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Projects The Free-T

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by IronTrap, Apr 17, 2018.

  1. IronTrap
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 510

    IronTrap
    Member

    First Round of wet sanding and buffing done. Got doors mounted and working on adjusting strikers/latches so it all latches nicely. The tub is off to upholstery late this week. I'm hoping to make the frame a roller in the next week or so.
    buffed1.jpg buffed2.jpg buffed3.jpg buffed4.jpg buffed5.jpg
     
  2. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    Looking Good
     
  3. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,097

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Yeah buddy! Looking sharp
     
  4. Smrtmike
    Joined: Nov 11, 2018
    Posts: 16

    Smrtmike

    Looking good. I can't wait to see the final product.
     
  5. IronTrap
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 510

    IronTrap
    Member

    Been busy as hell! Put together a custom taillight and a plate mount for the T and also got the body back from upholstery. Getting there!

    taillight-plate-mount1.jpg taillight-plate-mount2.jpg taillight-plate-mount3.jpg taillight-plate-mount4.jpg interior-done1.jpg interior-done2.jpg interior-done3.jpg interior-done4.jpg interior-done5.jpg
     
    Jrs50, Jet96, Mikel50 and 18 others like this.
  6. atch
    Joined: Sep 3, 2002
    Posts: 5,626

    atch
    Member

    In the hot rod dictionary beside "mile deep black" is a picture of this body...
     
  7. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

  8. WCreighton
    Joined: Jun 22, 2019
    Posts: 25

    WCreighton

    Beautiful paintwork, I’m excited to see where this goes, keep up the great work.

    Will
     
  9. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Pretty Darn Spiffy...@IronTrap you gotta be real happy with that...the finish line is fast approaching...;)
     
  10. jim snow
    Joined: Feb 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,807

    jim snow
    Member

    Yahoo! Looks great. Snowman
     
  11. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,097

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Love watching this come together! The videos have been awesome :)
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  12. Nailhead A-V8
    Joined: Jun 11, 2012
    Posts: 1,343

    Nailhead A-V8
    Member

    I've had a few free T's too... some are even on going projects like this rdstr I found for sale on Craigslist recently...a friend and I hammered this body together 8 yrs ago from a huge pile of free T tin I dug out of a landfill. It was from a dump that was eventually burned and pushed off the edge of a cliff 50-60 years before then filled over for an orchard... I hope someone finishes it. 20+ yrs. ago I dug about 6 T roadsters and tourings 3 of each + various odds and ends out of the "wall" of rusted tin, from the farm land above it was 20-30 ft of nothing but rusty '20's-'30's junk straight down to the river...including this tub. My buddy and I banged it together inside his house on the living room floor (during a renovation) with a full 2x3 Z'd frame (yes we did all the welding in the house):D. He still has the Cdn touring body I sold him. I got rid of the rest but I kept the best tin for a '17-'21 roadster...it would be done by now:rolleyes:... if I didn't have some damn grandiose idea about having wood framing inside...how did you get those bends in the rear framing behind the seat without collapsing the tubing? actually twice it seems (I've seen it in both square and round tube)...great YouTube channel by the way:)[​IMG]also did you clean these already thin panels with molasses first or sand them?
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
  13. IronTrap
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 510

    IronTrap
    Member

    Sounds like you've gathered a lot of this old Free-T junk too! It takes a little bit of work but they can be cool with some imagination! I relief cut and TIG welded the tubing as I went to get those tight compound bends.. only way I could figure to do it even with a tubing bender at my disposal at a friends shop! It took a LOT of work but it all flowed nicely in the end. The square tubing we heat and bent but it did collapse in the corners and it wasn't very clean.. thus the change near the end to the round tubing.

    I stripped the entire car with the Eastwood SCT and abrasive wheels to get the paint and major rust off. I then treated the entire body with Eastwood Fast Etch to clean the pits and etch those areas from rust coming back. Then we sealed it all up with primer and such. It should be just fine for my lifetime. Much better than the fiberglass matting they laid over the rust before!

