Bummer about the valve cover and stud:mad:
Don't you just love it when these "bolt on :rolleyes: " parts fit together so well?
Hope you get it worked out. You've came too far to have somthing like this mess up your plans.
Mike
Printable View
Bummer about the valve cover and stud:mad:
Don't you just love it when these "bolt on :rolleyes: " parts fit together so well?
Hope you get it worked out. You've came too far to have somthing like this mess up your plans.
Mike
You might want to use spacer plates. I've seen them for SBCs, I'm sure they must make them for Fords too. If you paint their edge the same color as the heads they don't look too funky either.
I just tried today to buy a set of those spacers Bob, and it seems they make them for Chevy but not Ford. I tried at two local speed shops, but am going to call Summit.
One speed shop that specializes in Mustangs came up with a theory of what happened. The screw in rocker studs we had are too short.........the polylocks were just sitting on about 4 threads of them. I bought a set of TrickFlows from him that are longer so the polylock grabs more of the stud. He felt it created a weak spot there and that is why it broke.
He also questioned our geometry, and to be honest Don and a buddy put the engine together and they didn't check that. I am going to install the new studs and run a test to see if I need longer or shorter pushrods to make it right. Any easy way to do the geometry test without using lighter valve springs and all? What kind of dye do you guys like for the tip of the valve stem? Any tips would be appreciated.
Sure glad there is FedEx and UPS overnight shipping......it may save the day for him yet. :D BTW, gotta go pickup my T today. The upholstery guy is done with it as far as he can go for now.
Don
Thanks Denny, I called them. They are about an inch thick (we only need about 1/4 inch, and they do not stock them. Have to order them in, and they are about $ 140 a set. :eek: I think we will do some more grinding under the valve cover. :D Thank for digging that out though.
BTW Denny, while you are around here, do you have any easy tips for checking geometry short of the light spring method? Looking for a reasonably accurate method, we can do it better after Daytona.
Don
Doug Hert has B&B plates in stock.....1/2 inchers>>>>>113 bucks
Hey Don,
I don't know how much clearance you need, but back when I was racing stock cars we used valve cover gaskets made by FelPro that were double the thickness of stock gaskets. They were two layers of cork and had a thin piece of steel laminated between them to make them hold their shape through repeated removal/ re-installation of the valve covers. If you can find some for a Ford, they might be just enough...:o
I like the idea of the thicker gaskets. I'll call NAPA tomorrow and see what they can turn up, or maybe the local speed shop can help. Thanks for the replys and thanks Denny for the info on checking the geometry. That is our project tomorrow night.
For all of those people who think I am a Vampire because you have only seen pictures of my T at night :D :D I took a few in the sunshine today when I got it out of the upholstery shop and blew the dust off of it. Sorry for the big size of them, but I wanted to finally be able to post some pictures of it almost done, and I thought I'd celebrate by using bigger ones.
I also took it for a little spin down the road today since I have my Antique license plates and am somewhat legal :rolleyes: Man, I love this thing. It pulls strong, goes straight, and stops great. Gonna be a fun ride for sure.
The upholstery still have a few things for him to finish when we get back, like welt around the top of the body, but it's good enough for me and pretty comfortable too. Better than the foam I was going to use. :D
Still have to paint my grille shell and headlights black and do a few more little things, but for all practical purposes the hard stuff is done. Now we just have to get Don's running right.
Don
Man It's lookin' good Don. Very cool!:cool:
It does look like there's way too much tread on those tires, though. Maybe you need to drive some of that off!:D :D :D
Mike
Don, I will be down to pick up the T this weekend and bring your $3000 reimburstment cost........LOL
I really like the color combo.
Brad
Thanks guys. Brad, I couldn't take that much for it, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Just give me a couple of hundred, that will be fine. :D :D
Mike, I'm doing my best to clean those tires off, but I'm afraid I'll break something before Daytona. lol
Don
Super cool don! I cant wait to see it in two weeks!I might have too trade you a beer for a ride,he he.
Uh, is this a binding contract?????????? :eek: :eek: :D
John, no beer needed, but I get one in the Merc in return. :D
Don
Your a brave man if you want to ride in that deathtrap! But it sounds like a deal to me.
I figured I'd have between $2500.00 to $3500.00 in my 26 T coupe Rat Rod when finished. After losing out on a 40 year old dropped axle for $100.00 I changed my mind and went with a Speedway 4" dropped axle and disk brakes. Car will now have paint and to date I have $3274.00 in it. Got some good deals at a swap meet last weekend but missed out on some Splash Aprons on E-Bay about an 2 hours ago.
Guys on this site have been VERY good to me;
brianrupnow - for his help on a rearend choice and other techanical advise.
Hemi T coupe - for some freebies, great price on a spare engine and goodies, CAD design help, sharing "T" information.
