*MrModelT and Powerwagonmaniac build a T speedster in 6 months!*

Just found this thread
Sorry to here about Bill May he be with God my condolances to family and friends
Good looking car

 

I hate to vain ignorance...but no, I'm not familiar with them

 

Great local band that made it big back east (especially around Philly where I grew up). One of their better songs is "Josephine"- good driving song!

 

Ah! Now I'm up to speed! My roadster's name is "Josephine" because I found it hand-engraved into the steering column when I stripped the paint off.

Didn't feel right changin' it.

 

Clayton, Now I got to listen to the "Special" fire to life for the first time ! Looking forward to hearing it fire up.

 

It actually has a rather aggressive sound to it, on account of the Model A cam. This video does not do it justice, so I will try to shoot another tomorrow with "The Special" outside the shop.

 

Well, just thought I would post another update.

2 weeks ago Chris and I successfully got "The Special" running to let her brake in. Last week however, we managed to just plain brake it.

Chris had attempted to fire it for a friend that had stopped by the shop, but it would only backfire up through the carb indicating a timing issue. The Bosch magneto is running via direct gear drive, so it is impossible for the timing to drift on its own. I dug into the engine to investigate and after much pondering and head scratching, I found half the teeth on the cam gear were missing. This was due to the "fiber" gear that had been employed. These gears were not used by Ford for very long because they did suffer this issue. I spent the rest of the weekend replacing it with a steel gear (from my stash) and fighting timing issues.

I was finally victorious last night and managed to get her running "smooth as silk" once again.

I also celebrated with a quick victory lap around the buildings....ok, maybe 2 or 3

....It has a GREAT sound and really wants to run!

 

^
can't wait

 

I can't wait to get the foot throttle finished so we can go for a good ride!

 

This is my first post and I appologize for not having a profile/bio but I haven't figured out how to do that yet (I tried several times but just kept going in circles)

That being said I would like to congratulate you on a fine job on the Speedster. You have gotten it very low what is your clearance like under the T drain plug?

 

Thank you kindly and welcome to the H.A.M.B.!

If I remember correctly the drain plug clearance is 4" or 4.5" inches.

 

Hello Fellow H.A.M.B.ers!

Yesterday was a good day! We had our official "Starting Party" for the "The Becker Special" with all of Bill's close friends and family. Chris's mom Karen christened "The Special" with a bit of champagne down the radiator, then we fired it off and gave everybody a spin a round the building.

It was a mud slingin'...rooster tailin'...cold...wet..good time for all!

All of us "kids" were muddy and wet...but smiling just the same

Here are some pics. I do have some great video that I will get posted very soon.

Enjoy!

 

Wow, those pics make me want to have freinds.

 

Now.. if that isn't what this hobby is about!?! Great car and build! Good to see the success of getting it on the road and enjoying it!

 

Awesome Clayton! pic#5 is priceless!

 

Okay, wich "kid" loved getting all muddy the most???



Clayton, great to see you guys get to the next level with the "Becker Spl"-can't wait 'till it's on the road for good!

 

What a work of art! How is your clearance under the pan with it so low?

 

They are a great thing....you really ought to give them a try

That is EXACTLY what this is all about! That car has a TON of power....I was power sliding her around corners....breaking the tires loose with just a touch of the throttle.

We all had SO MUCH FUN! That has to be one of my favorite pics. That was their second ride of the day, they were all begging to go again.

 

Well I think the answer to that question is rather obvious......

Thank you kindly! If I remember correctly the drain plug clearance is 4" or 4.5" inches.

 

That picture right there says it all /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\!!

 

nice Clayton!

 

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! Man, that looks like fun!! What a reward for you all after all that's gone into and surrounding the speedster! You guys did a great job and how cool to have the support of so many. You guys made a lot of people happy with that car. GREAT JOB!!!!!

