Winter Project Plans?

[benT]

Alright...Its getting cold (at least for us Yankees), and cars are getting put up for the winter. How about a "Winter Project" thread. Let us know what upgrades/fixes you're doing on your T , or if you're starting another. I'll Start:

On my blue '27, I'm just going to do a few minor tweaks and maybe have a few things "fixed" in my interior. I'm also planning on having a custom dual quad finned air cleaner top made to match my valve covers.

The big project is starting on a 23 bucket for my uncle Dennis. This will be a super-low budget build. Between Dad and I, we have tons of new and good used parts. We are starting with a "MAS" body, 20" bed, a early ford I beam axle, a gallon of "Hot Rod Metalic Purple" enamel, a good 283 chevy that we just put a light rebuild on, and some 2x3x3/16" tubing. Most everything will be fabricated, scrounged, re-painted, powdercoated , or ceramic-coated (hey, that is our business!). I'm currently analyzing several sets of plans and will be putting together the best of them (along with my own thoughts) in a new set of cad plans that we will use (and freely distribute). I plan on documenting the build either on this site. Hopefully it will be useful tool for new builders.

So what are you planning on doing this winter. Lets get a good thread started!:funmeter2:

 

[der Spieler]

My winter project is non-T. I bought a 79 Chevy Monza a few weeks ago and I'm going to build a drag car to run in Super Gas. I have a 400 (406) block and powerglide and I just acquired a narrowed (39" hub to hub) rearend with 4.56 gear and spool. The Monza doesn't have any rear frame so I will be back halfing it with frame rails. crossmember and 4 link brackets from Quarter Max. Right now I am widening the rear wheel arch so that I can fit 32" slicks into the opening. I'm also going to build new frame rails for the front to hang a Mustang II front crossmember and suspension. The Monza has a crossmember that connects the door sills amidship and I will be tying the front and back halves to that. Right now all of my efforts are being focused on doing the things that don't cost money. I have most of the stuff I need to do the body work but I will have to wait until I have the cash to buy the wheels and slicks so that I can center the rearend, mount the tubs, frame rails and 4 link brackets and finish the back half. Maybe next month. The engine is next year's project.

I'm still keeping my eyes open for streetrod parts with the idea of maybe building another roadster.

 

[Francis Blake]

Been collecting parts for three years was going a different direction for a while till joined this forum. Building a 1927 roadster with a chevy 4.3 v6 and 700r4 trans. I think it will be some shade of orange with black graphics don't know about the interior yet.Have my frame hanging from the rafters in my garage in primer. Have my front axel and spindles etc etc. ready to bolt up as soon as I can get some color on the frame (it just rains and rains) want to put 6inch wide by 15 inch tires on front 8 wide on back on steel wheels w/ baby moons. If this weather ever clears up and I can get one good days work I will take some pics to put on here. About the engine I have the directions to build it to about 300hp already have most of the parts:hyper: I need to get some work done

 

[LarryH]

My winter project will be trying to finish the '56 Chevy more door sedan grandkid hauler (it's an ex-Air Force car) i've been neglecting for the last few months.

So far i've welded in new floor pans, rebuilt the front end, the brakes (still need to install the dual master cylinder) and a new gas tank and sending unit.

Everyone keeps telling me to drop a V-8 in it but i think the 6 banger will do just fine for a cruiser. I've added on of Tom Langdon's Holey/Weber carbs, electronic ignition, a Fenton header with dual glass packs, pencile tips and a Hurst floor shifter. Ain't nothing like the sound of an ole stovebolt with glass packs running through the gears.

I still need to install the new windows, all new weather stripping, window felt, carpet and insulation and rewire it. I have all the parts i just need to get off my lazy butt and get started on it.

Then it needs air, new interior, body work and paint, a 5 speed...

 

[jcunning]

I WILL solve my overheating problem while in traffic. So far a new fan and flush hasn't solved the problem. I think a new radiator may be in order.

I second task is to replace the steering column and wheel. The former owner decided to modify the steering column and it wasn't done very well. The biggest problem is the under dash support, but if I am going to disassemble things, I would rather just replace it.

The biggest project is the replacement of the interior. My wife and I have sewn and number of odd projects and having bought a upholstry machine to give this a try. I have the ability to embroider pictures and hope to incorporate some of this into the upholstry.

The only things keeping all of this from happening is time and money.

I have certainly gotten some good ideas from all of the folks on this site.

 

[mikesplumbing]

Great idea for a thread!

I'm going to try and have my rolling chassis done by spring.

