I was walking down the aisle at Publix one day
For those that do not know, publix is a grocery store. Good points don.
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I was walking down the aisle at Publix one day
For those that do not know, publix is a grocery store. Good points don.
There is for sure a difference between todays young people and my generation 40 years ago. There wasn't the open disrespect of elders like there is now, even the tv shows and commercials make the adults out to be idiots. It's really different, not to the better IMHO.
I could go on for several pages on the topic of teenagers.:HMMM: Let me try to condense my thoughts... We are experiencing the worst parenting in the history of our country. Over half of our students do not have both birth parents at home. Many only have one overworked, overstressed, underpaid parent.:( Regardless of the number of parents in the home or who they are, they have little input into their children's lives during the formative years (0 - 14) because the kids are raised by day-care centers. People squirt out a kid, drop them off at the day-care when they're 6 weeks old, pick them up when they're 16, and wonder what the Hell went wrong...:eek: :eek:
I don't have the answer for how to solve the parenting delima, but I can tell you that I will be ecstatically happy when I can retire from teaching. It used to be a fun and rewarding occupation. Now it's just unending frustration and I have grown to hate it. Three more years...:whacked:
Jim i kinda know the frustration i have 3 children one of each . My oldest boy of 30 is great my middle boy of 26 is total terror at times, now my daughter of 20 wants to grow up . Her bf is from a split family and mom went on to a few more . He is mess as far as i can figure no goals and a future he doesn't even look for.
But in all never give up we have to continue to support the needy and teach them value's that they need.
AND IM SITTING HERE WITH THE ###
When I was a kid if you weren't respectful of your elders you were assured a torn up backside.If we got in trouble mom would tear that butt up and when dad got home you could expect the same ...times 2.Now days kids are so much left up to raising themselves,with tv and x boxes, that don't have any role models. I thank God my 29 year old daughter turned out to be a wonderful young lady,college educated and married to a great man with a new baby boy.A while back I overheard a conversation with her and one of her friends about their parents.My daughter told her "my daddy was always there for me".That kinda made all of it worthwhile.
The last couple of nights Dan and I have really been putting in some hours on our cars. We worked til 7 AM this morning, from 8PM last night. Today we started about 2 PM, and I just got home, and Dan plans to work until 7 AM again. :eek: It is so much cooler at night, and we get a lot more done.
We slipped the body back on the T for the final trial fit before paint. Wanted to make sure everything cleared and fit, and luckily, it did. I am also not going to use the big headlights I mocked it up with........now that the car is together somewhat, they just didn't look right, so I will use them on my Dodge truck. I dug around in my headlight collection, and found a nice pair of Guide lights that look much better, so that is what I'll use.
I installed the windshield to get the full effect, and am really happy with the stance and all. It looks just like I wanted, and it is just as low as I hoped. Dan and I are going to make our own T grille shell out of 18 gauge steel, because the fiberglass one I bought doesn't fit the radiator perfectly. He convinced my tonight that we should bend up our own.
Here are some pictures of how the mockup looks. I'm pretty stoked. Starting to look like a car finally. If I get it primed and painted by next weekend, that will only leave some wiring and plumbing to get it running. :D :D
Don
Dan has been working on his transmission tunnel, and has it about licked. He built a framework first out of thin round stock, and is now skinning it with 18 gauge sheet metal. The entire floor will be welded into one piece, and he is going to paint all the interior panels body color, and just put some snap in carpeting where your feel go on the flat sections.
Here is a picture of where he was when I left tonight.
Don
The T is starting to look really good. Have you decided what color to paint the body yet?
Dan's trans tunnel is shaping up nicely also.
Great workmanship on the part of both of you. :) :) :)
Alright!! We're back on the real subject of this thread...:rolleyes: Don, I can hardly wait to see your T painted. I love the low stance...:D :D
Your son is a great talent, too. We old farts can learn from his patience and skill.;) :) Keep the updates coming on both cars...
Thanks guys. Yeah, the only subjects we haven't discussed on here are our favorite recipes, and who killed JFK. My mind does tend to wander sometimes. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D Duane, I've decided on satin black, maybe with some scallops in the orange, or maybe with just a painted on girl riding a camshaft , like some of the old manufacturers decals. The reason for the satin black is that I am not a good enough body man to go for gloss black. Plus, not having a booth makes it tough. I think the satin will fit the look of the car better too.