Dave Severson - also for some freebies, wow what a neat guy, he has sooooooooo much knowledge, AND likes the Old Barter System:3dSMILE:
Progress on the coupe this week has been limited to fabricating brackets for the running boards, rear shock bracket, and rearend spring pads. Also finally got the rest of the frame cleaned up and primered. Will be putting the car away for the winter after I get the body back from Dave (gotta work on my boy's house for a while), and then after Christmas I head out for Florida to do volunteer maintance work at the YWAM base in Orlando.
Oh ya, airplanes....... what's better than a P-51 Mustang? Take a look at a F/P-82 Twin Mustang. Theres one at the museum in Dayton OH.
If you think about it, that Speedway setup could end up only being a little more than piecing one together one part at a time. Plus, it gives you new stuff and a matched setup.
Good way to go Tom. :)
Don
Don,
It looks great.
Z
Thank you.
Don
Way to go Don. The seats are a perfect fit for the color scheme and have the perfect worn glove look you mentioned. The choice of colors goes excellent with the frame, etc. The big pics really show it off as does the natural daylight. Wish I was in Daytona to see it in person. Good luck with Don's heads, it's nice to have such a knowledgeble group to pitch in so quickly with experience, resources and advice. Thanks to eveyone for your advice to me as well. You make me want to build a T, but I think I have to master truck redo 101, first!
Wow! Beautiful, Don. I love the low stance.:D :D (For a minute there I even had a fleeting thought of cutting the floor out of my T body and channeling it down some more... Then good sense overcame me again and I realized I really don't want to start over.:HMMM: :rolleyes: ) The interior color choice is perfect for the exterior color combo. I can't wait to see it in person.:D
Thanks Steve and JR. Like every car, it sure has it's share of flaws, but I'm really starting to like it. In fact, I think I like it more than my '27, and I LOVE that car primarily because I have such a long history with it. (I only insisted on two things in my divorce........my roadster and my two cats :D )
Sure hope these cold fronts that have been coming through every weekend hold off for over Turkey Run. The last couple of years have been absolutely gorgeous even at night in Daytona, but I have been there on some not so nice years too.
Going to get an early start today and try to get the grille and headlights painted. Already have first coats of primer on them, just have some smoothing to do, then paint em.
Don
BTW, JR, don't change you cars stance, it sits great as it is.:) :)
Don even with out the grill shell and lights all I can say is WOW, good job.
I appreciate that Mike.:) :)
Don
Don good choice of interior color . Seen so many reds lost my interest fast . I would have to walk over and gaze at the T though you did a superb job in color and design .
Don---I am impressed beyond words!!! A truly beautifull build.---Brian
Thanks Bobby and Brian. You two and everyone else has made this one a lot of fun to do. :D :D I'm gonna miss the laughs and comments we've all shared over this past year and a half of doing this T. :)
Don
Don get a part time job and get on the truck . :D You'll give us all a few more years of fun and entertainment
Don---Thats one of the things that I notice, since finishing the RPU 3 years ago---"Posting Withdrawl". Its so much fun talking to others on the forum, and when you finish a build and really have nothing of consequence to post about, you really do miss it.---Brian
Maybe we should light up a cigarette! :LOL: :LOL: Oh wait, I don't smoke. :rolleyes:
Don
NNNOOO i want to Quit . Going in for laser at the beginning of Dec. besides it will be more income for cars if Momma dont get to it first LOL.
Not so fast there, you don't think were going to quit giving you a hard time just because the car is done, do you? It's been awhile, but I think it's time for someone to post pic's of the hot chick's your going to meet in Daytona.:eek: :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Ron
OK Don
I've let you slid long enough. The only thing thats taking longer to build is a Highway in Ill, and they have hundreds of guys working on them. By the time you get that finished they won't be making gas anymore:eek: . BUT I have to say You do nice work :) So GET R DONE and drive it
Charlie
Very well done, your car is now one of my screen savers, she's a real beauty. I would love to go for a ride in her.
Don:
I have learned a great deal watching you put together that beautiful car. I am not usually a fan of Ts but yours turned out beautifully. Everything from the stance to the colors was done just right. It will attract a great deal of positive attention.
Thanks, it was this thread and all its camraderie and knowledge that inspired me to start posting my 37 Caddy build thread.
I know you were hoping it would turn out better. You should be ashamed to drive that crappy thing around. Please "hide" it behind the house so no one will ever have to lay eyes on it again. Then send me GPS directions. hehe
Quote:
Originally Posted by squire
Oh boy, too late. I just sold it to BradC for $ 200. (Really saw HIM coming, didn't I?:D ) Once again guys, thanks. Ya know 37 Caddy, it's nice that more people are posting threads about their builds. Maybe they saw that a dummy like me could do it and figured ANYBODY could do it. :LOL: In any event, they sure are fun to look at and follow up on.
