While wandering around the Minneapolis Messaround last weekend, I ran into Matt (saltflatmatt on the forum) from the the Lucky Bastards. He asked me if I'd got started on my '26 roadster yet; and I had to admit I really hadn't. He said "I'll see you next Sunday, what's your address?", and goes back to work at the gate. So; the following Sunday (yesterday) it's 10 a.m. and here comes Matt, Mountain Dew in hand. After a year of collecting parts and assorted bits; the project (and myself) get the kick in the ass they needed! Thought I'd post some pics of progress as of tonight. Got the rear of the '32 rails dog-legged in and tucked up into the trunk; got 'em to somewhat follow the narrow t body, and tweaked them back outward again, out front, to get them back to stock width at the front cross member. I just wanted to post this 'cuz I've been building this f^#&er in my head for so long, it just feels great to get the sparks finally flying! Please forgive me for my enthusiasm at such an obviously early and elementary stage.....
Looks great. I always like 'improved' T's on deuce rails. Will you have to straighten the rails under the body/rockers at all to get the body to fit properly?
You know, it's so damned close at this point; I suppose you could tweak it to follow dead-on perfect, but it's good enough for me. It's a way better fit than I expected it to be, and I was prepared to settle for far less...
also, most of the gap you see in the photos along the body and chassis, is due to some tweaks in my rockers. once I get the body in order, and provided I've got the body location calculated pretty close, it's gonna be about right.
Keep it up and keep you and your buddy full of Mountain Dew and it will be done in no time...maybe you should paint it Mountain Dew Green and Red cool tees: www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236347
Alright; so last weekend my buddy Ryan stopped by to chip in on getting my Chassis Engineering x-member trimmed up and all stitched in. Fit perfect, and after just the initial "eye-ball" measuring and cutting job! We just stood there, jaws on the floor. Took a little tweaking; but it was a perfect, snug fit straight away. I quickly got it tacked in before I had a chance to f^*k it up. Spent the next day hanging the motor (394 Olds) and trans (GM 3-speed) in place (big thanks to Tony at Ross Racing for the bellhousing, so I could match 'em up!) and got the placement worked out for the front cross-member. Loosely bolted up the drop axle (thanks to Titus for the slick drop!) and the mono-spring to get an idea of what things are gonna look like for the split 'bones. Another great weekend. Next up; boxing up the rails; and getting the 8 inch Ford and Durant Mono-spring set up out back to get the rear kick-up dialed in. See you next week!
Ok, so this week's update ain't as visually exciting. Got the x-member all welded up, cleaned things up a bit, and then hauled it down to Saltflatmatt's joint for boxing. Spent the rest of the weekend cleaning up the front and rear wishbones and the front axle. All of which came out real nice. Still waiting for my rear spring, and another package of bungs and tie rod ends from Speedway. The little lady duped me into attending another wedding (I mean she invited me!) next weekend, so there'll be a little break in the action in the garage here. I'll post again when the frame makes it's way back home....
Again; my first build, so forgive the tedium...I'm a little excited. I'm also hoping that if you see anything that looks a bit sketchy going on over here, that you'll feel free to slap me upside the head. Although I'm receiving great council on most of this, I'm just kind of making some of this shit up as I go. Plus, I figure if I record all the action real thorough, I can dig through the archives during the next build, when I forget how the hell I did some of this stuff!
looks great Marx, didnt even know you started on it, great progress, if you need any help at all just ask. JEFF
Thanks Jeff. I'm a little apprehensive about getting my rear kick-up calculated properly; but I'm hoping it'll make itself fairly obvious when I get stuff set in place. Maybe. Again, congratulations to you and Jenny! Thanks for the invite; I had a good time.
damn dude, looking good. I have been waiting to see this build for about 2 years now. i've been following this thread daily since you told me about it this past weekend. i'm going to try and make it up there before the first of the new year so will hopefully get to see this build up close. keep it up Marx and can't wait to see the outcome. great start!!!!!
So.... back at it. While I was out of town making full use of the open bar at yet another wedding, SaltflatMatt was boxing up the frame! Front and back. Took some obvious finesse at the rear; but they came out really really nice. I'm super stoked now. Here's a couple quick shots of it. This week I'll be finishing up the front wishbones and assembling the front end; then fabbing up them motor mounts.....
Starting to look like a car... well, at least it's starting to come together. It looks like it will be one cool T.
Got a couple days off, so I finally got the motor mounts for the Olds Rocket fabbed up. Found some cut round scrap at the steel yard, so I figured I'd mess around a bit and see what I could come up with. Took me a good couple days of trimming and tacking; with a nearly forgotten dentist's appointment tossed into the middle of it ; but I think they worked out pretty good.
Not a ton of new progress, but: Got the front end bolted up, 90-fin Buick drums on. Dragged my ass out of bed on Sunday morning for the Roadster Swap Meet, where I scored a pair of 40 ford steelies. Titus supplied a pair of International wheels for the rear, so I can bolt 'em right up to the 8 inch without adapters. Stoked about that! Dropped the wheels at the blaster's monday morning; ordered some wide-whites: I should have the front resting on rubber pretty soon!
Nice build Marx. Seems to be alot of those T hiboys in progress and rightly so. Awesome work. Is that Mountain Dew green I see on the Olds? Ron
I've got an F-100 box. Still haven't worked out how I'm gonna go about mounting it yet...looks like there are a few good ways to do it.
damn dude, you're killing this thing. everytime i check it you got some huge progress done. i got an A truck down here for you to build when you get done with the roadster. keep it up, looks very right. missed you this past weekend, wasn't the same show without your sedan there. i check that thing out every time i see it. well looks great man,.
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