1949 T28 Trojan Airplane becomes a car

The Tiger model had 4 wheels and some cool fenders, similar body like an airplane.

 

i have to ask, where do you get this stuff? i mean, how many other perople are there that can basically say, "so i just pulled out the tbm avenger motor i had just lying around in my yard." you sir, are awesome!

 

I've learned that the airplane world is an even tighter knit group than the old car guys. When you think about it, most of us with old cars know someone else with old cars and parts when we need them. The airplane guys for the most part all have junk parts laying around for when they might need them too. Once I started messing with old airplanes, I found out real fast just how close the aircraft group is and just how out of their way most of them will go to help you. People constantly give me old aircraft junk because they know I'll do something with it. Sometimes I pay way to much for it because I lack the ability to say no to old airplane parts.
The Avenger engine was slated for the Chinese bound scrap pile after it was submerged in water. The guy that had it knew that eventually I would put it to use. But it works both ways. If one of the airplane guys needs a part from me, its gets put in the mail to them because I know it will help to keep an old warbird in the air. I absolutely love messing with this junk. I just have a hard time making enough money to fuel this T28 project.
Jason

 

Way cool !!!! I believe the engine pieces you aren't going to use, can be sold to an aviation parts business...(thatose things are not cheap) More $$ for the project....
We learned some of our aviation tech on a couple of T28's at Sheppard AFB in mid 1964.

4TTRUK

 

thats probably cause there are a lot less of you airplane guys. anybody can build a basic hot rod, thats what makes them so popular. but it takes a special person to build vintage aircraft. and even less can turn one into a car!!

 

Some thoughts,
Look at a F4F Wildcat. Note how the wheels retract into the fusilodge. You might consider incorperating those type wheel wells moved forward for stability. Heck it may be easier to go Wildcat instead of Avenger.

 

subscribed!!!!!!

 

I went to investigate a lead on some old airplane parts and found these today! These are F-84 Thunderjet aluminum drop tanks. They are big enough to build a belly tank car for sure. I figure some of you might appreciate this find. I was going to make art out of them or use them on the airplane car, but I have already decided to through them on Ebay because they are probably worth more as a belly tank car project.

They were laying next to this old barn.



Once I got them unloaded I noticed just how big they are. 12'-6" long without the fin and 28" in diameter

 

wow those are nice

 

Subscribed, very cool build!!

 

Oh and here is something neat that was sent to me this week. A guy in Mexico sent me pictures of his father flying my plane in the early 1980's!!!!

It is the plane in the center with the big 77 on the side in this first picture. This one was taken in the 1980's


This second picture is a close up of my plane flying in the late 1970's before the huge 77 was painted on the side. The tail number- T28- 903 is the same as it is on my plane now.

 

This TBM belongs to a friend of a friend of mine. I had a very small part of restoring the ball turret after he found one. I'm sure he would be interested in any parts (engine or other)that you won't be using. If you have a pic of the carb, post it. I cant believe the size of those things.

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Blue

 

had to get a lot of strange looks hauling those drop tanks home. thats what i love most about this hot-roddin hobby of ours, we throw a lot of people off goin down the road!

 

now that would be cool.

 

I like the invasion stripes and radio codes on the OD Dodge truck!

 

I got the rear suspension out of a 1960 Chevy 1/2 ton yesterday. With a little modification, it should work for my rear suspension. As much as I hate them, I plan on air bags on the rear instead of coil springs. That way the tail can drop on the ground when the car isn't in motion.

 

This isn't much of an update, but I finally got a Dodge cab and chassis pipe straight axle for the T28. I'll have to widen it about a foot in order to get it near the maximum legal width to reduce the chances of the fuselage flipping over. This axle originally had top hats on it for dually front wheels. I'll run normal 8 lug wheels, so I didn't need the top hats. This axle should do the trick for my front suspension.

 

I sold the nose landing gear and the well that they retract into to a guy in Florida some time ago. He called to tell me that he has finished the restoration of his T28 Trojan using the parts from my plane. Here is a video of him test running the R-1300 radial engine last week. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nucwO4Gaz7c?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

cool!!!

 

Long ago my B-17 pilot dad brought home a Brewster Buffalo ( I think) airplane without engines and planted it in the backyard for my brothers to play
Who does that?
YOU and my dad!
Good Luck

 

Pretty cool vision you have. I like seeing stuff like this.

 

subscribed!

 

Read up on Buckminster Fuller's Dimaxion car
Similar drivetrain and shape with terribly unfortunate results.
You may get tail lift at speed just because of the shape
If three wheels become two you're giving up steering and if the front ones steer you're giving up a lot more, or maybe just adding a whole new dimension of fun.
You may need horizontal stabilizers on the rear with the elevators up to keep the tail down
Also consider what an oncoming transport truck will do to that tail
Don't get me wrong - I love your idea and admire your efforts but I think these points are worth raising.
Best of luck
Wish I could see it in the flesh.


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ha ha your the only one with negative comment, ok he is building it for bonneville...there is that better.. i loved the other plane and im digging this one, thanks for the good read.. love the progress, keep it up....

 

Me too!

 

He'll still have rudder...

 

I am surprised no one posted this one yet....not saying my personal opinions...but it shows ingenuity people do have...


CarShow10 by cmarcus712, on Flickr

 

I hauled another project in this weekend to insure that I get sidetracked. Its a WWII M3 Autocar halftrack that was converted into a crane truck at some point. The tandem rear axles are out of a GMC6x6.

 

that haltrack looks pretty cool - wanna do a resto or rebuild in the 6x6 setup?