Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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It's a bit off the subject, but what engine did Grabowski use in the "Kookie" T? Was that Olds or Cad?

It was a Cad. Legend has it he took it out of the family sedan, a '53 or 4.

Here is another shot of the Von Franco
http://www.streetrodderweb.com/featu.../photo_01.html
Steve.

I had the pleasure of talking a little with Norm at Daytona a few years back. He's a really very nice, funny guy. I'm sure he has heard this many times, but I had to tell him how his T was probably the spark for millions of guys like me and got us into hot rodding. I remember like it was yesterday being glued to the TV screen every Friday night hoping they would use "Kookies car" in that weeks episode of 77 Sunset strip.

The next day in school it was all we gearheads could talk about........"did you see Kookies T on TV last night?????????"



Don

I loved that show wish they would come out on dvd. Now that your entered in the Turkey Run you better not waste the time watching old show's...LOL
when is it going get interior.
Brad

Originally Posted by oddcarout

Any particular reason S10's besides width?

I was thinking of getting a V6 ranger and using as much as I could, My plans keep changing but what I can afford and what I would like to do are two very different places.

What about the ranger rear?

Z

I think it has to do with the Ranger axle tubes not being equal so when veiwed from the back the center section is offset considerably.

Ron

Interior may have to wait Brad. Time, plus I don't want to rush the upholstery guy, he already has Dons to do when it comes out of the paint shop. I also need to save up some money for it. I will put something in there, maybe Mexican blankets.

We worked on getting some of the little things done tonight on Don's T. He will be playing now through Saturday, so I can work on mine on those days. One of the things we needed to do was align every aspect of the suspension and make sure all four wheels were straight. Someone on here posted a neat system that the circle track guys use, and I used some ideas from that to do our alignment tonight.

I taped a perfectly square box shape on the garage floor, with another straight line going right down the center of the box. We triangulated it to make sure it was perfectly square, then positioned the car exactly in the center of it by careful measuring. We used a plumb bob on a string and first set the rear axle straight, and tightened down the radius rods for the final time.

The front end was a little tougher because we had to set caster, alignment, and toe in. We found the caster was at 10 degrees, which is too much, so we adjusted the radius rods and got it to 6 degrees. We then squared up the axle with the plumb bob, and when we measured from the rear axle to the kingpin we got exactly 97 inches on each side, so the two axles are now square to each other and to the frame. We also set the toe in at 1/16 as a starting point, and will go up or down once we drive the car.

Also got his transmission cooler mounted and swapped out the electric fuel pump. The brand new Holley pump was leaking a few drops internally, so we put one from Dans '29 on it, and Don will return the leaker to Summit for exchange.

Not a lot of progress, but the alignment took us a long time to do. Here is a picture of the car on the taped off grid after we aligned it.

Don

Don,

I have bought my last Holley fuel pump. The latest one - brand new also - caused nothing but problems. I switched to Edelbrock. It's much quieter, and doesn't quit on me (thermal overload) like the Holley did.

By the way, I never really had a yen for a T-bucket, but Don's blue one has me thinking. Very nice work on everything.

Don with as many cars you got, you might want to paint the box on the floor now that you got that one square. Will make the next one easier you won't have to resquare the box. The blue still looks sharp can't wait to see the body on it.
Brad

Originally Posted by oldrodder43

Hey Don. I am a relative newbie, just got started last fall (Nov '06). Got my 17 yr old Grandson working on it with me! And like everybody before me, I badly underestimated everything! Costs, Work, Time, Effort, Costs, Time, Tools, Costs---------etc. etc. But I just knew that I could do it faster, cheaper, easier than the others! So, we were going to have this thing ready for cruise-ins for this summer '07-------------HAH. Reality hit HARD. Here it is near November a year later and --------------- well, I'm sure you all know where we're at. Underfunded, underexperienced, underknowledgeable, and on and on. But, one thing I have learned is patience to work with my Grandson and that quality time with him is invaluable! I don't care if it is never finished as long as we continue to share the time and the experiences. But one thing you can never pass on Don, and others, is the unique ability to turn a DEAL. I have never, NEVER got a bargain, never a freeby, never a deal! I always take a beating. Seems my life story is BUY HIGH, SELL LOW. I am so glad to see this thread, how a REAL person can build something Po' Folk could imitate. To say nothing of the education of how to shop (cheaply). Many thanks. Perley

Hey Perley, sorry I missed your post. Larry M was nice enough to call my attention to it........thanks Larry. First off, welcome to the forum. I try to answer any posts, but somehow missed yours (I've been getting home 2ish in the AM, so I'm a little foggy then )

You sound like the rest of us, especially in the underfunded part. Surprising what this little hobby can cost us, huh? Once again yesterday I stopped at the hardware store for some fasteners for Don's T and got a little bag of various bolts, nuts, etc, and it came to $ 70.00. It seems like I have made that same trip 20 or 30 times so far in the two builds.

