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

Sorry I've been so absent for so long fellas. I can't begin to tell you how busy I've been, plus our daughter gave us a new tricycle motor a few days ago. I finally got to see him yesterday!


It was so fun seeing Jeremy and Mandy twice in their travels. Jeremy came over to "help" but ended up spending several hours in my garage by himself as I kept getting pulled away. Thanks JW, I really appreciate you spending your holiday doing something I just haven't made the time for!



For those of you who haven't had the immense pleasure of meeting these two make it a priority in your lives. Two of the NICEST, kindest, funniest people you'll ever have the pleasure of knowing. Love you two, glad you made it home safely!

So... the roadster. I've been driving it a little. Mostly between home and the gas station or the grocery store. A few 5 mile loops, and one 30+ mile round trip. Still battling issues but have most of them worked out.

This was about a month ago on that 30 mile round trip.

Thanks to JW for noticing the front axle "rocking" while turning the steering wheel while sitting still. I've looked at it a million times and so have friends, but we had all missed that. I'll be ordering a new axle to put under it soon, forged of course.

The sweep of suspension and steering components is still an issue, but they're much closer to being in alignment with JW's several hours in the 107° heat. I'll still need to move the arm upwards (and inwards) as he suggested but I think I'll do the axle first and see where that leads to.

I have a list of fixes to do on the garage wall and will check them off a little at a time, big items first.

I don't recall what I've posted so I'll throw a few pics out of what we've done. Sorry if there are duplicates.

Garage cleanup last weekend.


Leaking oil in the gravel for a change.


Drove to a small local car show. Didn't enter.


Still pissed about the VLV deal.


IG: daddio211
FB: daddio211

 

Congrats on the new addition. Neat little car, too.

 

Thanks for the words, Eric and back at ya. It will be sorted and WE will cruse our cars together.
As always it was great to hang out with you and help get the Roadster sorted, just wish i had time to finish it but there is always next June. Congrats from Mandy and myself for the addition.
Take care and see you soon. JW

 

Hi, Eric. Just booked our room for LARS next year and really want to see the Roadster and you guys there too....SO... how are we going on the front axle department? The more i think of it, the more i am convinced that the perch bolts and axle replacement will cure the issue along with sorting those shock bolts near the spring. There is not enough axle travel while driving to cause the issue you are experiencing, raising the front of the drag link would still be a good idea but wait and see how the other goes first. Cheers, Jeremy.
PS; we really miss being over there!!

 

We'll see you there for sure!

I haven't touched the roadster once since you were here. Work has been crazy, but the axle (and other items) are on the list.

IG: daddio211
FB: daddio211

 

Still got some time, but don't wait too long....or send it over and i will fit it in one weekend. JW

 

Had to share pics of our pal Jeremy's new windshield.

 

Thanks for that, Eric. it has made a big difference to the wind in my face but the main reason was for looks. Seeing yours and riding in it convinced me it had to be done. I feel it gives it more visual balance. I am now trimming around the back of the body where the original top attached and soon the seats and interior cards will be redone. Summer in one Month!!
Anyway, hope all is good in St George and Model T progress is not far off. JW

 

Those windshields look good. Much better than the 4" chop full framed windshield and more practical than just the lower half in my opinion.

 

Just a quick note, not much of an update.

I pulled the roadster's battery out of my boat a month ago and put the boat back in storage. The battery is still sitting on the floor in the garage behind the roadster. I know, I know, you're all SOOO surprised! LOL

Working with what Jeremy discovered about the axle, I did take a very close look at it with Bob last week. Sure enough, the caster is changing when the steering wheel is moved slightly left-right. Not only is the caster changing, you can actually SEE the axle bending in the center fore and aft!

So yeah, my prized early Ford axle that was dropped and chromed prior to 1968 is now relinquished to a life of wall decor. Ugh. I'll be ordering a new Magnum axle in the near future and we'll give it another shot.

Unrelated (but still related) my ridiculous had work the past few years has been paying off. I'll FINALLY be starting my shop build in January. It's 40' deep, 50' wide. The office/storage/bathroom area is roughly 20' x 20'. Ceilings are 16' at the front, 14' at the rear. Here's a few screenshots of the design I did using floorplanner.com. Cool online tool, easy to use and my favorite part... FREE!

 

... you can put a fold down bunk in there, for when you get in trouble.

 

That has definitely occurred to me before...

 

Will be able to check the new shop out next year, COOL !
Good to see you have looked at the Roadster and about to move forward again, another COOL !
JW

 

The shop looks great Eric. If you can increase the one side so it’s 40x60 that would be nice , they’re never big enough.

As far as the axle goes I want to caution you on the Magnum axles, they’re made from ductile iron and there have been reports of some failing as in breaking and causing accidents.

I had one and got rid of it before I finished my build and switched to a forged steel axle from So Cal.

It’s a beefy axle and should be plenty strong.

