am younger but last ten years has put me through the meat grinder.
When I grow up I wanna be like you.

 

Im 20'ish years younger then Alanp561 ,
6 ft 250ish big 14 feet , Tight fit in my 31 roadster with stock firewal ,carevan seat , stock door opening
Was a Pain in butt to get in/out, so I installed a Strange Engineering steering wheel release
( hide with Machining) on straight stockish column , made a big difference in /out. I even did this on
32 5w, doors a few inches longer, the Ts&As roadsters & up to 34 truck cabs are lacking door & space on stock inside dimensions, even my 32 5 its lack of feet room with a straight firewall with stock seat with no package tray seat moved back from stock ,plan on stock firewall replacement or stock feet pocket install on DS. 32 Tudor longer doors then 5w, I moved seat back 3 inchs . With out these mods Im unable to drive hrs @ a time like I used to.
Good to know yr a still Hot Rodding !

 

This 29 roadster pickup truck cab has the stock rear panel on the cab replaced with a reproduction panel off of some sort of Model T phaeton back panel… for additional 4” of interior space. Simple bolt in modification!
Hopefully a Model T Ford expert will be able to provide which panel it is actually for, and who actually reproduces the part.

 

Some people use the adaprers that let them remove the steering wheel upon entry/exit, but thats kind of a PITA. Consider using a column that tilts and also has the ability to telescope several inches. Might want to consider doing it similar to a 32 Ford where the firewall bolts to the frame and then the body lowers down in place and slips over the firewall. I say that because all your under dash stuff can be secured to bracing behind the firewall. Your pedal(s) and steering stuff. Then when you grab the steering wheel for that extra leverage to get out of the car, its pulling against very solid bracketry.

And Yes, I'll still think you are Kool........... Never any doubt about that!

 

All of these concerns can be fixed with a welder make it the size you need.
@alanp561 good looking project.

 

I’m 5’-9” and I’m 68.
I built the rear portion of the body of my 26 T RPU with an extra 4” behind the doors.

It’s snug but it definitely gives me the legroom to drive in reasonable comfort.
I built the pickup bed starting with a reproduction Model A tailgate narrowed 4” to better fit the body width of the T.
Don’t forget it’s a hot rod, not a luxury sedan.

 

^^^^That is sharp!!

 

I like that ride!








Bones

 

Wouldn't it be an A Phaeton panel? They had that shape.

 

Really nice ride! If you have more pictures, like when you built it, please post them. If you did a thread, get us a link. Love the Y-block.

 

Well done, how very well done!

 

Thanks everyone, this build took place over 10 years of my life and I documented it here in my build thread.
Be prepared I’ll warn you in advance it’s pretty detailed in the process of fabrication and like any project it evolves over time which ends up being over 90 pages
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/26-t-roadster-pick-up-build-thread.460009/

 

^^^^^^^^^^^
For those not familiar with Larrys' build it is well worth the effort to go through his build thread, if you are not detail oriented and are seeking instant gratification this kind of build may not be for you.

 

A looong time ago someone here on the HAMB posted how he made a T comfortable to ride in. Part of what he . did was make the toe board steeper/shorter. Said he gained about a foot of leg room. You can see in the picture where the old floor was. Of course he had to make new underfloor brackets but thats not hard. Maybe you can apply this to the A.

 

If you were to dig a little through my build thread you would find that I did something similar which was changing the angle of the toe board moving the bottom forward to gain some space and make the angle more comfortable for my feet.
It’s really a necessary thing to do because the original toe board angle is designed for sitting up much higher on the original seat and your feet will be fine with the original angle of the toe board.
When you sit down lower in the body with seats down on the floor you need the different angle for your feet to be comfortable.

 

It's taken me a while to get some progress done on the '29 RPU. I just didn't like the squared off rear corners with the Brookville rear panel so I happened across an OT Jeep YJ hood. 10 minutes after I got it home I was carefully removing all the interior support. Yesterday, I cut almost 7 inches out of the center of the rear support, removed the front to rear support and cut the front support in half. I'm going to have to add about an inch and a half to the width of the front support. Got everything all tacked up today and near as I can tell, I just gained about 8 inches of legroom with the added bonus of having really neat, rounded corners. I cut the hood down the middle from front to back and I'm going to start fitting the skin tomorrow.

 

Alan,

That looks like its gonna work really nice! I'm tinkering with a 29 rpu and am also 6'+ . Cant wait to see how it works out, Good luck!

 

I used to wish my RPU had a larger gas tank, because it really drinks the gas. But, I turn 77 next month, and I find that I appreciate the chance to get out of the tight little thing and stretch my legs. IMO, hotrods should be rowdy. Loud, fast, kind of rude. If that’s okay with you, better get going on it. We ain’t the young ones anymore. It gets harder to get in and out of it every year.