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Projects 1920 T Roadster Build Thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by -Brent-, Apr 11, 2010.

  1. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    It's weird how you can have an old picture of a kick ass hot rod as a screen saver and the law of attraction provides you with all the crap... err pieces to create something like it yourself.

    What is interesting is how much I've learned about pre-war hot rodding by doing my homework with this car.

    Last Halloween I found this in a local online classified.

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    Soon after, I found good deals on other pieces to the puzzle.

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    The frame came with a TON of other parts for the project. My goal was to be frugal with a budget. When it's all said and done, I plan to be less than 4k into this car.

    The car had an odd body modification. For some strange reason one of the PO's cut out this piece and the riveted it back in. Perhaps a door gone wrong? Don't know... but I scored a piece from a HAMBer to get it back into shape. Very little new metal or parts will be used with exception of rebuild parts for steering, brakes, wiring and such.

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    Last edited: May 21, 2010
    Outback likes this.
  2. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    After I accumulated an sh!t ton of parts I hauled them up to a buddy, Wendell's shop. I met him through buying some hot rod parts for my coupe. He's a good fabricator and I'm slowly convincing him that I am sane.

    Although this photo doesn't support that claim.

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    Three frames on the trailer... the A roller, a T, and a TT frame. A banger and trans in the bed along with every other part to get it going. To be fair, the ground wasn't level... hahaha.

    Anyhow, it made it to the shop and we dug in.

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    First, the patch piece off a touring car was used. The metal has not been finished. I'm looking for some metal finishing tools so that I can practice.

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    The frame choice was a TT (Model T Truck). I had a couple ideas about different frame designs and felt the TT would be a sharp choice and it would allow me a little larger canvas to attach my bones and all mechanical brake brackets to.

    Yes, that's right I'm running mechanicals. And, I'm excited about it! :D First thing though was to find a way to get it low. From what I've seen in photos of late 30's and early 40's salt cars (which is what I'm aiming for) they didn't drop the bones. Instead, they raised the mounting point and modified springs.

    I tore a page out of Bass's book with my front mount. Actually it's the rear TT spring mount narrowed a half of an inch. The spring has stock secondary leaves de-arched on top of a custom main leaf which is narrowed and has a 2.25 arch. I had to do my homework on figuring the spring. I could have spent a few hundred on a spring but having a main made with reversed eyes was less than $30.

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    Here's the front part of the front spring hanger where the spring mount will be set into. It was marked with soapstone and burned out.

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    We cut out the area for the frame and clamped the cross member together. Then we chose to zip the sides off after the cross member was tacked together.

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    Below is the degree gauge for the front spring place. It's one inch thick steel plate that will get softened edges when the metal gets finished after the initial mock-up. We slid it and tacked it, because without even a tap with a hammer it sat at 7 degrees. Sometimes things work out. :D

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    It's gussetted below (inside the crossmember). But with 1" steel, its not going to get bent like so many others of the pre-war cars I've seen in pics. It's overkill, I know this.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
    bct likes this.
  3. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Moving onto the back.

    I was really inspired to get the car low in the rear the same way Phil Remington got his low. I was lucky to talk to Dan Web whose recreating the Remington car and he gave me some good tips. Remington's car used a modified A spring, I went with a T spring. It's going to get narrowed further after getting the car rolling now and seeing that it's just a little too wide. It's trial and error, I love that part of the process.

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    In order to figure the kick-up and the wheelbase we set the body on. I'm a fairly mathematical person, but I'll be honest, this being my first kick-up, Wendell and I were going back and forth on how and what to do and I was confused. We leaned a wheel up to the body to estimate what would look best. It's not pretty, but squint and imagine. :D

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    The kick-up.

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    The T rear spring hanger and frame. It will be smoothly transitioned. As well, I made templates today to box the two transition areas, just need to get them cut.

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    Another shot of the spring... I chuckle when I look at it. Not much different than the "Multi" T or Remington's. I've learned a lot doing it the way they did.

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  4. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    This is the beginning of what I consider to be the 10lbs of poo into the 2lb bag.

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    Cut out of a junked Model A frame I got from Deviator, here on the HAMB. Cool guy, he's got my dream shop.
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    What's the saying, measure once, cut twice? Yes we made a measuring boo boo. :D

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010

  5. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Here's a couple miscellaneous detail shots:

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    Can't mount the axle until the steering arms are modified.

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
    brEad likes this.
  6. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    So, putting a Model A banger into a T width frame has its challenges. One such challenge has to do with the motor mounts. These are based on stock mounts that Wendell cut down. The motor will have to be installed into the frame with the mounts on the frame. If you've worked on an A before you know that's not easy nor normal. We've got a few ideas on the best way to go about that... but that'll be in a later thread.

