Chester Greenhalgh

How to Build a T-Bucket Hot Rod Roadster for Under $3,000
zs'" Anniversary, Revised Edition
By Chester Greenhalgh
Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer:
All contents Copyright © 2011 and 1986 by Chester Greenhalgh. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of
this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means
(electronic, photocopying, scanning, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the
publisher.
This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international,
federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to
give or sell either a print or digital copy of this Guide to anyone else. Remember, that I have your name
and address. If you received this publication from anyone other than TBucketPlans.com, you've received
an illegal, pirated copy. Please contact us via e-mail at [email protected] and notify us of the
situation. We will protect your identity and see that you are taken care of.
Please note that much of this book is based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. Although the
author and publisher have made every reasonable attempt to achieve complete accuracy of the content in
this book, they assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Also, you should use this information as
you see fit, and at your own risk. Your particular situation may not be exactly suited to the examples
illustrated here; in fact, it's likely that they won't be the same, and you should adjust your use of the
information and recommendations accordingly.
Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their
respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if we use one of
these terms.
Finally, use your head. Nothing in this book is intended to replace common sense, legal, medical or other
professional advice, and is meant to inform and entertain the reader. So have fun with this zs"
Anniversary, Revised Edition of "How to Build a T-Bucket Hot Rod Roadster for Under $3000", and get
your stuff done.
Copyright © 2011 and 1986 Chester Greenhalgh. All rights reserved worldwide.
Published by
Remember, that I have your name and address.
Publisher's Comment on Chester and His Book
~ow to Build. To Buck&t Roadster on •
udgel by Ches...
rt"'O
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01'
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c.••
c
A few disparaging remarks have been made over the years about Chester Greenhalgh's
long out-of-print
frustration
T-bucket bible, but they were likely the result of someone venting
for having to pay almost ten times the cover price for this one-of-kind
comprehensive information.
In reality, it takes a true mechanical and scrounging
genius to convert raw materials like old truck front axles, steel bed rails, iron water
pipe, cast-off house trailer springs, furnace louvers and glass doorknobs into a safe,
fun creation of beauty like aT-bucket
-- and on a budget anybody can afford! Just
take a look at one of Chester's creations on the cover of this book (not the one above,
which will be covered later). Chet can take a $500 rolling wreck Chevy passenger car
and, like the food processing industry does with a pig, use everything but the squeal.
While the California Custom Roadster plan set introduced in the early 70's was
instrumental
in terms of useful T-bucket build information,
it was limited in that it
was just a chassis and suspension plan set. The CCR plans covered building a frame,
the associated brackets and suspension elements. However, a huge information
void
was still left. The would-be hot rodder living in Podunk who'd only seen T-buckets in
magazines or maybe flashing by on the highway didn't have a clue about how to run
the brakes; reinforce and mount the body, bed and windshield; wire it; find a suitable
radiator, driveshaft,
shifter, lights and dozens of other things. And if he was able to
somehow learn how to do this on his own through trial and error or if he farmed out
the work it was likely to cost big bucks!
NOW! FINALL Y A TRUE LOW
BUCK ROD!
BUILD THIS T FOR
Most people had nowhere to turn for this vital T-bucket
build information.
Fortunately,
the unassuming,
ingenious, budget conscious owner of Chefs Car Craft
in Naples, Florida decided to employ some of those
same skills he'd used to successfully build T -buckets for
YES, IT'S TRUE I Now yo elln bUild
Lh beavtil I rod ~($$lf
tttl tl're
J'Ie'
.hop ma UBI 'How To 6uifd A
T-sue
I Roadater fOr Under $3000."
It tells you, 'not wllere to buy. but
ow to build fro
Ju-n yaro partt;,
AJI tnese items:
his family and customers and self-published
the
legendary "How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under
$3000" in 1986.
Fame, piC up QOX, Spt "{IS, fro an-d
rea axles 3. d all t 'r I'n()unt[ng
components,
radius rC)d$,4 bar fronl
u I>GMk>n,slee 'ng cotumn, 01
md' lor, early- ord-Iw shifter.
kiS.
0:"1-
gl It me n(s. bat ec'l box, driYe~ aft
shorte ing, vel tan and lines, lig 1$,
lUIn sl,gll8. S, dash, electrical $y.stCIft,
Qa PQdal. \'I ndshie d and much
morel The mo&t comp Ie, <XI book
ever wo!le , II 00\'8[S eV!ll'Y taeet 'Of
co at ction fro
th II e to 1M
final titling
ill'! tip$ on body woodInQ, bondo
olk, weldlnog, custom
p 41',;n
nd upholslery.
NOW YOURS FOR ONLY $19 96
I'!u
~,
Ib
e
lficncsa '"
,ohi"""
Bdd
•
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Motorbooks International
success, the folks at
struck a deal with Chet to
produce a perfect bound soft cover version of his work
that was introduced in 1990 with a price of $14.95.
Somebody in Motorbooks' marketing department
decided that the appropriate cover photo for this "how
1&J()
1Ii1 your che<: cr 1II01'ey 0 d r to:
BUDGET ROOS
80x 164
Naples, FL 33999
CR 9510
Based on Chester's self-publishing
to" book about building aT-bucket
on the cheap would
be a high dollar, T-Bucket built from a Total
Performance kit and laden with chrome and a blown
Chrysler hemi -- budget, indeed!
I mention this price history because Chester's book has been long out of print. Only a
year or two ago, used copies offered on eBay or Amazon.com ranged from $120 to
$198!
Then in the Fall of 2009, we introduced our first eBook version which was compiled
from Chester's scans of his self-published
printed book. Just remember that in 1986
personal computer word processing didn't really exist, except in large offices, so
purchasers of that first eBook got to enjoy the "old school" visuals of typewritten
text
and 3rd generation Kodak film snapshots which had been developed, offset printed and
then scanned. While it wasn't perfect, it was the quickest, most economic way of
getting this valuable information
who previously either couldn't
couldn't
into the hands of T -Bucket builders around the world
find a copy of Chester's original work or simply
afford the auction and out-of-print
book dealer high prices. When you read
Chester's brief autobiography at the end of this eBook, you'll understand why he's
been out of communication
with the hot rod world for over 20 years and also
appreciate the effort it took to create this new, revised eBook so that hot rodders for
generations to come will be able to have this vital T -bucket building information
for
less than the cost of four gallons of gasoline today.
While eBooks are environmentally
friendly, you
may want to print out a copy as a handy garage
reference so here are some helpful tips. We
recommend you find or purchase a two-inch or
larger 3-ring binder because 250 one-side-printed
pages make for a thick book. If you're going to
purchase paper, think about buying a package
that's already 3-hole punched - you can find it at
most major office supply stores for a few dollars
more and it saves your arm from the punching chore, and if you don't already have a
good paper punch you'll come out money ahead. One more important
point: start out
just printing a few (10-20) pages at a time. If you throw all 250 pages at your little
desktop printer at the same time it will freeze up, so don't let your enthusiasm get
the best of you.
Thank you for your purchase. We hope you find it both informative
and entertaining.
You may also wish to consider purchasing Chester's newest eBook on building a hot
rod truck and we have included information
on that at the end of this eBook. We wish
to extend our sincere best wishes to you in your own hot rod building endeavors. May
they be successful, safe and fun!
TBucketPlans.com
Chester Greenhalgh's "Traditional"
Flathead Powered T-Bucket
There is an interesting story behind the flathead roadster. In 1957 I helped my big brother put together
a '22 Dodge bucket on a model 'A' frame. We used a '40 Ford sedan for a donor car and had it running,
no frills, for under $50. We didn't have a lot of money so when my brother got in a financial fix he sold
the car for $100 without
telling me it was for sale because he knew I didn't have any money. That hurt
but I got over it.
26 years later, in 1983, I was in my 40's, had my own shop, and time on my hands between jobs.
So I
decided to duplicate that 1957 roadster and this time finish it the way my brother would have liked to if
he had the money back then. Sort of complete the dream for both of us. I got a fiberglass T from Racing
Unlimited
(no steel bodies available) and a 1927 Essex frame from a buddy. He also sold me a 1948 Ford
sedan with a stuck engine. So, I built a bolt-for-bolt
duplicate of my brother's T using all antique parts
scrounged up at swap meets and this time I finished it. I drove it for several years and to this day it has
always been my favorite.
The newest part on it was the 1952 Ford pickup instrument
cluster. The day
finally came when I had to sell it to pay bills. I sold it to a very wealthy gentleman who put it on display
in his private museum, where it still resides today. To my knowledge it hasn't been started in over 20
years.
I learned a lot from that build, including better ways to do the next one, ways to make them look like
original 50s roadsters, and it's responsible for launching my career building T-Bucket roadsters.
main regret is that my brother Bruce never got to experience it in person.
My
Yes, you can
build this
beautiful TBucket
roadster for
under $30001
I built 12
roadsters from
the pages of
this book, so I
know it works.
The fiberglass
bodies and
structural
steel are
available
worldwide, as
are millions of
1970s era
donor cars.
By
Chester Greenhalgh
Copyright © 1986,2011
by Chester Greenhalgh
----------
----------
Table of Contents
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Roots
Introduction
Preface
Credits
Frame
Body
Pickup box
Bodywork
Painting
Springs
Front axle
Rear axle
Steering column
Firewall
Engine and Transmission
The Brake System
Radiator, mounts, shell and radiator cap
Battery box
Driveshaft
Fuel system
Lights
Dash
Electrical system
Gas pedal
Shift unit
Upholstery
Windshield
Title and license
Suppliers
Adios!
Page
3
4
5
7
8
36
51
60
65
71
76
95
109
113
115
127
151
168
171
174
178
182
192
213
216
227
221
239
240
241
---------
----------
THIS IS WHERE IT ALL STARTED
I'm the little guy in this 1957 photo. The roadster was my brother's.
(That's him with the dog) It
was a 1922 Dodge bucket on a Model A frame with 1940 Ford power train and running gear.
I had my first car when I was 13, a Model A roadster channeled 12" over the frame. It never
did have a motor, but me and my buddies would sit in it until the wee hours of the morning talking
and dreaming of the incredible cars we were going to build. I don't know about them, but I've
certainly had my share!
Not 'California', definitely not magazine quality, just a hell of a lot of fun to drive.
It wasn't
fast
enough to take to the drags, but it could leave 20' of rubber anywhere, anytime! This was Hotrodding in the other 49 states for us poor boys that didn't have access to California's gold mine of
used parts. We used a $20 1940 Ford sedan for a donor car and picked the Dodge body from the
'T' bodies on the ranch because it had a windshield with glass. We completed the car for under $50.
No chrome, no fancy paint. Anyone out there wants to tell me that this wasn't a real hot rod; you
need to wake up and smell what you're shoveling! I guess you could call it a 'Rat Rod' or 'Beater'!
My brother got in a bind for money and sold it shortly after this photo, never completely finishing
it. 25 years later I duplicated it as close as possible, when I had my own shop, and this time finished it,
giving birth to this construction manual, 'How to build a T-Bucket Hot Rod Roadster for under $3000'.
Chester Greenhalgh
- PREFACEI have written this book primarily for those enthusiasts who would like to build aT-Bucket
but who cannot afford the conventional $10,000 price tag put on today's Fad Ts. I've had lots of
different hot rods, all of them built on tight budgets, and to me the T-Bucket is the essence of
the sport. If you share my sentiments then this book is for you.
What I propose is a nice, clean T-Bucket roadster, with everything nicely painted and a little
chrome spattered throughout the project. You can find a good used car for a parts source, and
later rebuild, dress up or add on as you can afford it. I'm not promoting
any particular
manufacturer in this book, but have mentioned some of the least expensive sources I could
find. Shop your local wrecking yards to find the best deals in you area. If you can find an item
for less money, by all means do so.
One of the secrets of building a rod on a budget is the used car. I strongly suggest a Chevy
small-block, automatic, for several reasons. It's not important whether it's a car, wagon, van or
truck. There are more over-the-counter items, more used equipment and more hot competition
in the accessory department for the small-block Chevy than any other engine in history. There
exists almost thirty years of Chevrolet parts and most of them will interchange.
If, for some reason, you insist on a different power train for your T-Bucket, the cost will be
higher and mounts will have to be changed accordingly.
An automatic transmission not only simplifies thing, but it's also easier on the car. It doesn't
take a lot of horsepower to have fun; you can't get it to the ground anyway. A T-Bucket only has
500 to 600 pounds on the rear tires and it doesn't take much power to break traction. Most
people who start with a 600+ horsepower engine in a T-Bucket usually change to a virtually
stock engine after driving it for a while. I've seen and driven rods that a nervous twitch on the
throttle would turn them around in the middle of the street. Once I did it right in front of an
eighteen-wheeler!
A most shattering experience, not the kind you would want your wife or
girlfriend to have, is it?
Now, the budget I plan allows up to $500 for an old clunker. Don't worry about the body,
tires, or upholstery. Just look for one that runs fairly well and doesn't smoke too much. If you
already have one to start with, that's great. If not, you don't have to find one immediately. Just
set the money aside so you have it when the right deal comes along. Remember: Cash talks
and bullshit walks! So don't touch that cash!
Spread the word that you're looking for a good parts car. In fact, spread the word anytime
you're looking for something for a certain price. Tell you friends what you want and how much
you are willing to pay for it. Its fun to spend someone else's money and you'll find they can
dicker enthusiastically in your behalf. People love to help you build a roadster, if they can do it
over a beer and not get their hands dirty.
- The Donor car A perfect parts vehicle. The motor has been removed and the front dog-house (fenders,
hood, and so on) sold.
Parts that you probably would want to keep on a donor car include:
*
Disc brake units
*
3 Brake hoses
*
3 Retaining clips
*
Residual valve
*
Speedometer cable
*
Fuses
*
Light bulbs
*
U-joints
* Driveshaft
*
Rearend
*
Master cylinder
*
Tie rod ends
*
Gas pedal
*
Gas pedal cable
*
Radiator hoses
*
Horn
*
Light switch
*
Dimmer switch
If you have nowhere to keep the leftover hulk and it has to go, remove these parts first. Also
keep every nut, bolt and screw you can remove, you'll be surprised how many of them you can
use. I keep them in an old suitcase; it's easy to sort through to find what I'm looking for.
Now you can call the nearest wrecking yard and tell them you have a junk car that they can
have. Don't tell them that you completely stripped it of everything usable or they won't come
and get it. Just say something truthful
like "It doesn't have any wheels on it." Then they usually
send a flatbed after it, and once they're there they'll go ahead and take it to save a wasted trip.
You can usually get away with this once per wrecking yard.
- A typical parts car: Before and after-
Hey Chet! Where do ya get the metal for your floor plates ????
- Credits- Disclaimers -
The information
recommendations,
in this book is, to the best of my knowledge, true and complete. All of the
procedures, and personal opinions on vehicle construction,
design, safety,
and life expectancy of constructed parts are made without any guarantee or warrantee, explicit
or otherwise, on the part of the author.
Because individual skill and talent varies and is beyond my control, as are the conditions of
use and methods of application
of constructed
vehicles. The author
disclaims any liability
incurred in connection with the use of this book or any specific ideas. Some procedures require
specified tools or equipment for a specific job. Before substituting a different tool or procedure
you must be absolutely sure that neither safety, nor the performance
endangered. It is important
and parts for building
to note that construction
street
of the vehicle will be
procedures and welding technique, tools
rods, as well as the skill and experience
of the individual
performing
the work vary widely. It is impossible to anticipate all of the conceivable ways and
conditions
under which construction
exists, or to provide cautions as to all of the possible
hazards that might result. Standard safety precautions and equipment
cutting,
welding,
grinding,
chiseling,
prying, or any other
procedure
should be used during
which
can result in
projectiles or personal injury.
- CreditsI wrote,
published,
and sold this book by myself despite the ridicule,
harassment,
and
constant nagging of my wife (now ex-wife) and her entire family.
- Dedication This book is dedicated to rodders everywhere
who must build their street rods on a very
limited budget, for they are the very backbone of the street rod sport.
- Cover model The cover model is Kelly Hosack from Florida.
- Cover photo The T-Bucket Roadster depicted and constructed
in this book is featured on the front cover
and it was built for under $3000 as well as 12 other roadsters built from the pages of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from
the author. Printed in the USA
Copyright
© 1986, 2011 By Chester Greenhalgh
---------
---------- Frame-
The frame is the backbone of your roadster.
Everything
either
mounts on it or attaches
indirectly to it. No shortcuts here. A shoddy frame is dangerous and hair-raising to drive, and
makes a roadster virtually worthless.
There are three ways to go on the frame. Buy ready-made, buy ready-cut and you weld, or
build from scratch. This book deals with a scratch built frame, with a total cost of under $50
with new steel. I've never seen an aftermarket
frame break, and I've seen people running big,
heavy hemis in them. But personally, I just don't trust a 1 W' X 3/1 frame. However, if you're not
a good welder, or don't have a friend who is, you'd better spring the extra money for a finished
one. If you do have a friend who's a great welder, let him show you his expertise on some
scraps. Don't turn him loose on your rod. It seems everybody I meet is either a Karate expert or
an expert arc welder, but most of them look like they're stacking chickenshit with chopsticks
when they try it. I can't stress enough that the frame must be welded strong! A broken weld
can set you on the pavement at 50 MPH! Chances are you won't be around to get even with
your great welder buddy!
If you've decided to buy a ready made frame, it may save you money to pay a few dollars
more from an outfit in your area. Shipping costs are high and can take quite a while to get a
frame to you, so the cheapest buy in this case is not necessarily the best way out. To use a
ready-made
accommodate
frame with this book, you'll
the different
need to modify the radius rods and drag link to
brackets. It shouldn't
be too hard, just use your common sense.
Strength and safety are more important than appearance, it you must make a choice.
