Projects Never Ending Hop Up Build

I'm starting with the pile of parts I've accumulated over the years from cast aways and freebies. The frame is a pre-26 T I had laying around that I always knew I'd build someday. I also have some tweeked 1926/27 frame rails I plan on using for crossmembers & step up pieces. The body is a cut down '27 T touring and motor & driveline will be all Model A. I'm looking to emulate the post war style as much I can on my tight budget.

 

cool, but let's see more

 

Front spring mount. Check!

 

I made the front motor mount from the end of a 1926/27 T rear crossmember. It just needs to hold the front yoke motor mount of the Model A engine.

 

Just an observation -- You're putting a lot of twisting stress on that flimsy T crossmember. I've been restoring Model T's for more than 15 years, and most of the front crossmembers I see have cracks in them. And those cracks occurred without the added stresses of hanging the spring out front and extra horsepower. I don't see any cracks in yours, so that's a good thing. But I'd suggest reinforcing it somehow, perhaps by "boxing" the bottom of it to resist the twisting forces you're putting on it. And you probably already know this, but those frame rails will need to be beefed up some as well.

 

Now on to the center crossmember. I used some of the straight pieces of my extra '26/27 rails to make this.

 

Yes I welded in some reinforcement on the bottom on the front crossmember.

 

Due to the fact I'm running a Model A rear end & spring I needed a mount big enough for it.

 

Starting to look like something.

 

For the front axle I had to use what I had which was a '48 F1. I ground off the dual spring flanges and used some weld on spring/hair pin axle brackets I had on the shelf. Yall are probably going to say "that'll look like shit!" & "That axle is too wide!" It's actually the same width as the '48 passenger car axle I used on my last build.

 

Ok here's where I had to spend some money. Hair pins and spring from Speedway all mocked up.

 

Looking like I hoped. Next the spindles, brakes, wheels & tires. Then I can get to the rear end. Yes I know the hair pins need to be bent in a couple inches to reach the frame. That's on my weekend to do list.

 

I am putting together something similar. My cross member was straight across, not dropped, and when I had the whole thing mocked up. It was very apparent that the frame sat too high in front. I had to re-do the perch with a 3" drop to get things to look right. From the looks of the hairpins and mounts, it looks like you may have the same problem. I really don't know the final "look" you are trying for; this is just something to be aware of. I don't know how you are planning "bend" the hairpins, but I can't think of a way to do it that wouldn't look a bit odd.

 

I just plan on heating them about 3" from where they attach to the axle brackets and just bending them slightly in a vise so they stay even. Shouldn't look terrible (I hope).

 

Getting some primer and paint on a couple parts. Wheels are '40 Ford 16's all the way around. Firestone 6.00-16 front & 7.50-16 on the rear. Front brakes are '48-52 F1 thanks to fellow HAMBer Rich B.

 

As far as ride hight, I'm not trying to make it super low but lower than stock for sure. I may have to put a spacer between the front spring and the mount to get it lower if looks too high without it.

 

I like where you're headed. I'm in. Good work.

 

Chopped windshield posts. Check!

 

The body had an ugly recessed firewall done in the 70's using a wheel barrel. I started cutting it out and am replacing it with a '25 firewall I had in a corner of the garage.

 

A lil paint before the tires get mounted. I LUV single stage tractor paint!

 

Great start, I'll follow this.

 

Looks good so far. I think that firewall is a '25. I had a 26/27 cut-down touring body that used that same firewall, was split in the middle to make it wider and welded in, it looked right at home in there. If I can find a good picture of it I'll post it.

 

I started a neat little project with a '26 T frame that was under my $250 roadster. I needed a 1 man car, a 1930s race car...so I turned the front crossmember 90 degrees, so its lower curve was facing forward. Boxing that, I built a 'bulldog' plate similar to yours, but cross spring underneath. (axle was one of my '37 Ford V860 tubes...)
The cross member turned 'forward' gave me lower height, 'sculpted' look to the frame front, and provided a foothold form for my copy of a Miller shell.
I'm nuts about these old 'low buck depression era treasures'... Wish Pete Eastwood lived closer, he's a trove of knowledge in these cars.

 

I'd luv to see a picture of that!!!

 

Me too!

 

Neat project, I'm in.

 

So I had planned on having my front tires mounted tonight but as I was unraveling the plastic wrapping from one of them I noticed a cut on the sidewall. So I sent it back to Summit for a return/exchange this morning. Guess I'll only be mounting one tonight.

 

Today's progress is I finished bending and priming the hair pins and it doesn't look too bad! I also reattached the front axle in preparation for installing the spindles and new king pins tomorrow. The hair pins will get painted and reinstalled tomorrow as well.

 

Looks great!

 

Thanks!