Ok.......so here goes. I raced the flathead caddy powered roadster at last years ROG., told myself that I will never miss this event. Rules stipulate that the same car cant be raced two years in a row, the hunt was on for something cool. I found this sweet little '23 ish roadster right here on the HAMB, fell in love with it and bought it. I was told the T was an old track car with some type of race history but the previous owner died and so did most of the details. The body and inner structure definitely have a story to tell, much of the mods that have been done are very old timey and home grown. He remembers the car being a track car than it was decommissioned and began a transformation into a street driven hot rod. A look inside the trunk reveals the body was once channelled, move to the front and you can see the old now filled cowl steering hole. Ill be posting pics during the build process so keep an eye out. I have a very nice rolling Model A frame that we be pinched in the rear, both cross members re located. The body will essentially remain untouched.
Id like to find some more history on the body/car, would be cool to maybe bring it back to its former glory or damn close to it.
Yesterday I dropped the body on the A frame, removed the running board mounts, installed the 21 inch model A rear wheels and 19 inch fronts. Plans are to lower it considerably and make a track nose.
It currently has the stock banger but I have a ford 223 flat six on the way. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Nice project! Looks like a nice T body that has had all the wood inner framework replaced with steel. Was this raced in New England or another part of the country? That flair below the turtle deck in front is unique, not a stock Ford feature, it may help ID the car if some old photos turn up. Good luck! Bob
The car was raced in Northern California.....I sent the seller a PM and asked him to chime in about the cars history.
The turtle deck is mint.....but for some reason they mudded over the reveals and created some weird fade-a-way thingy. If you look inside the trunk you can clearly see the crisp lower turtle deck reveals..
That turtle deck has to be earlier than '23, it doesn't swoop up in the front and doesn't have the body lines on either side of the trunk lid. I'd say either someone "frenched" that earlier deck into this body, or the whole thing is pre-'23. The modified deck body lines are neat though, I think I'd keep that. Even if it's done with filler, it's unique to the car and part of it's history. Are you planning to pinch the rear rails, leave them exposed like they are, or ? Just curious. I have a 23-25 turtle deck on my '26 w/ A frame that I widened out a few inches to better match the proportions of the 26 body and to fit the stock width of the rails.
I love it!! What is with that weird dip in the turtle deck? Is that a ford? I know, I know but it looks different? Love the build! Modify those rails to fit the body, don't widen the turtle deck. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
How tall is the cowl? Top of frame to top center of the cowl, that will tell us if it is 15-22 or 23-25. Bob
I'm def gonna pinch the rear frame to match the width of the body. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Nice T @Pete If you need any parts for that A chassis, I have quite a few things kicking around, just north of you in southern NH. Those front wheels look familiar, I think those used to be mine, haha! Did you buy those at Fitchburg?
Great find. Sure it is a 22 or earlier. That turtle deck line is unique and not a bad look. Just checked my latest Nor. Cal. Roadster book and didn't see anything with that body line. I'll check my other books and see if I see it.
The current bodywork / configuration is post race car, so I'm guessing it would have been a stock style turtle deck. There's a large cut out where a side steer unit would come thru the lower cowl and I was told I was center steer as well. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The upper part of turtledeck looks like early -23 or earlier. Late -23 to -25 had a lid with key hole and less round forms. Lower part of turtel deck does not seem to be ford. Maybe something fabricated and the moldet together. For sure the deck is molded to body. Body is an earlier one without the holes for top saddle arms. A good photo of the fire wall would be great. Are both doors openable? US bodies had one door and canadian two doors.
Inside the trunk shows the nice reveals that have been mudded over? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
You know Pete I don't know if I could do it and I didn't some 30 years ago, but it would be kool if you just left that body as it is. It just has a look and it would be a shame to change it. Back in the 80s when I was building that style just wasn't in. Actually my nostalgia look was new then. On another note I was asked via email where the roadster book could be bought. The book I have was given to me as a gift but you can buy one from the author Mark Kaplan for $35+$5 shipping. THE NORTHERN CALIF. ROADSTER ASSOC. NCRRA P.O. BOX.2940 Santa Cruz, Calif. 95063 Hope this isn't against the HAMB rules. I really don't have anything to do with the sale.
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