Dons Rods T for sale again...
- Thread starter benT
- Start date
Lee_in_KC
Active Member
Man, that is SOOOO tempting!! I love that car... one of my all-time faves. I need another T like I need a hole in the head (boy, there's an old saying!). Heck, I haven't even finished the one I have now!
Jim, have you heard any buzz on the car, like maybe something's wrong with it?
Jim, have you heard any buzz on the car, like maybe something's wrong with it?
Is there really any other kind?
Lee_in_KC
Active Member
Hey Jim, I contacted the seller and he says he bought the car from Don. I asked why he is selling and he says he has too many cars and needs to "get rid of some." I'm wondering why Don sold in the first place and this guy needs to get rid of it so soon after buying it. Is there any way you can do some snooping for me? I really want that car if it doesn't have a major issue.
T-Odd
Member
Lee, that is a STEAL. If you've never checked out the build thread on that car, you certainly should. Trying to remember if it was Hotrodders, or some other site right now. It's bookmarked on one of my computers, just don't know which one right now.
Not that I'm trying to twist your arm or anything...
Not that I'm trying to twist your arm or anything...
Don is over at Rat Rods Rule all the time his name is Donsrods. Want me to get some contact info from him?
http://ratrodsrule.c...earchid=1525216
http://ratrodsrule.c...earchid=1525216
Lee_in_KC
Active Member
Yeah Todd, I followed it too! It was on HAMB. That's why I'm pretty confident it's a well-built car. Ron, if you can get a contact for Don, I would appreciate it. So you guys think I should go for it? I'm thinking I'd offer 12K. Gonna hafta get a two-T trailer and a bigger tow-truck!! So 12K for Don's T, 10K for a trailer and 40K for a tow-truck... hmmm, maybe not such a good deal.....
donsrods
Member
Hi guys. Ron Pope PM'd me and told me my old 23 is back on Ebay again and that some of you on here, especially Lee in KC, might need some info on it. I am happy to tell you anything I can about the car, but my info will be a year old as I sold it back then at the Street Rod Nats in Tampa in October of 2010.
There is a buildup of the car on Clubhotrod under Project $ 3K. I started out as an exercise to see how cheap I could build a T, hence the name Project $ 3K, but along the way I fell in love with the car and scrapped that idea and did it a lot better than I planned on. I probably had $ 15-$18K in parts, having it painted and upholstered, and stuff like that, but I am only guessing as I didn't keep track after a while.
The frame is one my Son Dan and I built in our shop out of 2 x 3 x 3/16 box tubing. I wanted it low so the front is suicided and the back is kicked about 20 inches as I recall. The front end is a superbell I beam, Speedway spring, 37 Ford wishbones, 40 Ford brakes with 59 Buick finned drums. The front wheels are 46 Mercury 15 inchers, and the steering is a Flaming River reversed Corvair type box,
The rear end is a 97 S10 with about 3.00 gears, suspended with an original T spring and located with an old set of PSI radius rods that are now out of production. The engine is a 1999 sbc Vortec engine that was machined completely, then we assembled it. Cam is an RV grind, and I think it is a Comp Cam as I recall. It has an aluminum intake with a Vintage Speed 2x 2 carb setup running two Rochester GC carbs. The ad on Ebay says it is a 700 transmission, but it is actually a th350 built by Jackson Racing transmissions. It has a Lokar shifter on it. The headers are Sanderson Limefires with baffles I built, and it quieted it down quite a bit. The front tires are 5.00 X 15 bias plies and the rear slicks are 10.00 x 15 Firestones on custom made 8 inch rims. The body is a Speedway with an unknown windshield I bought off of Ebay and cut down.
The gold parts of the engine and suspension are 2005 Hummer Fusion Orange, and a local body shop sprayed the gloss black body in bc/cc Dupont. The interior is saddle tan vinyl, sort of with a baseball glove look and feel. The pinstriping was done by Skratch, who does work for Foose.
I reallly don't have good reason for selling the car, it was always troublefree and got great gas milage, even 30 mpg coming on the interstate from Billetproof one time. It never left me down, had no handling quirks, and people loved it wherever I drove it. I had a crowd around it every time I came out of a grocery store or restaurant. One day I was looking in our shop and we just had too many cars in there and I was getting close to the restoration of my 27 that I have had for over 20 years, so I said to my Sons I was going to sell the 23 to make some room and free up some money. They tried to talk me out of it, but it was something I just needed to do at the time. My daily driver was dying and I needed to buy a new car so it didn't make sense to have two roadsters and a daily driver I couldn't depend on.
I took it to the SR Nats and put a sign on it at 9 am. By 11 am I had two guys wanting to buy it. I have never devulged the price, but I sold it for the same money he wants now, $13.5. I had that price in mind, felt it was fair in the current market, and wanted it to sell, but I wouldn't let it go for a penny less. The man who bought it never drove it or even sat in it, which I thought was very odd. I honestly feel he saw a good deal and thought he could make some money on it. He advertised it at $ 19K right after that, but it didn't sell, so it looks like he has found out the market is as soft as I thought it was. He has 8 other hot rods and customs so he either bought it for his collection or to sell.