Our scratch - built frame will have a rectangular front crossmember,
unlike most kit frames
which have a tubular unit. Here are some materials you'll need for the project:
*
One 24 ft length (or two 12 ft lengths) of 10 gauge 2 X 3 in. rectangular steel tubing
*
One 20 ft length of 3/8 x 8 in. hot roll flat bar (steel plate)
*
One 20 ft length of 10 gauge 1 in. square steel tubing
*
Three 20 ft lengths of black iron pipe (3/4 in. outside diameter or OD water pipe)
Most of the mounts should be made from either 3/8 in. or Y2 in. plate, unless otherwise
stated. If you have to buy some plate, the 3/8 in. plate is cheaper if you order hot roll instead of
cold roll. The surface isn't quite as smooth, but after primering and sanding you can't tell the
difference. Some scraps of 1/ in. plate will also be needed. Look in your yellow pages for the
local steel suppliers. Most of them will sell you the pieces that you'll need. If you can dig up
scrap iron of the right dimensions you'll have some extra money to buy goodies. Most towns
have a scrap iron yard where they save the good scraps for buyers. The steel plate you'll have
to cut and grind anyway, so shop around for it.
- Frame rails I have included a frame plan (Pages 11 - 13) with detailed measurements where I thought
they were needed. Take out or copy the pages and tape them together,
matching the guide
letters, for a large wall plan. Full-size templates are included where possible, (marked 'Full Size')
so check for a template before you cut away. To avoid making a template too large or too small,
I've also included a ruler with each template to check your copy against to double check the
exact size of your copy.
Our first step is cutting the side rails. A hacksaw cut is best if you don't mind the elbow
grease required. It's easier to weld and requires less grinding. All welds must be ground for
inspection, and holes found must be welded solid. When you have solid metal left after grinding
it almost but not quite flush, you can move on. If you're good with a torch you can cut out the
rails and grind them smooth. Be sure to cut on the correct side of the line because the torch
removes about 1/8 in. of metal and it will make your measurements inaccurate.
- Cutting the frame rails -
Fr~me rail
,CuHing line
It's a good idea to cut a little away from the line and grind up to it. It is very important
to
grind slag, rust and paint away
from all pieces before welding,
or your weld won't
be worth a
damn. I'm not going to bore you
with
the
usual safety
lecture
about using safety glasses and
tucking in your shirt tail and all
that
other
grinding
one
crap
concerning
and welding.
hard
lesson
I figure
is worth
a
thousand words. Forget cutting
the 3/8 in. plate with a hacksaw,
unless you turn green and pop
out of your clothes when you
get mad.
Using a template to cut a nice, clean corner
Although the kickup on the frame will be 45 degrees, the cuts to attain them will not, so pay
close attention
to measurements.
Don't do any painting prematurely,
because we're going to
bondo smooth the whole frame when we finish, and bondo won't stick to paint. The corners of
the frame are cut at an angle and welded so there aren't any openings showing.
A template is included for marking the
cut so you have a nice, clean corner. The
photo on Page 9 shows the correct use of
the template.
Simply fold on the seam
and mark. Use a square for the side cut
,,
,
and, of course, use white welder's chalk if
,
you are torching.
don't have to cut up my neat little book.
,
,
,
CUT
Make a copy so you
,
When the templates are folded on the
, dotted line, they slip right over the seam
and hold snug for
Templates are included for the angle cuts for the rear kickup.
- The frame rail sections are numbered as shown here-
1
an accurate
mark.
- Frame plan Part 1
\1
•
-- ---
- Frame plan Part 2
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- Frame plan Part 3
You will make two identical side rails. The angles on side rail sections 1 and 3 are the same.
Use template
# 1 for this cut. Measure section 3 according to the frame plan, mark it with a
square and cut it. We'll make the corner cuts later. Cut two sections with template #2 for the
kickup. (Section 2) Find a flat section of floor to weld on and layout
illustration,
one side as shown in the
using two sections of the other side and one on the bottom, to keep sections 1 and
3 parallel. Measure 105 in. on the floor and mark it. Use your square to indicate the end of the
rail. Section 2 should fit if your cuts were accurate. If it doesn't, slight grinding will usually give
you a flush fit. It is important to keep 1 and 3 parallel and a total length of 105 in. Make one rail
at a time. The first will be a jig for the second.
Tack weld the four corners of the rail first, then carefully turn it over. Making sure the sections
are flat on the floor, tack weld the four corners on this side. Turn the rail back over and weld
each seam partway and stop. By welding
alternating
to a different
heat on anyone
each seam a short distance (lin.)
at a time and
seam each time you can minimize warpage by not concentrating
the
area. Be sure to clean off the slag with a pick hammer and wire brush each
time you take up where you left off. Otherwise, you'll get pockets in your weld. When grinding
these welds down for inspection and cleanup, don't grind them perfectly flush, you'll weaken
the weld. Just clean up the weld so it can be easily molded smooth with bondo. It's important
to get the splatter caused by arc welding off before sanding. That little ball of steel tears the
hell out of sandpaper and fingers if it's forgotten.
When you have finished the first rail and ground the welds, lay it on the floor, and set the
other side pieces on top of it. The second side should be the exact duplicate of the first. By
using the first one for a jig for the next, making the second should be no problem.
There is a seam on one side of the tubing. If you can keep this on the under side of the
chassis as you cut each piece, you'll eliminate
a lot of bondo work and have a nice smooth
chassis when you're finished.
- Making end angle cuts The next step is the end angle cuts on the side rails. Use the template#
3 for this. As the
chassis tapers 5 inches a simple 45 degree cut will not fit right, but the end rails are cut 44 and
46 degrees to make up for this taper. (Templates 4 & 5.) With both ends cut, now is the time to
install the front friction shock studs.
,
Fold.
here
,
Side rail sections
1 and 3
I,"E(O",__
I
3'
~
I
I
24
•._"
- Template # 1 - (Enlarged for display purposes)
,
Section 3
,,
;'
I'
•
Fold
here
I
I
Fold
here
I
Actual size of
frame section 2
I
-
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3"
Frame
front
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Section 1
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- Template #2 - (Enlarged for display purposes)
- Template # 3 (Enlarged for display ...reduce for actual template or draw your own)
- - - - ...
H~D- -
- - -
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"
1
1
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---____.:~~
STOE RAn, AN{i.LE
!"}{ONT n 1) REAR
...~ -
--POI:.D-
-
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P.IG!-jT
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~----------------~----------,~~~----------~~----------~
Side rail angle template - Front and rear
Drill a 5/8 in. hole in the side front end of each rail. Measure in 1 ~ inches and center punch.
Install a 5/8 X 2 in. bolt (Bumper bolt) so the head will be inside the side rail tube.
Weld
Friction shock studs in place on ends of side rails
Now you can make the end angle cuts at the rear using the template # 4 as a guide. Then cut
the end crossmembers out of the two remaining lengths of steel using the crossmember angle
cut templates on Page 19. The end crossmembers should look like this:
Front or rear
There is a 5 in. taper to the front, so cut one 25 inches long and one 30 inches measuring total
length.
+----2" ---+1
Angle
front crossmember
________
1
- _ _ -
-
-
_ fold
.-.---
-
2" ---+1
- -
fold -
-
- -
-
Angle
rear crossmember
_________
- -
- - -
- Fold - -
- -
-
-
- -
- -
Front and rear crossmember Templates (enlarged)
- -
-
- - -
- Triangulating the frame Now the frame starts looking like a frame. Fit the frame pieces together on a flat floor, and
get out your 10 ft. tape measure. You're about to triangulate.
No, you're not gonna die. The
frame has to be measured from corner to corner, or triangulated.
Measure the frame as
shown.
Your measurement
should be 108 % inches. If it's off, move the frame pieces around until
both corners measure the same distance. With the same reading your frame is square. This is
tricky, you can use a friendly helper here.
You have to tack weld the corners first. Tack the top, and tack the bottom on the sides.
Check your triangulation
again; it has to remain exact. Now arc weld halfway across each seam,
turn the frame over, halfway again, turn over, finish the top seams, turn over, and finish the
bottom.
Now set the frame on its side and start on the side seams, using the same procedure while
welding. The frame should sit level on the floor. If it rocks, it's either warped or your floor isn't
level.
Don't take the easy way out and weld it all at once or you'll likely warp the frame. If the
frame goes '5proing!'
when your weld cools, you can start building another frame. Once a
frame warps it's like a busted pop bottle - no good to anyone! Don't let me scare you, you can
do it. Just take your time and don't hurry. The main idea is not to concentrate the welding heat
in anyone
place. Grind and clean up around your welds but don't grind them flush, or bondo
them yet. I weld a second bead on top of the first for strength.
The next step in building a frame is to construct the front and rear spring perches.
The spring perch base plate, with sides
lli~
NOTCH TO REAR
...-----~~---------1
1/2"
HOLES
TEMPLATE FOR
3~
SPRING PERCH
BASE PLATE
+----
-
2. '" ----...,1/2"
HOLES
2~~
~·~-------------+I-Spring Perch Template (enlarged)
Make two for the front and rear, the plates are identical.
- Cutting and welding the parts of the front spring perch -
~------------------------------------~r-----~
7~~--------------------------------------------.
3~h
•
-------
Template (enlarged) for the front spring perch sides. (Cut two)
Cut the spring perch parts out of X in. steel plate. If the plate is covered with surface rust, be
sure and grind it clean. You'll get a cleaner cut and the part will need less grinding.
Grind all edges smooth and clamp the two side pieces together.
Now grind the edges until
both pieces are the same. At this point try to slip the clamped together
crossmember.
pieces over the front
If they don't slip over, grind them out until they do. Don't grind too much
because you don't want a sloppy fit. When welding the spring plate, make sure the notch on
the plate faces the rear of the frame; everything must be square and true.
I made my perch from a piece of scrap steel girder
To do this you'll need a level and a square. Some experts say the perches should be welded a
few degrees off to make up for the forward rake of the frame. Ours in the rear is, but the front
will be true with the frame for simplicity sake. It really doesn't affect anything that much and
it's a hell of a lot easier. The batwings determine the castor of the axle.
Set the frame on some supports (I found 1 qt paint cans the perfect size) and measure in
10)12 inches from the front of the side rail (#1) and mark it. Use the square to draw a line across
the crossmember here. (Aren't you glad you have a rectangular crossmember?). Now clamp the
square to the crossmember firmly, so it won't move off the mark.
Slide up one of the spring perch sides flush with the square and tack weld it to the
crossmember.
It should be a tight fit on the crossmember.
If, for some reason, it's sloppy,
position the frame where the side rails are level and check the flat portion of the spring perch
with a level to make sure it's level with the side rails and square upright, then weld it. You can
go ahead and weld this part on all sides. Now repeat the operation on the other side. Weld it
solid too.
Now turn the frame upside down on the supports. Check the crossmember to make sure it's
level. Set the spring plate (with holes drilled) on its base. (Remember to keep the notch to the
rear of the car) and check it with the level. It must be on a parallel with the crossmember. If it is
off, grind whichever side mount necessary to make it right. When the plate rests level, use your
square and line up the holes so they are parallel with the crossmember.
It's easier to use the
edges of the holes, rather than guess where the center of each one would be. When you are
sure it's right and level, tack weld all four corners. Double check it, then weld it solid on both
sides of each perch. You can grind the outside weld flush for appearance' sake and clean up the
splatter so you don't do the hand jive when sanding.
- Use a square to line up the edges of the holes -
- One quart paint cans make the perfect rest for the front, while the rear rests the frame on
the floor itself -
2'"
\
-\
J~(
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.- .
2.~
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- Template for rear spring perch (Enlarged) The above illustrations show how to mount the rear spring perch. The procedure is the same
as for mounting the front perch. The angle is to allow for the frame rake and maintain a vertical
spring. The spring base plate can be cut from the same template as for the front perch. This also
holds true for the spring mounting. Only the perch template is different.
To weld the back perch on, turn the frame upside down on some jack stands or sawhorses.
Measure in from the corner 13 inches and chalk a line with the square.
- Slide the spring perch side up against the square to true it -
Do the same from the other side. The perch is 4 inches wide. Use the square to line up one
side piece with the frame. The chalk line should be on the outside of the piece. Try both pieces
and use the tightest-fitting
one first. When you are sure it's square, tack weld it. Double-check
it, and if it hasn't moved, weld it on all sides. Now set up the other side with the level like you
did with the front perch. Finish this perch the same as you did on the front perch.
- A better weld can be obtained by setting
the frame on its side and welding level when
possible, as shown Depending
upon
the
humidity
of
your
locality, you might be wise to prime you frame
at this stage to prevent
surface
setting in. Just remember
to grind clean any
work areas before any future
your
frame
with
lacquer
rust from
welding.
thinner
Clean
before
sanding the bare steel. New steel has an oil
film
on
it that
must
be removed
before
sanding or painting. Two coats of primer will
retard the surface rust from
starting.
When
welding is completed and you wish to mold in
your welds, a slight scuffing will remove the
primer so the bondo will stick. Bondo sticks
better
if you wipe the area with a tack rag
before
application.
when you attempt
If your
bondo
peels off
to file it, this tacking will
rectify the problem. Sometimes you just have
to let the bondo get good and hard and sand it
(no filing) to overcome the peeling problem.
- Radius rod brackets Our next step is to make brackets to anchor the radius rods to. One template will do for all
four. Cut and trim the brackets out of plate steel. It can be either Y2 in. or 3/8in. Drill the 9/16in.
holes before welding the brackets to the frame, then weld a 1/2in. ID nut to the inside of the
bracket. Heat the nut and the hole red hot and drive an old tie rod end in with a sledge
hammer. This will give you a perfect taper for the tie rod end. The nut gives the tie rod taper
additional support. Now turn the frame upside down, measure back from the front of the frame
36 inches and mark it. That's where the center hole should be. Set the bracket about Y2 in. in
from the outside of the frame. The smoother you can grind and file the edges of these brackets,
the less work you will have with the bondo. It's worth a little extra time to clean them up good
before welding them to the frame. Be sure you drill the holes before you weld them to the
frame.
- With the frame upside down, mark where the center hole should be -
- Grinding and cleanup on a bracket - One word of warning here: don't park your car near
where you're grinding or you'll find a rust film on it the next morning when the dew dries. The
steel specks travel a long way, sometimes 50 feet or more. They will also imbed themselves in
glass ruining a windshield.
t
Upper four-bar and
shock brackets
Add this extra
part for lower brackets
3'~
~----~-------·~----~----~·I
4~"--------------------_'
Template for the radius rod brackets (Enlarged)
When you have the grinding and filing finished, weld them on. Don't weld on the small upper
bracket if you're planning on using wishbone type front radius rods. If you want a four-bar front
end, now is when you must decide. Our project
rod will use this more sophisticated
system,
(which is a must if you use a tube axle ). For a four-bar system, the smaller bracket must be
welded
on the top of the frame directly above the lower front bracket. The upper brackets
must be made differently
than the other brackets. A four-bar suspension is not necessary on
the rear end unless you're going to an independent
style like Jaguar or Corvette.
budget rod, you can forget that nonsense.
Frame with radius rod brackets welded in place
Since this is a
- Location of front (upper and lower) and rear radius rod brackets -
r--
36"
~
l.
~~
(A)
- Steering box mount The next step is the steering box mount. For illustration
purposes, we will use a 1948 Ford
pickup box. Ford pickup boxes are basically the same from 1956 and earlier. The only difference
is the bolt pattern and the shaft length. If you can't locate one of these early Ford units, I have
also included instructions
for mounting a standard (non-power)
General Motors steering box.
Even the old Ford big trucks and school buses have a usable unit. I prefer one from a school bus
or large Ford truck because they are six turns lock to lock, rather than the usual five. It gives the
effect of power steering. In a GM box, just turn the pitman arm upside down so it moves in the
right direction. Our box is mounted far enough forward for this reversal to clear the body. With
the GM steering, a small amount must be cut off from the dust cover over the torque converter
for clearance.
1
A
+-__
---.,,.._
-+-_
~I~
" _--'
••••• ,_,
c
3~"
- Templates A and C for a 1948 Ford steering box mount (enlarged) -
- Template B for a Ford steering box -
f+----- 4~·--
-
__
-+
-_
II
3~
B
First trace the three sections of the steering box mount from the templates A, Band C. Make
these parts from X in. plate. Drill the three holes in A with a Y2 in. bit before welding the pieces
together. Position the three pieces together, and if they all fit well tack the corners.
- Fit together the three pieces and tack weld the corners -
Start the inside weld about 1 inch from the inside corner and weld outward.
You need the
inside corner free of weld bead so there is room around the head of the inside bolt.
To clean weld splatter out of a corner, use a wood chisel and small hammer. The beads pop
right off. When the mount is all welded, grind the outside bead flush for appearance sake.
- Weld the mount to the frame for a more secure bond -
~"
Locate the front edge of the mount
This mount can be bolted to the frame, but I like to weld anything concerned with the
steering. Turn the frame upside down and measure back 40 5/8 inches from the front. This will
be the front edge of the mount. For the 1948 Ford box, position the mount 3/8 in. in from
the
inside of the rail, making sure you have the correct side of the chassis!
- Upper brackets and rear shock mountsOur final work on the frame is the welding on of six brackets made from one template. Two
are for the upper bars of the four bar suspension.
- Measuring back for the steering box location -
With a square draw a line straight up from the center of the hole in the lower mount. This is
where the center of the hole in the upper mount should be. The 9/16 in. holes should measure
6 inches center to center.
Bolt the two brackets together and grind the edges flush with each other. This procedure is
also done with the other pair of brackets cut with this template.
The only variation
in these
two, which will make up the rear shock mounts, is that the hole is 3/8 in. The front upper
brackets will sit upright on the frame by themselves. They should sit in 3/8 in. from the outside
edge of the frame. Position them and tack each end. Now check them with a square and tap
them with a hammer, if needed, to straighten
them. There should be 3/8 in. between the
square and the mount when the square is held flush with the outside surface of the frame.
