Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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Hey Don it's been awhile. I don't know if your slackin' or sneaking up to grab T42's zoomies while he's playing biker, or just can't pull yourself away from the retirement home.

And I thought you were out "chasing women".

Nah, can't afford both. Maybe once I get this thing running. These things are "chick magnets" you know.


Don

I work with wood everyday...well almost every day and I think I remember you saying something about boat work or you were doing boat repair......having said that I know that piece of plywood is some sort of 11 layer marine grade plywood if it stays under or in the glass. Or is that just a mold or template?
I may want to put one of these type of machines together and it never hurts to ask or learn.....

No, it's actually 3/4 inch regular exterior grade plywood. Marine would be good, but it's expensive and hard to find sometimes. I plan on encapsulating the entire piece in mat and resin, so it will never be exposed to any moisture.

The secret is to seal the edges of the plywood with resin first, that is where water can enter the plys, then after you get the plywood in place put a layer or two of mat and resin over the top, and more on the bottom.

I did my '27 this same way nearly 20 years ago, and it sat in many rains for 7 of those years (guys at work used to joke I needed a bilge pump in it ) and the floor is as solid today as when I first did it.

Yeah, I did work in the marine business for a long time (and that is probably where I will go back to for the next job) and it is surprising that even boat builders don't usually use marine grade on things like transoms, and bulkheads. I guess high end boats may, but not the average family boat, even some with very good reputations. My SeaRay had lots of particle board in it, believe it or not.

The first fiberglass car I ever did was my '27, and was determined to do it the very best way possible, using marine grade plywood, biaxial cloth, hi tech resins, etc. A good friend of mine, who is a top notch fiberglass guy steered me away, telling me just what I said above, that most boats don't use or need this stuff. Ended up he was right, and it saved me lots of money.

Good question though.


Don

When i worked at lurhs/ mainship they used standard ply also, if i was not drunk right now i would explain the processes of treating lumber. Being that i was a former building inspector in the state of fla, i was required to know this stuff, but don is right, just seal the out side good, and you will have no problems, struceraly its the same

Somebody gonna have a headache tomorrow. I'm heading for the fridge right now to see if I can catch up to you.


Don

It's Sunday night, and I actually made some progress on the T today. Yaaaaaay. I have been putting off doing the interior wooding long enough, and finally have gotten started on it.

Whenever you do a car like this, where it deviates from the "normal" T bucket designs, you create some problems for yourself that you have to overcome. In my quest to get this car as low as possible, I ended up with me and the turbo 350 tranny fighting for space in the already small cockpit. Leg and hip room is going to be tight, but I think I have it figured out to where it will be ok.

The first picture below is of the floor my Son just ordered from Total Performance for his T. It has a nice little cutout for the hump that is already fiberglassed into the body from the factory, and the transmission and driveshaft go well below the floor. Not so in mine. The tranny sits pretty high so I could get pan clearance, and the driveshaft is actually on top of the floor. (I will cut out that section of floor once I get the complete interior wooded in, but for now I want it to be as ridgid as possible.

I got the plywood cut to shape, installed my cowl roll bar, and mocked up everything for a trial sitting. Looks like it will work ok. I have knee and leg room, and now have enough hip room too. I slid a boat seat in there and planted myself for a trial run, and I fit ok. (didn't make any rum rum noises.........but I did catch a little rubber on the 1-2 upshift )

The shifter position and steering wheel seem to be in good places too, but I am going to use the 15 inch wheel I bought in the Dodge truck, and buy a 13 like in the pictures. I borrowed Dans, and it just looks more proportionate.

So there we are, I am actually moving forward , and seeing this progress is getting me stoked again. I will pick up the cream colored paint that I am going to use on the suspension tomorrow so I can spray the underdash roll bar that color. I originally painted it black, but now that the color choice has changed I need to do that before I fiberglass it into place. Once that is painted I will start wooding the body, which shouldn't take too long, I hope.

Thanks for keeping me moving guys.


Don

Orkin is on the job. I should be more worried about the wood rotting from old age from sitting so long.

Don

I see one of your bosses laying out there supervising

Don, where did you get that steering wheel? I've been looking for a flat 4-spoke and can't find any.

Are you going to the "Speedway Spectacular" run in Daytona at the end of the month? It's not quite as big as the Turkey Run, but still a pretty good one...

Jim

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

Don, where did you get that steering wheel? I've been looking for a flat 4-spoke and can't find any.

Are you going to the "Speedway Spectacular" run in Daytona at the end of the month? It's not quite as big as the Turkey Run, but still a pretty good one...

Jim

Jim........ missed the second part of your post. I may go, haven't made any plans yet. What is the date?

Nice work, Are you going to make the tunnel removable?

Thanks Ken. No, I'm going to cut out the underside so I have access to the driveshaft. Probably will put two bolt in plates across the bottom of the hoops to act as a driveshaft retainer in case it ever fails. I am going to glass the tunnel over the trans and driveshaft solid to reinforce the body.


Got some more work done today, but forgot my camera. I got the floor bolted down in preparation to start the glassing, and changed out the rear Model A spring for a Model T spring to give it a little different look at the rear.

I'll remember the camera tomorrow.

Don

I thought I'd throw this in here. My Son Dan has never been happy with the windshield on his '29 sedan turned roadster pickup. At first it was straight up and down, but chopped. Then, in an effort to streamline it a little, he laid it back and tapered it a little.

A week or so ago while I was working on my T, he was at the shop taking measurements, and pondering the situation and I knew more cutting was going to happen. What he did was whack the whole windshield off , buy some '29 roadster stanctions, chop them 5 inches, and use a '32 frame that is also chopped 2 inches.

He still has some finish welding to do, but the major part of the swap is done, and now that I see it, I have to agree that it looks cleaner this way. The first picture is when it was straight, the second is after leaning it back, and the others are after the new windshield is on.

I've got to hide the sawzall, or he will never get this thing done.

Don