Projects What to do with the T?

So I have a '24 TT C cab truck that is bone stock. I built it this way starting with just the cab that belonged to my great great uncle. For years it sat untouched in our basement after pulling it out of the barn when I was 13 years old. My father always wanted to build it as a hot rod with a bobbed bed, etc. I always envisioned it back to stock and after my dad passed away, I built it the way it is now.
My problem now is that I built an AV8 pickup and the TT is, well, slow and sitting a lot more than it used to. The urge to sell it is growing not only due to a loss of interest but also the declining values of stock T's and TT's and the need to have an 8' garage door just to get it inside.
I've been kicking around the idea of selling the chassis and using the cab (which is the only part that has sentimental value) to build more of my dad's vision of it. This would be an early style build with an Olds or Buick engine, '37 Buick trans with Olds tail shaft, open drive banjo rear, hoodless, fenderless, etc. I have many of the parts and it would be a fun build since there is minimal bodywork needed.
It is my decision in the end but it would be interesting to hear what others would do in this situation. I hate to take apart a piece of history but I also worry about what will happen to it when I no longer own it and fewer people take an interest in a stock Ford one ton truck.

 

I liked your dads plan too. I'm a Hot Rodder so yeah, I'd make a Hot Rod. I never think of what would be the most valuable. To me, this is just a Hobbie. So do what ya like. But a fenderless little Hot Rod truck would be a lot of FUN!!! Then just sell the left overs. My 2 cents Ron..........

 

ever consider putting it on the market as is first? - that way you have some idea if anyone around into big Ts - may find someone interested in most all of the parts - maybe have the guys here take your basic Hot Rod ideas and set you up with a concept as to what it might look like - the photo shop thread to end all photo shop threads

 

Man leave that alone, it's Bitchin' just like it is. There's plenty of T's to make Hot rods out of. You've already made it cool, yes it's probably Dog slow but it makes up for it in looks. I'm all about ruining a good thing but there are certain cases where starting over with a worse off pile would make more sense. You would lose most of that truck in the Hot Rod process and more than likely have just another T Bucket. Just my opinion of course.

PS - if you were closer I could complete your shopping list for a Hot Rod in trade. You have good taste for certain. I even have a '25 T Tub front half and I do love the big Iron.

- Tim

 

Personally I think its neat the way it is, T buckets are a dime a dozen, but its rare seeing a nice original old truck. Lately Ive seen lots of businesses buying and fixing up larger old trucks to use as advertising, maybe try selling it as is first, there could be a company with deep pockets looking to burn up their advertising budget for the year.
I can relate to the cab being sentimental, so maybe pull the cab for your hotrod project, and build a simple wooden huckster type cab on the chassis.

 

Talk to Pete Eastwood.....
Looks really slick as a stocker too!

 

I saw a TT a few years ago with a Ford Pinto 4 cylinder in it, it looked like Henry Ford did the install. It was so clean that many people looking at it had no idea it was anything but stock. The owner said it was a real driver.

 

Get a different cab, swap it onto the restored truck. Sell it off. Build the family cab into a hot rod that you will enjoy.

 

You could trade/sell it to a T collector for a "tall T" coupe and build a cool hot rod that isn't a cookie cutter T bucket. (This is coming from someone with a T bucket...)

 

Zero chance I would take the cab off and just sell the rest, you'll get very little for it without a body. My first inclination would be just to keep it and leave it alone, a ton of work went into it already and nobody says you have to drive it every day to enjoy it. Second choice is what Corn Fed said, take your cab off, replace it with a different one (even a fiberglass one if you had to) and then sell it off, so it's a complete truck that someone can use again, that'll bring a ton more than just a frame without a body, much easier to sell.

If you've got space and money, build another C-cab T as a hotrod and see if you actually like it and finish it all the way. If you get it done and love it, swap cabs and sell the stocker with the second cab on it.

This is not meant to be a judgement on you since I don't know you or your history, and clearly you do follow through on things based on the truck now, but I've seen a lot of good-hearted starts on projects that never get finished just because people got antsy to do something different. The worst possible outcome here is the chassis gets sold, the cab sits around in the shop and never gets built back into anything. Seems impossible but happens way too much.

 

I appreciate the replies. I agree that the best course could be to look for another cab to replace mine with and sell as a whole truck as I would never get out of the chassis what I have in it. In the mean time I'll just keep gathering parts and see what happens.