Projects The Hardscrabble Hop-Up; A 1940's Style 'T' RPU build

This truck just keeps getting better! I really dig the commercial grill, just seems to fit the era you are shooting for better. Don't get me wrong i love the t grill on a gow job but those commercial grills just scream war time/ early post war hot rod to me. I was back and forth as well on my rpu on positioning the body and just went with where the wheel well bulges centered with the rear wheels. Felt the best sitting in it as well with where the stock model a pedals, shifter and steering column line up. If I had more time I was thinking about moving the wheel well bulge back a bit in order to be able to move the body forward a bit. Here is how mine sits at the moment. I may do these modifications at a later date and either chop the grill shell and radiator down or possibly run a chopped commercial grill.


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Sweet little RPU! You got a build thread going?

 

Ditto

 

Ya know......I am think I'm startin' to feel the '32 shell...

Especially with the tall windshield and the 18" wires. If you are going for the 1938 - 1945 era look....I think this works.

A nice Nickle T shell shouldn't be that hard to find...

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What are you going to do about the height? Cut the sides down or chop the shell?

 

Not sure yet. Probably cut the sides and drop it down over the cross member...not sure I'm talented enough with a welder to section it & get all the grille bars welded up right.

 

Send it to me, I can chop it if you want to go that route.


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Yeah, windshield will be cut down about 4", but still fairly high compared to most. For tires, I'm going to put those knobbies on the back for running around town, fronts will be Denman 5.25-5.50x17, rears will be Firestone 7.00x17's shown here;

Sweet! I'll keep that in mind. You did a fantastic job on your T shell!

 

You'll like those rear tires. I do. They look awesome, and you get a bonus poor-man's-overdrive.


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If you do chop that '32 shell, cut the sides, but cut the bars at the bottom, fit the chin part, mark the bar cuts, and reweld. That way when you reweld them the bars will be straight, make a spacer to keep things straight. Bob

 

Good advice.

 

anything going on down there?

 

seems like the majority of T builds have gone silent for a moment, not including Anderson.

 

Still working at it here & there; work & family commitments have killed my spare time lately...should be back on it in more significant ways soon!

 

Yeah mine too. Gonna repost a new build thread on mine when I get a lil more done.

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Me too, life gets in the way some times.

 

Small update:
Finally found a good flywheel housing @ Chickasha back in March. Looked at 9 or 10 before I found one that wasn't cracked. Dropped off the remainder of my motor parts with Ross; should have a completed motor soon...will upload a vid when the time comes!

 

Looks real good Gary. You can drive it to Chickasha next year!

 

looking good from another Tee RP owner

 

Thanks fellas!

Testing Instagram feature...

 

Sorry I'm still trying to get used to the new format.
What I wanted to say is that I have to be real careful about adding to much stuff to my '50s style T but I think you have more latitude. In a build like yours I would be looking for more period pieces and I love the WWII pin and I think you should fit it into your build.

Gary

 

wonderful build, keep up the good work.

 

Sorry for the stupid long delay in getting updates posted up...still waiting to get the motor buttoned up, hope to have a vid of it running soon. Next big step is getting body mounts fabbed, everything mocked up, then chassis will go out for blasting & paint.

In the meantime, the wife & kiddos surprised me with a NOS D.S.M. coil for Father's Day. I've got some choices to make on the dash now ...not sure what I'll end up doing.

 

Don't do the '34 Chevy cluster, I've got one that I am saving for the next build. Whenever that is...


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Hi Gary.Loving your build with all the really swell period parts.On the commercial grill.Instead of chrome,personally,I would go with nickle.To me nickle just has a more solid look and feel.Sounds funny,but do the touch test with your fingers or hands.You will see what I mean.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Thanks Leo! I agree on the Nickel vs. Chrome, although at this point it'll probably end up getting painted. I don't think I could afford a nice plating job

 

Wow not sure how I missed this thread great build! Very cool to see the attention to detail on period parts.

 

Thanks man!

Small update; got my steering & seating position mocked up...who says a tall guy (6'3") can't fit into a T? Basically, I removed the seat riser and built a new one approx 2 1/2" shorter. Cushion will be a flat one, about 3" shorter than stock for a total seat 'drop' of about 5 1/2".


With the seat lowered, I found myself looking under the steering wheel rather than over it...the wheel most definitely needed to drop a few inches. To solve the problem, I slotted the holes in the frame to allow the column to drop 3-4". Unfortunately, this put the steering wheel at odds with my legs...just not quite enough room to operate the pedals without my legs hitting the wheel. Solution: longer steering shaft.

I could have very easily cut the A shaft and spliced a longer section in, but I'm not wild about welding steering components. Taking a cue from my pal @Carter, I sourced a '34 (15:1) steering box and '35 shaft. The 35-40(ish) steering shafts are 46.50" long (almost 2" longer than the A) and have splines on the worm-end that are dimensionally the same as the 33-4. In other words, the 33-4 worm can be pressed onto the longer '35 shaft. This 'package' is easily bolted to the A frame by using the A sector housing. The result; better steering via the 34 box and a longer shaft that provides needed clearance with the lower seat & column position - all using genuine Henry components. And the best news; a stock '35-39 horn/light rod fits without modification.



More pics to come soon!

 

So many cool details going on here. Your build is inspirational...to the point where I was inspired to drag a T roadster body ( though a '25) from the mainland to the middle of the Pacific! T Fever, it's sweepin' the Nation!