Thread: I couldn't build it for $3 K either!

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Nice work, I like it. The eliptical springs and the levered shock mount are bad to the bone. Gets her down in the weeds, what is the wheel base of your T?

Thanks, Brickman.

The wheelbase is right at 105".

As far as being low, it looks lower than it really is. I've got about 4" under the oil pan. I tried a 4" drop Super Bell axle when I was mocking it up, but the radiator shell came close to hitting the ground. Had to go with the stock unit and I think it actually looks better this way.

Mike

I didn't get much done today. We had a rare "snow day" around here. Last time we had snow that stuck longer than about 15 minutes was about 10 years ago! It was gone by mid-morning, but, I need to get some fiberglass work done and the resin just doesn't "kick" well when it's cold. I don't kick well when I'm cold either.

I thought I would get caught up on updates. They're minor things, but I had the pics.

I said earlier in the thread that I didn't like the way the windshield frame and the posts lined up. The pivot points on the cowl pieces were too far back and the windshield frame actually fell behind the top of the cowl. I decided that I had ignored it long enough.

The first shot is of the old setup. The new pivots move the post forward about 1/2" and down slightly. I also rehaped them to give a little more adjustablity.

The dash had a cutout in the upper corners for the standard T type windshield posts. I added small extensions to the cowl pieces that will fill these cutouts and keep the windshield "blowing" back from wind pressure. Might be overkill, but if the windshield did flip up and pin your fingers on the steering wheel I'm guessing it would smart a little.

I also got around to slicking up the transmission hump I built earlier. I fabbed it by laying glass over a temporary wood frame covered with thin aluminum roof flashing( sorry no build pics). Works pretty good for simple shapes and the aluminum peels off easy. Trouble is the surface next to the metal is left slick, while the other side is pretty rough. I wanted to finish it now while I had plenty of room to work. I used fiberglass filler for the rough build up and polyester glazing putty for the finer stuff. Since the floor will get coated with bed liner later, I wasn't worried about getting it "paint" perfect.

Another minor thing was the dimmer switch. I have always liked the old floor mounted dimmers and wanted to put one in this car. This presented a couple of problems, though.

The switches that most street rod parts places like Speedway sell mount on top of the floor. That might work ok in a car with thick carpet, but in this car(no carpet) they stick up too far. Just feels awkward.

Under floor switches are available, but the area under the toe board will not be accessable in this car when the inner and outer body panels are glued together. I wound up using an under floor switch mounted to a removable plate. The larger plate is riveted and epoxied to the bottom of the floor. All this will get coated with bed liner. Feels pretty good now.

The switch is from Car Quest. Part #DS50. I don't remember the application(late 50's Chevy truck, maybe?).

I'll tell you Mike, I am super, super impressed with your car. Your workmanship is extremely neat and well thought out, like the way you are planning ahead for the top to have a strong mounting point. Can't say enough good things about any of it. I agree with Brick that the front suspension is very trick

I'm having as much fun watching your thread as building my own.......and I get a lot less torch burns this way !

To bad you didn't ask me, I have this trick about using foam to build a transmission hump, and ...............................................

Don

Don

Thanks for the compliments. They mean a lot coming from you!!

Now, about that glass trick, see I've got this removable top to make and...........

Mike