Greetings

[stretch]

Hey folks!

Just found you guys on the web, actually a link from a post Lee in KC had in an NTBA post. I am member #29 of the NTBA, but haven't visited in a while for a number of reasons. Now I'm getting ready to tear down the hot rod I built while from 98-01 as a member of NTBA . It was truly a hot rod that I only could have built with the internet, not only for information, but also for friendships, and used parts. I started out as "wanna-t" then became "space oddi-t" and then as I got into real estate sales "real-T".

After 10 years of driving this hot rod, it's time to tear it down for a multi-year rebuild. Multi-year because it's gonna be expensive. I'm going to start soon as my left shoulder heals up from major surgery (surgery was two weeks ago yesterday), which probably means sometime in spring, if spring ever comes. First expense will be getting my homemade frame and brackets powder coated. Once I get through that I may paint the body, but for the most part I'm saving money for new wheels, tires, steering gear and column, jet coated headers, stuff like that, along with all new nyloks, heims and rod ends.

I'll be popping in from time to time. Thanks!

Frank

 

[ruggs]

Hey folks!

Just found you guys on the web, actually a link from a post Lee in KC had in an NTBA post. I am member #29 of the NTBA, but haven't visited in a while for a number of reasons. Now I'm getting ready to tear down the hot rod I built while from 98-01 as a member of NTBA . It was truly a hot rod that I only could have built with the internet, not only for information, but also for friendships, and used parts. I started out as "wanna-t" then became "space oddi-t" and then as I got into real estate sales "real-T".

After 10 years of driving this hot rod, it's time to tear it down for a multi-year rebuild. Multi-year because it's gonna be expensive. I'm going to start soon as my left shoulder heals up from major surgery (surgery was two weeks ago yesterday), which probably means sometime in spring, if spring ever comes. First expense will be getting my homemade frame and brackets powder coated. Once I get through that I may paint the body, but for the most part I'm saving money for new wheels, tires, steering gear and column, jet coated headers, stuff like that, along with all new nyloks, heims and rod ends.

I'll be popping in from time to time. Thanks!

Frank

Frank,
Welcome. Tell use a little about yourself maybe what part of the contry etc Oh, and gotta have pictures of the car please......ruggs

 

[Lee_in_KC]

Hey Frank, glad you came over from the dark side. Good folks here!

 

[Gerry]

Hi
Frank.

Look forward to seeing some pictures.
Gerry

 

[RPM]

Hi Frank, glad you made it over to the best T Bucket site.:kiltdance:

 

[stretch]

Well, lemme see, sumpin about me? 58, 3 grown boys, married to my college sweetheart. Expect to have our 1st grandchild this June/July. We live in the boonies south of Albany NY, I commute south to Catskill, the little woman commutes north to Albany. I'm a public sector commercial lender for Greene County, which is the county directly south and adjacent to Albany County in NY. Stretches from the Hudson River to the northern Catskill Mountains.

The hot rod was built from California Custom Roadster plans. I put a CCR stretch body on, powered it with a 406 sbc, th350 tranny, and an IRS I pulled out of an old jag. It was truly a labor of love. I had wanted a t bucket since I was maybe 12 or 13 (77 Sunset Strip, Kookie, etc.) , so getting this baby done was a dream come true. Never had much trouble with it, i.e., never had to be put on a trailer or towed. Little things here and there, but for the most part a great little hot rod. It's just never been finished. No paint on the chassis or the body. I've rattle can sprayed the jag IRS, radius rods, tie rod and drag link, but that's about it. Interior never got really done either. Run a 1/2 keg for a gas tank on a homemade stake rack. Built a trailer hitch off the rear dogbone of the jag. Built my own windshield frame. Time is as good as any to pull it apart and start over, now that I know it all works. How's that?

My primary concern doing this is my body ain't what it used to be. Stuff I did myself I'm gonna need help. We'll just have to see how it goes.

Frank

 

[putz]

Welcome nice lookin bucket. Time get your boys over to help out or maybe grand kids. Had my niece help rewiring my bucket.

 

[VegasBruce]

Welcome Frank, nice bucket. :hoist:

 

[stretch]

Thanks guys, but it's way past time for paint and some new goodies!

Frank

 

[Telman2]

Welcome to the forum Frank, I don't know what it is about a bucket but they never seem to be done. I've had mine for 43 years now and I'm always finding something that needs changing, adjusting or improving.

 

[EX JUNK]

Welcome aboard, Frank. Glad to see you here. I'm sure that you will recognize quite a few here from the NTBA, myself included, aka KOALA T.

Jim

 

[stretch]

Well, mine never got done. All the home-built chassis gurus said not to paint it till you had driven it some and no welds cracked. Of course, not really knowing what I was doing, I got the frame done, then would work on some other aspect of the suspension or steering or whatever, put it all together, take it apart. The last time I did this was early '01, and once I had it all together, I had about had it with dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly,so I just kept on driving it. Couldn't wait to take it to shows, but it didn't take long to stop doing that. People would make disparaging comments about this or that right while I was sitting there! So I dropped my NSRA & Goodguys memberships & did cruise-ins instead. They're a lot more fun. Really though, driving it all over hell's 1/2 acre was what restored my faith. Regular folks, from young to old, dug my hot rod at gas stations, restaurants, parks, etc. What I'm about to embark on now is for me & Gail. If other folks like it, cool, but I'm doing this for me.

