Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

[J. Robinson]

Don - Yeah, we held off of pre-entering because of the "Centerline" style wheels on the rear of my son's sedan, but I saw some late model billet style wheels on a lowridin' custom and lots of valve covers & other accessories that were not "pre-1970 traditional" as the rules said... It was still a great show and we did enjoy it. I also picked up an ornament for the front bumper of the roadster. I've been wondering what I should put in there; I found the perfect thing. That's all I'll say for now until I show it welded in place, but I got it at the vendor that had all the flame-cut pieces...

Dave - I grew up in Indiana where there is lots of sprint car racing and my dad, fortunately, loved sprint cars and midgets. We frequented many of the short tracks like Winchester, Salem, Terre Haute, Paragon, 16th Street, Speedrome, Indy Fairgrounds, and others. I was an A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, and Sam Sessions fan. My "outlaw" heroes were Bob Kinser and Dick Gaines. Man, could those two put on a show! Here are some old sprint cars just languishing at a friend's place. None of his stuff is for sale, though...

[Dave Severson]

Sure would like to see the single hoop car sitting inside at least, what a shame.....

[J. Robinson]

Actually, he bought that old single-hoop rail frame just as you see it; for what I don't know. There is nothing there but the bare frame and the history of it is unknown.

The other two were cars that he raced. I think the blue one is a Shores chassis; it is the newer one of the two. I don't know what the silver one is, possibly a Nance. Both cars are complete less engines. Quick-changes, sliders, fuel cells, harnesses, etc. are all there. He had a string of cars before these including some he built himself. He was moderately successful around Indiana for several years, but he hasn't raced in about 18 or 20 years. He's 70 years old now, so it's not likely that either of these will ever see any action again. They're obsolete now, anyway, but he just never sells anything...

[Dave Severson]

If he were ever to change his mind on the single hoop, I sure could make a good home for it!!!!!

[J. Robinson]

OK, as you may recall, in my last installment I started to put the side bars in my roll bar assembly, but stopped because I determined that the seats I had weren't going to work as I wanted them to and I needed to make some changes. Before I can proceed with the finish welding on the cage and bonding it to the body, I need to build the seat riser and platform assembly so I can determine if the main roll bar hoop needs to be lowered.

I began by cutting and fitting a piece of poster board into the seat area. I want the back of the platform to be almost flat on the floor while the front is just above the driveshaft tunnel. After cutting and fitting poster board on one side, I transferred it to some 1/2" OSB board, reversing it to do the opposite half. I cut out the shape with a jig saw and then trial fitted it into the body. It took several trial fittings and trimmings before I was satisfied.

Next, I made the backrest by trial fitting and cutting another piece of OSB. When I finally got it to fit like I wanted, I built the center raised section using a combination of OSB and pressure treated pine 1 x 6. I also made the front riser by ripping a piece of white spruce to 4 1/4" wide and then cutting it to fit over the tunnel and between the body sides.

That's as far as I got today. The seat back will get raised sides to match the center and the bottom will get cut out and have webbing installed before it gets upholstered. The main thing is, I can sit in the car now and I have determined that I will not need to modify the roll bar.

[Itoldyouso]

So, what are you going to do with the milk crate now that you don't need it any longer to sit on and make RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR noises?? Main problem with those milkcrates is that they leave a waffle pattern on your backside if you fall asleep in the car for too long.

That all looks really good and comfy Jim. I bet you will end up using this car a lot when it gets done because of the fuel efficiency it should have.

I didn't really get a chance to ask your Son at Billetproof how much he is enjoying his sedan. Is he using it much?


Don

[J. Robinson]

The milk crate is in the house now. I'm standing on it sometimes while I help the wife remove some wallpaper in the kitchen. Why do wives always want to start remodeling projects just when we're trying to make progress on our cars?

The trick to keeping the waffle tread pattern off your butt is to top the milk crate with a pizza box (remove the pizza first ) or a stack of fresh shop rags. Without the "burning" feeling on your backside, you can sit and make "VROOOM VROOOM" noises a lot longer.

Yeah, with gas prices edging toward $4, this little 4-banger could see a lot of use. Also, I've never had a roadster; always had closed cars, so this will be a new experience for me.

Oh yeah, Jim Jr. rarely misses a chance to drive his sedan. He still drives his PT Cruiser to work because it's a 45 mile "flog" each way in heavy traffic, but the sedan goes just about everywhere else. We took our cars to Daytona for the Spring event a couple of weeks ago...

[J. Robinson]

I continued with seat fabrication today; since I was on a roll with it, I thought I would finish what I started so I wouldn't lose my place. In order to make the seat platform and back fit correctly I needed to cut and fit the side panels. I used an old box top to make a pattern (poster board wasn't big enough) and then transferred the shape to some 1/4" Luan plywood. I secured the side panels in place by putting one screw into the seat riser on each one. (Later, the body will be properly wooded and these can be properly attached. This installation is temporary for fitting purposes.)

Once the side panels were in place, I was able to re-fit the seat bottom and back and then fabricate the wrap-around sides for the seat back. This brings me to the point where I can re-engineer the steering support hoop under the dash and (finally!) finish the roll bar assembly...

[Itoldyouso]

Everything fits in there really well, like the steering column and shifter. Should end up being a very comfortable rod to drive.

How was the Spring Daytona event? I've never been to it, even when we lived right there in Deltona. Not sure why, but we just forget it is here until it is over.

Don

[J. Robinson]

Daytona was good. The Spring event isn't nearly as large as the Turkey run. I don't know the actual count, but I'd say attendance is probably about 2/3 of what the Turkey Run draws. The swap meet area is smaller, too, but still pretty good. Some of the big-name vendors don't show up for this one, but I have noticed the last few years that fewer of them are showing up at runs all over. I suppose that is a result of online shopping becoming a major portion of their business.

For the last several years I have been going to both Daytona runs in my truck as a spectator because I was hauling home loads of parts. This is the first time I have taken my hotrod and gone as a participant since about 1998.

[oldrodder43]

WOW, you sure make things look easy J. Robinson. And lots of ingenuity to boot. I can't think outside the box, you know? If I see it I can do it, but I can't imagineer things. Too stuctured. Lots of talented builders on this site. I love it. Perley

[Hotrod46]

Lookin' good JR.

Looks plenty roomy for a T. Comfortable too.

Any idea when you'll have it on the road?

Mike

[J. Robinson]

Thanks, Perley. Builders are notorious for copying each other's ideas. I've been playing with cars for over 40 years and I still learn things on this site...

Thanks Mike. No, I have no idea when I'll be on the road with this one. I only have a few more things to fabricate and I'll be ready to blow it apart for finish-welding, painting, and final assembly. Maybe late summer??.. Only time will tell.

[Itoldyouso]

I'm sort of like you Jim, we like taking a truck or trailer because you never know what you will find in the swap meet area. This year I did take my T to Turkey Run, but I will never stay at a hotel on A1A again if I take my car . Parking is so limited that once you park in the afternoon you can't take your car back out to cruise because when you get back you won't have a parking spot. We stayed at the La Playa this past November because we felt it would be in the heart of the action, and while that is true, it also makes parking and using your car impossible.

Next November we are going to find a spot down near the Speedway.......all of you who stayed there said you had no problems getting in and out.

Don

[Gastrick]

Your T is really shaping up nicely Jim. I really like the way the interior area is coming out. Sorry I missed you at Billetproof.