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    They've been drilled for four 3/8 -16 grade 8 bolts with castle nuts. There's still a rubber pad between the mount and frame and there'll be a pad on the outside of the frame, as well.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  7. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Here are more brake set-up photos.

    The brackets that will be mounted to the outside of the frame will have some rivet heads for aesthetics (there'll be others throughout the frame as well). These brackets are to mount the lower brake rod.

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
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  8. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    [​IMG]

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    The steering arm will clearly not fit beneath the frame.

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    Heated, dropped and now facing the correct direction. Still needs a little adjusting.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  9. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Mock up photos:

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  10. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Specs:

    103.5 WB
    11.25" Frame Height

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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
  11. zmcmil2121
    Joined: Dec 13, 2009
    Posts: 625

    zmcmil2121
    Member

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    Posting so many times just to raise your post count, sneeky... too sneeky.:D
     
  12. He's actually making place holders so his thread will flow uninterrupted (or would have, had we not interrupted :))
     
  13. ricardo_rocha
    Joined: Nov 29, 2008
    Posts: 765

    ricardo_rocha
    Member
    from Brazil

  14. zmcmil2121
    Joined: Dec 13, 2009
    Posts: 625

    zmcmil2121
    Member

    Ha ha.. Oops, silly me. Well, your ride is pretty bitchen'.
     
  15. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Well, that's it for now. I've got small stuff to do this week to prepare for the weekend. It's my hope to get the engine situated and go from there.
     
  16. HotRodMicky
    Joined: Oct 14, 2001
    Posts: 1,783

    HotRodMicky
    Member

    Awesome!

    A cool build with old parts!
    I like it

    TT frame is a good Idea!
     
  17. Awesome stuff Brent. I will be following the build.
     
  18. Stovebolt
    Joined: May 2, 2001
    Posts: 3,531

    Stovebolt
    Member

    Inspirational build Brent.

    looks like a great pit car in the rough.
     
  19. Outback likes this.
  20. freebird101
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 1,203

    freebird101
    Member

  21. Too cool. This build definitely has my attention!!! Gotta love a banger with mechanicals. I know in mine they make every ride an adventure.
     
  22. Great thread! Doing a fine job...

    I love my T and A! My "A" motor... screams! Love driving this car, people trip when I tell them its a engine from 28. I also love my 39 gear box, all the difference in the world!

    Good luck, gonna watch this one.
     
  23. Good ole Mult!
     

    Attached Files:

  24. Very informative and entertaining build thread. You're doing an excellent job capturing the details for the benefit of us all. Looks like it will be a very cool result and I look forward to following your progress. :)
     
  25. Angry Frenchman
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,775

    Angry Frenchman
    Member

    DAM! how, where did you find that plaque????
     
  26. Angry Frenchman
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,775

    Angry Frenchman
    Member

    brent, I love your build. very nice
     
  27. selohssa
    Joined: Jun 16, 2009
    Posts: 443

    selohssa
    Member

    Cool build. I love the old T bodies.
     
  28. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Thanks! After seeing Royalshifter's Gow Job with the TT frame, I knew it'd suit me for what I was aiming for.

    Jimmy, you're partly responsible for this car, you know! I use a lot of your photos for reference. So, thank you!

    You think we'll both fit in this when you come out to Bonny next? :D

    Actually, a bunch of pics of your car are in my "reference file." I made things like fitting a fuel tank a little harder on me because I shortened the driveline length and made the car a bit lower. I wish you could have gotten to finish the car because I'd love to have seen the finished product. :(

    Thanks! I like this train of thought. Most people upon hearing "mechanical brakes" think the car is going to explode when you press the pedal. Yes, I do get that the technology is old and it'd be easier to run some juice brakes. But, it doesn't fit the concept of this car and I've truly learned so much about an era doing it this way. I'll say that five hundred times more, I'm sure.

    I love yours, too. I didn't realize it has a 39 box. What did you do have for a driveline from that to the rear? Which rear?

    Thanks, fellas. I'll tell you, honestly, I had a few moments of trepidation because I'm showing so many areas of the car in an unfinished stage. And, it's no where near the finished product. I love threads that show amazing work with exceptional metal finishing throughout the build. However, I feel like the finish stuff can be done after it's all mocked. It's probably not how most do it, but it's how I'm going to do it. :D
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2010
    brEad likes this.
  29. It really looks great Brent. I have been waiting for this for a while. My '26 roadster will be of similar construction.

    Rock it Hotshot!
     

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