43 years huh? Wow!

Frank

 

[Corley]

Frank,

Good to see there are people who are happy with what they have, and have found a way to block out the nay sayers. I love the look of your rig, and I say to hec with anyone who critisizes it. For my own self, I'd leave it as-is and drive the hec out of it while you can. Life is WAY too short to let others opinions on taste affect you. Safety is another issue, and if someone mentions a safety aspect, I'd want to evaluate that for sure, but for look and feel, paint vs chrome, Chevie vs Ford, rust vs flat black, etc., screw'um! That's a personal choice, and as long as you are happy. . .

Good on you!

Corley

 

[benT]

Well, mine never got done. All the home-built chassis gurus said not to paint it till you had driven it some and no welds cracked. Of course, not really knowing what I was doing, I got the frame done, then would work on some other aspect of the suspension or steering or whatever, put it all together, take it apart. The last time I did this was early '01, and once I had it all together, I had about had it with dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly, dis-assembly, assembly,so I just kept on driving it. Couldn't wait to take it to shows, but it didn't take long to stop doing that. People would make disparaging comments about this or that right while I was sitting there! So I dropped my NSRA & Goodguys memberships & did cruise-ins instead. They're a lot more fun. Really though, driving it all over hell's 1/2 acre was what restored my faith. Regular folks, from young to old, dug my hot rod at gas stations, restaurants, parks, etc. What I'm about to embark on now is for me & Gail. If other folks like it, cool, but I'm doing this for me.

43 years huh? Wow!

Frank

To hell with all the lounge chair naysayers. I really only like cruises and trip type shows. I've had my '27 done for 2 years now and have only entered it in 2 local shows. I was bored stiff both times. We have more fun cruising on the PowerTour, to Somerset, Frog Follies, and other destinations where there are things to do and places to cruise. This year we're planning on the NTBA Nats in Dayton and a few legs of the PowerTour. I may subject myself to GoodGuys, but only because it is a new venue this year--The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I will admit that I am subjecting myself and car to World of Wheels next week, but only as it is supporting our company booth.

You'll find that this board is like minded and are mostly "drivers" and very few "parkers" :toast:

 

[stretch]

Corley, it's me looking for the re-do. Right from the conceptual beginning, I wanted a white chassis and red body, sumpin a bit different nowadays, but white chassis were a trick back in the day for home spun rodders that couldn't afford chrome. I still think that's what I'm going with. My big rear meats are close to, if not illegal for tread depth, and I've had a hankerin for some of those new fangled big radial meats for some time now. MT makes matching tire patterns for my big and littles too. After 10 years my reverse chrome rear wheels have picked up some rust, so I'd like to replace them with aluminum drag lites like I have up front. I've never been real happy with my second hand, used steering components, and would just like to have new stuff there. Jet coated headers might save me from every year or two sandblasting and painting. I don't know how much longer these headers that I bought used to begin with will last. This stuff all adds up quick, but I would at least like to pull it apart and get the frame and bracketry powder-coated and the body painted. The rest could come right after I win the lottery...

Frank

 

[Corley]

Frank,

It's not that I'm criticizing or anything, you have a plan and if that works for you, then great! I just know that for my own self, I have several car projects that have made it to that 'tear down stage', only to get left there for a long long time. Partially completed is almost like not even started, except it's taking up space, and work remains staring you in the face just to get back to running again. At my advanced age, I really can't afford any more of those, since completing the ones currently 'in progress' seems less and less likely. (Keep in mind, these projects are pretty worthless when all in pieces!) Actually, they'd seem a lot more possible if other stuff was not always getting in the way and consuming all the spare minutes. (The wife seems to think that retirement means spending lot's of time at the beach place, and traveling all over the place.)

The point being, if you can do it in littles, a bit at a time, but basically keep the machine going, you might consider opting for that method over another full teardown... In any case, you have a great machine and I hope you get to put lot's more miles on it...

Good Luck

Corley

PS Why is it that I used to get as much done in one day as it now takes me a week to accomplish?

PS/2 You do realize the problems with keeping a white chassis clean and looking decent, right? Maybe a light gold or gray would actually be a better choice...JMHO on that one...

 

[Gerry]

Frank
I really like the way your T looks from the rear 3/4shot. If you want a white chassis then go for it. If you want to take care of your old steering then do it. Just dont take too much on unless you know you have the budget to finish it.
I got a feeling you would be really 'pissed' if you took it apart and then found out the cost to put it back together was more than you expected.

Everything needs cleaning and white needs it more than most.... but so does black..

Go with your gut feel

Gerry

18 years and still building

 

[stretch]

Well Gerry, I won't have the budget to finish it right away if I take it apart. The only thing that has bugged me with this car over the years is that once in a while, mostly at low speed, I get a shake in the steering column. I sure would like to know why. It can't be good, but I also haven't checked toe-in in years. It may very well have nothing to do with the steering gear or column. Hmmm, now you guys got me thinkin, always a dangerous thing...

Frank

 

[Youngster]

Taking care of a white chassis can't be any more difficult than a yellow one especially if your drive it daily. Been there done that!

Ron

 

[stretch]

I've given it a lot of thought Ron, and white is really what I would like to do for the chassis. Powder coating it should mean all it needs is cleaning, no touch up. I seem to be touching up my paint every year!

Frank