One thing I have to say to anyone doing it, please don't be discouraged if you don't get lots of replies to what you post. It doesn't mean people are not looking and enjoying your thread, it is just that sometimes people will view something and not say anything back. There are times when I will read someones updates and for one reason or another do not have anything to say back, but I still loved reading it and seeing the progress shots. I know it is encouraging when others post comments about what you have posted, but it just doesn't happen all the time. That is why I try to chime in and say something when someone posts updates, just so they know we are out here reading it.
And here is a tip I learned: If things get a little slow on your thread, just throw in a picture of a cat or two. :LOL: Or have Uncle Bob post one of his pinup pictures. :p
And now for my own update. :D Yesterday I did what I have been dreading and putting off..............I got the headlights and grille shell prepped and painted black. Not only do I hate painting black, but I am just burned out on painting period. I had to do it last night though because a cold front is supposed to be here today or tomorrow and it might be too cold to paint then. They came out pretty good, especially the headlights. The grille shell has two little runs that will buff out, but it looked shiny when I left last night. Now I can bolt them on and wire up the lights.
My alternator isn't putting out any juice for some reason, but Dan has offered to loan me his from his '29, so I'll get that swapped out today. I'll take mine to an alternator shop to see if it is worth redoing. Back when I was trying to hit the $ 3K number I bought it on Ebay (used but nice) and just assumed it worked. Worst comes to worst I'll buy one at Daytona to replace Dans.
Don's new shorter pushrods came overnight from Summit this morning, and Dan and I are going over to install his interior in a little while also. Lots to do and only 6 days til we leave for Daytona !!! :D :D
Don
Yeah, haven't seen or heard anything about Lucky lately! Did I miss something?Quote:
Originally Posted by Itoldyouso
Don,
Sorry just a little behind but you don't need the grill shell, looks great just the way it is.
I think that your T is the envy of many reading your posts every day.
Great job.
Z
Don
I have to admit our furry friends do attract interest. Pretzel the dog helps me out!
http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/c...urrent=003.jpg
We adopted him after our dog passed in December. He is great for our mairrage, and a good companion while working on the truck. I haven't given him the keys yet, since he's only a teenager and the truck still has no brakes.:3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:
Pretzel the dog looks like he likes to play alot. Has that energetic look to him. :D Good looking pup.
Bob, "little Lucky the cat" isn't so little anymore. He's 6 months old, and already bigger than our 4 year old male cat. Our cat food bill had doubled since we got him because he eats constantly. :D We have researched him a little, and found out he has some "Maine Coon" cat in him............not sure how much, but it is there for sure. They call the breed Gentle Giants because they get so big. They also love water, and as soon as you turn on the sink he is right there staring at the running water.
He's really a terrific cat, and loves people and other cats. Always into something and when I get out my nap blanket for my afternoon siesta he and the the other cat climb up and doze off with me. Not sure how big he is going to get but I have seen pictures on line and they sort of look like a Bobcat. :eek: I'm really glad we kept him, he's become my buddy.
Oddcarout, thank you. We actually got the grille shell buffed out and mounted yesterday along with the headlights. As soon as they were on Dan and I went out and played in rush hour traffic. Boy, it was a blast. We were driving along, and I see a Sheriff car coming up on me, but he passed us and I started breathing again. :LOL: Then a few miles down the road a cop did a U turn and I thought "oh-oh", but he went somewhere else too. In all we saw about 4 cops during our little ride, and luckily they ignored us.
Dan and I worked on putting Don's Total Performance interior kit in yesterday, and if anyone is thinking of buying one............DON'T. They are horrible. For the $ 900 they cost you will be much better off adding some money to it and letting a local shop do a custom job for you. Nothing fit, and the roll at the back is ridiculously thick. We cut the 4 inch foam in half and it still is too thick.........looks like a horseless carriage. Today I am going to pick up some starboard so Dan and I can completely revamp the sides and back roll on Sunday. It is the only way we can get it sort of acceptable.
Finally, at about 1:30 AM Dan said "why don't we take a half hour and finish the lights and alternator wiring on your T?" so we did. And of course once we had lights and charging we had to go for another ride, at 2 AM! And of course it is on the coldest night of they year so far, about 49 degrees.:eek: But we loved it. Put about 10 miles on it and I pulled over and let Dan drive for a while. He looked like he was in heaven. This should give him some incentive to get his done now.
So, here are some pictures of how Lucky looks now, and also some I took last night just before it got dark of my car. Oh, I added two peep mirrors by modifying a Pete and Jake shackle bracket set so now I can actually see behind me.
Don
Man the t just gets better and better. It just has a super clean look to it. I bet Lucky can't wait to jump in a get a snooze on the nice new interior!:HMMM: :LOL:
I think the thing I like the most is the minimalism approach you taken. It lets things like the interior, engine and exhaust system stand out when you look at it. Once again nicely done.:D :D
PS Got my brake spindle adapters in the mail today, so if I complete the brake conversion today, I'll post a picture of it on the Special K link.I've been thinking of painting the calibers red or black. But that can wait till later, this is just a dry fit.