Projects '23 Model T Gow Job - AKA: Sand Creek Special

Holy crap, I did not realize the adapters were approaching the $700 mark for a set of 4. That is insane.

As I mentioned, they are essentially what I bought / built, although these are a direct bolt on....but they still need to be centered as I had to do with mine.

 

And not to mention they don’t have the proper surface to support the 28-35 ford wire wheel. You still need to get the support rings from speedway! These cars are super light but proper support is still a good thing!

 

Nothin good wrong with that set up if there is a register on the adapter to hold it to the drum. Lots and lots of lifted jeep's run the exact same adapters with 35-37" tires without issues.

Nice work!

 

OK, big news! I have a rolling chassis! Alright, I'll use that phrase lightly, as none of this stuff is mounted permanently. But knowing how I am with project, the quicker I make it whole, the easier in my mind it is to tear apart small sub assemblies to repaint and clean up or what not.



And then I retrieved my core engine I bought last year. I am hoping to get it unstuck, but if you remember back, under the head was pretty rough. However, filling the cylinders with ATF reveals only one of them is holding in the oil. So I consider that a fair sign I might be able to free it up.

The test stand / Power Unit cart I had it stored on....



Setting it home.....



But.... It was short lived. Discovered my dropped tierod still was not going to clear the original crossmember. So back out and I did a little trimming. I took 3/4" off the side of the crossmember. Much better, but I still might have to rebend the tierod later. The tie rod wants to ride under the original front crossmember when the steering goes more than half way to full lock. Plenty of room for it, it just likes to occupy the same spot as the side of the crossmember. That is all the trimming I'm going to do on the crossmember though, I like the fact the also trimmed motor mount is also even with the bottom of edge.

 

If I had a spare set of Model A rollers with tires, I'd have them on instead. Like it or not, gotta use what I have I suppose.

This shot reminds me something in a 50's Rod magazine. The big tires look funny on a little chassis.





Side shot, the bottom of the pan is 5 1/2" from the ground. Plenty of clearance, even when the body goes on with someone in it. Should have a minimum of 4" if not a shade more. The tires on it now are less than 1" smaller diameter than the Model A tires I have going on. So it's pretty close.

 

To cold and wintery mix/raining outside, so I retreated for the basement. Making these pieces of wood is a true pain in the rear. I have resorted to using cheap fir 2"X6" from the home improvement store. At least this keeps me from ruining expensive hardwood. Once everything is made and finalized, I will hopefully be able to remake them one final time out of the Ash hardwood. That's the plan anyhow.

So with another piece made, I decided I really need to see if I am on the right track with all of this and try and hang the very floppy sheet metal on the right side. Well, yes, I am definatly in the ball park, but it is clear I have many corrections to make and a LONG ways to go....how the heck did they do this in a mass production situation? The metal is super tight trying to fit it over the wood and actually binds in a few spots so things are going to have to come apart and get corrected. However, seeing a shot like this gives a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

If I wasn't so hung up on maintaing the period of the 30's, I'd just go modern and fabricate some tubing and tack weld the body on. But that would completely change the look as I don't plan to run side upholstery. I want to leave the wood exposed for that raw down and dirty and cheap look.

 

Down and Dirty That Works!!

 

I figured I'd show a couple of pics to show what I am dealing with. Using the original body pillar, you can see how far up the rot in the wood went. The sills (rockers) and bottom of every upright were completely gone when I bought this body. The new sills were pre-notched when I bought them, so it took some finagling to find out where exactly the pillars had to go. So having 3/4 of the wood structure is a help, but also a curse. Recreating that lower half is a real pain.

Because all that lower structure was gone and the body had been moved repeatedly before I bought it, all the lower sheet metal from that top of the sills down kept getting repeatedly folded under the weight of the body. The lower rear corner area of the door opening is really fragile.

 

Chad...Those uprights look pretty nice...
What are you cutting those curves with? I did one in the '70s. Good ash wood, with a 7-1/2" Skil saw! (little but at a time...but I'm an old Model Airplane builder...everybody that came by said, "Oh, the wood's SOOO beautiful!" Ha! If they'd seen how I got there...)
But it turned out...after some hours of sanding...
I still remember that, like it was yesterday!
Keep on going, enjoying this thread. Thanks.

 

@Atwater Mike Thank You! I bought a used band-saw for this job. It has proven invaluable. And it too has been a learning curve setting it up. I have routers, table saw and chop saw also, but I have been doing everything so far on the band saw.

The pieces aren't coming out too bad, they need some tweaking and possible redoing. I get better as I keep going. I am not looking for perfection, because I personally will never see it. The goal is it needs to look decent and fool most while being structurally sound.

 

My first post... finally. I've been a casual viewer for long enough. Guitar guy: I recently 'discovered' (met the collector) a massive stash of T stuff, from all parts to complete cars up here in the Great White North. If you need something, I'm sure I may be able to help you find the parts. Best if you could email me and we can go from there. Now I'm thinking a T may be fun to do one day as well. Gotta finish the '39 first though...

