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The "what's left of my build thread!"

I actually drove it!!!!!!!!!

Well, I did it!!! I FINALLY got to drive the T!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

It was just around the block , but all I can say is WOW!!.:eek::eek: I feel like a kid with a new toy. I can’t wait to drive it some more. I took my wife, my mother and my dad for rides. Everybody had a good time.

It has been a real thrash for the last few weeks, but it was worth it. There haven’t been any build updates for a while because I just didn’t have time. Between work and the T, I’ve been putting in 16 – 18 hour days to get it done in time for the upcoming car shows. The farther I got, the more I kept finding that needed doing and the longer my punch list got! Pretty frustrating to work all day and have the to do list longer than when you started. I didn’t want to rush and throw it together, so I just kept at it. Then it just clicked and everything fell into place.

Wiring was the real time killer. My keen powers of time under-estimation were working perfectly.:eek::lol: What I thought could be done in 3 days turned into more than 5. I changed the air system controls at the last minute and added full manual controls (up, down, left, right) in addition to the auto controls. Except for AC and a radio, this car has about as much wiring as a Cadillac. Leave it to me to take the simplest of cars and make it complicated. :eek: Everything appears to work as it should, though.

The engine is running great. It pulls a solid 20” of vacuum at idle and is very strong and smooth. I couldn’t get on it very hard, but I think it’s going to be pretty stout. It was chirping the tires going into second and I wasn’t even trying. Actually, I was trying to go easy so Johnny Law wouldn’t take an interest in me.

The upholstery is finished. It just needs to be installed. That’s not going to be bad, because this car has a very simple interior.

I still need to glue the windshield into the frame and get that on the car before I can drive it very far.

I need some mufflers too, to keep local gendarme off my tail. It sure does sound good without them though (has a nice small block crackle). I have to go back to work so it looks like I have a few more late nights, but it looks llike I'm going to make my deadline.:D:D:D:D

I’m working on build pictures and I’ll get them up ASAP. In the meantime here’s a picture of a fat happy old guy with a bad case of roadster hair (what little of it there is)!!!
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Very nice! I really like all the different touches in your build.
 
hey mike....great job...so glad you joined us here....i'll be waiting for the build pics!!!

Ron
 
The wind blown hair and that Big Grin say's it all !
Great job :thumbsup:
 
I remember that feeling. A rush almost like one other in a young mans life.
 
I remember my first drive in my car i backed down the drive and drove forward and got cute and punched it the front end came up and i wiped out a line of shelving in my garage.The steering shaft came off in my hand cause i didnt have the set screw tight on the u-joint.That made my day but having two many brews me and my brother in law laughed it off.
 
Thanks everyone!!!

I want to thank everyone for the congratulations! The kind words mean a lot and are really appreciated.:):D

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but I'm up at 3:00 AM to go to work, home at 6:00 PM and in the shop till whenever every night.

I have some more pics resized and will get them up when I can, along with some shots of the finished car. Still have a few trim pieces to add, along with the windshield and mufflers. I might even get the cruise control in, but that's considered "nonessential".:rofl:

I'm off Monday and hope to do a good long shakedown run then. So far everything appears to be OK, but then I haven't gotten it over 35 MPH or out of 2nd gear. The trans cable needs to be adjusted for sure. The punch list is getting shorter though!:hide:

With the time changing this weekend, I should have some drive time after I get home from work this week. I want to get as much time in as I can before I hit the road to the first show.

Mike
 
Thanks for the nice comments everyone.

Today, after I got the mufflers and windshield on, I put about 70 miles on it. This thing took a little getting used to. It doesn't drive bad. It's just a unique experience. It truly is a four-wheeled motorcycle!
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I did one good hard start and was surprised at how hard it actually hooked. Lot's of smoke in first, but it really took off when it hit second. I couldn't get on hard though, since the engine is new. It did go straight when I got on it hard, no surprises.

One thing I did learn. I had to get an inspection sticker and the place that does it also washes cars. The tires got wet leaving the place and I got a little sideways getting back on the highway!!
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Happened quick, surprised me, but it didn't get squirelly. It just stepped out a little. Really wet roads might be a challenge, though.

The wife and I rode a few miles on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Beautiful weather! A real nice ride. I have to get this engine broken in, though, so I can really play.
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Mike
 
Yep they do drive a little different but you get used to it pretty quick ,,
 

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