My current project.

[donsrods]

My current project isn't a T bucket, but I thought since it is a roadster and a pickup with a short bed, you all might forgive me for posting it.

The beginnings of this project was a model a roadster pickup body my Son Dan built but then changed his mind and he bought a new Brookville body and bed instead. So I claimed his old body for my own and moved it to my side of the shop. I had a lot of left over parts from years of hoarding, like a 394 Olds engine that I rebuilt about 5 years ago, an 8 inch Ford rear, and stuff like that. The biggest part we were going to have to build was a frame to work with this setup.

We built the frame out of 2 x 4 x 3/16 rectangular tubing. It is Z'd 4 inches in front and 13 in the rear. We tapered the front rails so they wouldn't looks so bulky. I am using an undropped 34 Ford I beam front axle mounted suicide style, and Speedway split wishbones. The rear suspension is a little unusual for a hot rod, I am using a triangulated 3 bar setup that is mostly used on bagged S10 pickups. I had one on the shelf and it worked great because of the short bed I am running. I needed a setup that would work in very little room.

Here is a picture of the car as it sits right now. I made a temporary mockup bed from masonite to see how I liked it. I want this car to look like it has been around for a while so I am going to age some of the cosmetics a little.

Don

 

[jmr122848]

Excelenteee

 

[Francis Blake]

Very nice

 

[donsrods]

Thanks guys. I am trying to get this one done in time for the Billetproof Drags in October. Last year I ran my 27 there and had the best time of my life and can't wait to do it again.

These Olds motors have a wierd motor mount arrangement compared to most engines. Instead of 2 side mounts on the motor and 1 on the tailshaft of the trans, they use one on the front of the motor and two on the bellhousing. I am using a Bendtsens adapter to mate a th350 to the Olds and we needed to come up with some way to support the motor and take any strain off of the bellhousing. So we built this one for the front, which mimicks the old Hurst motor mounts that we used to buy back in the day. Then we built two more similar mounts off of the bellhousing. There is one more single mount back on the tailshaft.

 

[donsrods]

This is what the rear engine mounts look like.

 

[donsrods]

Since this is a T bucket forum, I thought I'd post a picture of something my Son Don bought yesterday for his T bucket. He got one of those Car Capsules to keep it in. It was pretty easy to put the car in there and inflate it, and it should keep his car a lot cleaner than just sitting out in our shop.

Don

 

[T-Odd]

I LOVE those hubcaps with the wide whites on the new project, and I gotta ask about the Vee Dub in the first pic.

Plans for that one also?

 

[donsrods]

That bug belongs to my Son Dan. His very first car was a Cal Look VW that he kept for about 20 years and then for some reason he sold it. Since then he has wanted to build another one so this will be a project sometime down the road.

Glad you like the hub caps. I wasn't quite sure about them but once I put them on I realized the car needed a little bling, so I think they will stay.

Don

 

[EX JUNK]

That bug belongs to my Son Dan. His very first car was a Cal Look VW that he kept for about 20 years and then for some reason he sold it. Since then he has wanted to build another one so this will be a project sometime down the road.

Glad you like the hub caps. I wasn't quite sure about them but once I put them on I realized the car needed a little bling, so I think they will stay.

Don

My oldest son has a VW project also.

Jim

 

[Youngster]

Cool project Don. Please keep us posted on it's progress.

Those V-dub's are thought provoking ain't they. Very cool convert!!

Maybe we should stat a thead on OT projects. Just a thought. I know there's at least a few in progress here.

Ron

 

[T-Odd]

That's my 69 with 5 lug conversion and pre-67 fenders, 6" narrowed beam on the front. Need to change tires on the rear back to 165 so they'll fit better when I click it down a little more in the back.

Sorry for the threadjack, back to Don's P'up, that was the old four door body cut down?

 

[donsrods]

Those VW's are really cool. That was my first car when I was 16 and then I had one again in the 70's, loved both of them.

You are right, T Odd, my rpu body started life as a tudor Ford. My Son Dan first built it as a chopped and channelled sedan, but then he got the urge to build it as a roadster pickup. Here is the first version of this car:

And here it is after he cut the back off and built it into the current shape:

But after that was done he decided he didn't like the proportions, so he cut everything up and started over with a new Brookville body and bed, and that is how his car is now. I couldn't see this rpu body go to waste and he had so much work in it, so I grabbed it for my own.

This is how his new rpu looks, it is the car on the right. We took this picture at Billetproof in March, when my old 23 showed up for a "family reunion of sorts."

Don

 

[EX JUNK]

Now THAT is what I call a family reunion!!!

Jim

 

[donsrods]

Jim, it was really nice to see my old 23 again and to meet Kevin, the new owner. Super nice guy and he is taking exceptional care of it. My Son Dan was thrilled to see it again since he was a big part in helping me built it, and he was the one who suggested putting my current 27, the 23, and his rpu in a group picture. Glad he did.

Don

 

[T-Odd]

I have a friend that cut down his sedan to make an extended cab pickup. He could have saved a LOT of time just by using the back of a four door like that one...

 

[donsrods]

Oh man, that tudor looks MINT. I would have had a hard time cutting that one up, but I guess a man has to do what a man has to do.

Don

 

[409T]

That sedan is really interesting. Do you have a picture of it with the rear wheels in place? I'd like to see how close they come to the door.

 

[grazza]

Hey Don, is this build going 222 pages?

 

[T-Odd]

Don, I agree but "that's hot roddin" according to this guy - Lee - the owner

I'll take you in reverse so not to upset you right off the bat...

Here it was, when he bought it, before we drug it out.

 

[insomniacshotrods]

Man i couldnt have done that to the 29 ,but it wasnt mine to do to. These cars are getting super hard to find and this is in excellent shape.