Mike

 

[HAceT]

I'm going to start on atleast 2 more Bucket builds. One for Tom Buckley and the other for my son and maybe the Rat-Truck for my old lady.

 

[tfeverfred]

I'm going to start on atleast 2 more Bucket builds. One for Tom Buckley and the other for my son and maybe the Rat-Truck for my old lady.

Dang, HAceT! You got a factory going or what!?

 

[HAceT]

Nope just a hobbie that I owe to Tom Buckley. I can't Thank him enough. He is the reason I got into these Hot Rods.

 

[putz]

Going to try and build a top don't know it might even be a carson style hardtop.My a friend of mine likes working with fiberglass.

 

[all-world1]

My winter plan is to get on with this bucket build...can't work on my wife's yard projects with 3 feet of snow on the ground.

I'm ready to let 'er rip... now all I need is below freezing temps. and snow

 

[Telman2]

Unfortunately I have to replace the 61 year old rearend in my bucket. It started leaking earlier this year and got worse over the summer, closer inspection has revealed stress cracks in it. My biggest problem is whether at 66 I'm still able to do that kind of work myself.

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

Well we are just thru winter down here, but the last few days feel like its come back to bug us.

Over winter:

We carried on with the new 540 cube bucket engine. Had no end of hassles with the heads so we arent up and running yet. Basically the machine shop didnt notice that the heads were shaved big time when they did rebuilt them, so we have manifold fitting issues. To get spacers made cost us $155 for the alloy straps, $225 to have them water jet cut to fit, and now they are back to the machine shop to get "pie cut" so everything lines up. Thats probably another $250. So I will be the proud owner of a spacer plates that cost about $600.

But if Im on the track next month then I will feel no pain.

The T coupe rebuild got out of hand. Was supposed to be all done by 4th of July (we celebrate your Independence Day) but Im hopeful it will be done in the next month. we still have to figure how to make the Holley Projection setup actually work.

Im accumulating parts for my A40 Gasser project tho we havent stripped the old engfine & suspension out yet. I found a narrowed Dana 60 diff the other week but need more parts so if any of you have some, let me know.

Thats about all from down here at the bottom of the South Pacific.

Cheers
Todd

 

[Ted Brown]

My baby is still on stands, waiting for my Friend Bob from Power Brake to re-seal my front (PM) calipers, as they have been on and have had very hard use for way too many years now, if it ain't broke, don't mess with it, I always say/said.. hehe but I am getting to where my trust level is not where it was some years back... better safe than sorry, as I am not the only car on the road these days, too many crazies out there now to watch out for, so we all need real good stoppers... Ride safe

 

[oldtman]

2 weeks to go up here in the Cold North, I didn't get everything done on the farm that needs done before snow,. fences to build. trees to knock down, drainage ditches to clean. We will go south for a month then on a 4 day cruise. then when it gets cold at the shop at my old place, come back north for Christmas and January to be with her family, the 30 X 48 ft garage here at the farm. It has a furnace and it's nice to be in there when the snow is 3 ft deep. The 22 Speedster has sat since the 4 th of july. It wasn't running so a neighbor pulled us with a rope on his 28 John Deere Tractor and we still won the award for best antique. I need to get a few new parts to get it running again. 400 miles south. I traded my old formula V type "indy Racer" for a dunebuggy and need to put the engine together. The east Idaho sand dunes at St Anthony is within easy towing distance. Too many projects at the south shop to pick from. Model A roadster needs quite a bit of work. T chassis needs radiator mounts, trans cooler mount and E brake brackets then it's paint time. not enough time in the day to get everything done, Next spring will be just as busy.... cement is done for the duplex but it's too cold to lay block. WE got a USDA grant to installed an irrigation system on one of the Farms and we will lease out more land so someone else can farm it.

 

[Youngster]

Had some health issues this summer. Got most of them behind me now but still a shop full of unfinished projects. Had hoped to start my daughters T this winter but looks like maybe next winter will work better. Don't get much done in 2 or 3 hours a day but i'll keep at it.

Oldtman ~please~ post some pics of that speedster!!!

Ron

 

[409T]

I got my hands on an industrial sewing machine, so now I am re-doing the interior of my wife's T-bucket. I have the wood shell (like CCR does) built, have the foam in it, and have practiced sewing enough that I can do straight pleats and they actually come out straight. Next I am going to make covers out of muslin to see how well I do, and if it works, do it again with naugahyde. I'm sure I have reinvented the wheel many times during this process, but I hope that's called learning. Nevertheless, regardless of the quality I do or do not achieve, it's fun learning how to do something new.

Jeff

 

[akitagandy]

Take lots of pics I will be ready to do mine in about 2 months