Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

[Itoldyouso]

Wow!!!!! That hood is exactly what the Doctor ordered. It finishes off the front end just perfectly. Gonna add some cooling effect too, I bet.

Don was asking yesterday about you and Bill (Gastrick) and if you were both going to have your coupes at Daytona. I told him you might have a new ride, and that Bill may have his coupe torn down for the 392 Hemi transplant. I don't know if Bill is going to wait till after TR to start on the swap or not. But it sure looks like you have a shot at it, the way your car looks now.

Don

[stovens]

I like the louvers. It will be good to see this one on the road.

[Ken Thurm]

Wow, It looks really nice, matches the theme of the car perfectly. Great job!!
Ken

[J. Robinson]

Don - The hood has inspired me to start thrashing again, but I still have a lot to accomplish before the roadster is roadworthy. Besides blowing it apart for finish welding and chassis painting, I still have to figure out an induction system, fabricate the dash, get the wife to stitch the interior, rebuild the brakes, plumb and wire it, etc, etc. I don't think sixty-some days is enough... I will probably be driving my coupe at the Turkey Run. I hope to have them both at Billetproof, though.

Stovens - Yeah, I'm anxious too. This thing should be pretty responsive for a 4-banger. Yesterday my son and one of his buddies grabbed the front bumper and lifted the frontend off the ground about 18 inches!

[J. Robinson]

Thanks, Ken. Yeah, Ron has been building hotrods since 1958; he does nice work. These louvers are as perfect as any I have ever seen.

[Dave Severson]

really took shape nice!!! Track roadster style cars will always have the right look for me!!! The full hood sure does add to the effect!

[Hotrod46]

Looks just right JR. The hood is perfect!

BTW I think you're going to have your's finished before mine! I seem to be stuck on "detail" stuff.

Mike

[Bob Parmenter]

I'd say those louvers make those the classiest "shelves" in the world!

[BradC]

It's coming together, I like the look with hood.
BradC

[Gastrick]

Wow Jim, the car looks great. I really like the overall look that the car has. I want to see it in person.

[Mr. Cool]

I've been hanging out here for a few weeks...looking at the vechiles, builds, ect.....Well the past 3 days I've read, re-read, and even read it once more...This build has hooked me into building my own rod/custom/ratrod!!!

Thanks for the inspiration!

[brickman]

The hood really set it all off Jim, you can really see what you are after and I love it. That is a really fantastic look, I am curious are you going to sit down in the car? Will your head be under the roll bar I guess I am asking, I am a 6'er and wondering how much room there is.

[Itoldyouso]

Jim hasn't posted on this thread since the 9th, bet he is out in the garage busting his hump to get it done for Daytona! I'm like Bill, I want to see this car in person, even if it isn't totally finished. Toss in a Mexican blanket and hit the road Jim.

Jim sort of reminds me of a Pit Bull, and I mean that as a compliment. He just keeps making progress by leaps and bounds and every time he posts there is some major accomplishment on the project.

Don

[J. Robinson]

Thanks for all the compliments, guys. Hey, any of you are welcome to drop by whenever you're in the area. There might not be much to see after today, though, because I am going to begin disassembly... I probably won't have it driveable by the Turkey Run, but will hopefully have it back on wheels in case anybody wants to stop here on the way to or from Daytona.

Bob - Yeah, those are the nicest "shelves" I've ever owned. About the time somebody tries to set something on them, though, there will be a fight!

Bill - You'll get to see it. If not at Daytona, hopefully at Billetproof. How's the Hemi transplant coming? Will it be done for the Turkey Run?

Mr. Cool - All right! I don't know if you've ever done this before, but if not, welcome to a new world. You've come to the right place, too. There many on this site who can help with almost any question or problem you might encounter. There are other build threads, too. Building a car is both the most rewarding thing a car-lover can do and, at the same time, occasionally the most frustrating experience you can have . Sometimes I'm not sure if interest in this hobby is a blessing or a curse! Regardless, if this is your first build, here is a small piece of advice: Once you have begun your project, try to do something every day toward completing it. Even if it's something very small like stopping at the hardware store for a couple of bolts you need or cleaning up a part - anything at all. Doing that will keep you focused on the task at hand. If you begin a project and then walk away from it for weeks at a time, you will feel like you're never going to get it finished and you will become discouraged. Once you get it to the point of rolling on its own wheels, you will see "the light at the end of the tunnel" and you get re-excited.

Brick - Yes, I sit pretty well down in the car. I am 5'10" and the roll bar clears my head by a couple of inches. The roll bar is actually behind the driver/passenger slightly, too, so that helps.

Don - Ah, if only it was that easy I'd buy a dozen Mexican blankets! Actually, I haven't had anything new to show since the battery mount; it seems I've been doing everything BUT working on the roadster... Oh yeah, just remember, the difference between me and a pit bull is NOT lipstick!

[J. Robinson]

OK boys & girls, it's been a while since I did this. Way back on page 18 I updated the cost of this project; I haven't done it since. Back then I had racked up a total of $2223.58. Since that time I have determined that I couldn't use the seats I had bought, so my son will be using them on a project of his and I can deduct the cost ($209.88) from the previous total. That brings the previous figure down to $2013.70. The lumber I used in the seat construction and body reinforcement was leftover stuff from jobs around the house and Ron punched all 104 louvers as a gift to me free of charge...

Adjusted previous total: 2013.70
Misc. nuts, bolts, rivets, etc: 88.11
Steel & aluminum: 161.62
Fiberglass mat: 12.06
Resin: 20.00
Body filler: 9.68
Fuel pump: 44.88
Paint: 373.01
Windshield frame & stanchions: 403.90
-------
Total: $3126.96

I'm getting close to the $4,000 mark that I was shooting for; maybe I won't go over it too far... Maybe $4500?