When they are straight up, weld them solid on both sides. All these mounts should be welded
on both sides.
- When the brackets are positioned properly, weld them on both sides -
Now we move on to the rear shock mounts. With the frame on its side, measure from the
rear of the frame and mark 3 Y2inches with a square.
Set a bracket on the forward
side of this mark, with the frame laid on its side. Align the
bracket with a square and spot weld the ends to the frame. Double-check their squareness,
then weld the brackets solid.
Now cut two % in. long pieces of % in. pipe. Weld a 3/8 in. flat washer on one end of each
piece and clean them up with a grinder. Set these tubes up against the rear shock brackets,
facing the rear, and run a bolt through the holes to align them. Tighten a nut on them to hold
them in place and weld them solid.
- Set the frame on its side and measure from the rear of the frame 3 Yz inches with a square -
- Body mount holes Since the master cylinder and motor mounts will bolt to the chassis, our last step for now is
the drilling of four body mount holes. Measure forward from the top rear end of rail section #1
and mark the center of the rail at 5 inches and 37 inches. Center punch and drill 3/8 in. holes all
the way through the frame. (You may need to buy a special long drill for this) I don't paint
anything until I know everything fits together correctly.
To drill body mount holes, measure from the top rear end of rail section #1 and mark center
at five inches and 37 inches.
The frame is now complete, unless you wish to weld the motor mounts and brake cylinder
brackets instead of bolting them. For the mounting of the steering box, if you chose the nonpower GM box the motor must be mounted first. Installation of this box is covered to Chapter 9
on steering.
Riveting the body webbing in place (I use old seat belts for this), it should extend
}1j
inch
out from the body on each end. This step is done after the frame is completely molded and
painted.
----------
---------- Body-
There are many manufacturers
of T-Bucket bodies. Some manufacturers,
called wildcatters,
take casts of someone else's fiberglass work and make their own. If you find one of these for a
bargain price, check it closely for workmanship,
thickness, bondo cover-ups, and so on. It very
well may be a bargain, but it also might be a piece of shit. The prices are all pretty close.
Shipping is the problem here. I pay from $35 to $45 for shipping. That's what it costs me to get
one to south Florida from Minnesota.
Racing Unlimited
in Minneapolis
is the only mail order
house I know of that doesn't have a crating charge. All of the bodies I've gotten from them have
arrived in good condition
in a heavy duty carton. I prefer to get the bare competition
body,
which is merely a fiberglass shell, and wood them myself. It's easy to make an opening door in a
T-Bucket, but it makes the body awful rickety and wobbly in that area. I prefer to scramble over
the side like the Dukes of Hazzard.
If you can, get one from a local manufacturer,
the time involved with trucking them is
sometimes exasperating. One once took 3 Y2 months to reach me from the time it was shipped.
(It was the trucking
companies fault,
not the mail order
house) Another
from the same
company got to me in two weeks. Call around to the dealers and find the one closest to you.
We will be making a pickup bed from a junk pickup bed that includes a rumble seat. So far I
haven't seen these on any Buckets but mine.
By the way, when you order by mail, don't be alarmed when you get your body and see
worm holes and casting flash scattered allover it, that's just part of the game.
Our first step will be to wood the inside of the body before it cracks because crack it will.
First, we need to cut the body to channel it over the frame. Measure a 2
1/8 X 3in. rectangle in two corners of the firewall and mark them. When
cutting these out with your saber-saw, allow for the thickness of the
outside wall to remain untouched, so that the body will slide down over
the rails and show no signs of alteration from the side. Measure from the
front of the front frame rail 44 inches and mark each side rail. Now set your body on the frame
so that the firewall sets down over the rails at this point. Going around to the back, the body is
setting up on the frame right in front of the kickup. Double check the front 44 in. measurement
to make certain both sides are exactly the same. A variation at this point will mount the body
off to one side. You can use the kickup of the frame as a guideline to mark the rear cuts. Cut a
little at a time on these rear cuts until the body slides down over the frame. I like to mount the
body before any mounts are welded to the bottom of the frame. I also like to trim the rear until
the body just sets flat on the floor. Right after the spring perches are made, set the frame flat
on the floor.
- Trim off this
section of the
bodyThe body can now
be slotted to allow it
to slip over the frame
and also rest flat on
the
floor.
There
should be about Y2 in.
to % inch of the top
section of the frame
kickup
(top
rail)
showing
inside
the
body.
With the frame and body resting flat on the floor, it is time to install the floor. We want the
body to just cover the frame. We'll fasten body webbing to the frame after it's painted.
Buya sheet of Y2 in. exterior or marine plywood for the flooring. Get some large cardboard
boxes and cut and tape them to an approximate copy of the body bottom.
Now set the
template inside the body, on top of the frame rails, and trim off any excess. If it doesn't touch
the fiberglass all around, tape some pieces on so it does. You want a template that will rest flat
on the rails and just barely touch the body at all points.
When the template is finished, carefully lift it out and lay it on your plywood. Trace your
pattern on the plywood and cut it out. Since a T-body doesn't have straight sides like your
mamas refrigerator, the bottom of the pattern must curve in on the bottom. Just at the sides
and back. You can save some time here if your saber saw can be adjusted to cut at an angle;
otherwise, use the grinder on it. ( I use a 9 in. - 16 grit disc on my 7 in. grinder for wood
carving) You want the finished piece to slip right in and rest completely on the rails without
spreading the body to do it.
Save the template for a rug pattern. It needs only a little trimming to work.
If you screwed up and have a slight gap here and there, don't sweat it, the fiberglass mat will
cover it. Just make sure you cover it with a piece of 2 in. masking tape to keep the resin from
running out.
At this stage of the game you'll need to buy a fiberglass transmission cove. Copy the outline
dimensions from the transmission cover (placed in the center, up against the firewall) onto the
firewall, and cut it out with your saber saw. (Allow 1 in. in from the cover outline)
The next step, of course, is to fiberglass in the floor. A few quick precautions with fiberglass are in
order first. One is to work in a well-ventilated
area. The fumes can give you one whopper of a headache,
not to mention what they do to your lungs. Most important,
though, is no smoking or open flame
heaters anywhere near the fumes. If you can smell it, you are too close for smoking. Also when sanding
or grinding fiberglass, it helps to cover your exposed skin with talcum power to seal you pores, use a
respirator, wash dust off with cold water (warm water opens your pores and lets in the fiberglass
particles) and wash your infected clothes separately from your underwear.
Be careful where the rear kickup is, you don't want the fiberglass to touch the steel. The best bet is to
do just the sides first, then when it has set up, lift the body off the frame and finish around the edges.
When that has set up, turn the body over and glass the edges underneath. This fiberglass resin gets all
over the floor underneath; no matter how careful you are, so cover the floor with something you don't
particularly want, like that flowery bathrobe your mother-in-law
gave you last Christmas.
You might as well get good at this, there's plenty more in store for you when you finish wooding the
body. I like to use the fiberglass mat because you can tear off whatever size piece you want to work
with.
I work with pieces about half the size of this page.
Buy some acetone or lacquer thinner for
cleaning hands and brushes, and your most important tool, the roller. These supplies are available at
your local marine supply house. Acetone feels like ice water, but it doesn't burn your skin like lacquer
thinner.
It does evaporate fast though, so dry your hands as fast as you can. Experiment with the
amount of hardener you need so you have time to work it before it sets up. The most common mistake
is using too much hardener; the resin gels before you can work it. I take my time working it and when it
starts to gel, I dump the rest on the work and smooth it out with the brush, before rolling.
Mix your resin first (have all you equipment laid out, ready to go) about a half a quart at a time. Then
take your brush (1 ~ in. will do) and coat both the body and wood first where your piece will go. Tear off
a piece of mat and stick it right where you want it to go, then brush resin all over it until it's completely
saturated. I cut a 4 in. wide strip of mat and tear off the length I want to use. A 2 in. overlap on the
wood and on the body is enough to be quite secure.
Don't be afraid to get your fingers sticky, it'll wash off with acetone. Two layers of mat will be
enough. (No less) When you have the sides done, paint the entire floor with a coat of fiberglass resin.
Now you need to roll the air bubbles out of the mat. Get them all out for a strong bond. If you clean
your brush in lacquer thinner or acetone each time, you won't have to replace it.
Next flip the body upside down. There are two tabs sticking up on the firewall. Cut them off flush with
the floor. The back of the body should also be cut flush if it overlaps. The mat overlap on the rear will be
ground smooth and bondoed where it shows.
When the glass has set up on the bottom,
and the rough edges ground smooth, spray it with
undercoating (available in aerosol cans) or brush black roof coating on it. This should dry for a couple of
weeks before the body is again set on the frame.
- Trim off these tabs-
From this point on, don't step on the floor of the bucket unless it is supported. The edges of
the body won't hold your weight without cracking.
Now you can wood in the body using 2 X 4 in. studs. White pine is great, it carves easily and
the price is right. I prefer the 2 X 4 in. over the 1 X 4s normally used when wooding these bodies
because I like to sit on the edges and back. It also (besides being tough as hell) has the
advantage of giving an authentic
effect to the door sills, as the original metal bodies were
almost 2 inches wide here. I have long legs, so I reinforce the upper seatback so that I can pivot
on my butt getting in and out.
- Mark the upper back piece for trimming, as shown here -
First mark and cut the upper back piece. Its 40 X inches long. Now it has to be trimmed, so
set it on top of the body and mark it, just like the photo showed gorgeous me doing. Hold it in
place with wood screws while you fiberglass it solid. You can cut the piece out with your saber
saw, it just takes awhile.
Glass the top first and let it set overnight. Then you can glass underneath when that's set up.
Next cut the two uprights to support the upper wood and seatback as indicated here:
1"
,
~+-
22"
22"
22"
- "What's a bandsaw?" -
Draw a line on the wood floor at the leading edge of the rear floor openings. You have to
carve the uprights with a grinder and a 16 grit disc until they fit. Carve only the back, as you
need the front edge straight to support the seatback. The rear struts should be 18 inches apart.
When they fit flush with the top bar and bottom line, fasten them top and bottom with wood
screws. Fiberglass the bottom of the uprights first with one layer of mat. Be sure and roll these
pieces with a fiberglass roller, as the air will trap easily under the mat and it won't show until
it's dry.
- The finished piece after a little grinding. This well be bondoed smooth later Note the screws set in the top bar. Drill guide holes for these. You can also set two
temporary screws in the bottom, from the back.
An 18 in. crossbar should be fastened between the struts 9 inches up from the floor to
support the rear of the body. Slide the crossbar back until it contacts the body, and fasten it
with wood screws through the struts. Set the body on its tail and fiberglass the whole structure
to the body.
The only grinding necessary here is to grind flush anything that might interfere
with the
seat back resting flat. The seatback will be two pieces, one fastened permanent, and the other
will be removable and will serve as a foundation
for the upholstered seat back. Yup, you get to
do some upholstering on this sucker, too.
- Dirt's eye view of the glassing process on the bottom Now is as good a time as any to fiberglass
in the transmission
cover. An inexpensive
fiberglass cover can be bought from Racing Unlimited for about $25. This cover is formed to
clear the Ford and Chevy automatic
transmissions
with a minimal clearance, adding to the
already small cockpit area. I suggest fiberglassing the front part to the floor and firewall for
strength. You'll need to cut the transmission cover to fit. The floor may also need to be cut to
clear the steering box. You want the rear to be removable to work on the shift linkage and so
on. It will fasten to the floor with four wood screws.
When fiberglassing over any pre-molded form, it is necessary to clean off all traces of mold
release agent or your resin will 'boil' away and not adhere. The simplest and quickest way to
guarantee adhesion is to break the glaze with coarse sandpaper where the fiberglassing will
occur; in this case about 3 to 4 inches back from the edge. Glass it in with 3 layers of mat.
Our next step will be to build the wood sides of the bucket. The 2 X 4s are used here as well.
You can even use used wood, since it's going to be fiberglassed and bondoed over anyway. So
go out behind the barn and chase the rats out of that nasty 01' woodpile of yours and find some
2 X4s.
- The transmission cover after being
cut to fit. You can also see where
the floor was cut to clear the
steering box -
Our first task is to put together the foremost front uprights; hereafter referred to as 'A'. They
will reinforce the windshield attachment
points. (The windshield is like a sail at 50 MPH.) First,
take the grinder and square off the door sill where it meets the dash, if necessary. (Mark the
body on each side on the outside). I use X in. masking tape. This will show where the interior
studding will be.
You can begin by cutting two 20 1/8 in. pieces of 2 X 4. (Continued)
- The sides are marked with masking tape to show where the 2X4s will go -
- Location of interior studs -
20""'''
•\
.. '.
------------
floor
-
•.•.
-
.••.
--
,
--
-
#'
'
Mark down the center of one end 3 3/8 inches (the flat side) and cut this corner off each 'A'
strut. Use the template marked bottom 'A', and trace the outline on the bottom. Keep in mind
which is the front and which is facing the outside of the body, the tallest corner goes to the
front. Use the same template and trace what you can on the top and lower step. Trace down
rear and inside sides connecting the top and bottom tracings. Besides carving the sides in, the
area touching the back of the dash must be angled, and the whole upper step must be pointed
by grind & fit, grind & fit, and grind & fit. (Blue arrow) Take off a little at a time until you have a
good fit. The bottom of 'A' (red arrow) must be rounded in also.
Outside
Template
BoHomA
f
.-
Front·
- The 'A' strut, (right side), before and after grinding to fit-
It should finally be almost straight up. This will require more fitting than any of the other
struts. That's why we're tackling it first. When you finally have the best fit you can get, smear a
gob of banda on the back and stick it in place. That will cement it in place until you can get it
fiberglassed. Hold it in place with a clamp or hand pressure until the banda sets. If a stud is a
little short, slide a chisel or Y2 clothespin under it to wedge it up in place while the banda sets.
Now cut two pieces of 2 X 4 37 inches long for the sides, hereafter
referred to as 'B'. The
shaded end in the photo must be trimmed off. Measure down 9 X inches from this same end
and mark a line with your T-square on the same side as the bevel and cut almost but not quite
through. This will allow the stud to bend to fit the body. Now clamp these in place, again using
the banda.
You need to assemble two more uprights ('C'). Cut two lengths 13 % inches long. Bevel the
bottoms in to fit and stick them in place with banda.
- Smear banda on the back of 'B' and clamp it in place also -
The last uprights ('D') are 14 inches long. They must be beveled almost to a point.
- Before and after 'D' struts.
The finished stud (on left) is
beveled almost to a pointNow cut two 10 in. pieces for
sections 'E'. First round off one
end to a point so it fits the back of
the body. Next, set it in place on
the top rear of strut 'B' and mark
it where the body sill crosses it.
Cut out this section and grind it to fit. It should just cover the partial cut in side piece 'B'. When
it's done, stick it in place.
- The 'E' stud, before and after grinding
and shaping. Not much left! -
- A view of A, B, C, D, and E pieces in
place -
- Trim strut 'E' using the top
edge of the body to trace a
cutting line fromTo build the seat back frame
we need to cut two 9 In. pieces of
angle
iron
for
reinforcement
a
corner
and rest for the
seat back. Rest a yardstick on the
rear supports and mark where it
hits 'B' and 'E'. This will be where
the angle iron will be positioned.
Cut a corner off the angle iron
(45 degrees from the corner) at
the top. Clamp it in place with
the yardstick held across the two
rear uprights and nestled in the
corner
of the
angle
iron.
The
angle iron will provide a rest for
the seat back. Drill X in. holes in
the
metal
and
fasten
it with
wood screws.
Note
wedged-in
chisel
holding the upright in place
while the banda setsNow cut a 36 in. 2 X 4 for a
seat riser. At this stage you need
to install the emergency brake handle because it extends under the seat riser. Refer to the
brake chapter for this installation.
The seat riser must taper Y2 in. in on each side to a 35 in. bottom measurement.
Measure
straight back from the firewall on each side 26 % inches and mark the floor. Draw a line across
the floor on these two marks. This line will be the leading edge of your seat riser. Position your
seat riser on this line and trim the bottom where necessary to clear the emergency brake unit.
- Rear corners reinforced and ready for the seatback -
- Trim off the bottom of the seat riser to clear the emergency brake unit Now measure between the riser and the back of the tub. You will need side supports for the
seat bottom here. The back of the supports need to be curved to fit the tub. The top measures
18 inches and curves in at the back for a bottom measurement of 15 % inches. These braces fit
right alongside the outside of the frame kickup.
Fasten the riser to these side braces with spikes or screws and run finishing nails on the sides
into struts 'C' at angles, securing the seat riser into place for fiberglassing.
- Set the body on the
firewall to ease in the
fiberglass work. Next
day set it on its butt
and glasswhat's level,
then the next day set
it flat on the floor and
finish with the rest of
the fiberglassing -
Remove the body from the frame and fiberglass the entire structure to the body and floor. I
do all I can reach from the top with one layer of mat and let it dry overnight, Then the next day
set the tub on the firewall and glass under the wood.
- The seat riser fiberglassed in place -
Remove the transmission
reinforce the windshield
cover, and set the tub on the floor upside down. You need to
attachment
points and gravity will help you. Reaching through
the
floor opening, pack plenty of saturated mat and resin around the wood behind the dash.
- The windshield attachment
point as viewed through the floor opening -
Lightly brush the set glass with a grinder to knock down the spurs, and finish forming the
doorsills and backrest with bondo The finished sill looks original and is strong enough to sit on
or climb over without fear of cracking the bondo. For an added touch use black pinstriping tape
to outline the doors and
emulate an opening door
edge.
Antique
door
handles (Plentiful at swap
meets)
give
the
final
touch.
One extra benefit
discovered
wooding
with
arrangement
I've
this
is
the space formed behind
the
opening door, it's perfect for a hidden tool compartment,
seatback.
With
an
and with a homemade car you never
know when a pair of pliers or a screwdriver will save you a long walk or the dangerous situation
of leaving your roadster on the side of the road.
