My buddy just picked an original fad t completed in 1965. It was an old ISCA show car, competing out west under the name Casual T, and when it moved east, Mint Julip. He is trying to get any history on the car, so we figured what better place than the HAMB? Here are some pictures of the car. It is pretty much unchanged since the late 60's.
Man, does it ever, as does your new avatar Anderson. The cowl lamps are completely over the top, but that's some cool mo-sheen.
How about the windshield hinges on the cowl! Leave it alone -- except saw off about 4 inches of excess alternator bracket.
Great T, but I showed a picture to the neighbors they're quite old and they remember some SOB stealing the coachlights off their front porch back in '65! Tell your friend not to worry they have since been replaced and they will not press charges! KK
saw that when it was on ebay. the seller said he spent 40 years trying to buy the car. surely he knew the history on it. you should ask him
He had very basic knowledge of the car, Moriarity. For a man who wanted the car for forty years, we thought he would know a lot more.
Very cool find! Looks like it drove right out of the pages of 1001 Custom & Rod Ideas. I dig the carriage lights. Sure they're wacky, but that's what Fad T's were back then. Remove all the goofy stuff and wild paint and it looses its personality and becomes a plain T Bucket.
For whatever reason the lanterns don’t bother me, they feel appropriate. The weird narrow windshield bugs me though...but I wouldn’t change it.
Usually I would say don't change anything.....but you are right, take them off and put them in a box, label the box and then put them on a shelf. The "temporary fix" would be to then put some more "normal looking" cowl lights on, to replace those "extra ugly" gigantic cowl lights. I really have a dislike for cowl lights, let alone "the most over the top" ones I have ever seen, but seeing as the original build has them, my compromise would be the more normal style ones.
It’s definitely out there as far as looks go, but I think that is part of its appeal. It represents an era of over the top accessories. I don’t think anything should be changed.
The sign says its a 24 t. Your thread is titled 23 t. What does the title card say? Is it a steel bodied car? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Looks like engine from changed from Olds to SBC or vice versa at some point. Notice location of alternator and also the difference of exhaust ports. Sent from my A521L using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The lanterns are horrible, they have to stay. They help put the whole thing over the top. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Olds exhaust ports stick out. Looks like it's alway been Chevy to me? Blower/belts, etc look the same?
The picture with the alternator on the "drivers" side is "flipped"; check the steering wheel location.
Sure enough. Well I'll just chalk that one up to acting like I know something again. Sent from my A521L using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I don't recall the "over the top Fad T's" showing up until the early 70's. Maybe this is the one that started that FAD? It's the first T Bucket I've seen from the mid 60's or any other era, with big ass coach lights on it. Period or not, I'd use a hammer to take those off.
That is pure early 70s, It would be a shame to change anything. That is a time capsule. I would be proud of maintaining originality. Like Ivo T, Graboski Kookie Kar. Change would loose what it is.
So here is what i have gathered so far. car was started in 1965, completed mid 1966 " Builder and or original owner may have ties to Cincinnati? Story goes the car was built for the Douglass family, 2 brothers & sister, the car was shown for a few years, then a sale from Kansas from the "Norman" Douglass on March 12 1970 to Harry Arlington and the car was shown on the eastern states for years after, untill it was stored in the back of a old service station 40ish years, and is now is sunny South Florida.. i do know the motor is indeed a 1965 327, and has a polished 4 speed, which everyone has told me was a M22, have not verified numbers, but if so, it would make it a group of the first m22s produced... Interesting.. 16 inch magnesium torque thrust rear, and 15 front.. cragar blower, lots of crazy trick stuff.. everything is original down to the tires, but the magneto is out before me.. have original display, wiring diaglam binder, judges card, hand written letters from on owner to next, describing which products have been used on it since new.... here is where the confusion starts.. this layout from ROD POWER magazine years later apparently has mixed up 2 sets of car notes. The majority of the information is correct, but i have spoken to Gene Weaver in Kansas, who was a profound builder and still has a beautiful 53 chevy custom. I FOUND GENE AND TOLD HIM I HAVE YOUR CAR... He was amazed, and started to tell me about it, after 5 minutes we realized whe were talking about 2 different animals... So now the article was making sense, he did indeed have a bad ass tbucket, WITH a 283 and a POWERGLIDE Along with front brakes, THAT HE BUILT FROM THE RAILS UP... So now i am searching for that issue of ROD POWER, to see if Genes car is also in it, and from the two i may be able to reverse the mixup, and fill in the blanks.. Any input would amazing..