Dan rolled in at 9AM this morning after a 20 hour marathon to get his tranny hump done. Must be nice to be young and be able to work for that long, I wouldn't be getting out of bed for a week if I did it. But he really got a lot done. Here are some pictures he took. He still has to make one more piece to cover the shifter area, but will put the body back on first to get it in the right spot.
Next pictures you see of mine, it will hopefully be at least in primer, maybe even paint ! :D :D
Don
Looking great Don, be hitting the cruise-in's this fall! I like the idea of the orange scallops with the girl, very old school and cool IMHO.
Don your's is looking great.
You MUST get a big smile every time you see the work your son is doing on his too. The talent and dedication must have come from somewhere (and I suspect I know where that was).
Thanks Brick and Mike. Yeah, he does good work. Of course, I'm prejudiced. :D Last night he looked at my T and said he wishes he would have built one of them. I offered to trade, but he didn't seem interested. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
Don
WOW Don :eek: what a project. Granted, I did "skim" this thread ... 136 pages is a lot of reading, but every 5'th page makes it easier (and quicker). I see the 3K budget went out the window, but I still think it would be a worthwhile project for a newbie to start in on. I think the time factor is the only thing that might be "unrealistic" for the average newbie thinking of building his first rod.
I'm walking into my project with a 3-4 year timeline in mind. Working 5 days a week and the rest of life getting in the way means weekends and weeknights isn't every weekend and weeknight.
Yep, once you cut out all the gossip and bs-ing we've done on this thread, it leaves about 2 pages of actual car build stuff. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
You are right about the amount of time it takes to build a car, especially from the ground up. I know some people have done it in a very short period of time, but this slightly more than one year build has been as fast as I have been able to do it. My '27 took me 6 years.........mainly to find some of the old timey parts at swap meets and places like that, and also because of the money. Not being rich, it takes a long time to come up with the cash to buy all the stuff you need. Not many people have thousands of dollars laying around that they can just throw at a "toy." Stupid things like food, rent or mortgage, and kids seem to always get that extra little bit of money you were planning to buy car parts with. :D :D
Another thing is that the actual work itself takes time, and sometimes you just don't feel like going into the garage and working. I know there are days where I could be sanding on SOMETHING, but I just can't muster the energy to want to do it. Like any other hobby, it is only fun when you feel like doing it.
I think your 3-4 year timeline is pretty realistic, especially if you have a significant other to try to keep happy at the same time. :)
Don
Don, I've finally got the pic's of the seat base in my car. Actually it sits pretty comfy the way it is. I started with 3/4 birch plywood cut to size then sat in the car and got a "footprint" of my backside, and made the cutout's. I got a freight strap from one of our delivery driver's should have got 2, but didn't want to push his generosity. I figured that if they could strap down large loads and the straps didn't loosen they would support my 200lbs with little sag. I used the freight strap to go side to side continuous and when I ran out I switched to my trusty tow straps for the front to back. I used an air stapler with 1/4 crown staples I adjusted the air pressure so it didn't blow through the strap, but did set it in enough that the crown was holding not the leg's of the staple.
I drove the car alot this past weekend and it has not loosened at all. I may do the same type of thing for the backs and leave it that way for awhile, everyone who see's it think's it looks good.
Ron
That looks perfect, and is exactly what I am going to do. I bet that really made it more cushy. Now, when you put foam over it, you should feel like you are in your favorite recliner. :D
Thanks for posting this info Ron.
Don
Foam???? I think I might leave it like my favorite lawn chair.:LOL: :LOL:
If you leave it unfoamed get ready for a permanent grid pattern tattoo'd on your posterior. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: You'll look like a checkerboard back there. :eek: :eek:
Don
Therein rises a mental image . . . :LOL:Quote:
. . . then sat in the car and got a "footprint" of my backside . . .
Mr Rifle, I beg you not to have any images of my backside.:eek: :LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by Henry Rifle
Anyway, as I stated earlier I am now driving my T, and other than a few mild hickup's it has been a blast. I describe it as a go-cart with alot of horsepower. It does take some getting used to the quick steering, I was really concerned what it would be like on the freeway, but it tracked straight and really drives well. I do think rear shock's are in order, but the front friction shock's seam to work well enough. Having never driven a car like this I am very happy.