 

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Figured you guys might like to see the videos we shot last weekend....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsbbhDc5ExA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WknyxYT675k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6tdilK6lH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_6C4gIWKeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rXhphI1DOU

Chris Becker[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]<input name="HTTP_REFERER" value="179374/183714" type="hidden"> <input name="preview" value="1" type="hidden"> [/FONT]

 

It's very cool you're out enjoying the car and not waiting for the weather.

 

Looks like you all had a great time!...

Is that a Lionel Fairbanks Morse running around the top of the garage? in the last video?

 

I have to say I find this whole thing very humbling. I visited "Beckerville" last year for the first time. They have an awesome car collection, and a shop and facility that most of us would only dream of. I was being toured around the place, soaking up all of the cool stuff, but it was what I hadn't expected to see that really got to me. In Clayton and Chris I could see two guys that look like they have a genuine once in a lifetime bond and friendship; some people never have that. Chris spent hours showing us around and his little boy was at his side the whole time; he was just happy to be with his dad and not a word of complaint. When we went up to the house, the first thing Mr. and Mrs. Becker did was ask us to sit down and have dinner, they had not even met us before. Yes, Clayton and Chris can build a cool Model T, but let me tell you, in my time in the old car world I have met all kinds of people; I wish they were all like these guys! Keep up the good work!!!

 

Clayton, The festivities of last weekend are another milestone for the Becker Special ! You guys are probably busting out in pride. This is going to be one neat Hot Rod T! Looking forward to further updates.

Dave

 

So here is the latest update:

Yesterday Chris and I took "The Special" out for her first official road/speed tests. We took the cars (my roadster too) to a good friend and neighbor's place who has a personal air strip on his property so that I could have some decent "running room" to get "The Special" up to speed. I had not yet had the chance to tune in the Holly "94" yet, so the it was still falling into a "hole" when you give her some throttle. This was quite frustrating as the car would fall on it's face even trying to get it moving. As I made my second pass with Chris and his little boy Carston looking on, "The Special" faltered on me again and out of a bit of frustration really put my foot into the throttle.

As I did, she sputtered a bit...then all at once she sprang from her hole like a Tiger, sprinting from it's hiding place in the tall grass after it's prey. I felt myself pushed back into my seat as "The Special" took off for the end of the runway. I was hitting near 40 mph and accelerating with end of the runway and the goat pasture just beyond it getting closer with every second.....still in UNDERDRIVE on the Aux. overdrive unit the entire time. After stopping the beast a few feet short of sailing through the fence and regaining sanity, I turned her around and headed back for another pass. I was not able to get her up to speed enough to shift gears "Model T Direct" on the O.D. because every time I gave her any throttle I would break the tires loose and spin them the length of the airstrip. I told Chris that "I can't test it here, I can't keep traction"....so we headed out on the road thaqt heads out to the Becker's place: Long, mostly flat and generally free of cars.

As we hit the pavement (Chris following in my '26 roadster), I gave "The Special" a kick in the pants and buried my foot into the throttle. She came alive and tore out the hole like lightning, quickly leaving Chris and Carston behind. As I shifted into direct and dropped the clutch, the rear wheels let out their tell-tail "Chirp" sound and her speed increased again. I estimate that by the time I got her into Overdrive, I had to be doing at least 65-70 mph....and there was still plenty more throttle left. I made a few more passes, adjusting the "94", then turned it over to Chris. On our way back, the input shaft on the O.D. let go and ended our fun for the day.

The Model T Aux. transmissions have a square drive that fits into the end of the stock T planetary output shaft. The square drive on our O.D. was rather warn and a bit rounded and no longer fit. Chris had shimmed this with hardened shims, but the HP and torque was too much for them. We are now working re-build shaft to ensure a tight and proper fit.

In the excitement, Chris only got one picture. It's of me in one of my high speed passes....enjoy!

 

Neat. Congrats to all. Iz be smiling! Gary

 

I think dad would have had a lot of fun with the "Special" but would have been very intimidated with it as well. It was fun Gary. Wish we hadn't broke it but oh well. At least we are fixing things that I as a very young and dumb kid didn't think of when rebuilding stuff.

I warned Clayton that that motor would be rather scary!

Chris Becker