Hot Rods *Mr.Model T's New Project: A T-V8..

I think you nailed it. I love Ed's T but yours looks great, too!

 

Very nice. Almost as good as your other one.

 

LOOKING GREAT !

 

Not a lot to report on (the holidays really slowed me down), but i did get a few things done.

First is the completion of the wishbones and the frame mounts. I bought all Grade 8 bolts with a long enough solder to support the frame and wishbone mounts, then trimmed the ends, dressed the threads and made up a little jig of heavy washers (to stand in for the frame rail and bracket plate thickness) and a grade 5 nut so i could drill cotter key holes. I wanted a period look that would stay together.



I may also safety wire these, but I feel cotter pins are the best look.

I also got all the ends welded up and used NOS A Tie-Rod ends rather than repops.



I am now working on getting the rest of the steering stuff sorted out. Drag links, pitman arms, etc.







I also took some time to work on plumbing on the motors to push towards test fire. Got all the fuel line stuff and started plumbing..





This is a prewar, pre-Edlebrock fuel block. Before Vic Sr. founded Edlebrock as we knew it, he was making speed parts on the side, after hours in his Speed Shop/Service Station in North Hollywood (?). He would cast and machine them himself, then hand stamp his name in them. after 1940, the letters were cast.

Also Ironed out linkages on both cars...





Also got my '33-'34 fuel pump stand painted up..



I also spent some time to build a mockup of the dash for my car. its a combination of '25 T dash top, '27 Chrysler dash cowl portion (to push the dash itself up under the cowl) and a 1928 Packard Super8 Dash.



Next project is to get the axles done, Torque tube and drive shafts cut down and machined.

Stay tuned!

~ Mr. Model T

 

Now if we could just get that old ignition guy in Indianapolis to get my vintage mallory rev pol to put some spark in this thing ????!!!!! Looking good .......

 

Looking good, love the details. I think cotter pins (split pins for us Aussies), look good & right. In aviation loc-wire is typically for bolt heads & not nuts.

 

I think you'll wish the nuts and cotter pins were on the inside the first time you wash or wax the frame. Bob

 

Lol! its all good, just excited for it! I want to hear that engine run! That Mallory is looking good!

I originally thought about going the safety wire route, but it was honestly more of a postwar thing. This car is supposed to be correct to 1939-'40. I felt making the hardware match the original Ford castle hardware from the 1930s

I might, but it will look great once that bracket is plated and its all complete. The bolt heads just didn't look as good.

 

thank you for the updates... Going to be one cool go job !

 

For "not a lot to report on" you seem to be doing better than my slow progress. Looking good!

 

That’s the most non-progressive progress I’ve seen!
Are those Charlies’ carb swivel links?

 

Interesting carb mounting on the pictures with the fuel block. It seems like the standard mounting has always been with the float bowls to the front.

 

The carbs only bolt to the manifold one way...

 

After I re-read it, it sure comes off like I did all this in the last couple weeks, lol! In reality, it spreads back before Christmas. Sometimes I get an hour or two after Charllotte goes down to get some little project done.

Those are direct from Stromberg in England. I decided on new stuff this time rather than old cobbled together stuff.

The mounting on this intake is not very "Standard". This is a Hexagon Tool Co. intake and the carbs do mount "Backwards" compared to most. it is more common that the carbs mount with the bowls forward. The Hex Tools were originally designed by Ford R&D in 1935 for the Ford/Miller/Tucker V8 indy car project. The carbs originally faced bowls forward, but they had starving issues at speeds over 120mph, so the carbs were flipped to solve this problem. The manifolds still didn't meet Miller's satisfaction, so they were shelved for his 4x1 intake with his own Miller carbs. The Patterns for the 2x2 were eventually given or sold to Hexagon Tool Co. of Detroit (who was a Ford Contractor) right before the start of WWII, but they didn't start producing them commercially until 1946 using the original patterns like mine. The patterns were changed in 1947 and those were far more common.

 

Update: Rear Axle stuff...

I’ve had a few projects come up that I had to get done, so the V8 progress has been slow, but I did manage to get the wishbones, torque tube and mounts sorted out and welded up on both cars.

I Inherited two more Model Ts, both had belonged to my High School (donated when I was a Freshman) and became my 4 year “Senior Project” with which I stayed connected for the last 20 years. With a changing curriculum, revamp of the shop space, retirement of the old staff, they were loosing their place. I was asked by the School board and Alumni Association if I would be willing to take them. I of course said yes. We have some events to do with them, and the rear axle was bad on one and the other has not run in about 6 years.








Back to the V8 Rear axles…


I mocked up my Columbia axle housing, measured out the torque tube and got it cut down.












I next braced it up, leveled it and tacked it in place for welding. A few days later, I ran out to the shop and dot it all welded up for real.




Everything lines up, measures out square and fits really nice. I have to say im pleased.









Now, on to Drive shafts and breaks!

~ Mr. Model T

 

Congrats again on the Model T's , couldn't have a better caretaker to look after them. axle is looking great

 

Been a long time since I messed with a Columbia, like 60 years so I don't think I remember all the details, but doesn't the gear section go on the left side?

 

it's an aussie columbia...

 

Nope, the Columbias are on the right. Seems like it should be on the other side, but the way they assemble, it kinda has to be that way

 

Just remembered a friend back in the '60s who inadvertently flipped the banjo on his Model-A. Three speeds in reverse is rather useless.

 

I've heard that story! Lol!

The Columbia's only go together one way really....I have all the books to make sure it's right.

 

Update: We have Color!

Made a bunch of progress lately, so it's time for an update. For the majority of July I worked hard at prepping the chassis components for primer and color which we shot the last week of July. I am quite pleased with the results!











I then got hard to work on Final Assembly (I love that phase). Got all the new spindle bushings installed and reamed (using the old ford reamer, it took 10 min).





Then I got to work getting the Front ends together and the engines back in..











I also started welding up a holding fixture for the Columbia axles so I can assemble and adjust them. Since I don't have a vice or bench heavy enough, I built it to fit the receiver hitch on my pickup (which I though was a decent hack to get the job done).





Now I'm working on detailing out the Columbia housings to get ready to assemble this week!





More to come!

~Mr. Model T

 

Love the blue!

 

Mr. T, how old is your apprentice? Is she helping?

 

Nice work, beautiful blue! Did you paint the springs apart or in a pack? How do you paint the bolts after assembly?

 

Charlie is now 4 years old and she has been helping quite a bit...and reaping the rewards...

 

That's Ford Washington Blue (Ditzler #1246). It's a gorgeous color, couldn't not use it.

 

Washington Blue is a really sharp color.

I painted all the springs assembled. I didn't see the need to paint them separately as it would wear the paint off anyway. I cleaned and greased them, assembled and painted.

Which bolts are we talking about?