I really want to thank Don for the inspiration when I didn't feel like working and the guidance that everyone else has put into this thread, I almost don't want you to finish because of the fun we have here. But by no means is my car anywhere near what Don's car is in quality, and is nowhere near finished, but the weather is still warm, and I am driving.:D
Sorry if the post seem's choppy, but people wont leave me alone at work.:(
Ron
Well.... wow, this thread is nothing short of insane. The car looks GREAT. I started reading every page at first then, every few other pages, then said screw it and went to the last few.
So my question now is, how much do you have in the car all together? I was reading trying to find out but then my hair grew so long while reading i had to stop and get a haircut.
And all in all, i think your motivations for this thread were great. I must admit, im a young rodder, but definately not inexperienced for my age... but i also know that theres ALWAYS room to learn and that sometimes the young bucks should just sit back and observe the old rod gurus at work.
Ron
Your T is looking pretty good.:) :) I like the flat paint look on it with the red wheels. But on the interior pic, what on earth is all that laying on the passenger side of the car?:HMMM:
What are you talking about Ron when you say "not the quality?" YOUR T ROCKS!!! :) :) It sits right, and has a really cool look to it. You've done a fantastic job on it, and best of all.........YOU ARE GETTING TO DRIVE IT. :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:
Isn't it the greatest feeling when you turn the key and it fires up, you slip it into gear and it gives that little jump, then you are moving down the road? I love the animation of it all.....watching the front tires go around, the carb(s) shaking at idle, the sounds from the exhaust. It's the best. Plus, in an open car you experience every sight and smell, just like you said, a go kart with four wheels. I am so happy for you and can't wait until I get to the point where you are.
46ford, thanks for the nice words. As for how much I have in at this point in time..........a guess is maybe $10,000 in actually out of pocket for new parts, and also putting a reasonable value on parts I had squirrelled away in my shop. I don't think it could be much more than that really, but stopped counting at about $ 6,000.
Duane, I think what Ron has on his floor are some of those folding seats that you use at car shows. Looks familiar to me, because I had to carry mine in exactly the same place in my '27. Roadsters are not big on space, so you put stuff wherever you can. :D
While we are talking, last night Dan and I just went to the shop to play around. Didn't feel like getting anything serious done, but we put his body back on his '29 so that he can make a cover plate for over his shifter, and I did some small stuff on my T. One thing I was happy to find is that there is lots of room around my gas pedal. I was worried because the hump is right there, and so is the brake pedal, but I still have room to slip my foot in there comfortably. I will have to drive right foot gas, left foot brake, but I do that sometimes in my regular car anyway.
I also wanted to put on my new gas tank to see how it looked. The one I used for mockup got lots of shop rash from banging and dropping it a couple of times, so I got a new one and kept it safely in the box until last night. We got it in place, and it seems to fit pretty well, and I like the bobtailed look it gives the car. I didn't want one with a sending unit to keep it cleaner back there, but it's 11 gallons so fuel range should be pretty good. I will just have to remember to check it often.
Finally, we have been talking about putting some kind of scallops on the side of the body to break up the satin black a little, and Dan did a quick layout in tape of something he thought might work. I like it, and think I will do something like that in the same orange as the other parts, then have a pinstriper outline it in white. Kinda looks old timey, I think.
Keep racking up those miles Ron !!! :D :D
Don
Don, you killed it for me I was going to say those were federally mandated side impact bars, or extra fuel tubes, but you are correct the chair's were still in the "trunk" from the Goodguy's show. You are correct about lack of storage space I said I wanted to build some bomber seats, but I don't think I could live without that 1 square foot of storage under the seat.
I have learned a few thing's though, the TP performer windshield look's good, and is very clear seeing how you look about 4" over it. Make sure the Lokar throttle cable nut is really tight at the firewall so it doesn't come loose and hold the throttle at a steady 3000rpm.:eek: Make sure your brakes are good so when your throttle is hung in stop and go traffic for a mile with no berm you dont rearend that high$$ trailer queen in front of you (four wheel drums and I didn't hit anything).:D
Now I think I'm close to letting someone I love ride in it with me.
Ron
Don,
Thought you'd like to see the scallop before you painted. The paint scheme looks great! Your T is looking really good - keep it up.
Mike
I like the big tank but I am new on the bobtail look. It's very lakes roadster but has no storage at all. Where does the battery go in your car? (I should know this I know) I don't know, I guess that the box and the turtle deck are just fancy covers for the tank anyway. Looking good and should be running in no time.
I love the scallops too, very cool.
