Came across my first issue, that was not cheap and pretty bothersome. There are many radiators that are available for a model T. But they universally all fail to mention their mounting position and they will not fit the factory shell or placement. T buckets and "Hot Rods" place the radiator between the frame rails behind the crossmember which in turn changes the position of everything behind it. or raise the radiator shell so the stock hood will not work. I am building a factory wheelbase full fendered car so the radiator has to go above the crossmember/spring pocket. The original radiator shell is sitting on top for reference, I had to buy a $1200 Griffin unit that is designed to fit under the factory Radiator shell.
Henry, if the radiator is too tall and is aluminum, you are out of luck. If it is copper/brass, it can be shortened but the radiator shop would really have to want to do it.
goldmountain, the original radiator i bought is aluminum, it is a very nice unit made by Champion, but 2' to tall. i'll sell it at a swap meet or use it down the road on something else. i ordered the proper/correct unit for what i am building but was very pricy
After engine and transmission placement established, I set out to install the rear axle. using the output shaft angle I matched pinion angle, once all the weight is in the car there is plenty of adjustment in the bars to achieve proper pinion angle. I will need to take 4" out of the axle width (2"per side) but being that it is centered I can get all the mounting brackets fit and installed. The lower mount angle using the supplied lower bars, I will take some length out of them to get 90*
Shortened the lower bars and set the lower mounts, fabbed the uppers and welded them in. Here are some shots of setting all the angles
Mocked up front suspension to begin the brake plumbing, steering box, exhaust routing, nothing complete but mostly planned out to consider fuel routing. Next is modify the body for steel floors and firewall.
While I think Boling Brothers do a spectacular job with their builds and fab, i sent them a little adjustment to their chassis design that i think should be incorporated. It is the space allotted for mufflers, I have a full fender chassis so ground clearance isnt an issue but these bars really cause space issues if you were to use chambered mufflers and the car was low to the ground. all I suggest is to add a small bend downward near the trans crossmember, it would allow the tube to be rotated upward adding clearance.
I like the 318. It was Mopar's bread and butter for years. I worked at a Dodge dealership in the early 2000s. Mostly the magnum series engines by then. I have a 27 T coupe as well, so I will be watching. Good luck
WOW 3 weeks without a post and the thread drops to page 6. Anyway rolling chassis is mostly established except for steering column, time to move to firewall tunnel, body mounts, floor structure. ATTACH]
Body setting in its location to rough in the seating position, steering column and assessing what i will do for mounts and floor structure. had my Dad (83) sit cause we are about the same size. Made seat tabs and risers, seats are the narrowest I could find out of a KIA Rio, removed the arm rests, lumbar handles and the base tilt option, modified the tracks for mounting. There are so many small modifications and changes that must get addressed, in the overall build are never even considered when all said and done.
Removed body off chassis to start body floor structure, did plenty of planning for mounts and to maintain as much original steel in the car. I used 1x3 rectangular tube for cross bracing that doubles as body mounts and nests into the modified original steel. 1" square tube and 1/2" square tube make the trans tunnel and firewall support. I had considered using only sheetmetal for the floor structure but for ease of fabrication I chose this route
This is the layout for flooring, you can clearly see the seat tabs and original body mount holes. I will address the trans tunnel when I get the shifter and I mount the body back onto the chassis.
Just a thought, with the engine setback, why not reverse the firewall? It would look so much better. I've even seen guys use a wheelbarrow for a firewall insert, that's if you can find a steel one, most now seem to be plastic. Something like this, even though that's not a reversed original firewall.
These next few pics shed some light on your thought. The engine is really not set back any more than a small Chevy or Ford would be. I just didn't cut off the firewall "bubble" like most do as in your reference pic. I purposely kept the integrity of the original firewall to body joint and will be utilizing that area for hood attachment. It is only 2 " proud of the the cowl and majority will be under hood when finished.
Thanks Barrelnose, Everytime we talk about the car he tells me the story of when he and his buddies drove a 20 something Model T, Running Chassis and Cowl only, milk crates for seats and no floors all dressed in their finest suits to Havana, Cuba's hottest Night Club and left the "car" with the valet.
What a great story! oh to be a fly on the wall that night! I don't know how long you have lurked here on the HAMB but it has long been a place where robust coversation is had, people will give there opinion, sometimes very directly/forcefully & that is the nature of the place. It was what was/is needed to to keep it from mission drift, from the rules & outline set out over 20 years ago to be held onto. It's part of what makes this place great. My suggestion - as some of your responses seem a little defensive - is to accept others idea's/suggestions as their suggestions, mull over them & decide whether they have merit in your build & move on. Its just like bench racing in the shed in front of a project. All sorts of crazy idea's get thrown about, some stick, some fall to the floor. You have a very cool T coupe coming along & I look forward to seeing what you have planned next!
I did some outer body sheet metal repair before finalizing the lower sections of the engine tunnel. The body on this car is really solid, only had to patch about 2 inches along the cowl bottoms and I filled in the Fresh Air/ Gas fill hatch.
I sandblasted the under body structure then treated with OSPHO, primed with metal etch and then welded in my patches, proceeded to lower inner engine tunnel area.
20210408_112455 by chessterd5 posted Nov 6, 2021 at 7:16 PM 20210414_091532 by chessterd5 posted Nov 6, 2021 at 7:16 PM I wish I had read the part about the radiator sooner! A stock 1965 V8 Mustang 3 core radiator will fit under a stock Model T grille in the stock location. That is what I am using. It was 135 dollars. The top outlet is on the passenger side and the bottom outlet is on the passenger side.
Anywhere there are hot rods one will see a slew of '32 Coupes & Roadsters, channeled/highboy/full fendered. Ditto with the 'A' Coupes & roadsters, occasional sedans. But the 'T' Coupes are what really grab me, friends had some I worked on, but I never found one for myself. I had a '27 T Tudor sedan with a big flathead, full fendered and sat like your Coupe will... But I always wanted a Coupe! I have a '27 Roadster and a '27 Touring now... Your Coupe is the cat's ass! Love the Mopar drivetrain...
Got the floor panels bead rolled and installed all tied into the firewall. Buttoned up many small bits and things to ready for the next step. It needs to go back onto the chassis for steering column, shifter placement, trans tunnel, master cylinder hatch ect. ect. ect.
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