Looking for advice

[Donmon]

Hi, I just purchased this project, and although Im not green when it comes to wrenching and fabricating I am a rookie on old hot rods and the propor way to do things, I am hoping I can get some advice from some of you. Does this floor look right? I was thinking of lowering the floor to give more leg room. Does the body mounts on the frame look right? they seem rather tall. And on the steering box, do you think it would be ok to slide it up front more and fab a wedge to tilt it back a bit? any suggestions would be appriciated. -Don

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[Leon renaud]

Your steering box will turn in the clamp on top of the frame when the bolts are loosened no need to fab anything just drill the holes farther forward in the frame.You will have to re align the pitman arm on the box to center it again once the box is moved and leaned back to your liking.I'm just building myself a T bucket now at 55 but I have looked at hundreds and have never seen a body mounted like yours on any!Those mounts look very high compared to any I have seen they are almost always level with the frame top on "regular" cars. I have seen some mounted below the frame but very few like that.My guess is who ever built your T mounted the floor way high like that to not have the trans take up a lot of interior floor space

 

[donsrods]

Welcome to the forum from one Don to another. :welcome:

I'm not sure either what they were trying to accomplish with the floor sitting up like that. Generally you want the amount the body is channeled to cover the sides of the frame, so you channel it 3 inches. Sitting up like that the body looks like it would sit above the frame...........very unusual.

I would lob off those raised portions and get the body down flat on the frame. If the steering is a problem either relocate it or go the traditional Corvair reversed box route. Everything else looks pretty standard and I don't see any glaring problems with the construction.

Do you have any pictures of what it looked like before you pulled the body off, I would love to see how that looked raised up like that.

Don

BTW, here are a couple of pictures of pretty much standard T bucket construction and how the floor normally fits.

 

[Donmon]

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! I am learning a lot. I think I will relocate the stearing box then lop off the body mounts and go flat to the frame. I am trying to resist the urge to go to the Speedway catalog and just order a bunch of new parts, I'm trying to work with what I got. Here is a pic with the body on. (Nice T-pics, great idea for a battery location). Thanks again, -Don
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[donsrods]

Ya know, that's actually a pretty cool little bucket you have there. Not much I can see really wrong with it. I would do the body drop thing and the engine looks a little low in the frame. See how much pan clearance you have and try to get as much as possible, maybe 4-5 or 6 inches if you can. It is no fun to wipe out an oil pan on a speed bump.

I think they raised the body up to gain some rear wishbone clearance between the body and wishbones, but that can be corrected by cutting slots for the bones to ride up into, or raising the rear end height a little.

Very good start for a project, and everything looks pretty solid in the pix.


Don

 

[LumenAl]

Looks like that body was originally channeled lower then was raised, my guess was to get the transmission hump out of the floor... I for one would SUGGEST that you lower the body on to more traditional frame mounts... I'd also suggest you raise your motor mounts... way to low... but to be clear, these are just my suggestions... You have a good start... don't rush it and take the time to think things through...

 

[LumenAl]

Ya know, that's actually a pretty cool little bucket you have there. Not much I can see really wrong with it. I would do the body drop thing and the engine looks a little low in the frame. See how much pan clearance you have and try to get as much as possible, maybe 4-5 or 6 inches if you can. It is no fun to wipe out an oil pan on a speed bump.

I think they raised the body up to gain some rear wishbone clearance between the body and wishbones, but that can be corrected by cutting slots for the bones to ride up into, or raising the rear end height a little.

Very good start for a project, and everything looks pretty solid in the pix.


Don

Didn't mean to step on your post... looks like all I did was say what you said, except you picked up on the rear wishbone may have been their reason to raise the body... sorry!

 

[Wild Mango]

Gonna be a nice looking car. Lots of happy bucketeering fun to come!!

I wonder if the driveshaft could use a bit of attention, the less misalignment the universals run, the smoother they are. Presume the slip yoke is so far out of the trans because the rear is unbolted and moved back.

 

[Ted Brown]

Helloooooooo Don, Well you probably got a pretty good deal, and most of what you need is there, just needs rearranging... a few of what I see... Driveshaft needs to be a bit longer, the rear RRods could be replaced (if they are not real heavy wall) and throw away those female Heim joints in the front Radius rods, as you are only riding on the 1/2" threaded stock holding it onto the RRod... use 4 bar type ends for your RRods, both ft and rear. Like everyone os telling you, mount the body flat on the frame and move the steering forward as close to the header as you can, that will give you a lot more foot room inside your body. and get the steering wheel a bit closer to a stock position, easier to drive that way... and yes it does look like the engine is mounted a bit low.. But all these things you can do for not much money outlay.
Should not even take too long, use as much stuff of the old as you can, in a new position and cleaned up... take lots of pics along the way so all the Guys can see your progress and make sure you are not getting off track.. hehe Good Luck with your project.. any more questions, just ask, someone will surely answer them all for you..

 

[Donmon]

Thanks for the input, I am thinking I should raise the motor and trany a bit and use a short tail on the th350, make a new drive line, that should correct the angle?? thanks for all the good input, I am very excited about this project and am sure I will have a ton more questions, meanwhile I'll keep my nose burried in the rodders journal and every hot rod mag i can find. -Don

Gonna be a nice looking car. Lots of happy bucketeering fun to come!!

I wonder if the driveshaft could use a bit of attention, the less misalignment the universals run, the smoother they are. Presume the slip yoke is so far out of the trans because the rear is unbolted and moved back.

 

[Youngster]

just a suggestion on your floor...re move the rest of it and start over there. patching what you have will take as long as in stalling a new one.

i see you have a set of '25 type windshield posts. very cool. don't see them used much any more. did you get the glass frame too?

how long is the box? looks longer than 20". might just be the camera angle tho.

Ron

 

[LumenAl]

... how long is the box? looks longer than 20". might just be the camera angle tho.

Ron

I'm betting it's a 30 inch...

 

[Donmon]

Thanks for the floor sugestion, I think I will start a new, should I lower the floor in the body a bit?
No I didnt get the windshield frame, so those are 25 posts? I was thinking of cutting them down, where is a good place to get a frame? I would like a three sided frame, just glass on top no frame.
On the bed it measures 26" on the top bed rail, I think I will be taking the bed off and just run a Moon tank.

just a suggestion on your floor...re move the rest of it and start over there. patching what you have will take as long as in stalling a new one.

i see you have a set of '25 type windshield posts. very cool. don't see them used much any more. did you get the glass frame too?

how long is the box? looks longer than 20". might just be the camera angle tho.

Ron

 

[Youngster]

if your going to cut those down let me know, i have a couple sets of the earlier one to trade with you.

install your floor 3" up in the body

Ron

 

[Donmon]

Will do, it will be a while until I am at that point. Thanks, -Don

 

[donsrods]

Didn't mean to step on your post... looks like all I did was say what you said, except you picked up on the rear wishbone may have been their reason to raise the body... sorry!

No need to apologize whatsoever, we were typing at the same time. Besides, you are always one to jump in and try to help another rodder, I've seen you do it a million times.

Don