----------
---------- Pickup Box -
The next area we will tackle is the pickup box. Our pickup box will be all metal, functional and
will support your fattest girlfriend.
Any old junk box with the tube running down the sides will
do.
- The pickup box should have tubes down both sides -
The rust usually occurs on the bottom of these boxes, but since you will only be using the top
10 inches (not counting the rail) it leaves quite a bit of leeway when selecting a bed.
- Constructing the pickup box frame The first step is to cut two pieces 13 inches long, cut at a 45 degree angle at both ends. Then
cut four
pieces 35 inches long at 45
degrees on both ends.
Align them
to form
a rectangular
frame, checking with a square and weld all four corners. This is part #1.
- Align the 1 in. square tubing, cut to specified lengths, to form a rectangle -
Cut two 10 in. pieces at 45 degrees at both ends. Make this #2 rectangle the same as you did
with #1. Then cut four 15 in. sections with square cut ends.
- Use a square to align the bottom corners of #2, and weld it together-
Set part #2 on extra pieces of frame material and butt against part #1. The measurement top
and bottom should be 17 inches measuring from front to back.
Turn the unit upside down and weld the other two 15 in. pieces to form the top
Square cut one 33 in. piece for a crossbar. Drill two 3/8 in. holes 9 inches in from each end,
all the way through the square tube. (These are for mounting the box to the frame) Measure
back from the front (#2) and mark 9 inches and 10 inches on each side. This is where the
crossbar sets.
- The crossbar is set between the 9 and 10 in. marks on each side -
- Weld all around and grind it smooth. Measure in 3 % inches on the bottom of
#2 and drill a frame mounting hole all the way through on each side -
Set the structure in its place on the frame and measure between the frame and the inside
edge of the box. It should measure on each side 1 % inches in front and 1 X inches in the rear.
- Pickup box frame in place on the T-Bucket frame-
- You will need supports for the gas tank. Weld on two 6 in. sections of 1 in.
square tubing -
- The finished box painted and with a gas tank installed -
It should have at least X" between the box frame and the body at its closest point, which is
in the middle. Use the holes you've drilled in the box for a guide and drill all the way through
the frame. Bolt it down with 4 W' X 3j8" bolts.
- Make a posterboard template to fit the side and curve to clear the body by at least X" -
- Template for box sides -
0"
.~
20~"
Three different T boxes can be made out of the bed of one old Y2ton pickup. First, transfer
the template to the sides of the junk bed.
- This bed came from a 1948 Ford, as you can see; the rusted part was cut off -
Select whichever bed you think is best and cut it out. Cut what you can with a hacksaw (clean
cut) and the rest with a blue wrench. (Cutting torch)
Have the pieces sandblasted it they are rusty, and grind off all the paint. If they're normal,
they'll be full of dents, gouges, and holes where who knows what was mounted. But that's not
a problem, because on the
s" day God created
Clamp the sides to the framework
BaNDa!
and secure it with pop rivets and spot welds. Now the bed
is ready for banda and finish painting. Rumble seat construction
and gas tank mounting will be
covered later.
The rear of the bed is designed to act as a framework
or border for a central panel. I've used
smoked Plexiglas, epoxied wood and Formica for this. The panel must be installed from inside,
so the fastening screws don't show.
Chrome adhesive side trim covers rivets along the top part of the bed. Taillights will fill that
section you see under the rear of the bed.
Motorcycle
shocks stand out nicely with
the coil painted to match the body color.
(That's the part that usually rusts, anyway)
- Trial fitting the box on the roadster -
- Note the chrome side trim covering the rivets -
- Polished wood makes attractive tailgate filler. On the project car I used cypress and epoxy -
- Note the chrome motorcycle shocks-
You can even eliminate the pickup box altogether,
fashion. This particular
and just mount the gas tank in a bobtail
roadster was used for drag racing; it turned quarters in the 140 MPH
range with a rare Nascar Ford small-block.
---------
---------- Bodywork-
Before any bodywork
is begun the mold release wax must be scrubbed off the body with
Prep-sol, Pre-cleaner or enamel reducer. I fold up two clean rags, and saturate one with the
cleaner. Scrub the body to loosen the wax and wipe it dry immediately
with the dry rag. Do an
area, about the size of the door, at a time.
- Sand off the shiny surface with 80 grit sandpaper and primer -
- Misting black lacquer over the primer aids tremendously
makes
low
background -
spots and
imperfections
stand
out
in block sanding, as it
in black
against
a white
- The next step is block sanding the entire outside of the body with 220 grit sandpaper -
Banda won't stick unless it's sanded and it exposes any holes that must be filled. The seams
in the center where the two body mold halves were joined must be ground flush and smoothed
with banda. The best way to fill the air pockets or worm holes is to press in the banda in a
circular motion with your finger, working out the trapped air so it doesn't swell back out. Don't
try to take the easy way out and use lacquer glaze or some type of tube putty. It was only
meant to fill small chips and scratches. It won't dry underneath
if it's put on too thick. It will
also bubble up occasionally when the finish is applied.
A quick discussion on banda is in order at this point. When all else fails, read directions!
Banda comes in a lightweight form which is more expensive but easier to sand and work with. It
requires less hardener to activate than the heavier types. So it works much better in cold
climates.
Buy a whole gallon of good banda from your local body shop supply store. Also a halfround cheese grate file, a gallon of cleaning grade lacquer thinner, fine steel wool, a tube of
lacquer glaze, plastic spreaders (a 3-pack of different sizes), six sheets of 320 grit dry paper, six
sheets of 80 grit jitterbug
paper and six sheets of 36 grit jitterbug
paper. You'll also need a
mixing board. I like to use a piece of Masonite, but a pane of glass will do taped to a piece of
plywood, or anything that can be scraped and scrubbed with lacquer thinner. (Not plywood!)
Mix your banda according to directions, with a putty knife on the mixing board. As soon as your
banda starts to set, stop, whether you've used all you mixed or not, and clean your tools while
you still can.
Don't dilly-dally
here, or you're in for some unnecessary work. You have only a minute in
which it comes off the tools easily. I keep a coffee can with about an inch of lacquer thinner in it
plus a pad of fine steel wool for scrubbing. First, when it starts to set, scrape your board fairly
clean with your putty knife, and wipe it off on something. (If your kids have been bothering you,
this is a good way to get rid of them. I use a telephone book (my kids and dog are too smart to
come near me anymore when I'm working bondo) and throwaway
each page when it gets full.
Scrape your plastic spreader (I hope you didn't put it on with the putty knife) clean and then
scrub all items with steel wool saturated with lacquer thinner.
A few dry runs are in order here. Try customizing a cardboard box. You'll quickly learn how
much hardener to mix, how big a batch to mix that you can work without
waste, and most of
all, to mix completely to an even color with no streaks of hardener showing anywhere.
- A typical banda table -
BO::-.lDO
l.ACQUER THI7'fflF:R
CL:CAKI~G RAG
LACQUER
GLAZ
HARDHR
Mrxn:G
BOARD
ELEPHONE BOOK
rUTTY KNIFE
Applying bondo with a plastic spreader is not hard to learn; like spreading frosting on a cake,
only this frosting must be worked quickly. Several thin coats are preferable to one thick one.
Press down firmly while applying so as to achieve a good bond. Sometimes it has to be worked
in several directions to fill a hole or to cover a weld.
Next comes the filing. This step is ignored by a lot of shade-tree
body men, but once
mastered, it saves an eternity of sanding, and sandpaper isn't cheap. The half-round file is used
on concave surfaces as well as flat. There is a critical stage bondo reaches when it can be filed
easily. Too soon and it will peanut butter your file, too late and its rock city. Learn to tell by a
slight touch when it's firm, tacky and slightly hot to the touch. Don't press down on the file too
hard or it will bite into the bondo too deep. Easy does it. Now blow or brush off the filings and
check for coverage. This procedure
will apply throughout
required for a smooth finished effect.
the project
Bondo is really wonderful
wherever
bondo is
stuff. I use it on frames,
brackets, axles, wood, and so on. If you need more coats to fill holes, cavities or whatever, do it
before sanding. You can get an almost smooth finish with just the file, before you ever pick up
the sandpaper. Remember, take one step at a time, and do each step the very best you can,
then go on.
-Fill the door sills over flat and continue filling over the backIf it's a flat surface, run your hand flat along the surface and you can feel highs and lows. If
you find a low spot, scratch an X on it with your fingernail.
A slight coat is usually all that's
needed to bring it up to where you want it. You want it slightly higher than the finished patch
will be.
The next step is 36 grit sanding. If you don't have a jitterbug
or oscillating sander you will
have to do it by hand or block sand, depending on the curvature. Continually feel your work as
you sand.
-The finished sill looks good, is plenty strong, and looks original -
- I banda not only the body and frame
but the suspension and axles as well -
---------
---------- Painting-
Most of a paint job lies in the preparation. That's why a 'shake n bake' paint job looks good
but blows off as you drive down the road. If the initial sanding is done right as outlined
in the
bodywork chapter, your paint work will endure the test of time. Any paint job should be sealed
with a good wax job after thirty
days. If waxed before that, you could damage the gloss.
Lacquer, of course, doesn't require that long of a wait. I personally don't like lacquer because in
my part of the country it cracks and spiderwebs after a year or so, especially if you spray clear
urethane over it for the shine, rather than buffing it out the hard way. That's the worst part of
lacquer, the buffing required to attain the gloss. If you're not thoroughly
experienced with a
power buffer, you will burn a corner in a split second. Then you have to repaint. If it's Candy,
then you're really in trouble.
I won't even discuss the new factory water-base paints.
That leaves enamels, acrylic or urethane. Forget straight enamel, it has exceptional gloss, but
it doesn't last, even with regular waxing.
I use enamel with a urethane converter in all of my work, even Candies and Metalflakes, and
I own a body shop besides building roadsters, so I'm not just blowing smoke.
Urethane has a hardening quality that will allow for polishing compound to remove dust that
settles in the paint before it sets up. It is harder to buff than lacquer, but it can be brought to a
glass finish with a little elbow grease. It already has high gloss, so the only buffing required
would be to remove dust specks or knats, or if you screwed up and got orange peel or runs.
Don't feel bad if you do, just work it out. I've never known a painter, regardless how long he's
been painting, that didn't screw up once in a while. Whether he's drunk, hung over, or thinking
about what he did or didn't get last night, it only takes a second to screw up when you're
spraying. It takes 100% concentration.
When I get done painting a car, I fell like I've been in a
damn fight. And I have been, fighting not to screw up the whole time.
I use a dab of toothpaste
on my finger when I'm waxing or polishing, to remove a dust speck
or work down an embedded granule of sand. It's actually a vey fine abrasive, and works well as
a rubbing compound.
If you're getting ready for a show, it's great for cleaning off bugs and
working out scratches.
Back to painting. One thing I've noticed with urethane converters is that they are clear like
thinner
and when added to paint tends to make it very transparent.
imperative
to us a non-sanding primer-sealer
have light and dark spots just as sure as hell.
underneath
For that reason it is
for an even color. Otherwise you'll
Sealers usually come in gray or red. The red doesn't bleed through so it's OK. Your choice of
sealer color should depend on the finish color selected. If it's going to be red, orange or brown,
I would use red sealer. I suggest gray sealer for anything else. Sealer also reduces sand scratch
swelling. Follow directions
on the can. Usually a thirty
minute wait is involved before finish
coats can be applied. Be sure you use a non-sanding sealer.
When applying the finish coats don't attempt
coats. Instead concentrate
to achieve your color or gloss with the first
on even applications of paint, not heavy enough in anyone area to
sag or run.
Be patient, your glossy, 'wet-look'
finish will be achieved with your last coat. I like to put 2
coats of clear urethane over the finished color coats. The first three coats will build up the body
of the paint coat, achieve an even finish and provide the base for the final finish coat or clear.
The first coat is a light coat, called by professionals a 'piss coat, and uses only about half the
amount of paint as the second and third coats.
The second and third coats should be medium-wet
coats, laid on to achieve uniform color
and thickness.
The fourth and final coat, I use % pint of slower thinner instead of the Y2 pint of fast reducer
(per paint gun cup) as used in the previous coats.
If you choose to clear coat it (necessary in metallics) clean all the color out of the gun and
shoot 2 wet coats immediately
following the color coats. I clear coat everything
regardless of
color because I like a glass finish that looks like it's covered with water.
The temperature
and humidity where you live should determine
the type of reducer used.
Here in Florida I can even paint when it's raining. (I learned to paint in the rainy state of
Washington)
I use fast reducer for the first coats and medium for the last coat. I vary the
thickness of the paint coat according to the weather. When I painted in northern California in
the wintertime
the paint booth was minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I had to heat the paint on a
hot plate until it started to boil before I could paint. Then the cars took two days to dry. Here in
Florida I do that occasionally on the coldest days of winter or if it's raining, and the paint is dry
in ten minutes. Be careful heating paint because one drop of hot paint on a red hot burner and
you'll have a bonfire on you hands. What I'm trying to say is that the are a million methods of
painting and you will just have to find the one that works best for you.
What I suggest to many of my customers is that they do the finer prep work at home, and
bring me the pieces ready to shoot in the paint booth. 90% of a finish is in the prep work. A
commercial shop can't afford to do the fine, time-consuming
homemade piece show-worthy
my axles to the gearshift,
bondo work necessary to make a
for a price the consumer can afford. I bondo everything from
and the finished
cars glisten like fine jewelry,
expensive chrome to draw a crowd.
After painting your pieces, get the hell away from them until the next day.
without
needing
On the project car, the final paint was Corvette ClassicWhite, with some shadowed panels of AMC
Marine Aqua, outlined with 1/16 in. silver pinstriping tape. I'll use this paint job as an example,
to show you my painting technique. This car, incidentally,
I built for my unappreciative
peace offering. The colors were her favorite and she loved butterflies.
wife as a
After eight months of
just sitting in the garage covered with boxes and other shit, (She refused to drive it) I suggested
she sell it. But back to the painting.
First, I painted the white complete to the finish coat, as if I was going to leave it at that.
-Tape off the panel with 1/8 in. fine-line masking tape -
Mask off all the white to protect it from overspray, lightly scuffing the panel (with
400 grit) to break the gloss, being very careful to sand right along the tape and yet
not disturbing it. If you bump it, you'll have a blurred edge.
Now for the way you can shade one color into another and attain gloss without clear coating.
After tacking, shoot a
coat
of
with
fast
white
paint
reducer
whatever
or
your
background
color is to
be on the panel to be
shaded. (One panel at
a time) Let it flash to a
tack, and then
with
a
second
follow
coat.
Here I used a touch-up
gun loaded with aqua.
Mix the aqua with medium reducer and carefully shade the edges while the white is still wet.
Finish one section completely
together with a beautiful gloss.
before going on to another.
The fresh enamels will blend
When the paint sets up to a light touch but is still soft, carefully remove your masking, taking
care not to let the paper slap back into the fresh panel ruining all your work.
Don't pinstripe until it has set overnight of the tape won't stick. Paint is fine for pinstriping if
you are talented
enough or rich. I use a high-quality
striping tape from an auto paint supply
store. They have a variety. I use a single, fine stripe to outline a panel, and a double in other
places. Beware of drug store striping tape. It's cheaper and available after 5 PM, but will come
off in the wind and shrink on corners, leaving you with drug store egg on your face for being
such a chea pskate.
- Looking good! -
- The faded panel theme is carried on into the frame and spring perch -
---------
---------- Springs -
Both front and back springs will be of the transverse Ford style. You don't necessarily have to
have Ford springs here; it's the width that's important.
The front spring should measure 27
inches from eye to eye. If you can't locate a used front spring, new ones can be had from
marinas and trailer supply outfits. The back spring measurement
either way; we'll just weld the perches on in a different
can fluctuate
several inches
position. The rear axle is quite wide
enough to give the builder a lot of breathing room. Find a spring within three of four inches of
measuring 40 inches eye to eye. In this roadster I'm using one that came on a front axle I
bought. Both springs should be semi-elliptic,
not flat, and contain a minimum of four leaves, a
maximum of six. Most springs have too many leaves and some will have to be discarded. Don't
bother saving these for mount material; they flat raise hell with drill bits. The springs have to be
disassembled, cleaned, painted and greased. Do them separately so as not to get the leaves
confused. You'll need a 'C' clamp to get them back together. You may have to cut the alignment
straps and the bolt in the center if it's rusted. Don't get too close when you cut that center bolt
because it's going to fly apart.
If the spring is rusty, have it sandblasted. Since we're keeping only four leaves we'll bend up
a new alignment strap, although its value in our case is questionable,
here is how to make the
strap. Using the template, cut two straps 5 Y2 inches long from 1 in. X 1/8 in. strap.
--~--~------------~--~--------------~~------------~---;
III
t $-
'!I.I"
~~====~~~~~~==~
------~~~-------------------6 }1"
-Template (enlarged) for spring alignment strap -
Use the template
to center punch the X in. holes in each end and drill them. Set the four
largest leaves together with a C-clamp and 3/8 in. X 1 X in. bolt with a self-locking nut through
the middle hole. Clamp the strap on the top side halfway between the bolt and the spring eye
so it will wrap around all four leaves. Align the strap straight across with a square and then
clamp it down firmly with vise grips.
- Heat and bend both sides
straight down -
This should, of course, take place before the spring is painted. A 2 % X X in. bolt with lock nut
will hold it in place. One strap will keep the spring aligned, but you may want two for a uniform
look. Now disassemble and paint the separate pieces.
Get the springs good and clean with lacquer thinner and a brush. Two heavy coats of primer
should give a smooth enough base when sanded for the enamel finish. No bondo or lacquer
finish here, it'll flake off when the springs flex. If your spring has rust pits in it that are too deep
for the primer to fill, you will just have to live with it until you can afford a newer one. Don't
panic if you have a used spring and find it full of rust when you take it apart. Springs rust fast,
deep and hard, but if it isn't broken it will probably have a lot of life left in it.