 

@Rusty J Thanks for the comments and welcome to the party! I am fairly good on parts. Some i don't know what I need yet, but I have a good majority of the car here already. Heck, with the chassis mocked up as it is, it's basically almost a car now, LOL. There really is not much to a Model T if you don't over complicate them.

 

You got me thinking... I just may have to go back to this guy's place and snag a T for myself as a future project...after I finish the 39 (gotta keep the wife happy y'know). At this rate I'll have to live for a VERY long time to finish all these projects.

 

Rusty j, where are you located. I am also building a t roadster gow. I’m in north west corner of Massachusetts. There is another just 15 minutes from me in pownal as well. The three being close we have been able to get together several times already. It would be great to have yet another model t modified in the area!

 

Eh RustyJ, I am on Van Isle and need a few T body pieces for my daughter T build...

-Shiny

 

Happy Thanksgiving! So a few posts back, I mentioned I wish I had a set of Model A rollers to put on the chassis, while I finish up my other A wheels (19" wheels). Well, a friend of mine that buys and sells parts stopped by to drop off a better torque tube than the one I had for me, and upon seeing my chassis, mentions he has a set of A wheels (21" wheels), with a set of tires on them, good enough for rollers. They were dirt cheap, so I bought them....and being he goes near by my house for work, free delivery. Awesome!

The tires are round and black, and sort of hold air. I aired them up to 22 psi last night not wanting to get too greedy and risk a blowout from the dried up and cracked tires. Checked them this morning, one, wont hold air, it was down to 5 psi. The others only dropped 1 psi so I think they'll be good enough. I'll see if I can scrounge up a good used tube somewhere for the one.... or maybe a cheap tube somewhere.

They appear to be in decent shape metal wise on the exterior, except one has the lug holes opened up pretty good. I'll pull a lug nut off the chassis later and see if it'll work, or if I have to by the cup washers the vendors sell for worn lug holes. Don't want to get to crazy here because they are just for mockup, but at least I get to have something that is more similar to what I am building.

 

With a little work you could heat the lug holes and forge them back to the correct shape.

 

@dumprat Id have to get a pic of it, but just on that one wheel, it looks like they had material removed and were opened up---but its perfectly round. Usually on the backside of the lug hole, there is a lip around the lug hole. That lip is gone on every hole. My friend said they had the wheels on a T but had some homemade goofy adapters, maybe they had to open up the holes for some reason on them. As long as I can get a nut to seat reasonably on them I'll be happy. As I mentioned, It's just for rolling around. But I do like the thought of having a possibility of having both size A wheels.

I originally wanted 21's, but the 19's and tires were two good deals that were found for me and I stupidly almost passed up. All said and done, I have $450 into my refinished 19" rolling stock all together ready to go---which isn't really bad...boy does it add up quick though. ($100 for wheels, $120 for blasting, $100 for tires, $75 tubes/liners, $50 paint)

 

Cool. 19" will be a touch lower. You could also dig up some 33-34 18" or 17" would lower it a bit more and still have the same flavour.

A wheels are a lot easier to come by in my area though. I could never build a gow job, but I like what you are up to.

 

19" wheels are mo better anyway i believe. stronger, and they dont have the hollow tubular rim edge that always rust out. have fun!

 

Hi guys, in response to your questions previously, I'm in Manitoba, Canada. Since I gotta finish the 39 chev first before I add another car to the 'to build' list... That doesn't mean I can't ask about a possible next project. Hey, wait - that's how I ended up with so many cars in the past (kinda dangerous 'cause then I have to figure out where to keep all these projects) but y'never know...

If you need some parts, I guess it's best to email me and we can go from there: [email protected] I'll likely be seeing the 'collector guy' again soon if we don't get a dumping of snow this weekend. So I'll be able to ask him what he's got available. Saw entire racks of wheels - it's a likely guess that he'll have the 19's (I'll have to look first)

Had a neat idea, need your opinions - wall mounted model T - but just one side, so fenders, running board (like a shelf) and maybe side body panels - all as an art display for someone. Does this have some merit? I'd rather see the parts getting used than going for scrap. Right now I'm making the rear window area of a 29 Pontiac into a clock. Gettin' crafty with all these parts.

 

did you train the dog yourself

 

After awhile, yes. It took six beers.

 

Good bye until winter is over. Unless we get an insane warm up to melt the 10+ inches of snow on the way, that's it for any chassis work. I was hoping to get the torque tube made (I cut into two sections--but haven't determined the length), but I just ran out of time to get everything ready for the storm rolling in.

For now I'll be relegated to work in the basement. But that's good because I need to start getting after the wood frame for the body.

 

I'm moving stuff around in my basement, hope for a rolling chassis come springtime. Bob

 

The inevitable happened. 15 inches of snow in 36 hours and its still snowing. It's buried, I'm not going to bother digging it out.

 

You need a Winter project. Bob

 

Oh, I got that. Here is mine...problem is the snow is TOO deep to use it. Six inches of snow is about all it can take.

We ended up with 21" of snow out of this storm. There is anywhere from 3-4 feet of snow in the yard from snowblowing.

 

^That is awesome!