Wow Signshop, that was really nice of you to do that.......gives me a better idea of what it would look like, I think I like it. Thank you.
Ron, I like the Performer windshield slanted back too. That is what my Kid is using on his TP car too. At first we mocked it up with the straight up and down brackets, but the slanted ones just look swoopier. Glad to hear you got it stopped in time. :eek: :eek: Do you have dual throttle return springs on the carbs? I can see where that might be a little "disconcerting." :D
Now if you will excuse me, I have to stare at the picture Signshop did for me for a little while...............cool !!!:D :D
Don
No problem - anytime. I hope it helps. I've been doing the digital editing for my job (signs-facade design - Did you want some brick or stucco on there too?) for years so I jump at the chance to do something cool and exciting.
mike
Brick, I tucked the battery down low on the frame kickup. It was the only spot I could find. Had to use a little Odyssey battery. You are right, on a normal t bucket with bed or turtle deck, they serve to hide the tank and battery most times.
Don
Ok cool, that is some great craftsmanship, very well done. You have given this project alot of thought and it looks like everything is dropping into place very nicely. The small battery is very cool, and still has the amps eh?
Mike, not only have you given me a better look at what it might end up like, but I also got a new avatar and screen saver out of the deal too. :3dSMILE: I see you did the interior for me also. Wish the actual work was that easy.........and cheap. lol Thanks again.
Brick, thanks, but I have had a few little "redesigns" along the way in this project. Funny thing though, my camera NEVER seems to be working that day !:o :o :rolleyes: :3dSMILE:
One example is the hole for the brake pedal. It keeps getting bigger and bigger. We tried slipping the body over it, and I had to get out the airsaw a couple of times till it fit. No real problems so far though.
Don
I blew up Mikes rendering to get a better look at it. Pretty sure I will do something very much like this. :)
Don
Me likem!!!!!! Don, that just kind of tops the whole thing off. Mike, your a genius.
Don that scollop does fit to a T . Looks just right in it's size and color contrast . Allways have been a flame look for me but that really fits well . Idea's come from the thought but the new photochop has brought it into sight . That really helps for the finish .
I'm glad you guys like them, so do I. Mike did a nice thing for sure. If I go with this I'll have the edges professionally pinstriped in maybe white, and have him hit the headlights and dash too.
When Dan got home I showed the picture to him, and he was as excited as me about this combo.
Don
Glad you like it.
I have re-painted my car about 40 times - in photoshop. I just can't decide. I don't think I could do graphics on my car - I do them all day for other people and I'm just never satisfied for my own stuff. Guess I'll leave the primer and rust. Oops I mean 'patina'
I really like the rendering, i say go for it. I would love to have someone do a rendering for me, but i usually frequent the minitruck forums, and everyone on there wants an enormous amount to even touch someones picture. Ever since i discovred this forum, im on here all the time now and am slowly drifting away from the minitruck forums.
And I must say, seeing that a random member did that for you amazed me. Apparently the old rod forums have alot nicer members. Im glad i stumbled onto this forum, the groups of guys and gals on here is truely unique. Im glad i finally joined the old rod crowd.
I was, and still am blown away that Mike did that unsolicited. I bet I've looked at it a hundred times because it really gives me what my next step should be. You are right about the folks on this forum. It is amazing when you think about it, we all come from different places and backgrounds, and yet have formed this common bond with one another. I've never met one of the people on here, and yet feel like each one is a long time friend that I have to BS with every day.
Car people are generally like that though, willing to help out someone they don't even know.
Now we have to help Mike figure out what to paint his OWN car. :LOL: What is it they say about the Shoemaker having holes in his own shoes?? :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:
Don
I've re-written that shoemaker statement. I own a sign shop and I actually have no sign out front, no kidding!
Don, I've read this entire thread so don't be blown away by something I did. I have seen all the questions that you've patiently answered. I'm sure some of those answers have taken more time to generate your thought out response than it took for me to edit that photo. I do it for a living so it's quick for me. Cars are such an obsession that I get my jollies off the opportunity to edit someones car.:whacked:
Like you said - it's just more fun to be part of a hot rod community. Hot rodders are generous, pass it on. I bet anybody on here would drive 20 mins to help someone they don't know just to be involved with another car - am I right? I know if someone in my area sent me a message and needed a hand for a few minutes - I'd go. Then I would eat their pizza and drink their beer of course.