Todd's '27 Tracktor T

[Todd]

As some of you may have read, I bought a '27 body from Youngster. It has been squirreled away with various other parts for a future build. But over the last couple weeks I have doodled at work and came up with a vision for the car. Attached is the original doodle and the paint refinement.
Perhaps a little background. My fathers second childhood is centered around old tractors, Allis Chalmers to be exact. The grille and hood on a WD model look like a track nose. Combine this with a desire to do a 4 cylinder Track T and I have my version of an early dirt car with sponsorship from Allis Chalmers.
Chime in with ideas and suggestions. Keep in mind the Hudson has to be running before I can start on this one, it may be a year before assemby. However, maybe I can convince Youngster to help build a frame next spring.

 

[LumenAl]

Dang... this is some serious artwork!

You are very creative and I look forward to seeing the build progress along!

 

[Youngster]

This is going to be fun!! Just goes to show, you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy. You forgot the wood suicide knob Todd! Is that, that dirt track wheel?

Ron

 

[Todd]

Thanks guys.

Ron said we should sit down and figure some of my ideas. It just kind of came out, really I am not that artistic. Alot of it was to see what I had and what was still needed. So really its a build sheet.

I think it is a dirt track wheel, big - flat - 4 spokes. It was on my Model A (a gift from a hot rodder in Iowa) and I couldn't let it go, I liked it too much.
Oh, Now I got it! No, that one ended up getting traded to somebody. I have a big hoop from a '53 GMC that I would like to make one from otherwise I have the chrome one above.

 

[Track T-4]

Looks interesting, Todd. I'll be watching your build.

 

[Todd]

My son and I spent Saturday on the road. A guy on another forum offered up the Allis Chalmers grille shell and hood for a very reasonable price. Been collecting alot of parts. Now I need to hit the Hudson hard so I can get to this one.

 

[fluidfloyd]

Todd,

That looks just about right. Looks like you have just enough room between the body and the fuel tank to slip in a 2" OD roll bar. Then you could go hot lap it at the local dirt track. Have fun!

George

 

[Todd]

I don't know if it will be a tracktor rod or not, but this is what I picked up this morning. Almost enough for a complete rolling chassis. I even got some RPM parts in the deal!

 

[Todd]

Here are the lost pictures,

 

[Todd]

Thought the axle felt a little heavy and had a high drag coefficient. Here is how to solve those issues.

I decided on 22 1" holes 1 1/2" on center. First step is putting wide masking tape in the rib. Second is making a little tag board template from the side of a cereal box. There are marks on the tape to line up the template to.

Next I took a small transfer punch and hit the centers through the template. Then went back and used a larger punch once more (without the template).

Now the no turning back moment. A #5 center drill to start.

Then I switched to a 17/32" drill for a pilot hole.

Getting closer, a 15/16" hole saw with a 1/4" smooth rod (instead of a drill bit) gave me a 1" hole. Go figure.

Look at all those little plugs. You can see the smooth rod in the hole saw, this helps keeps it steady in the pilot hole.

Hot off the drill press. It was rather warm but cutting oil stopped it from overheating.

Tape off, holes touched up with a flap wheel and round file. Looks racy!

 

[one finger john]

Looks like you could have gone one more hole on either end.

John

P.S. Like the hood.

 

[Todd]

I could have done 23, but with the thickness of the web getting thicker by the wishbone mounts I didn't want to get greedy.

 

[choppedtop]

Nice job you done there. If that tank in the drawing is close to scale, you can go a kazillion miles between fill ups. Wish mine was larger.
Lee

 

[railroad]

Super job on the axle. That must be a good quality hole saw.

 

[butch27]

Gonna be fun. Nice work

 

[Todd]

Guys I just gotta brag. I found a 2000 Explorer 8.8 rear axle with...wait for it.......a 4L10 tag, a 4.10 ratio with a locker Plus it's disc brakes and only cost $100

 

[EX JUNK]

Guys I just gotta brag. I found a 2000 Explorer 8.8 rear axle with...wait for it.......a 4L10 tag, a 4.10 ratio with a locker Plus it's disc brakes and only cost $100

Congratulations, sounds like you really lucked out.

Jim

 

[one finger john]

I see an OD auto trans in your future.

John

 

[mountainman]

Guys I just gotta brag. I found a 2000 Explorer 8.8 rear axle with...wait for it.......a 4L10 tag, a 4.10 ratio with a locker Plus it's disc brakes and only cost $100

Just finishing putting same rear axle in mine along with a 700R4. Pinion on Explorer axle is offset to passenger side approx 3" so I decided to narrow mine in order to center the drive-shaft. Lot of work involved but doable in home shop. Also very cheap if you do it yourself. Only requires a trip to pull-a-part for another stock passenger side axle shaft.

 

[Zandoz]

Guys I just gotta brag. I found a 2000 Explorer 8.8 rear axle with...wait for it.......a 4L10 tag, a 4.10 ratio with a locker Plus it's disc brakes and only cost $100

I got a 1988 T-Bird turbo coupe 8.8" 3.73 locker for the same money. You can still find reasonably priced 8.8"s, but at least around here 9"ers are absurdly priced.