Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

[OFT]

Nice looking Jim, your moving along nicely. Keep it up. Does appear it will be one sweet looking ride when your done.

Is that huge thing on the back of radiator the electric motor for running the car at low speeds? Is this really a gas/electric "green" car? lol

Earl

[stovens]

Thank you all.

Yes, guilty as charged! I did teach woodworking for a while. Now I teach Construction, so I still have access to the machines. No, Steve, I didn't use any tongue & groove joints; the multiple angle miters just about taxed my abilities to the limit. What looks like dowels in the pictures are actually the counterbore holes for the 2 1/2 inch drywall screws. All joints are glued and screwed.

J.R.
When I started woodworking the New Yankee workshop was just getting popular on PBS. Norm was using a biscuit joiner to do most of his projects back then. So I went the biscuit joiner route for most stuff too, instead of tongue and groove. I had to break a joint I'd made in a simple pine dinner table. It was so strong I had to cut it off! Groove or no grove there are going to be a few tongues hanging out when you are done!

[J. Robinson]

Progress has been slow this past week. I have done the initial sanding on the body and have a good portion of it in primer. I discovered a rash of pinholes in the back of the turtle deck, but no other unpleasant surprises.

I have been collecting brake parts so I can undertake that part of the "plumbing", but I haven't been able to assemble much. I need to mount the master cylinder so I can proceed with the brake lines. Before I mount the master cyl, however, I need to clearcoat the firewall and the weather has not been conducive to painting.

One good thing... I ordered two new brake drums to replace the mismatched pair on the old Econoline axle. When I got them home and opened the boxes I discovered that they are finned. A quick coat of dull silver heat resistant paint almost makes them look like finned aluminum.

The odds of me driving this car to Billetproof grow slimmer by the day. If I haven't "motorvated" this thing around town by the first week of March, it probably isn't going to happen... and there's still an awful lot to do.

[OFT]

Jim, progress is progress with each step getting you closer. I like the drums and paint. Bet that was a whole lot cheaper than the "real" deal. I like how your build is coming along. Keep at it and one day soon you'll be going for that first ride.

Earl

[Gastrick]

Keep on plugging away Jim. I want to see it.

[Mr Blue]

Looking great man. Keep up the good work! You can make it!

[J. Robinson]

Progress is still slower than I would like. Life keeps getting in the way... Anyway, as I said before, I am at that point in the build where the things I am doing don't really show up much. I have finished rebuilding the front brakes, so moved on to the rear. I pulled the rear drums and discovered that they are pitted beyond using, so ordered new ones. While I'm waiting on those, I thought I would run the brake lines.., but I need to mount the master cylinder... and I can't do that until I clearcoat the firewall... So, this evening I masked off the surrounding area and shot 3 coats of X-treme clear over the engine turned aluminum. Hard to tell in the pic, but the gloss coating really makes the engine turning sparkle.

[39Deluxe]

Lookin' good.

Tom

[Gastrick]

I love that firewall Jim. I wanted to make a similar one while I had my engine out but decided to go ahead and make one that matched my interior panels. I'm doing all of the small things too right now that don't make for exciting pictures on my engine swap. Seems like I'm doing a lot of work with not much to show.

[Itoldyouso]

Maybe if enough of us ask they will move Billetproof to June. We have given up trying to get Dan's done in time too..........but why rush just to make one show, there will still be a lot of cruising time left over the summer. And then there is the Turkey Run in November, which will be on us before we realize it.

Your T is looking really good Jim. We will get to see it sooner or later, and at least we all keep up on each others builds on here.

Don

[J. Robinson]

Thanks, everyone, for the compliments.

Bill, your firewall is beautiful just like the rest of your aluminum work. One of these days you need to do a "how to" thread on the rivets & ribs in those panels...

I have set a "drop dead" date of Feb 15. If I don't have the roadster running by then I will drop any plans of driving it to Billetproof and turn my attention back to my coupe. The transmission in the coupe (Turbo 350) has developed a leak that really needs attention before it drenches everything underneath with tranny fluid. I also bought some new tri-bar headlights at the Turkey Run that have turn lights built in and I haven't taken the time to install them yet. Then I have a few rattles & squeaks that I need to fix, etc, etc...

Hey, Don, have you considered the T-bucket Nationals? It's in North Carolina this year, June 18, 19,& 20. It may be a few years before it gets back to the eastern side of the country. We could caravan up...

[OFT]

Jim, that firewall looks great! I have faith in you to make your date. At least you have a back up plan if it doesn't work out.
Life can seem to take time away, but "life" is so much more important.

Earl

[J. Robinson]

Thanks Earl. I'm still plugging away at it, but only time will tell. My brake drums arrived today, so I can rebuild the rear brakes and run the lines. I hope to make some progress this weekend, but then the following two Saturdays are obligated elsewhere. Looks like "plan B" is becoming more & more likely...

[OFT]

Jim, with the 15th passing us all by (no added information on your thread here) is backup plan in effect?

Earl

[J. Robinson]

Thanks for asking, Earl. Yes, I have reverted to "plan B". I had a couple of interruptions that slowed my progress on the roadster; life keeps getting in the way. I lost one week's evenings to the weather when it turned cold a few weeks ago (I work mostly outdoors) and then I lost a weekend when my wife's brother passed away. On top of that, I still haven't resolved the intake/carb matter. I know where there is a 2-barrel intake for this engine, but have not been able to connect with the owner when he has time to deal with it (he is a tax preparer & this is his busy season)... I have made some limited progress on rebuilding the brakes (nothing picture-worthy), but there is just too much yet to do and I don't want to schlock this thing together and then end up doing a lot of it over later. So..,

I will be driving my coupe to Billetproof. I went to the junkyard Saturday and scrounged a new light switch for it that has a parking light circuit (the existing one didn't - mid '80's switch when parking lights stay on all the time). I got that so I can install the new tri-bar headlights with integral turn signals. Then I will convert the existing turn signals to parking lights. Aside from that, it's just a matter of routine maintenence (change oil, chasing squeaks, etc.) and clean up and it's ready to go. As for the roadster, I still want to get it running as soon as possible and get some road time on it; my goal is to drive it to the T-bucket Nationals in Lenoir, NC in June.