Enamel from spray cans has enough give not to crack. Just use plain enamel, not urethane.
Paint the spring leaves separately
and let them dry several days before reassembly or 10
minutes in a hot oven. The grease will wrinkle fresh enamel. The ideal springs are Posies with
Teflon riders, but then people in hell want ice water too. You can keep it in mind for improving
the ride in later years when you're rich.
Assemble the springs with the
C-clamp, with your belt between the clamp and the fresh
paint. Better to have your pants fall down than to scratch up all that hard work. Smear freely
between the leaves with axle grease when you reassemble the unit. Use a stainless 3/8 X 3 in.
bolt and a fuel line sleeve to attach the spring to the shackles.
- Template for spring bottom plate (enlarged) - make two -
3'l'S/f
That about does it for the springs. Your biggest decision will be whether
polypropylene
to grease or
between the leaves. I prefer the grease because I don't like the white layers
hanging out of the leaves. It looks like an Oreo cookie.
Many trailer springs have the right width for the front spring, so check your local trailer
supply or mobile home parks for prices or availability of used ones. Marina dealers stock a fourleaf spring meant for boat trailers that measures 27 inches eye to eye. So far this has been the
cheapest source for a new spring. Our project roadster is built using a 27 in. spring, so if yours is
different,
modify your measurements
to accommodate.
If you can locate a rusted-out
boat
trailer, the springs can be sandblasted. Usually they stay in good shape long after everything
else on the trailer has fallen apart. Another good source for front springs is mobile home parks.
Removing the axles on a mobile home has become popular, and usually they end up in a pile
out behind the Laundromat
somewhere.
The axle itself can provide a strong tubular
front
crossmember for your frame, if you prefer one.
When using the template for
the
spring
plate,
cut two
of
these from X in. plate, as the
front
and rear are the same.
When you've cleaned the edges
up, clamp them under the front
spring perch and using the holes
as guides, drill the spring plates
with one % in. center hole and
four 7/16 in. holes each.
An alternate
method
is to
use two 3 in. lengths of 1 X X in.
strap iron on each perch. These will clamp a four-leaf spring with 7/16 X 2 Y2 in. bolts. (Grade 8)
When you front spring is bolted to your spring perch, measure in from the outside corner of the
frame to the spring on each side. Both sides should be 1 % inches.
You can make a front perch cover from a thin sheet of aluminum roof flashing. It should slip
over in front and fasten with two sheet metal screws in back.
- Template (enlarged) for front perch cover -
,+'4" --------------A~
----
Front
8 ....•
J
"I
-.-
"_A
I
Ya"
I
,
.
.
-.Ya,,1
I
~8
,
- Cut out both halves of the template, align them at A and B arrows and tape
them together for a template with a total length of 14 % inches -
- The front perch cover is attached at the rear with two hex-head sheet metal
screws -
---------
---------- Front Axle -
We have three options to consider for our T-Bucket's front axle. The easiest and most
expensive is not within our budget. That being, of course, the infamous Bell axle used by most
builders. You still have to buy the spindles, and for the price of a pair of spindles you can
construct the whole axle assembly.
Another option is the I-beam axle used in all Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns from 1937 to
1948. It also was used in Ford pickups from 1939 to 1947. 1932-36 axles can also be used, but
are two inches narrower and the caliper mounts are different.
They had a slight drop which
gave them a nicer appearance than the Model A axle and they had hydraulic brakes from 1939
on.
The 1948 axle was popular in the 1950s in hot rods, jalopy racing, dune buggies (before the
VW invasion) and homemade tractors. So where you find them is just a matter of luck. This is
where you learn to scrounge. Antique car swap meets are listed in the back of Cars & Parts
magazine, and Hemmings Motor News, both available at your local newsstand. If you can't dig
one up in your local countryside or from your local antique car clubs for our budget cost of $75
(tops) try the nearest swap meet. Here is another place a parts grapevine comes in handy. Look
for a front end
complete
brake
with
units
you
if
don't
want the disk
units.
- A typical
'bargain' from
a swap meet
for $25Don't worry
about
the
spring
and
radius rods. If some brake parts are missing and you don't want to go the disk brake route,
antique brake parts can be found easily on the internet. I can usually find an axle for about $25,
but I've got scrounging down to a science. If you can't locate an early Ford axle, don't despair.
Our third choice in axles is readily available. It's just a bit more work to make presentable. The
axle needs to be a beautiful assembly. It's often overlooked by rodders when they're detailing,
yet it's the first thing you see closely when the rod drives up! First impressions you know!
This unit is out of a 1948 Ford pickup. The easiest way to take apart one of these
rusty messes is to cut out the entire unit and disassemble it with a cutting torch.
These are the salvageable items from this unit. Discard anything with excessive
wear. Rebuild kits are available for the steering boxes from suppliers on the
internet.
A
$25
after
and
purchase
sandblasting
cleanup.
It's
from a 1937 Ford.
Like a clammy handshake, a chipped and rough axle is the first thing you notice.
This third source for an axle is a pick-up or Econoline van, my favorite being the Econoline.
There is something
mentioned
the magazines that depend on advertisements
from sponsors, haven't
about Econoline axles: that's the fact that pre 1978 Chevy rotors will fit perfectly,
with the stock Chevy bearings an exact fit. A X in. spacer is required between the outer bearing
and the flat washer. I just use extra washers. The inner grease seal must be changed. The oil
seal you need is made by CR Industries, Part no. 17406. If your local parts house cannot come
up with this seal or its equivalent,
you can obtain one from Ft. Myers Bearing in FT. Myers,
Florida (Their number was 813 936 6264) for about $5 apiece, plus UPS charges.
If a Ford pickup axle is used you will have to have the spindles turned down for the Chevy
bearings or use Mustang disk brakes which had a larger spindle. Be sure and check for a sloppy
kingpin. The early pickups had a terrible shimmy problem on the front ends, resulting in rapid
wear on the kingpins and tie-rod ends. The axles also had a problem of wearing out the kingpin
hole. Sometimes you can find one of these and rob the spindles off it for another axle that's
being sold cheap because it has no spindles. Rodders are constantly taking the spindles off early
Ford axles for use on a Bell axle because they don't
know the pickup spindle will also
interchange.
The spring bases on the truck and van axles have to be trimmed
your axle to your local sandblaster after the trimming
off and ground flush. Take
is done. This is a necessary expense
because it's the only way you can get a good, clean weld or get bondo to stick. Yes, I said
bondo! On the axle? You'll be surprised how much it adds to the appearance of your rod. I've
even filled them solid before. Don't bother doing any bodywork
until after all the cutting,
welding and grinding are finished. All the little splatter from arc welding the batwings on must
be ground or chipped off. It sure raises hell with sandpaper if you don't, not to mention your
pinkies.
Cut and gri nd
~-----------------------~
smooth
(g
. ..::1
~
~
:I .,
a
"
I::a..
M>
@
Finished axle
We will use an early Ford style axle. I am including a template
in this chapter for the front
axle batwings. Enlarge or reduce your copy until the measurements match and you will have an
exact size template. Both batwings are made with the same template, out of 3/8 in. plate.
The distance in from the kingpin is important for the turning radius. If they're too far out, the
tires will rub the radius rods when a sharp turn is negotiated.
First, if you have the early Ford axle, cut off the radius rods and spring hangers flush with the
axle. You can leave the piece of pin in the axle and weld it in. You won't need the hole. Now get
the axle sandblasted, drums, backing plates (if you plan to use the drum brakes), tie rod and
spindles.
- Grind off the old radius rod shoulders and casting marks -
We're going to swap the backing plates (omit this step for disk brakes), and turn the axle
around so that the tie-rod
is in front of the axle. This is necessary for radiator
clearance when spring action is encountered.
and frame
The backing plates, if used, can be swapped, or
just swap the shoes and wheel cylinders. The big shoes go toward the front, small ones toward
the rear. The wheel cylinders should have the hose angled toward the rear. The drum units will
work fine if you're really scrimping for bucks, but the disk units run only about a hundred bucks
more
(unless you have an Econoline axle, then it would be cheaper yet) and look a whole lot
sharper. Remember 90% of your stopping power is on the front wheels.
- Speedway
Motors
sells this
inexpensive "low-buck" kit for
around $90. It allows you to use
disk units off
a Chevelle,
EI
Camino, Buick regal, cutlass or
any other of the intermediate
(pre-78) GM cars -
- Template (enlarged) for front axle batwings -
'1
b~
1
All of these intermediate
GM units will slip right onto the Econoline spindles, with the
addition of aX in. spacer between the flat washer and the outer bearing.
Grind the top of the front axle smooth before welding on the batwings. Early (1937-48)
Ford axles need to be smoothed where the original radius rods connected.
Ignore the holes;
they'll be filled with bondo later. Earlier yet Ford axles (1932-36) can also be used. They need
the same cleanup as the 1937-48, plus the top of the kingpin has a cup left from the mechanical
brake system, which should be cut off. Be sure and leave all the top lip you can on the kingpin.
The hole through the kingpin can be covered over with bondo. On Ford pickup and Econoline
axles, not only will you need to smooth the top, you'll also need to trim off the spring pads.
Our project axle will use a 27 in. spring. The total distance between the batwings is 34 X
inches.
If your
measurements.
front
spring
is a different
length,
make the
necessary adjustment
to
Locate the center of the axle and mark it. Measure out from this point each
way 171/8 inches and mark it. Clamp the axle on its side on a table and level it in each direction
with a level. (Separating a clothespin into two pieces gives you two excellent wedges) Cut the
batwings from 3/8 in. plate with the supplied template. Drill the radius rod holes first, and then
weld the batwings on. Before welding them on, I weld Y2 in. nuts on the inside of the batwings
to take up the slack from the tie rod ends, then heat them cherry red with a torch and drive an
old tie rod end in with a sledge hammer to give them a taper. Be sure to mark the upwardpointing arrow shown on the template, onto the batwings themselves. This ensures that the 5
degree castor the notches are designed for is in the right position.
- Setting up the axle for a 27 in. spring -
Now spot weld the batwings on the outside edge of the marks on the axle.
- The batwings
should
rest
evenly
on the
floor after spot
welding
place
in
on
the
axle-
When both batwings are welded on you
can make the spring perches. First measure
----------"!'--,-
r
the width of your front spring. Our project car
II
was 17/8 inches so we cut two pieces of % in.
pipe 1 7/8 inches long each. Now cut two
pieces of X in. plate with template A. While
1
~------------~------~---J+--- I ~.,
you're at it, cut out two perch gussets from
the X in. plate.
-___....~
t
- Front spring perch 'A' -
,
J~"
T
J
2Y.t
2"
3~"
t
I,
- Shackle-
- Front spring perch gusset -
-I
-Measurements should be identical top and bottom before tacking -
Both spring perches must be in the exact same place. A mistake here can throw
off the castor on one side and not the other, and involves major reworking.
Turn the axle upside down, double-check measurements and weld completely.
- Adjust copy until measurements
match for an accurate, full-size template
Early Ford axles
137-'48 and
pickup spindles
Steering
Arm Template
I
1>,
7~
-
-
- A shackle holds the
front spring perch in
place in the center of
the
pipe
while
welding This
piece
welded
to the
the
batwing
will
be
inside of
centered
between the tie-rod holes
X in. in from
reinforce the mount. A piece of 3/8 in. fuel line will slide through
the edge.
The gusset can then
be
welded
to
underneath
here for a sleeve. I use a
stainless 3 X 3/8 in. bolt with a self-locking nut to fasten the shackles to these mounts. The
shackles can be made longer if necessary to fasten to a shorter spring or to lower the front end
more. (Wait until the rod is finished with all the weight on it to decide this, the shackles can be
changed quickly and easily.)
Using the front axle shock mount template, cut two
Mounts for the front shocks (to mount to the axle) from
Front
axle
X in. plate. With the front axle installed, rest the frame
shock
on the front axle.
mount
Clamp a piece of angle iron to the frame, under the
shock bolt. Clamp the mount to this iron so that the
mount rests on the axle. Now
you can weld it solid to the
axle. (I shouldn't have to tell
you to drill the holes first
anymore.)
Now repeat the
operation on the other side.
~3/8/1
2/1
1
Cut a steering arm from 3/8 in. plate using the steering arm template. Mark the tie-rod hole
with a center punch. Now weld a Y2 in.nut directly over the punch mark, and run a 9/16 in. drill
through them both. When this arm is heated and bent over, the nut should be on the bottom.
Drill the other two holes before bending. With the backing plates off (if you're going to use
them this is an excellent time to clean and paint them) bolt the steering arm to the inside top of
the left spindle. It should stick straight up. Now comes the tricky part.
Alternating from one
tab to the other with your torch, heat them until they are both cherry red right
here:
Now bend it over slowly to a 90
degree angle. Use a hammer or vise grips
unless you're green and grunt for a living.
Burnt fingers are part of welding, but you
can try to keep it to a bare minimum.
Bolting it on before you bend it keeps the
bolt holes aligned. You can also weld it to
the caliper mount after you make it, if
you want it even stronger. Now try it for maneuverability.
We'll set up the steering box and
drag link later in this book. The tie rod arm which previously held the steering arm must be
trimmed
Cut here.
4-'" _- --~
and ground
clean.
Now we're getting close. Here's the tedious part that separates the artist from the haybaler:
Bondo! Make sure the axle is clean and dust-free. Wipe it down with lacquer thinner. We can
only use the file on the top of the axle. Concentrate your work on the top and front of the axle,
that's what you see the most. The back is visible from the batwings to the kingpin. The bottom
is up to you, but save it for last. After sanding the inside front of an I-beam axle (it can only be
done with your fingertips) you're ready to say the hell with everything else. Spread the bondo
on just thick enough to cover.
Hit it with the 36 grit and work it as smooth as you can. When you are satisfied that it's
smooth enough, spread the lacquer glaze in the channel with your fingertips. The top can be
done with a spreader. Now clean your fingers with lacquer thinner. There is something about
lacquer thinner and cracked, bloody, sandworn fingertips that makes a person jump for joy.
Now 80 grit it and you're ready to prime and finish the front axle assembly. I'll show you how
to set the toe in and castor later in this book. The brake rebuilding
information
and wheel
bearing
is covered in the chapter on brakes.
For those of you who are lucky enough to know a machinist, I've included the information
to
make a disc brake adapter for the early Ford axle. Machine work is not necessary to mount disk
units on the Econoline axle. The Ford pickup spindles will have to be turned down for the Chevy
bearings to fit.
All the Chevy disk rotors will require a X in. spacer between the outer bearing and the
adjusting nut and washer. The adapter plate (made from 3/8 in. plate) needs X in. spacers
between it and the spindle. This conversion will also be covered in more detail in the brake
chapter. If you have a pre-1948 Ford axle, my suggestion is to buy Speedway's 'Lo-Buck' kit to
adapt the Chevy units to the Ford spindle. A machine shop will charge you almost as much to
make just the sleeves as you will pay Speedway for the whole kit. If you have the Econoline
axle, just follow the directions in the brake chapter. If you have a pickup axle, you'll need to
have the spindles turned down in a machine shop to accept the Chevy bearings and seal.
I'll cover the steering system later in this chapter. The steering we're using is a Ford pickup
box and column, basically the same from 1939 to 1956. The trucks are quite easy to locate in
most areas. Here is an additional twist: I used a Ford box out of an old school bus in mine, and it
has six turns lock to lock (regular pickups are five) for a feel like power steering. Wrecking yards
don't crush these old buses; they haul them out back and fill them with treasures. So check for
one of these if you can't find a pickup or truck. If all else fails you can use a GM steering box, as
long as it's not a power unit. You must turn the pitman arm upside down to get the arm to work
in the correct direction.
The Corvair aluminum
box is so popular you can't hardly find them
anymore. The same holds true for the Vega unit. Whatever box you end up with, be sure you
get the pitman arm and drag link end with it.
Cut two shocks with the front shock template and drill the required holes. Find an old inner
tube to make friction washers out of. You'll find you can cut it with ordinary scissors. The inside
is white and chalky with talcum powder. That's where I trace the outline for the washers with a
ball point pen. Use an aerosol paint can and trace around the bottom for the large end of the
shock arm.
Now center the shock over it and trace the inside of the big hole onto the rubber. Cut out
two washers, one for each shock. Install the front shocks on the frame, sandwiching the rubber
washer between the shock and the frame. The tighter the nut is, the stiffer the shock action. I
use two nuts here, one to adjust the friction,
connecting
and the other to lock it in place. Cut out two
links for the front shocks, using the shackle template.
Again, drill 3/8 in. holes in
each end, just like the shackles. Use a 3/8 in. flat washer for a template and cut four rubber
washers.
These will be
sandwiched
between the
connecting link
and shock, and
mounts.
This
finishes the front
shocks.
g~s:: "
Template
for friction
shock arm
- Make friction washers from an old
inner tube. On the inner surface of
the inner tube, trace around the
bottom of aerosol paint can. Center
the shock over the circle and trace
the inside of the 5/8 in. hole onto the
rubber.
template
As
before,
adjust
copy
until
your
the
measurements match These shocks are highly visible
completed
them
on the
rod, so spend some time to make
look good. You might even consider
chroming them when you have the money.
S/S"
t
- Use scissors to cut out two washers-
These are what the completed
units should look like. Polished stainless steel bolts and
washers look real nice here. These axle tabs make excellent attachment
points for a tow bar.
One on my customers had me make the attaching links between the axle and the shock arm in
a triangular shape with a third hole to fasten his tow bar to. It pulls both the axle and the frame
at the same time. It seemed to work fine when he left the shop with the T behind his truck.
- Drag Link Next we'll make the drag link. With the Ford steering box bolted in the frame, and the front axle
installed, cut the old Ford drag link about 7 inches from the end that fastens to the pitman arm.
