My 26T Coupe build thread

[roadster32]

Thanks for the positives, we all have differing skill levels but we all strive for a common end product. I rather fancy doing a rough and ready shop truck but what would that tell my customers

I am in awe at your CRAFTSMANSHIP it makes me consider pushing mine to the curb for the rubbish man to pick up..... Of course I won't I do the best I can with the tools and skill, little on skill, that I have. But it sure is nice to see your work. It will be a super slick rod when finished. Neat heater. I picked up an arvin for mine, wish I could afford to rechrome the front. I think I can save the chrome on frame and repaint case and louvers, which chrome is almost gone on. Maybe make it look like it wasnt redone, with the patina so it looks well worn, but not rusty and junky. Keep up the great work. Look forward to more updates and pics as they come.

[butch27]

Unbelievable workmanship. Can't wait to see it finished.

[roadster32]

Me too, thanks for looking.

Unbelievable workmanship. Can't wait to see it finished.

[roadster32]

Seeing as i hate installing window mechanisms i thought i would get this job out of the way early on

The doors came with a crude Mini based system that didn't work that well to be honest and the window didn't go full travel due to the height of a tall T window.
I thought i might be able too reuse the runners but once i got into the door itself i realised they wern't great either so the door was stripped out, while there i removed the complete inner bottom as it looked like somebody had chewed it out

On inspection the doors wern't as accurate as i thought This isn't a dig at the mould maker as he probably hadn't a decent body to start with but nothing was really very square and there are dips and wobbles on virtually every surface

the easy way out would of been with an electric kit but I did not want electric windows as i feel its more old car with windups and i like them

Here's the door stripped out but still with the window runners in, The runners came out easily as they had been glued in with Gripfill but i then spent ages sanding out the Gripfill with a finger sander








Here stripped completely







Firstly i put in a 20mm x 20mm x 3mm box perimeter frame to keep things square, this is made in 2 pieces as it needs to be removeable, this is secured to the grp inner by various contersunk bolts that thread into rivnuts in the box section.








When i removed the runners i found a void in each corner so i managed to get inside and rough the glass up and filled them up with good old strawberry









The body came with horrible surface mounted locks that you get on landrovers and looked aweful so were resigned to the bin
I tried a multitude of different locks but none would work due to the T doors being thin and nothing would clear the window.

Gomez appeared one day clutching a pair of 1/2" thick locks that had double latching and were really smooth operating and were perfect for my doors, thanks mate







The lock was mounted temporally in the right place, A slot was cut into the steel box for the lock to sit into.














I have been installing window winders in project Fordson and i was using VW beetle mechanisms that were perfect for it thanks to advice from deudetuor & Mark Bull (thanks guys)
While installing i thought they may work for the T but were a little short on travel

The main problems with the T doors is they have really tall windows that need 20" of travel, also they are pretty narrow so any mechanism needs to be quite slim.

After a bit of thought i decided that if they were extended on the bottom they would maybe work apart from not having enough inner cable length, this was solved by moving the handle gear along the runner, this came out great as it now also put the handle in a more convenient place

Before doing anything i had to sort out the top of the door itself as it was all over the place dipping and uneven so the glass was ground for a key and a couple of lengths of steel clamped in place as guides. Then the surface was built up with chopped mat and resin till level with the steel guides. this also stiffened it all up as it was pretty thin.









Here's the mechanism laid in place.







The bottom stock brackets were cut off and replaced with pieces from some spare scrap runners, they are extended 5" here.







Securing brackes were made and welded to each end and bolted via rivnuts to the framework.









I now had the mechanism mounted centrally in the door so next job was to move the handle gear along the cable runner.
The gear was secured together with rivets so these were drilled out and will be replaced with 5mm bolts and nuts, The gear operates the cable through a slot 25mm wide so another slot was cut 5" further along and reasembled.










I now had a mechanism that had 22" of travel next job was to make up a winding hanle mount, this was made from a piece of 2mm steel sheet and bolts in place again via rivnuts installed in the box section.









Next a window was cut from some 4mm ply as a template for the glass, I'm using flexible window channel so that was countoured to fit and placed in the door.












Here's what i have so far








Next job was to operate the locks some way, luckily a mate came up with a pair of lock regulators so these were modified to fit and installed (thanks Paul). the handles themselves were made from 10mm stainless and made the same way as my exterior handles.











An operating rod was made up and fitted and it all worked really smoothly and perfectly Apart from a bit of cleanup it all works really nicely and smoothly.