I bet your Grandson is having a blast doing this with you, and you are right about the time spent together being invaluable. He will learn lessons from this that will be with him the rest of his life. (and a few choice words when he hits his thumb with a hammer )

Throw some pictures in here of your project, we'd love to see them. I think it is an Essex if I remember correctly?


Jack, I too am falling out of love with Holley pumps. They are all I have used for years, but I think there may be better ones now available. This one leaked right out of the box.

Brad, I may do that and paint the box on the floor. It sure worked better than the method I used to use, triangulating the frame . I feel we got a very accurate alignment doing it this way. I am going to wheel my T over it and recheck the alignment too. BTW, supposedly Don's body is going to be done tomorrow, but even if it isn't done til next week they still are on target timewise. We are pretty anxious too.

Don

Yesterday and today I got to work on my T for a change, Don is working. I got a whole lot of little things done. Mounted the Lokar dipstick to the firewall, found a place on the front of my engine to mount my coil, painted the entire interior with another coat of truck bed liner, and started wiring the car.

I originally was planning on everything going under the dash, and even made a wiring harness a while back and stored it away for this day. However, I started to realize why everybody puts the wiring components under the seat on these little '23 T's..............there is no room under the dash to get even your hand in there when it is time to install the wires. It actually took me over 2 hours to get 3 simple gauges installed because I had to work with a trouble light and mirror and think backwards.

Finally got the three gauges and my ignition switch installed and wired after laying upside down and every other way. I decided to at least put the ignition switch in the dash as I hate fumbling for the keyhole in the dark if you put it under the seat. I built an aluminum switch panel to hold 5 lighted switches under the seat though. I had them there on my '27 and got used to what switch was what by feel.

I also got my fuse box and other components mounted. Dan stopped by and is hellbent on me having turn signals, so he is going to give me his Ron Francis turn signal setup to install. I was going to be happy with hand signals, but he thought otherwise.

Might get to drive it around the block by Sunday PM, depending on how much time Don has to work on his. We will spend time on his if he can break a gig he had scheduled for Sunday.

Here are some pictures of my wiring that I got done so far, and the bed liner paint job.

Don

Don,

Great job. After seeing what you are doing maybe I should just follow suit.

Could you tell us what the switches are for, and relays you used. What fuse block are you using.

Also where are you going to put your spedo and are you going to have a tach.

PS the bedliner is a great idea. puting it on my list.

Z

Originally Posted by oddcarout

Don,

Great job. After seeing what you are doing maybe I should just follow suit.

Could you tell us what the switches are for, and relays you used. What fuse block are you using.

Also where are you going to put your spedo and are you going to have a tach.

PS the bedliner is a great idea. puting it on my list.

Z

Thanks Z. No, I was going to mount an old Dixco tach I have on top of the dash, but the windshield is in the way. Then I thought I would mount it under the dash, but that looked to '60's to me, so I am going to go with the bare minimum look, just oil pressure, water temp, and volt meter. No speedo either, I figure I will just go slower than traffic and I'll be ok. I like the bare bones look of just the three gauges in the dash.

As for what switches and fuse box I used.........being that I came out of the marine industry, they are all boat stuff, even the wiring. Glastron used to use these neat toggle switches that the tip lights up on when on, and I scored a few of those, as well as a compact ATO type fuse box. The relays are auto parts $ 10 relays, and I have one for the electric fan, one for the electric fuel pump, one for high beams and one for low beams.

I really like that Duplicolor roll on bed liner, it goes on easily with a brush and when dry is very smooth and super tough. I had to sand it back off of one area a while ago to do some glassing and I thought it would never come off. I have about 3 coats inside now and 1 under the floor, so it should be pretty waterproof.

Don

Don,
To the right of your switches I spy what appears to be an aircraft style circuit breaker, what's its function?

Don they have a Mustang Mini tach where the clock goes . You could hide this right out front i'm sure . Here is the link clock is center between speedo and guage cluster.

http://www.retrogauge.com/index.html