(Regardless of the type of steering box used, the procedure for the drag link will be the same.) Cut a
threaded portion of the tie rod off with a tie rod end, and set it in the spindle-mounted steering arm. Set
the pitman arm in the center of its travel. To do this, turn the steering wheel (or vise grips clamped to
the steering shaft) until it stops. Now turn back, counting the complete turns until it stops again. Then
turn back exactly half the turns you counted; for example, if it was 4 ~, turn back 2 K Install the pitman
arm pointing straight down or as close as you can to it. Try turning the steering shaft each way, all the
way, to make sure it's working right. If the action is similar to the illustration, position it in the center of
its travel again.
Front
- Action of pitman arm
moving drag linkThe important
thing to
avoid here is dead travel.
That
is, the
pitman
Forward
traver
Rearward
travel
arm
moving straight up or down and not moving the drag link either forward or backward. The Ford
pitman arm fastens in anyone of four positions. Chevy boxes fasten in any position.
With the remaining drag link on the pitman arm pointing to the spindle, and the adjustable
tie rod end (in the center of its adjustment)
set in the steering arm, hold a piece of % in. iron
pipe under them to make sure it's going to be long enough, or just cut it 1 in. too long and recut
it as necessary. Mine needed 41 inches. It varies with the amount of tie rod end you cut off.
Check the spindles with a yardstick placed flat on each spindle face, and measure the distance
between the end of the stick and the frame. The distance will be the same on both sides when
the wheels are pointing straight ahead. If they are correct, weld the tie rod end to the end of
the pipe.
- Turn the
steering to
the center of
its travel and
install the
pitman arm
straight
down -
A good weld is very important
here, unless your hands are big enough to serve as rudders. I
weld around them, grind them down for inspection
lengths of bead running lengthwise.
wire-brushing
and weld around again with one-inch
Lay these next to each other, chipping off the slag and
each time you stop, until you work your way around.
- Welding the tie rod
end to the pipe end. I
weld around them for
a
better
weld,
as
shown -
After welding, grind it clean and leave the build-up on. You may think it looks like a snake
swallowing a rat, but a little bondo will help and you won't have to use your hands for rudders
and 40 MPH. Whenever
you
weld
together
this
two
tubes
you must leave
build-up
alone
because of the strength
factor it adds.
- The forward end of
the completed drag
link-
Now set it back in the steering arm and hold it up under the remaining
Ford drag link.
Recheck the spindle (straight ahead) and the pitman arm (center of its travel). Mark and cut the
pipe where it meets the original drag link. Remove the original drag link and grind it as the
illustration
shows.
- To ensure a strong weld, grind a bevel in the end of the solid drag link, as
shown -
r--------
~"-p~;-- -- -1
..
-
------
/I
\J.___
Drag link
(
<
This is to ensure a good weld. Remember each time you weld, even a little tiny spot, it must
be chipped free of slag and wire brushed before you strike another arc. Build up this union as
you did the front weld. With the cleanup grinding done you can apply a little bondo to the
welds for a smoother appearance.
This drag link will sharply contrast in angle wise relation to the four-bar
steering box, with the pitman arm inverted to gain the proper movement,
system. A Chevy
looks smoother but
involves a lot more work. The one we just built out of the Ford pickup box is inconspicuous
when it's painted the same color as the frame and the four-bars are painted in a contrasting
color. The steering arm cannot be bolted to the bottom of the spindle for less angle, because it
will interfere with the radius rod when it's turned.
- Installation of a Chevy box -
- The pitman arm must be cut, rewelded and arced to clear the bottom of the
body-
- Front Radius Rods Weld a tie-rod end onto a 36 in. piece of % in. pipe. Cut and ready another tie-rod end. Install the one
welded end in the upper frame radius rod mount of the front four-bar system. Now install the other tierod end in the upper hole of the batwing. Mark the pipe where it must be cut, eye to eye the tie-rod
ends should be 36 ~ inches apart. After cutting the pipe at this mark, set it on a platform such as a table.
T hat's where I do almost all of my welding.
Set a level on the finished end with the threaded end facing
down. The opposite end faces up. You may have to remove the zerk fitting to make the tie-rod end lie
flat. Double-check your 36 ~ in. measurement,
then weld-er-up.
Make another one identical to this and
you can install the upper bars of the four-bar system.
- Double-check
measurement
before welding-
Start the
lower
bars the same way.
threaded
end of the tie-rod
with the end. The lower
the same way you did for the upper
front
One end must
be adjustable,
so cut off 2 inches
of the
rod must be 36 % inches long. Measure
bars, only make it X in. longer.
This should
complete
it
your
suspension.
- A view of the painted and installed front suspension, minus the brakes and
steering -
- Front End Alignment -
- Mark both front tires and measure between them at the rear Rotate the tires over, then measure between them in the front. The tires should 'Toe-in'
(That means the measurement
in front will be less than that of the rear) about 1/2 inch. The
front end can be aligned at any point in construction,
but should have the final wheels and tires
installed. The required toe-in for a 1948 Ford is only 1/8 inch but it weighed over 4,000 pounds.
Our roadster weighs only 1,500 pounds. The lighter a vehicle is, the more the toe-in has to be. A
half inch seems to handle about right for me.
- Then measure between them at the front. The front measurement should be
about a half inch less than the rear measurement when the toe-in is adjusted
properly -
---------
----------
- Installing the rear axle The rear axle we'll be using is from the clunker I bought for parts. I leave the tires on
whenever possible for rolling it around on.
All your intermediate
GM cars have basically the same axle design. Whether ten bolt or twelve
bolt, pickup or passenger, an inexpensive chrome cover is available from JC Whitney or Summit
Racing. This cover is a major focal point (along with the chrome motorcycle shocks we'll be
using) on the rear end view of the roadster. Whether the donor is leaf spring or coil spring, it
makes no difference because it's all trimmed off and replaced with our own suspension mounts
for a buggy spring. Regardless of the width, or size of the pumpkin the procedure will be the
same. First comes removal from the donor and sandblasting. The front and rear axle are all we
really need to sandblast, but it is important
with
lacquer thinner
before applying
to wash off the sandblasting and grinding residue
bondo or it won't
stick. One word of advice, before
sandblasting, scrape off all the grease you can. The sandblaster won't cut through a deposit of
grease. Cut off the axle mounting
pads before sandblasting, so you just have the plain tubes
left.
After cutting off all the mounting pads, grind the axle smooth. Leave the brake line junction
block hole in the axle (unless it's on top of the pumpkin, in which case we'll move it to gain
spring clearance) and save the junction block. Discard the brake lines, and bend new ones. They
are surprisingly inexpensive and usually rusted after a few years. Cut the old lines off 1 in. from
the end and bend the ends over. This will keep sand out during sandblasting.
Leave the
retaining tabs on the axle to hold the new lines, and watch out for them when hand sanding.
This may sound stupid, but remember which is to top of the axle. It's possible to install it
upside down, and take off backwards in drive. My brother did that once with an early Ford
banjo axle and he's a pretty good mechanic.
- Template for rear batwings (enlarged) -
r-
1
9/16"
-~+
I
,
I.
3.
1
I
I
Rear axle batwing template
I
,~
I,
(
~
I
9/16"
t
~
I-
L-
I t
,~
3~"
-------------
I
.
",
- BatwingsA template for the rear batwings is included in this chapter. Cut two out of 3/8 in. plate. The
9/16 in. hole will accept Chevy tie-rod ends, because out budget excludes heim ends at $8
apiece. You can get them in any wrecking yard, or off of any old junk GM cars. I prefer the tierod end over the heim end anyway. They've been around a lot longer and give some warning
when they start to wear out. They don't just snap off (as heim ends are known to do) and leave
you headed out in the woods at 60 MPH. Did you see heim ends on Detroit's 150 MPH Trans
Ams? Or on Plymouths NASTY Hemi-Cuda? So, my roadsters all get tie-rod ends. Fifteen are
needed to be exact, for each car, and that doesn't include the front tie-rod or the rear of the
drag link. So save all the tie-rods from your donor car. A slight taper is needed to make them fit
a better. As you did on the front batwings, weld a Y2 in. nut on the inside, heat red hot and drive
an old tie-rod end in the hole to create the taper.
- Rear end on our project car after trimming -
Mount identical tires on the rear axle before you determine
the correct mounting position
for the batwings. One word of advice before welding on your rear axle housing, or any other
item containing
a bearing: don't ever attach the welder's ground cable at a point where a
bearing is between the arc weld and the ground. It'll damn quick ruin a bearing if the ground
has to make contact through the greasy balls of a bearing.
The rear axle will be mounted in the frame with the pinion at a level angle to the floor. (The
final tires and wheels should be on the front end) With the rake of the frame, this will put it
perfectly in line with the transmission for a straight shot through the U-joints.
We need 34 % inches between the batwings with our spring, which was originally the front
spring that came on our early Ford axle. It'll make a great rear spring, once it's reduced to five
leaves. To determine the correct distance for your spring, bolt the shackles to the spring. Bolt in
the hangers and suspend the unit (bolted in the frame) above the axle.
- Place a small level on the bottom of the differential
to make sure it's level -
- The axle should be centered under the hangers with a relaxed spring. Note
that the shackles are all in alignment -
(If I was an artist I wouldn't
be writing this book)
The reason for setting this with a relaxed spring is common sense. When it bounces, it
relaxes as the body rises to this narrowest point, and spreads back out as it returns under the
shackle line.
The photo on the next page needs to be studied closelv. After marking the axle where the
hangers will go, remove the hangers from the spring. Clamp a piece of angle iron to the front of
the axle tube right on the mark. The batwing will go on the inside of this angle iron. Use a
square to ensure the angle iron is at a 90 degree angle to the axle tube, and a level to ensure
that it is straight up. Clamp the batwing to the angle iron. The hole centerlines must be in a line
straight up from the floor. (After setting a level on the top of the axle tube and leveling the
axle.) To do this, insert tight-fitting
bolts in the holes and hold a square (most squares have
levels on them) against their edge. Loosen the clamps and adjust the batwing until the bubble is
centered.
Reclamp and spot-weld
on the ends and in the middle on both sides. Do both
batwings. At this point a mess can be avoided by draining the differential
oil.
- Use a square to make sure
the angle iron is set at 90
degrees to the axle tube,
and a square with a level to
ensure that it's straight up - Spring Hangers Using two
junk
wheels
and
tires, the next step is to set the
rear
end
upright
flat
on
one
wheel. This enables you to get a
good weld. It also enables the oil
to run out the breather
you
didn't
drain
tube if
it. When
you
have welded both mounts, flip the
rear end over and weld the other
side. Now you can make your
spring hangers. These instructions
are
for
the
mounting
axle.
standard
directly
spring
on top of the
If you want
a high arch
spring (Model A) mounted behind
the axle to get the car down real
low, you're on your own.
The hangers I have been talking about can be cut from 3/8 in. plate. If you have to, as I did
once, you can cut four from X in. plate and weld them together to form Y2 in. thick hangers. Just
the X in. plate isn't thick enough; they will bend if you get on the pedal hard.
You need to drill or cut a 55/64
in. hole in these. You want your %
in. pipe to slip through.
Measure
your rear spring width, and cut a
like amount from % in. iron pipe.
This
piece
through
the
should
be
slipped
hole and centered.
Weld it solid, being careful not to
melt through the tube.
- Set the rear end up flat on one wheel to
get a better weld Set the perches on the axle at their desired
location, and check the pinion to make sure it's
still level. I set a magnetic level on the bottom of
the pinion and a jack under the yoke and level it
that way. When the pinion is level and you know
how far apart your perches must be, you can
mark the axle where they go. It's best to measure
back from the backing plates for this location
rather than from the pinion because the pinion is
usually offset a little. Measure the total distance
between the backing plates, subtract the eye-toeye distance of your spring, subtract
one inch,
divide
have the
this
total
by two
and you
distance from the backing plate that your boltcenter of the perch should be, or , you can use
the previously mentioned
method of suspending
the mounted spring above the axle.
- Positioning the rear shock mounts for welding-
Measure straight up from this point with a square, and set your perch on the top of the axle
so the square passes through the center of the hole. This will be the location of the spring
perch. (This applies to the axles with a straight axle tube.
Some rears have tapered axle tubes
and must use the first method of perch location) Just be certain it's centered, with the same
distance from perch eye to backing plate on each side.
Tack weld the perch on each end after you ascertain it is in the center top of the axle. Check
the pinion to see if it's still level, then set the level against the spring perch to make sure it's
straight up. Tap it with a hammer if necessary to straighten it up, and then weld it solid. Do the
same on the other wide and you have your spring perches completed.
- Rear shock mountsNow we need to make the rear shock mounts. Cut two 2 in. pieces of % in. pipe. Mark and drill
a 3/8 in. hole in the spring hanger. Bolt the pipe to the hanger with a flat washer and bolt and
weld it solid. Again I use a fuel line sleeve here. (Sometimes it helps to run a Y2 in. drill through
the pipe first) We will be using chrome coil-over motorcycle shocks on the rear. They look like
$300 Carrerras, only a pair can be picked up used for about $10 with three adjustments for ride
comfort.
55/64"
Rear spring
hanger
I
3/8"
-Efj-
~I
I,'
J'/~"
+--------
5~" - __
..:...,.._
__ ____.
- One method of installing a Corvette rear end in the frame. I don't like or
suggest using this method, though. It was just following a customers orders -
- Dual motorcycle shocks provide the only spring action, but seem sufficient -
- Rear radius rods Heim ends are not within our budget, and neither are new tie-rod ends, so we'll use tie-rod
ends from junk cars instead. It's quite apparent when on is worn, so just check them for slop.
We can use the four adjustable ends from our donor car. Forget the solid units, they just don't
work out. We need sixteen in all for our roadster, that's four junk cars. We'll have one
adjustable end on the bottom at each corner of the frame. This will give us any adjustment we
will need. The axles will be square with the frame, so the only adjustment needed will be for
castor and pinion angle.
-Two Chevy and two VW radius rod units -
When you cut the rod for the adjusting end, cut about 2 inches of tie-rod with it, so that you
have the threaded portion to weld to your % in. iron pipe. The Chevy ends require a 9/16 in.
hole. Taper with the same procedure you used on the front. Take the rubber dust cover off the
tie-rod ends and remove the Zerk fitting. Clean the greasy socket in solvent before cutting or
welding. When you weld these to the radius rod, put a catch basin under it because the
remaining grease will boil out and make on hell of a mess.
Solid
I
(Front)
o "
0
._~A=d=jU=5t=_,.=bl=e
ooAt
•..••••
- __
~)(~lid
o
~;;:::::::=~==f:.)
;;;O~(=::::::z::~::(1
(Rear)
-
Adjuslabl.
~
This illustration shows which radius rod ends are solid and which are adjustable.
- Grind a bevel on the cut end for a stronger weld -
Weld
Table
J
- Another method of bracing the rear radius rods-
Bolt the rear end in the frame with the spring shackles. Level the pinion. Set a 42 in. long
piece of % in. pipe and a tie-rod end flat on a table or the floor and weld it all around. It helps if
a taper or bevel is ground
on the tie-rod
end. Grind the finished
weld just enough for
inspection. When you weld anything tubular, you should leave a raised bead for strength. Weld
just on end on and insert it in the batwings top hole (of your rear end). Insert one tie-rod end
piece in the anchor bracket on the frame.
- Mark the pipe exactly where it must be cut to mate to the tie-rod end -
When you position these for welding, they must both point exactly in the same direction.
Tack weld the tie-rod end on and slide the assembly over the edge of the table to ease in
rotation as you weld. Double-check to see if the tie-rods are both facing the same direction and
weld all around.
I use a small level on one end to position the tie-rod ends accurate for welding
When this weld is ground and inspected, heat the lower rod between three inches and five
inches from the junction and when it's cherry red all around for the two inch length, slowly
bend the lower rod up until it aligns with the lower hole of the batwing, (I save my template for
this) and check it on the car to ascertain if it aligns with the hole. The lower rod must pass
through the lower hole of the batwing on the installed rear end.
- Bending the lower rod to fit-
Cut a three inch threaded section form the tie-rod you'll be using for an adjusting end. Screw
the tie-rod end in until it bottoms and mark it. Now back it all the way out and mark it exactly
half way between the end and the bottom mark. Screw it back in to this halfway mark. Double
check the rear end to make sure it's still level. (The other half of the completed radius rod
should be installed) Now insert this end in the batwing, and mark the installed radius rod where
it must be cut.
Take it out, cut it, and weld the adjustable end all around.
Cut out the radius rod gussets from X in. plate with the template
provided. Clean up the
edges and, with the radius rod set in place, mark it with chalk or spot weld it in. Remove the
radius rod and weld this piece in place. You can clean the center hole with a rat tail file. (You'll
also need a case of beer and a pair of mule-skinner gloves for this nice little job) Reinstall it,
bolting the upper radius rod ends solid. Adjust the lower end until it slips into the lower hole,
and bolt it solid. Now step back and admire your work. It cost you about $2 to make this with
new steel and used tie-rod ends. One word of caution however: When you make the other side,
make sure you don't make the same one over again, leaving you with egg on your face and two
left-side radius rods! It's easy to do, I've done it before! And like myself, the first thing you will
do is look around to see if anyone saw you and then keep your mouth shut about it.
- Welding the radius rod gussets in place -
1....------:-- ,"----~~
1
up
front
Rear radius
rod gusset
+-------------,~~~------------~r-- A view of the finished product -
---------
---------- Steering column -
I'll be using the steering column from an old Ford pickup that came with the steering box.
Take the steering column apart. Cut the inner shaft twelve inches back from the box, and install
the box in the frame. Next you need to approximate the seating. I have a flat-bottomed
bucket
seat that I just set in the driver's position to set on. It needs to be close to where the finished
seat will put you. While you hold the steering wheel (with the shaft installed) in a comfortable
driving position, have a friend mark the shaft where it meets the other shaft you left on the
box.