 

While you and Bob were looking at the front end did you point out the front shock mounts on the spring shackles? JW

 

Gaining an additional 10' of shop cuts my outdoor storage down significantly. I had really considered it but I need the yard space. Also, I'm pushing the city limits as it can only be a certain percentage of the existing home square footage. Another 400' would definitely be beyond their formula.

Ugh, totally forgot about that!

 

Extend the house garage and that will raise your percentage rate............no problem!! JW

 

That’s good Eric, it will still be a nice shop.
The city wins out when they enforce the bylaws.

Although making the house bigger is an interesting idea

Don’t forget the Magnum axle issue, forged steel really is better than the casting Magnum sells.

 

You should know what they say about opinions
I’m going to disagree with you, I prefer the function of the 4” chopped Mr. Roadster windshield frame, (which I had chromed) because it will stop bugs from hitting me in the forehead and I can also run my top.

 

Guys,

I like the windshields on all three of these roadsters. I also like the functionality of having the ability to put a top on when wanted. When I had a Corvette (40 something years ago) my then wife rode in it with the top down/off once. She wouldn't ever ride in it again without one of the tops on because she objected to the sun hitting her on the head. b-t-w; it was her daily driver also. Clarence (see avatar) was my daily driver along with a BSA motorcycle, which I still have.

As far as bugs go I've been riding H-D motorcycles for a long time. I have the windshields cut down to where I'm looking just over the top of them but not through them. I can't remember ever being hit by a bug. The air flow caries them over my head. I don't know whether there is a significant difference in the angles on my scoot windshields and the roadster windshields and/or whether it makes any difference to the bugs.

 

I ride too and the angle of the windshield makes bugs go up and over.

With roadster windshields it’s quite obvious to me that it’s different when you see guys with low windshields wearing goggles or you see goggles lying on the seats.

Another thing is that I always wear a full face helmet with a visor on my motorcycle (ST1300) which I won’t have in the RPU.

 

I got hit by bugs a lot, never drive mine without good bike glasses or goggles, small road debris etc is also an issue. JW

 

I can tell you from personal experience riding motorcycles, that getting hit by a June bug at 80+ MPH hurts like hell, I thought it had split my nose wide open when I immediately felt wet all over my face but it was the bug that got split wide open! The only thing that hurt worse than that was when a toad was hopping across the road and caught me in my shin, that one brought tears to my eyes!

 

Been riding motorcycles for 54 years , 10 as a motor officer . I like my windshield so I just look over it . Great at speed but not worth a dime in rain at slow speeds . Been hit by lots of things , they all hurt . Hit an armadillo with the right foot chasing a speeder . Drove my leg backwards and dislocated my hip . Just part of doing what you love .
I like the 4” chopped .

 

The one I hit (pre-windshield) with my upper lip didn't hurt me nearly as bad as it hurt my then wife when my head snapped back and the back of my helmet hit her nose.

OK, I'm sorry to hijack this very excellent thread. Back to daddio's progress reports and discussions related to his roadster now.

I've been subscribed to this thread and Blue One's since they began and send kudos to both men for their excellent work.

 

I knew the windshield was going to be a love/hate thing. I prefer to sit deep in the car and the chopped posts would mean that a top bar would be directly in my line of sight. I put thousands of miles on a friend's '32 that had the top bar directly in my line of sight and it drove me NUTS. Always trying to see over or under it and my neck would hurt after long drives. Drove it from Utah to San Diego once, and Utah to Phoenix twice.

Since the top of the glass would likely be right in my line of vision too it made sense to curve the top of the glass and give slightly more protection from debris. Plus, the posts stay nice and low and that's what the eye judges the "chop" by.

I also knew that the 50's (ish) style of the car didn't really compliment a much earlier "look" of the curved windshield top but also couldn't turn away from the fact that the top of the windshield was the ONLY straight line on the car, save possibly the rear body line where the bumper would be. I gambled. And I'm super happy with the way it turned out both style-wise and functionality-wise. If it were leaned back several degrees it would definitely help the turbulence in the cockpit but it wouldn't look right.

I know not everyone will love it, but that's okay. I'd do it the same way again, and probably will on any future car I build.

Also, there's no reason I can't put a top on this car. As you know the top only attaches to the top of the posts. The header bar is usually made of oak, stepped to create a "seal" (loose term) between the oak and the frame. No reason I can't do the exact same thing with an oak header and the glass.

 

I felt the same about the only straight line on the car but wanted to retain it because of the cars 50's heritage. JW

 

OK....two months on from the windshield thing, hows your Roadster doin' ? JW

 

Nearly three months now, sorry. The roadster is collecting dust, the focus right now is on building the shop and pool. Updates soon-ish.

 

Wow .. a pool too ?

May as well have them dig a traditional garage work bay pit, with electrical conduit in place. Put a TV & beer fridge down there for those long under car adventures.