[Dave Severson]

Neat work! Really like the "take what you got and make it work" attitude on the build!!! Just cuz there isn't one in the catalog is no reason it can't be built! Great work, really 1st rate craftsmanship!

[Itoldyouso]

I like it, Steve. Very good way to accomplish latching the doors and raising the windows. When do you find time to do all of this, what with your regular jobs and all? Every post you have made so much more progress.

Don

[roadster32]

Thanks Dave, my budget isn't a huge one so sometimes i have to make do, Although saying that i would rather make something than buy, i get a kick out of making stuff and its nice to have unique parts

Neat work! Really like the "take what you got and make it work" attitude on the build!!! Just cuz there isn't one in the catalog is no reason it can't be built! Great work, really 1st rate craftsmanship!

[roadster32]

Just in my spare time Don, i work on customers cars 8am - 5pm but i can be found in the workshop from 6am - 9 or 10pm most days except sunday, Sue don't like me working sundays unless its on her Rod of course

I like it, Steve. Very good way to accomplish latching the doors and raising the windows. When do you find time to do all of this, what with your regular jobs and all? Every post you have made so much more progress.

Don

[roadster32]

Someone asked me how i got the square hole in the handles, so here goes


I used a piece of 2.5mm stainless sheet, bent it to a tight 90 degree in the vice with the aid of a hammer, then clamped it around a square shaft and tack welded the 2 corners, then i fuse welded the 2 sides, this was then dressed to slide into a 17mm hole in the handle stub. once welded into the handle stub the face was dressed and the handle welded to the stub, Then polished the weld out.
























.

[Whiplash23T]

WOW awesome work Steve and man you have given me some excellent ideas on how to do the inner door frames for my Bucket ,but on a smaller scale ofcourse,thanks. And I don't have to worry about windows.

[Dave Severson]

Thanks Dave, my budget isn't a huge one so sometimes i have to make do, Although saying that i would rather make something than buy, i get a kick out of making stuff and its nice to have unique parts

One more reason it's fun to work on your own sometimes....you don't have to justify all the hours to a customer!!!! Most of them just don't seem to understand.....

[roadster32]

funny enough i just got an email from someone on the hamb asking if i could make him a pair of mirrors like mine, Of course i declined but i don't think he would want to pay the cost anyways, I have 16 hours in each mirror !!!
Its ok making stuff for yourself as its only time but to make for others is expensive.

One more reason it's fun to work on your own sometimes....you don't have to justify all the hours to a customer!!!! Most of them just don't seem to understand.....

[Dave Severson]

funny enough i just got an email from someone on the hamb asking if i could make him a pair of mirrors like mine, Of course i declined but i don't think he would want to pay the cost anyways, I have 16 hours in each mirror !!!
Its ok making stuff for yourself as its nly time but to make for others is expensive.

At a reasonable labor rate, your mirrors would cost about $2,000.00 a pair---I can understand that!!! Doubt the guy would want to pay that for them. The hours really mount up when you design and build. Takes dedication to wrap up that kind of time into a Hot Rod, but it sure is worth it. Then folks just have to pick on you cuz you're so slow at building a car--Don't suppose that same thing happens on your side of the pond????

I am really enjoying your build thread!!! Really great to watch someone willing to put in all the necessary time to assure the fit, finish, and detail on the car is first rate all the way through the build and not just a bunch of bolt ons that may or may not fit the theme of the project!!! Thanks for letting us all share in your build!!!

[Ken Thurm]

Don gave me the link to your thread, some how I missed this. Great workmanship! I really appreciate thinking outside the box. I always think there is another way to do everything and you sure are proving that!
Ken

[Itoldyouso]

We talk all the time while building our own stuff about how we are amazed that professionals, like you are Steve, can charge enough to turn a profit, and yet not so much that a customer won't pay for it. We all know that sometimes the smallest bracket will take 5 hours to build, and even at $ 40 an hour (which I bet is low in this business), would a customer pay $ 200 for that part?

When that Jimmy Shine show was on TV he made a statement I will never forget. He was telling an apprentice builder, who was working very hard to produce some perfect bracket, "You have to decide what parts will be a 10 and what parts will be ok at a 2."

Every so often, like at a car show, someone will approach us and ask if we could build them a car. We always have to laugh it off saying " Even if we paid ourselves a dollar an hour, I don't think you would want to pay the bill!" My hat is off to you guys who can do it and still make a living.

BTW, that square hole thing is a perfect example of how a little thinking and the most common parts can turn out as something people are in awe of. Nice job.

Don