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A sports car T?

A quick 'about me', or you can skip to the T-content in the next paragraph. I am a 43 year old teacher in Southern Indiana, married, three kids and 8 cars. I have two Alfa Romeo Spiders. One with 62k miles and one with 50k miles. Great cars. I also have an NB Miata with a Jackson Racing header and a cold air/K&N. The V-8 in the herd is a Lincoln Mark VIII with the 290hp 32v DOHC V-8. It has IRS and 4-wheel discs. I also have an 87 4-runner and a 1953 Ford Victoria. There is also a VW Golf and a Toyota Camry Solara convertible.

Now, I am wondering if anyone has done a pro-touring/road racing/sport car style T. Mustang II front, IRS rear. Aluminum 4-cylinder and 5-speed to help weight bias. Big tires all around, but bigger in the back. 4-wheel discs.

I have seen one skid pad report for a T that was NOT set up for handling and it was not terrible, but not exactly inspirational, I cannot put the link here due to the 10 post/spam thing but it was in Kit Car mags website...

I was wondering if there are any builds on here to compare it to? I was considering a Lotus/Locost style car but a T would be MUCH cooler! Any insight or inspiration?
Thanks!

Randy
 
hmmm I have only seen 1 T with an independent front end but it had full fenders, kinda hard to hide the stuff with out them. There are quite a few with IRS though, mine included.

I don't think there is a build thread with the IFS.

And Yes a T would be much cooler! If you could create and IFS with tube arms you could probably pull it off with out looking to bad. Kind of like an Indy car with a bucket body.
 
Without being unkind, sort of depends on weather you want to build a race car with a Bucket body... or a T Bucket. Sorry to be blunt but fully IDS buckets have been done in the UK and the USA, for me they dont really cut it.

Of Course this is only my opinion......and I would look forward to your build thread. Maybe you are the one that can 'break the mold'.

Gerry
 
so basically a Golden Star Track T but with a 4 cylinder and not a show car ???

Ernie Immerso .........................
hrdp_9902_25_%2bgrand_national_roadster_show%2b1925_t_body.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies! Yes, it will not be as aesthetically pleasing as these works of art! It would be more of a function over form thing. I do remember that Track T from some show coverage back in the lat eighties! Sweet ride, not what I am looking for. I do like the profile on the tires and their substantive width, but this car was not IFS if I remember correctly. It may have been a Jag IRS, I do not remember. That Enderle injection was nothing but COOL! So, what I am hearing is that it is feasible but not anyone heres cup o' tea? I think the light weight and relative simplicity of these is comparable if not preferable to a Lotus/Locost car. Scratch built frame with a Heidts MII IFS and possibly the Mark VIII IRS, even though they are not either 'attractive' they are cost effective and work well. They would also be easy to adapt to any frame. Thanks for the input and I appreciate the replies, keep them coming!
 
For my 2/c worth a 27 style with fenders a hood and ifs and a convertible top would have a sportscar look if that's what your looking for
 
I have had exactly these thoughts before of using a Lotus 7 type tube frame of small square steel and put a fiberglass '27 over it.. its been rolling around my head for a few years now! I'd use a lightweight turbo's 4 and make it low and fast!
 
Building one is the easy part, its getting paid enough to do it correctly thats hard.
Proper design does not know what body is on it or whos name is on the valve covers
 
Ben, that would be a killer ride for sure. I cannot post the link, but, the thread is called "Mr. Bill requested- DCMJ posts his project". It has an MII style suspension. wide low profile tires and 4-wheel discs. No IRS though. I might be able to go solid axle, too, I am thinking. Cost/benefit, ya knowP1000564.JPG
 
Living a few miles from the greatest racetrack in the world, I'd also like to do an Indy themed rod like this. These conceptual images are incredible:


 
DCMJ! Great ride, I love the direction you are going with it. Any more progress?
I cannot find this chassis in their catalog! I will keep looking!
 
It's been a while, so I hit the current catalog online. Page 149, Main Street Rod Company builder kit for the chassis. I didn't look for it but I'd wager you'll find the body under the body section with the same maker. That is the same business as Old Dog, just their DBA for chassis and bodies.

No progress, I was tied up in a divorce, just pulled it out of storage the end of June, where it's been since late '08.

Long story, divorce, lost job, six moves while taking contracts all over the country, living out of suitcases, blahblah... I'm just happy to have a real bed to sleep on these days.
 
I love the Locost site too. Been building buckets for 40 years and love them. I also did some road racing (Boss 302 Fords in A sedan). I don't feel the bucket body is a good way to go. They are so small a third pedal is tough to get in. I would recommend a Locost style frame and 'glass body panels hung on it to make a kind of tube frame racer for the street. I still think I'd use a V-8 motor, but that's the bucketeer in me!
Here is the site I have been dreaming about. Have you seen the guy that widened an MGB 11" and used Corvette drive train and suspension? Now THAT is a work of art!

http://www.preformresources.com/gallery.htm
 
I have someone working on my frame. It will be probably too wide for a T body, but I thought I would get your thoughts. The frame is 34" wide front to rear with a consistent width the whole length. It is basically a wider T frame (34") because of my suspension needs. I have an IFS and an IRS for it and both require 34" rails. Can I get a T body over this frame?I do need a wider body anyway, I am a big boy. I would rather have a T body than a locost style, but form follows function!
 
I was going to suggest the widened '27 body from Class Glass, but even widened 3", their drawing shows a width at the cowl at 32". If you could do a 32" frame, this would be the ticket. You might call them and verify that dimension.
 

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