Projects My "You didn't build that" 27 T Roadster build thread

Any chance of an update?

 

Okay fine, here an update!

First, work has been kicking my ass for the last year. Its been feast or famine and nothing in between. Family has kept me super busy.

I lost all motivation in December when I realized I wouldn't make GNRS, plus funds were low which always puts a damper on things.

Victoria really wanted a custom steering wheel for the roadster. We had it all designed but at $800-ish I kept dragging my feet... and paying bills and buying groceries. The steering wheel was holding up quite a bit of progress as we needed it to finalize the steering column, and to finish some of the wiring.

A few weeks ago we looked at the steering wheel idea again and I guess she didn't like it as much as she used to. Enter a three spoke sprint car wheel which really is much more fitting.



After holding that wheel in place I realized I couldn't get in or out easily, so I ordered a quick release hub.



Yep, that's better. Now for today...

A while back I ordered a blinker assembly from United Pacific. Not thrilled with the quality but it's okay, but they only give about a foot of wire with it. I wasn't about to splice wires inside of the column so I blew it apart, strung new wires long enough to reach the fuse box, and resoldered everything.



Moving along, I sat down in the car and finally finished wiring the dash. I need to clean my boots.


And installed it.



With the wheel mounted I'm thrilled with how it all came together.





I need to TIG the quick release to the steering shaft and we'll build a column. The blinker will mount to the left (duh) and the tach will mount on the right. There'll be a conduit for the wiring to hide in.

Hope I can keep motivated until the car is finished! Wish me luck.

 

Glad you're back on it. Life is a balancing act for sure.

 

Dang, with it this close, time to get it going! Hopefully everything works out so you have both the time and funds to complete it real soon.

 

Great to see you back on the Roadster, Eric, and hope you had a super day last Tuesday (18th). I used the same turn signal unit on mine......yeah not the best but its done the job. I like the wheel Too. JW

 

Good to see you back at it Eric.
Life and priorities are important to look after.

The fun stuff will always be waiting for the time to be right.

Hope it will be smooth sailing from here on till that first ride.

 

Woo hoo, good to see this Back on the main page, I too have one of those indicators, but I've never installed it.
I like the new wheel, and the anti theft deal.

 

Had one of those directional switches. It developed a short some how that I had to eliminate the lever light to make it work. Taking it apart, it's not the best unit. Don't think you'll be happy with it for long. Now's the time to upgrade.

 

Hey Eric if you want a nicer signal unit,
I bought one from Limeworks
http://limeworksspeedshop.com/

Check them out, they clamp on the column nice and secure.

 

Hey, I really like your car. I may try one of those limeworks units myself. Keep up the good work, no matter how long it takes.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Chip (Need Louvers) has a quick disconnect on his T and carries the wheel around whenever he leaves it in a parking lot. One day we ran in to a grocery store for provisions and he was getting A LOT of funny looks. Don't think he even noticed...

 

The funny looks were because they thought he was Conan

 

My black roadster sold, it now lives in South Jordan, Utah. The guy who bought it hadn't told his wife yet. I haven't spoken to him since, I hope she didnt kill him.

On to the wife's T now with a much more concerted effort.

 

I hope I'll see it around, I'm in that part of town often enough. Good luck with the home stretch of Victoria's car!

Bad decisions make good stories.

 

You didn't need a Vette any way, Eric. Its hard to believe it almost a year since I called in on you guys and checked out both Roadsters and look forward to some great updates of progress. Oh...say hi to Bob for me. JW

 

No pics, sorry, nothing exciting.

Steering wheel quick release has been TIG'd to the steering shaft.

Finished wiring the stereo and tested it. Pretty sure we can hear it at 80 MPH. If not, everyone in a two mile radius will.

 

Progress is progress, Eric. I don't think you will have an issue hearing your sounds. JW

 

Looking good Eric, l may have mentioned this before but the only music in my RPU will be the sound from the Y blocks pipes

Anything beyond that will require personal electronics and ear buds
I'm getting closer, been laying on paint

 

Yeah, although mine is the sound of a slightly baffled 350 Chevy sucking air through the three air tubes on top of the carbies. Certainly not as cool as a Y-block or Flat head but still gives me many a smile per mile.

 

I always felt hot rods didn't need any more music than an eight cylinder symphony, then I started driving my cars for hours on end and I began to appreciate rock n' roll again. I've always been big into car audio so it seems natural I'd gravitate back to it.

Progress...



Exhaust tubing with Delron bushings, belled end to match the size of the steering quick disconnect, and a conduit (of sorts) to route the wiring through for the turn signals and tach.









Lot of work here, even if it doesn't look like it, LOL.

The tach will be mounted to the column next. I had planned on it being to the right side of the shaft over my right knee, but it interferes with the Gennie Shifter. We moved it down to the back of the column, but still high up. No effect on getting in or out of the car.

 

Good move forward Sir, its getting a lot closer. JW

 

Great job on the steering column, Eric ! Your moving along . You'll be done before you know it and ready to start on the COE . LOL, have any burn out yet ? Blue

 

The '50 Ford will get a SBC before I get to the cabover. Somewhere in there I need to build a shop, too. I need a couple of big jobs to close so I can just build it with cash, I HATE financing stuff.

Found my tach cup last night, Bob met me in town and picked it up and went right to work.



Tomorrow it gets more welding and smoothed with filler.

 

Parked my '27 outside Original Joe's (San Francisco style restaurant in San Jose) and took the 3 spoke Bell in to dinner. It sat in the booth between wife Joey and me. Lots of looks, some comments.
I told some lady, "The car steered us here. We were hungry, so we stranded it before it changed its mind..."

 

Ha ha ha! I was thinking I'd just tell people it was my keychain.

 

It would be difficult to misplace that key ring!

 

I just thought that I would wander around with my steering wheel in my hand asking if anyone had seen my car

 

Maybe I'll "drive" around with the wheel making car noises. Restaurants, grocery stores, the library...

Of course there would be frequent gear changes, power slides, skidding to stops...

 

Whats next in the push for a test drive. I bet you take the steering wheel out shopping early just to check on reactions........I would. JW

 

Need to complete the wiring still, but the column has to be finished first. Not much left to do though.

Need to have a driveshaft built, put in all the fluids, find upper and lower radiator hoses, cut and buff the doors and finish polishing the paint. Oh, and put the headers on...

When the car goes for interior we'll have the headers chromed.