Model T bodies and late Model A cowls?

Just wondering if anyone has tried putting a later model A style cowl on a T bucket or T coupe body? Gary

 

here's one

 

That's an early A cowl. The later ones are a goodly bit taller, so might not make for so seamless a connection. But I like the sound of that: the resultant step in the hood-top/beltline might make for a tough, bulldog-like feel.

 

I have this crazy idea to build, for lack of a better term, a "high cowl" rod using either an A or T roadster, coupe / sports coupe body. The idea is that, by raising the grille / hood / cowl / gas tank just a few inches, when the car is viewed from the front it will appear as if the top has been chopped. But in reality the top of the windshield / roof stays at the same height (in relation to the top of the doors) and the bottom of the windshield has been raised versus chopped. In this way, you wouldn't loose any head room and the overall effect would resemble some of the early 1900 race car designs, that had a high grille and hood. The body could also be channeled the height of the frame rails and the suspension lowered to get the car lower to the ground if still desired. Just brain storming. My first sketches centered around early A's as I like that scalloped shape just in front of the doors, but I also like the shape of T coupes and bucket bodies. Then the designs morphed to include late A cowls added to T bodies for more footroom. And so on, and so forth. Just doodleing... any inputs or even sketches welcome. Thanx, Gary

 

That '29 cowl fits the T so good it looks factory. It's also sporting a '29 visor. I like it.

 

That works so well because A pickup doors are the same as T coupe doors. So with a little work mating the subrails and roof rails you will have a very unique rod. I have often thought about this, running the body on A rails and full fended with flatty or a early Cad

 

Here's a steel 23 body with a narrowed 29 cowl grafted on, not so much for looks as for ergonomics, (with a floor on the bottom of the deeper 32 rails there is a little bit of footroom). The front end is done, but the project is leaning against the wall for now as I stole the engine to use in an old sprint car, which did, amazingly, get done.

 

I'll will have to grab pictures, but there is a "Little T & A" going together in my back yard right now. It's a 28 29 cowl with a 24 c cab back.

 

Hugh, tell me more! Gary

 

I like this plan and look forward to seeing your sketches. I know it is an OT vehicle but when Chrysler came out thith the Magnum wagon a few years back it looked like the top was chopped. It wasn't they just raired the belt line and gave you short side windows.

 

So far, my best sketches (ha ha) are cut n paste deals based on Clarks Sport coupe (he said he didn't mind, really). Here are a few for you to get the idea, with the cowl raised just a little. Using a late T / early A cowl, it's a bit harder to determine just where the seam in the tank cover and cowl sides should be placed in relation to the belt line contour. That's why I was thinking about using a later A cowl. But the early, small cowl doesn't look so bad raised a little, either, eh? I'd guess a 2 or 3 inch rise in the cowl would not be so drastic to look wierd. I believe Clark had already chopped the top a little on his build so I didn't change that in these paste ups. He also laid back the windscreen a tad and curved upper door frames which I like a lot, too.

I also plan to build the car low, regardless if it sits on the frame (probably a 32) or is channeled and I'd also drop the floor and toe boards in front of the seats to a level equal to the bottom of the frame rails for added leg / pedal / steering room, ala vintage race cars. Gary

 

here is one a local guy had at a show here.

 

i like the looks of that coupe. works well together!

 

I think it looks great, would love to see more. I've often thought that removing the trim piece where the 28/29 A cowl meets the windshield and raising the whole cowl an inch or two would go a long way...

Subscribed for updates!

 

Sorry, no updates but I've been working on some crazy chassis sketches.

In the just wondering department, has anyone ever seen a crank out vent window added to an A / 32 closed car, sports coupe or cabriolet door? You see a lot of wind wings added to roadsters, so I was thinking about seeing how hard it would be to add a working vent window. I think it would especially look great on a Vicky. Just wondering. Gary