The only downside is that this car was built around me. I am 5-9 @170 lbs and it fits me nicely, but a heavier or taller person might not fit as well . You guys know how T buckets are. The car ran great when I drove it the last time to and from Tampa but that was a year ago, and I have no idea of it's current conditon. BUT, the pictures look like he has done nothing to it to change one thing, so it probably is still fine. I drove it for 3 years, and drove it a lot, almost daily. It was to Daytona 3 times and Billetproof twice.
Sorry for the lengthy tale, but I wanted to give you as much history and info as I could.
Don
There is a buildup of the car on Clubhotrod under Project $ 3K. I started out as an exercise to see how cheap I could build a T, hence the name Project $ 3K, but along the way I fell in love with the car and scrapped that idea and did it a lot better than I planned on. I probably had $ 15-$18K in parts, having it painted and upholstered, and stuff like that, but I am only guessing as I didn't keep track after a while.
The frame is one my Son Dan and I built in our shop out of 2 x 3 x 3/16 box tubing. I wanted it low so the front is suicided and the back is kicked about 20 inches as I recall. The front end is a superbell I beam, Speedway spring, 37 Ford wishbones, 40 Ford brakes with 59 Buick finned drums. The front wheels are 46 Mercury 15 inchers, and the steering is a Flaming River reversed Corvair type box,
The rear end is a 97 S10 with about 3.00 gears, suspended with an original T spring and located with an old set of PSI radius rods that are now out of production. The engine is a 1999 sbc Vortec engine that was machined completely, then we assembled it. Cam is an RV grind, and I think it is a Comp Cam as I recall. It has an aluminum intake with a Vintage Speed 2x 2 carb setup running two Rochester GC carbs. The ad on Ebay says it is a 700 transmission, but it is actually a th350 built by Jackson Racing transmissions. It has a Lokar shifter on it. The headers are Sanderson Limefires with baffles I built, and it quieted it down quite a bit. The front tires are 5.00 X 15 bias plies and the rear slicks are 10.00 x 15 Firestones on custom made 8 inch rims. The body is a Speedway with an unknown windshield I bought off of Ebay and cut down.
The gold parts of the engine and suspension are 2005 Hummer Fusion Orange, and a local body shop sprayed the gloss black body in bc/cc Dupont. The interior is saddle tan vinyl, sort of with a baseball glove look and feel. The pinstriping was done by Skratch, who does work for Foose.
I reallly don't have good reason for selling the car, it was always troublefree and got great gas milage, even 30 mpg coming on the interstate from Billetproof one time. It never left me down, had no handling quirks, and people loved it wherever I drove it. I had a crowd around it every time I came out of a grocery store or restaurant. One day I was looking in our shop and we just had too many cars in there and I was getting close to the restoration of my 27 that I have had for over 20 years, so I said to my Sons I was going to sell the 23 to make some room and free up some money. They tried to talk me out of it, but it was something I just needed to do at the time. My daily driver was dying and I needed to buy a new car so it didn't make sense to have two roadsters and a daily driver I couldn't depend on.
I took it to the SR Nats and put a sign on it at 9 am. By 11 am I had two guys wanting to buy it. I have never devulged the price, but I sold it for the same money he wants now, $13.5. I had that price in mind, felt it was fair in the current market, and wanted it to sell, but I wouldn't let it go for a penny less. The man who bought it never drove it or even sat in it, which I thought was very odd. I honestly feel he saw a good deal and thought he could make some money on it. He advertised it at $ 19K right after that, but it didn't sell, so it looks like he has found out the market is as soft as I thought it was. He has 8 other hot rods and customs so he either bought it for his collection or to sell.
The only downside is that this car was built around me. I am 5-9 @170 lbs and it fits me nicely, but a heavier or taller person might not fit as well . You guys know how T buckets are. The car ran great when I drove it the last time to and from Tampa but that was a year ago, and I have no idea of it's current conditon. BUT, the pictures look like he has done nothing to it to change one thing, so it probably is still fine. I drove it for 3 years, and drove it a lot, almost daily. It was to Daytona 3 times and Billetproof twice.
Sorry for the lengthy tale, but I wanted to give you as much history and info as I could.
Don
donsrods
Member
Lee, glad I could fill in some of the blanks for you. I would love to see someone get it who would care for it as much as I did. It was a fun little ride. Here is my favorite picture.
Unfortunately, I had to give her back at the end of the day.
If you have any more questions, just let me know.
Don
Unfortunately, I had to give her back at the end of the day.
If you have any more questions, just let me know.
Don
benT
Active Member
I've studied that T a lot and filed several photos away for the future. Don built a car how I like them---simple and clean with a great stance. There so much done right with that car--and its not about the $$ spent--it's the thought and design put into it. ExJunk's (Jim) car is very much the same way.
I'll say it again....that's a smokin' deal for such a nice, clean car!
I'll say it again....that's a smokin' deal for such a nice, clean car!
Mr T Bucket
Member
Lee should buy that T, if for no other reason, than because I want to go for a ride in it. While not how I would build my first T (maybe my second, LOL), I too, really like the look it has. A classic for sure.
donsrods
Member
You guys are too kind with the nice words, thanks a lot. I tried to go back and find the build thread on Clubhotrod, and it is gone. I guess when they changed over to the new server all the old stuff went away. I also had a thread on Rat Rods Rule, but it is gone too. I started the car in something like 2005, so I guess they can only keep threads for so long.
Thanks again.
Don
Thanks again.
Don