This tells you how much to cut off. It'll probably be about six inches. Anyway, cut the same
amount from the column tube. These have to be welded back perfectly straight to prevent
binding. You can make a tight-fitting
pin from a three inch bolt that fits snug inside the steering
shaft. Cut off the head and slide it half way in to the upper shaft and weld it there. Now you can
slide it into the other shaft and it will be true. Weld the shaft all around. The steering shaft
must be arc welded with lateral beads to further
tie it together, just like the drag link. The
column tube can be clamped in angle iron to hold it true and mig or gas welded. Install the
column over the steering shaft and slide it onto the steering box below. Then cut out the
template
of the floor-column
plate from sheet metal, heavy metal like a car has on its doors.
Slide it over the steering column and position it where it lies flat on the floor of the roadster.
Draw a circle around the steering column so you can weld it on at the right angle.
Draw a circle around the steering column so you can weld the plate on at the right angle. Pull
the steering column back out and weld the plate set in the same place it was in the car.
Reinstall the column and bolt the plate to the floor with 1 Y2in. X 1/4 in. bolts.
o
1/1,"'
[Jm.E
T
F1.OOa/co
1-1/2"X2"
I.A
If
LATE
---r--__
-......
...,....--fROlVl'
"
- Welding the floor plate to the column -
43/4
If
You can get a 48 in. Chrome scavenger pipe that is 2 inches in diameter. Cut it the length of
the steering column (slant-cut the bottom) and slide it over the column to act as a decorative
sleeve. It can be centered by using (on the Ford column) pieces of old radiator hose as a sleeveshim. Just slide them over the steering column
and glue on with weatherstrip
cement to the
bottom and one to the top. The chrome pipe
can then be slid over these.
The Chevy-based column
I make on the
next page out of a 2 in. exhaust pipe can also
accept one of these chrome
chrome
covers if the
pipe is split the length
along the
bottom with a 4 Y2 in. die grinder or a saber
saw with a hacksaw blade.
I've found a good source for cheap custom steering wheels. These custom wheels have been
around a long time and are easy to find at swap meets and even in junk yards. Slightly rusted
ones with faded rims can be had for a few dollars and are lucky to sell for that. But the centers
can be sanded smooth and painted, or steel wool polished and clear coated. The outside rim
can be coated with Viro-Tex or Decoupage to give a new appearance to wood or metalflake
plastic. The blue metalflake wheel on the project car was purchased for $3 and had to have spit
rubbed on the rim to see what color it was. The center cover can be an aerosol can lid ('chrome'
spray paint often has a chrome cap) or an old mag wheel center siliconed in place. Our horn
button will attach to the dash and will not need a wire through the steering shaft. Late 1970s
Buick Skylarks had a mag-center steering wheel that looks sharp.
For those who
used a
Chevy steering box, a nice
steering
column
can
be
made by combining a 2 in.
exhaust pipe with the Chevy
lower
column.
inner
shaft
previously.
Make
as
All
the
described
you
need
from the outer column that
came
with
your
Chevy
steering box is the bottom
few inches. Weld this piece
to the end of the 2 in. pipe.
It should still fasten with the
wire clip. To determine the
proper length for the outer
column,
install
the
wheel
and measure how long it
must be. A bearing can be
bought from you local parts
house that
fits inside the
pipe and takes a % in. shaft
in the center
the various
stages are pictured here.
----------
---------- The Firewall The firewall should be
made before the body is
installed
on the
permanently.
template,
shows
doing
l
frame
Make
a
as the photo
gorgeous
me
and be sure to
copy the outline
of the
transmission tunnel.
The
firewall
made from
can
be
a multitude
of materials. I'll list a few
I've used, so just let your
imagination
Engine
problem
heat
is
wild.
not
a
because of the
completely
compartment.
run
open engine
A firewall that reflects engine chrome seems to be the most popular. You can
have a cabinet shop cover a piece of 3/8 in. plywood with chrome or brass Formica cheaply.
Whatever
your firewall
choice is, it should be outlined
with fender
or upholstery
welt
sandwiched between it and the body, or possibly adhesive chrome trim. The vinyl wheel well
trim works well here. I attach the firewall to the body with four chrome bumper bolts (round
head) space evenly around the firewall.
An aluminum firewall looks great, but it's hard to clean, Formica cleans easily with Windex.
You can cut a firewall from aluminum plate if you can locate some for a reasonable price. But
beware! Aluminum gets dirty quick and is a real bitch to keep clean.
Stainless steel is nice, but it's difficult
to cut. Lexan comes in chrome but it's expensive.
Formica comes in chrome and brass and is considerably cheaper. Shop for this at cabinet shops
in you area, and see if you can buy just enough for a firewall. Formica also has some beautiful
marble effects that would look good on a firewall. The firewall is a major focal point on the
roadster and is not the place to get cheap on. Get something really nice.
An epoxy coated wood firewall
would
reflect
the engine and match the dash. Avoid
upholstered firewalls because they're pure hell to clean.
Because of the flat surface, your choice of materials is only limited by your imagination. The
firewall I finally used in the project car was a piece of black lexan I stumbled onto for a good
price. I was somewhat dubious about using this until I saw a picture of Ed Roth's 'Outlaw' from
the sixties which I think now resides in Bill Harrah's collection.
On my flathead roadster I made a firewall out of 3/8 in plywood and covered it with brass
Formica. It looks like a sheet of 3/8 in. polished brass, and it's easy to clean.
Another
material
to avoid
like the
plague is engine-turned
aluminum.
It is virtually
impossible to get oil stains out of.
A cheap firewall would be smoked Plexiglas painted black on the back to increase the mirror
effect.
-
These photos show how the transmission dipstick has to be
shortened. There isn't room enough by the firewall for it to come up in its
original position -
----------
----------
- The Engine and Transmission -
Again, the magic word here is
Chevy small-block with an
automatic. If you're fortunate
enough to end up with a 400 ci,
there are a few things you should
know about this engine if you don't
already. They're important, so I
want to be sure to mention them.
All of your external small-block
parts will interchange with other
small-blocks. The danger here is
using crankshaft dampers or
flywheels off the smaller engines.
They will fit and bolt on the 400
perfectly, but you can't use them.
The 400 engine has counter-balance weights on the damper and flywheel to make up for what
they couldn't get on the crank. To get that long of a stroke in a small block they had to use the
crankshaft damper and flywheel to help balance the unit. If you use 400 dampers of flywheel on
a smaller engine, or, say, a 360 flywheel on a 400, the vibration would shake your teeth out.
Almost all of the internal components, excluding the camshaft and valve train, are different
between the 400 and the smaller engines. The block is different inside too. So if you want a wild
bore and stroke job on your small block and are thinking along 400 lines, be sure and get the
whole shebang, block and all.
I've noticed lately that parts for the old Ford flatheads are
being reproduced and used parts, as well as complete engines
are available on the internet. Perhaps I'm prejudiced, but I think
one of the prettiest engines in a roadster is the Ford flathead.
The engine shown here was in my "traditional" T-Bucket and has
always been my favorite, surpassing the big and small block
Chevys, and the Chrysler Hemis I've had. Sometimes it's not the
horsepower that counts.
- Cleaning the motorThe first thing to do with your motor before you even remove it from the donor car is to give
it a good steam cleaning. Gunk is great, but nothing removes crud like a good steam cleaning.
Check your yellow pages for a steam cleaner. Before steaming, take off anything that doesn't
stay on the engine when it goes in the roadster. Air conditioning
pump, air cleaner, smog pump,
and so on. Just disconnect the power steering pump, lay it over to the side and muscle the car
over to the cleaners. A good clean block is what we are after, and removing all this crap makes
it accessible. Be sure and cover the distributor
and carb with a plastic bag or something, or you
might have to push it home.
Now it is time to take your motor out and discard some excess baggage. The power steering
pump goes, if it had power steering you can forget the steering box too. A roadster needs
power steering like Godzilla needs a bodyguard.
Before pulling the engine, drain the oil out (hot), pour in a gallon of diesel fuel and idle it for
about 30 seconds. Drain it good and pull it. More excess baggage includes: air cleaner, fan, AC
pump, air pump, exhaust manifolds and valve covers. (Save these for block painting purposes)
With these gone you can go over the engine cleaning with a fine tooth comb. Clean any specks
of grease you can find off and for Pete's sake don't use gasoline!
Most paint doesn't discolor on your engine block but it sure stinks when it gets hot. So if you
can find engine enamel that will match your finish color, use it. Spray cans of engine enamel are
good enough and can be found in Wal-Mart
quite cheap. If you cannot find your color, use
black. Avoid silver, white, or gold because it looks cheap and hides your chrome. I like to use
Dupont Imron on my blocks. It cleans easily and holds up like engine enamel with twice the
shine. Unfortunately
it fisheyes like crazy if it hits a spot of grease or oil. And besides, it is out of
our price bracket.
Put about three nice coats of engine enamel on the block. Engine accessories look nice in a
contrasting color, silver or black usually. Black wrinkle finish paint is nice here. If using it follow
directions to the letter. When you time your second and third coats, time them using the same
pattern of spraying, from the time you started spraying, not from the time you finished your
last coat.
Don't waste your money on a chrome timing chain cover. They look great in the package but
you can't see much of them when everything
is installed and they're hard to clean. A chrome
upper water pump pulley is more visible for just a little more money. A polished aluminum or
chrome oil pan is in our budget. It's surprising how much the oil pan shows in a roadster.
Wal-Mart
and auto Zone carry chrome air cleaners for about the same price as mail-order
houses, plus you save time.
A chrome coil cover is cheap it you have the points type ignition.
- A 1969 Ford motor after cleaning and painting -
- The same motor with chrome exhaust and about $200 worth of goodies on it -
This chrome is very
reasonable and should
really dress up your nowpainted motor.
If you
bought your goodies
before painting, wait for
the paint to dry before you
start putting them on.
Fingerprints look so
amateurish on fresh paint.
I'm going to cover the
exhaust system in this
chapter because it's a one
shot deal, mufflers
included.
We are also
going to go with chrome
headers because they're a
major focal point on a
roadster.
Don't worry,
they're within our budget.
The cheapest price I've
found on these is from
Racing Unlimited but shop
around.
- One reason TBuckets are so
popular is because
you can see the motor
so completely.
Attention
to detail
really pays off here-
- Motor mounts The motor mounts we need for our roadster are the rubber-metal
type that bolt to the
block. If you have the rubber motor mounts on the frame, pitch them and get these earlier
kind. The motor mounts on the frame are solid and accept a 3/8 in. stainless-steel slide-through
bolt. Don't attempt to mount your engine solid, without
rubber, there's too much vibration.
You can leave off the fuel pump and use an electric unit if one is desired, but there is plenty of
room for the stock unit. If you go with the electric, you can use the gasket for a template to
make a block off plate, or simply get an inexpensive chrome one from a supplier.
Now we're going to make our front motor mounts. We'll use some more of our % in. iron
pipe and 3/8 in. rubber fuel line sleeves here. The extra rubber will help eliminate
engine
vibration, nice when you have a performance cam or carburetion.
First cut two 2 Y2 in. pieces of % in. Iron pipe with a hacksaw. Then cut two 4 Y2 in. pieces of
heavy-gauge 2 in. angle iron. Next cut two pieces of X in. plate with the front motor mount
template marked 'A'.
- Reduce your copy until the measurements
....-
match for an accurate template
-MOTOR
FRONT HOTOH
MOUNT GUSSET
MOUNT
'A •
'D'
Lt
....•
-_----~1fJ"
,..
-
T
1
-+II.
~------------ 3~-----------------_'
The angle iron part of the mount will be referred to as 'B'. It must be welded to the 'A' piece
to form the first part of the motor mount. The mount can be bondoed later for an immaculate
finish when we're done, or someday chrome plated.
- Motor mount A will be welded to angle iron B and pipe C -
Mark the two centers of the angle iron (B) and the A piece, and position them for welding.
- Weld piece A to piece B and let cool before unclamping -
Lay them upside down on a table and weld A to B. Weld what will be the underneath first
and let it cool before unclamping it or it will warp out of alignment when it cools. Weld the
seam across the top and grind it flush.
- Weld piece A to piece B, as shown -
l-leld
'A'
~~
~~
~~
'B'
-Weld and grind smooth ~
Mark the center of the pipe C and clamp it to the table, (clean all the paint and oil off it first)
using one mount to align the other, position the pieces as shown.
- Clamp pipe C to the table -
- When it's all centered, weld-er-up
-
Next, cut two gussets with the front motor mount template D, from X in. plate. With the
motor mount upside down on the table, trim the gusset with a grinder if necessary until it fits
snugly.
Position the gusset so that it supports the center of the mount and weld it in.
Clean off the welding splatter and round off the corners of the angle iron for appearance
sake. Now, if you want the mounts removable and don't want to weld them in, drill two 5/16
inch holes in each mount 1 inch in on the top and Y2inch in on the sides.
Measure back from the front of the frame 24 1/8 inches and mark your side rail. This is
where the front of the motor mount will be. At this stage I usually use the motor to doublecheck the fit of the mounts. Install the mount to your rubber motor mount and slide the bolt
through. Since the rubber sleeve is a snug fit, a little oil will help the bolts through. (Use 3/8 in.
fuel line for a rubber sleeve inside the % in. pipe) Slight tapping with a hammer will push the
3/8 in. bolt through undamaged.
Now lower the engine in the chassis and align the motor mounts with the marks you made.
Clamp the mounts to the frame rails so they hug the corner of the rail. I center-punch the top
holes by pushing down with the 5/16 in. drill until it breaks the surface enough to center the
drill without the mount to guide it.
If you are planning a blower, big block, or other high-horsepower motor, weld the mounts in;
otherwise run a 5/16 in. drill all the way through the frame and out the bottom. Use long bolts
and a nut on the bottom, for the removable mounts.
With the engine back out, install the motor mounts on the frame with just the top bolts.
Now run the 9/32 in. drill through the side holes. Tap these, and your removable front motor
mounts are complete. For the welded in variety, tack weld the mounts in, and remove the
engine so you can get a good weld completely around the mount.
- Perhaps in the future these finished mounts could be chrome-plated but for
now we will bondo and paint them -
- This photo shows the type of rubber mount we need. It also shows that we
have plenty of clearance to run a stock fuel pump if we wish, and we can change
it without
removing the engine. The transmission lines, of course, are only
temporary -
- Fan spacers are necessary to get the fan close enough to the radiator to do
some good. The fan should be about one inch from the core. I don't care for
these aluminum fans since I saw what one did to one of my buddies. Now I run a
fiberglass fan -
Find the length you need even if the holes don't line up, you can rotate the
spacer and re-drill them to fit your fan. This is a Ford spacer on a Chevy engine.
,,
- The Chevy 350 and 400 Turbo transmission
mounts -
,.
,
Now we'll
"
make the transmission
Chevy 350 or 400 turbo automatic
for the
transmissions.
the template A for the rear transmission
front
mount
Cut
mount from X
in. or 3/8 in. plate or strap steel. Its 10 inches X 2 inches
.
with Y2 in. holes for the mount bolts. Cut a section of %
in. pipe 34 inches long and mark the center. Measure 5
inches in each direction and mark it. The pipe has to be
welded to the long plate as shown.
<:- , . ..•.•
l~
..•.•
I
I •
\
I~
,
.....,":.J
0
\/
1-1"
Hole.
ffi-
1
....•
....•
- Heat and bend up and back Bolt the semi-completed
I
mount to the transmission
with the engine and transmission
with
the front
motor
mounts
held in the chassis
and a jack under the
transmission.
I,
+i
-$-
i
\
,
.•-..'
Holes
Up
,
4
1
%'1
"
3~,. ~-------+I
You'll have to heat the pipe/plate junction
inside the frame rails. When you have each pipe
bent back and up to fit squarely in the center of the frame rails, the pipes should just be
touching the rails. To get the proper angle cut on these for welding, I slide a grinder in between
the frame and the pipe until it passes through. That leaves it just right to tap one of the four
plates you cut with template
B, (drill the holes first) in between the pipe and the frame. Be
careful here, if you didn't eat your Wheaties for breakfast you might get the local neighborhood
dummy to do it for you. Grinders get cranky when you pinch the wheel.
-With a grinder cut the proper angle on the pipes -
Center the plate and you can spot weld it. Repeat the step for the other side. Take out the
mount and weld the two pieces solid. Now bolt it back to the transmission
and clamp the
welded plates to the frame sides. Cut two pieces of % in. pipe 12 inches long. Grind an angle on
one end of each piece. These rest on the top front corners of the mount plate A and angle
forward to attach to the frame rails. Weld these to the transmission plate (a friend can be a big
help here). Again when these just touch the center of the frame rail, slide the grinder in to cut
the angle. Slide the plates in and spot weld them. Now take out the mount and weld all the
plates solid. This makes a strong and attractive
mount that matches the radius rods. Reinstall
the mount in the frame. Drill what 3/8 in. holes you can reach, clear through the frame; they'll
be covered by the body. Pull the engine and transmission if you need to, to drill all eight holes
clear through the frame. They'll be covered by the body. Insert a 2/3/4
X 3/8 in. bolt through
each hole, as you drill it, from the inside of the frame, put a nut and lock washer on the outside
of the frame and tighten each one as you go.
----------
---------- Brakes-
You have a choice of two brake systems on the front axle. Drum or disc. Since a simple
rebuild is all that's required with drum brakes, I'll devote my time to the adaptation of
intermediate GM disc units to the early Ford and Econoline axles.
GM has three different sizes in their disc units. The super small like Vegas, Chevettes and
Monzas are too small. The larger units like Impala, Electra and pickups are too large. That leaves
a large area to choose from in the intermediate class, like Chevelles, EI Caminos, Monte Carlos,
Novas, Cutlasses, Regals and Firebirds. The earlier disc units are slightly different than the later
70s ones but they are just as usable. Later than 1977 you can forget.