    Thanks so much for watching and following along. This has been a fun one and I'm close to the finish line!

    -Matt/ITG
     
  14. IronTrap
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 510

    IronTrap
    Member

    I've been busting ass to get the car together for a "soft" debut at Viva East in Boxborough, Ma. this weekend. Lots of last minute changes and adjustments needed as I've been assembling the car. Some stuff I built/changed once the car was apart is causing some tweaks and modifications now that we're in final assembly. For instance the taillight / plate mount I made I bent to be parallel with the the turtle deck sitting flat on the bench... but when mounted its angled down and makes the plate sit funny. I'll need to remove that and tweak tonight!

    I also last minute decided to bite the bullet and change the tires to what I wanted from the get go; but was too cheap to buy them. I mounted up a set of Blockley tires to the rear and I'm dropping down to a set of 5/5.25-16 fronts to get a more "sporty" look. Shots show the 5.50 front tires still.

    You may also notice the dash pinstriping and lettering my buddy Ben Sellman did on the T this past Friday evening. I really think it sets off the interior!

    That's it for now. More to come next week!

    new rear tires.jpg new rear tires-2.jpg new rear tires-3.jpg new rear tires-4.jpg interior-assembly.jpg
     
    Jet96, Mikel50, catdad49 and 23 others like this.
  15. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,097

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

  16. brad2v
    Joined: Jun 29, 2009
    Posts: 1,652

    brad2v
    Member

    Wow! That is spectacular!
     
  17. The smaller front tires will be better, looks good.
     
  18. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    It really looks great, and from such humble beginnings. Well done.
     
  19. jim snow
    Joined: Feb 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,807

    jim snow
    Member

    Looks great. Snowman
     
  20. Nailhead A-V8
    Joined: Jun 11, 2012
    Posts: 1,343

    Nailhead A-V8
    Member

    What an amazing transformation! thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge along the way
     
  21. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

    Looking forward to seeing this, this weekend!
     
  22. atch
    Joined: Sep 3, 2002
    Posts: 5,626

    atch
    Member

    From this:

    body_as_found.png

    framerails.jpg


    To this:

    new rear tires-2.jpg

    new rear tires-3.jpg

    Very well done, my friend; very well done.
     
  23. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Huge Milestone @IronTrap as others have said a proud moment for sure...look forward to seeing it out and about...
     
  24. Nostrebor
    Joined: Jun 25, 2014
    Posts: 1,278

    Nostrebor
    Member

    Amazing job Matt. Scope creep for the win!
     
    Thor1 likes this.
  25. Those Blockleys though!!!!
     
  26. pumpman
    Joined: Dec 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,674

    pumpman
    Member

    Yup. Let’s have a beer and just look at it for a while. Yup.
     
    RodStRace likes this.
  27. IronTrap
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 510

    IronTrap
    Member

    After a hospital stint with a nasty infection I am finally getting back at it. Got the drivers side headers all mounted and the radiator hoses all sorted. Just need a couple more clamps for the hoses and the cooling system is buttoned up. Passenger headers should be on this week and hope to get the fuel lines plumbed here shortly. This crazy heat hasn't helped my progress either!

    headers1.jpg headers2.jpg headers3.jpg
     
    ct1932ford, brad2v, Mikel50 and 23 others like this.
  28. prpmmp
    Joined: Dec 12, 2011
    Posts: 1,129

    prpmmp
    Member

    Awesome!!IMHO this car captures the meaning of the HAMB 100%!! Great job Matt!! Pete
     
    brad2v and IronTrap like this.
  29. Thor1
    Joined: Jun 6, 2005
    Posts: 1,664

    Thor1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Wow Matt! Your T is looking awesome! What a great looking little car! I can't wait to see some video of it moving under power.
     

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