Of course, the easiest method of all is to order a "low buck" brake kit from Speedway Motors
for around $100 for the brackets, but this is for the early (pre-'48) axle. The one for the
Econoline we must make. When obtaining a used unit get the rotors, wheel bearings, calipers,
pads, flex hoses and retaining clips. Don't play Mac the Knife with the flex hoses just because
they're a pain in the ass to take out. Those flex hoses cost almost $20 apiece.
The retaining clips are hard to find also. The kit from Speedway includes an adapter-spacer
sleeve, spacers, inner bearing, bolts and adapter plate. A nice and very complete kit. It's a good
buy when you consider that the sleeves require an hour apiece in a machine shop at $40 and up
per hour. This kit will bolt right up to a 39-48 Ford axle. They suggest chilling the spindle and
heating the sleeve so that it slides on easily. Don't attempt to drive it on! I just heat the sleeve
with my blue wrench until it slides on. If you have an earlier axle you need to use the template
included in this book to make a different caliper adapter plate. The rest of the kit will work. If
you have a pickup axle the adapter plate will bolt on but the spindle must be turned down to
accept the sleeve.
If you have a pickup axle the Mustang units might be a less expensive way out. The Chevy
outer bearing, washers, and nuts fit all Ford spindles. I use several outer washers instead of
trying to make spacers between the outer bearing and the adjusting nut.
In this chapter I'm including the templates and description of the sleeve to make this adapter
kit in the rare case that you're a machinist, have a friend or a sister that's a machinist, or that
girlfriend of yours that drives a cement truck has a machinist daddy.
( 11 partE are G~ un eS5 labeled otherwise)
Tnn •
Sl~eve
U OT
Rotor
lJea1:in
"n.
II "Ii,,;
c:ur>
I~)~
b ';U inr. (
cup
0
~)
as'
- For an accurate, life size template,
adjust your copy until the 8" and 9" scales
match yours-
~------------------------r-
8-------
----------------------
t
__
'I
I
1/2"
3/8"
Disc brake adapter for Chevy
to early (39-48) Ford
o
- Adjust your screen in both directions to match the 8" and 10" scale
for an accurate copy, and a full size template
-
0
3/8"
1/2"
o
10 "
o
3/8"
Adapter for Chevy caliper to
Ford Econoline spindle
n
rr----------------------e ------------------+
- This shows how I turn my own rotors the cheap way, it works! -
By pressing the spinning grinder against the rotor, you'll start the rotor spinning also. When it
reaches the grinders speed (about 100+ MPH) bear down more moving the grinder
down until the black grooves disappear. The inside is a bit trickier but possible.
- Here I welded a steering arm to the caliper mounting plate -
up and
- Master Cylinder Mounting I've designed a master cylinder-pedal
unit that comes off in one piece. You can assemble it
off the car and check that everything functions correctly and then bolt it on the frame with
three bolts (3/8 X 2 3/4 in.) that go completely through the frame. In case of master cylinder
replacement in the future, the entire unit does not have to come off; the master cylinder can be
easily removed. Also, from experience, the hole for checking the fluid level will be accessible by
just lifting the seat, not tearing out the rugs. The brake pedal will extend up through the floor as
in the old days. Swing pedals are fine when you have the room to adapt the entire pedal unit
including the firewall mounted master cylinder. Unfortunately,
Model T bodies just don't have
that kinda room.
I'm not even going to get into clutch pedal design because I suggested an automatic,
remember? If you ended up with a stick shift donor car because that was the best buy available,
go to your local Saturday night stock car track. One trip to the pits and you'll find plenty of
racers who will be glad to swap an automatic for a stick.
The first step on the master cylinder mount is to cut a 24 in. length of 11/4
in. angle iron.
Cut % in deep notches to clear the transmission mounts. This will be bracket A.
Pedal
-~,~~
,.
<II
3~
~"
Holes
pivot
Cut the master cylinder mounting plate B from X in. plate, and drill 13/ 32 in. holes for the
master cylinder bolts, and a 5/16 in. hole for the proportioning valve (PV). Cut the large hole
with a torch and check to see that your Chevy master cylinder will bolt up with 1 X in. X 3/8 in.
bolts.
- Cut a brace from 1 in. square tubing for the mounting plate with template
+----------------b~·-------------------------------+
Haster cylinder mounting
plate gusset 'C'
+-------
t~ ----------,.
- Template for Master cylinder mounting plate B -
r~-------------~~--------------~
r----J
5/16"
Hole
'~
tB'
Master
1
UP
5"
Frame
cylinder mounting
template
B
plate
A
\..:}T
C-
- Weld A, Band C together as shown and clamp it to the frame -
Clamp the unit to the frame and drill holes through the frame. Attach it with 3/8 X 2 Y2 in.
bolts to check for fit and clearance. Insert the bolts from the outside of the frame rail so that
you can easily remove the unit after the body is reinstalled.
- Next we need to make a pedal pivot with a ~ in. X 4 ~ in case-hardened
bolt -
A
Weld
Weld it to A with the flat
bottom part of the hex head flush with the bottom of A.
- Completed assembly-
Cut the brake pedal itself out of X in. plate using the provided template. After grinding and
smoothing the edges, use the template again to center punch the holes. Drill the small hole for
the return spring with a X in. drill. For the other three use a 25/64 in. drill bit. The large pivot
hole can now be drilled out with a 55/64 in. bit, using the smaller hole for a guide.
Adjust your copy size to match the 5 in and 6 in scales for an accurate template
.55/64"
----~---+----------~~t
25/64"
o
- Tape the template
halves together and transfer to }{ in. plate -
Now you must heat, bend and twist the end of the pedal arm where the dotted line shows
on the template. You'll need vise grips and a long punch to do this. Be sure you bend it to the
right with the arch of the arm curving away from you.
- Use a vise grip and a long punch inserted in the hole for leverage when
bending the pedal arm -
- Heat the bend area cherry red before bending it over 90 degrees and then
twisting it 90 degrees to accept a brake pedal -
We'll be using the early Ford style bulls-eye (round) pedal on the project because you need
all the foot clearance you can get for foot transfer from the gas to the brake. Or you can cut a
pedal back from plate and weld a bolt to the back of it. If the rubber pedal pad from your donor
is good, make a template from the old pedal after you remove the rubber.
- Here is an example from a 1967 Chevelle -
._---------
5~
"----------.1
PEDAL
FACE
1
Next cut a 35/8 in. length of % in. pipe for the brake pedal. Measure in and mark it at 3/8 in.
and at 5/8 in. from the end. Position the pipe squarely (as shown in the photo) in the pedal
between the marks on the pipe, with the short end protruding through the same side as the
laid-over pedal, and weld both sides solid.
Drill a 23/64 in hole in the bottom center of the pivot pipe for a Zerk fitting so the pedal can
be lubed. Tap this with either a 3/8 X 28 NF or 1/8 in. NPT and install a Zerk fitting.
With a flat washer on each side, slip the unit over the pivot bolt. Secure with a self-locking
nut and drill a 1/8 in. hole through the exposed bolt end for a cotter key-safety lock. Lube and
tighten to eliminate play but still permit free pedal movement.
Cut a 23 in. length of ~ in. all-thread and a 12 in. length of % in. pipe. Weld a 3/8 X 1 in. bolt to the
side of a 1/2in. nut, being extremely careful not to damage the threads.
- Grind one end of the all-thread so it starts easily
in the nut, and the other end at a 45 degree bevel
- Weld carefully -
4m\l\nU\\\\\\\~\UU~
to fit into the master cylinder piston -
Weld a 2 X in. piece of strap iron (at least 1 in. wide) Y2 inch in from the master cylinder end
of your 12 in. pipe as shown in the photo on page 139. Now slide the pipe over the all-thread
and position it for welding. There should be about X inch between the end of the pipe and the
master cylinder. Now weld the strap in place to the mounting plate A. This pipe, when secured
at both ends, will prevent the actuating rod from ever falling out of the master cylinder piston.
Now cut a 4 5/8 in. piece of strap iron. Measure in from the opposite end of the pipe from the
existing brace 2 Y2 inches and set the long strap between the pipe and the inside corner of the A
piece and weld it in. Study the photos on page 139 closely to avoid confusion.
Next we'll make a pedal stop with a 3/8
X 3 Y2 in. carriage bolt. Measure in and mark from
the pedal end of the A piece 25/8 inches and 3 inches.
- Bolt the proportioning valve in place -
Position the bolt underneath the angle iron between these marks so that it
projects straight out to act as a
stop
for
the
pedal.
Before
welding it solid, install the unit
in the frame and check to make
sure the pedal is angled back
against the stop at the correct
angle.
- Routing of the brake lines from the Chevy proportioning
Bracket lA
Front
Transmission
mount
Proportioning
valve
A
Master cylinder
E
G
F
valve -
- Brake Lines Now for the brake lines. There are two options to consider. You can buy ready-made tubing
in standard lengths 8, 12, 20, 3D, 40, 50 and 60 inches. Unfortunately,
they hardly ever match
what you need. Brake lines are relatively inexpensive, so you could buy the next size longer and
cut one end to get the size you need. Remember, brake lines must be double-flared
or they will
usually leak. There is another way, and it's a little cheaper. Save all the original ends and we'll
just use new tubing. Use steel tubing and double-flare
master the double-flare
each fitting. A little practice is needed to
procedure. When you have the procedure down pat you can do your
brake lines. Cut a 14 in. long piece of 3/16 in. tubing, install both large fittings and flare the
ends. This will be line A. (When clipping off old lines, leave the end in the individual brake unit)
When a new line is made, use the same end in its original hole. (After cleaning it good on a wire
wheel) Install line A as shown in the brake lines chart, between the master cylinder and the
proportioning
valve. Be very careful when bending these lines so as not to kink them. Buy a
bending tool for this.
Attach the front flex hoses to the disk units. Our project uses the stock Chevy 16 Y2 in. lines
and anchor brackets that you can make from a piece of 1 1/8 in. angle iron. Use the original
retaining clips and fasten the brackets underneath the frame in each front corner, as shown in
the brake line chart.
- Fold this template
Frame
on the dotted line
/"
and lay it over the
angle iron for
Tubing
transfer I use the same plastic clamps to secure the tubing to the frame as I use in the wiring. You can
use either a pop rivet and washer or a metal screw to secure the clamp to the frame. Be quite
liberal with the clamps, if you can wiggle the line with your fingers you need anther clamp. Our
next line will be our longest one, from the proportioning
valve (PV) to the right front wheel. Cut
a line of 3/16 in. tubing 100 inches long and install both ends. The PV has different size ends in
it, so refer to the chart for line placement with line B, bending it to follow the course indicated
and fastening it with clamps as you go.
Line A (14/1 X 3/16 in.) comes out of the rear of the master cylinder, bends forward to just
under the PV, then curves out, up, and back into the end of the PV. Line B (100/1 X 3/16 in.)
comes out of the rear of the PV, bends immediately
down, forward
cylinder actuating rod sleeve to the rear tube of the transmission
and follows the master
mount, follows behind this
tube down, over and back up behind the right-side foremost tube of the mount to the right rail
of the chassis. B follows this rail on the inside, dips under the motor mount and follows the
inside bottom of the side rail to the front corner where it curves sharply to the right and ends
smack in the middle of bracket lA.
Line C is 78" X 3/16
If,
comes out of the right front of the PV, bends down and to the left,
follows the sleeve to the left front tube of the transmission
mount, follows it to the frame,
curves forward and follows the lower inside of the left chassis rail, under the steering box, to
the left front corner of the chassis, where it curves left and ends in bracket lA.
Attach the stock Chevy flex hoses to lines Band C. Line D is 13" X X" tubing, and leaves the
left front of the PV, curves down and to the right, straight back to the rear of the master
cylinder where it curves left to the chassis, bends to follow the angles in the frame step-up to
the rear, where it curves and follows the inside of the chassis to the spring mount, where it
curves forward and ends in bracket lA (attached to the spring perch). The rear flex hose goes
from here to the differential.
Lines F and G leave the junction
block, follow the outline of the differential,
original tabs on the top of the differential,
through the
to the wheel cylinders.
- On the finished T-Bucket, the only brake lines visible are the front flex hoses -
- The front flex hoses are well hidden and have enough slack to allow the wheels
to turn without stretching the line The
calipers
are
installed
upside-down
(covered
more
in
detail
later) to allow
the flex hoses
to angle down
below the radius rods.
- Copy to scale and trace the steering column hole and access panel on your
floor for cutting -
Trans
cover
Remove this section for brake pedal
access or body installation
Steering
Column
1
2·
CUT
.,
3~'
FLOOR
1
+-----
FRONT
- This is located below the seat.;:,ea-.;;
rl.ser
f
Floor
1
Front
A
.
5~f
1
Remove 5 1/8" X 7!"
square for master
cylinder access and
fluid filling·
J 3/8"
to seat support
-...
Discard this piece I
The master cylinder access cover is simply a 10" X 7" square of sheet metal with a screw in each
corner. If you want to get fancy you can cut a gas flap and its opening from a junk car.
- You need to cut a sheet metal cover for the brake pedal. I use a rubber seal
from an old inner tube with a slit cut in it, for the pedal to move through,
sandwiched between the plate and the floor-
Steering
column
4-
+
r------,
+
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I'
I
I
Transmission
cover
i
Sheet me~1 pedal
cover
t
•
.+
- Brake bleedingA word of warning: Don't bleed the brakes until the car will move under its own power. Once
disk brakes are bled, or the emergency brake is fully adjusted, your pushing days are over.
- The front disk units are mounted upside down to allow the stock flex hoses to
reach the bottom corner of the frame -
This doesn't change the action or effectiveness of the unit in the least. But you can't bleed
them when they are mounted like this. A pocket of air forms at the top and won't come out
because the bleeder valve is on the bottom.
To bleed the disk units, remove them and compress the piston with a C-clamp. Place a block
of wood in between the pads. Turn the unit upright so that the bleeder valve is on top. In this
position the air can be bled out.
The method I am describing here is a fairly simple, one-person job. It consists of a coke
bottle (a clear plastic water bottle is better yet) half full of brake fluid, and a 24/1 length of
vacuum line. With one end of the hose pushed over the bleeder valve and the other end at the
bottom of the bottle, open the valve half a turn. Now you can pushdown on the brake pedal
and watch the air bubbles come out in the fluid. This way you don't have to tighten the bleeder
valve each time you release the pedal. Work the pedal up and down until the air bubbles stop
coming out. Keep a constant check on the brake fluid level, but don't leave the top off the
master cylinder when you work the pedal or you'll have fluid allover.
Place the bottle where
you can see it as you work the pedal. When the bottle gets full, pour it in the master cylinder.
This way there is no mess and you can recycle the fluid through the brake system until you are
positive all the air is gone.
- To bleed disk units, place
blocks of wood in between
the padsBleed
the
back
brakes
first,
starting with the one farthest from
the master cylinder.
Be very
careful
around
your
paint with the brake fluid, a drop
on your finish reacts like battery
acid or paint stripper.
Occasionally you'll find a
plugged bleeder valve; these can be cleaned with a paperclip or torch tip cleaner.
Rotors should be turned to give them a smooth finish. I do this myself by installing the rotor
on the axle and grinding it. (See page 139) Start the rotor spinning and then bear down on the
grinder. The rotation of the grinder causes the rotor to spin faster and at the same time cuts it
to a smooth surface. I also hit the pads lightly with the grinder to eliminate the ridges.
- Fill a coke bottle or clear
plastic water bottle half full of
brake fluid. Push one end of a
24" piece of vacuum line over
the
bleeder nipple and the
other end into the fluid in the
bottle -
- Emergency Brake The emergency brake we need is the type found in the Vega, Monza, Sky hawk, and Sunbird
as well as many other small cars, domestic and foreign. Use this as a general guide to adapt
what you have. We need the complete handle, crank and release setup in one neat little unit.
But the real plus is that most of them bolt to a flat floorboard
like ours. Cut a paper template to
fit the underneath part and transfer the outline to the floorboard where it will be a comfortable
pull from the seat. The rear of the unit will probably extend under the seat riser (see Chapter 4
on body wooding) and must be installed before the wooding can be completed. Cut whatever is
necessary to clear the unit into the floor.
The brake cables must be removed. This can be done by removing the brake drum but not
necessarily the brake shoes.
I've found that outboard
motor steering cable has clear, plastic-coated
great for emergency brake applications.
cable that works
Some Marinas even have various translucent
colors
available. Most of the emergency brakes take about seven feet of cable. The unit in the project
is from a Vega.
Pass one end of the cable through the backing plate hole. Slip on a X/I flat washer and the
long spring from the original unit.
- After passing one end of the brake
cable through the backing plate, slip
on a }{" flat washer
and the return
spring from your parts car. Then strip
back the plastic coating and braze on
a small nut Clean the plastic coating from the last two
inches to allow you to braze a small nut on
the end. Slip this through the fork behind the
rear shoe and pullout
the slack. The cable
will clear best by going between the struts of
the rear radius rods. Now stretch it to the
hand unit (the left side should be a straight
shot, and the right bends around the battery
box, but if necessary a pulley can be attached from the master cylinder). For pulleys, use the
larger 2/1 pulley (I use sailboat pulleys). The smaller pulleys will kink the cable and restrict its
movement.
Run the cable through
the U-Bolt or other attaching
point on the handle and
through a pulley (let this pulley hang for now) around the front of the battery box, and through
the other backing plate. The handle unit should be backed off as much as possible, to allow for
later adjustment.
Slip the cable through the pulley before putting it through the backing plate.
Draw the cable tight from the outside of the remaining hub. Measure where this cable must
end to slip inside the fingers of the fork. Strip 2" of insulation off to allow for brazing.
- As shown here, I don't cut off the slack until the nut is brazed on -
Slip a X" flat washer and return spring over the cable end. Compress the spring down and
clamp it with vise grips. This should allow you enough slack to braze a small nut to the end of
the cable without
melting any plastic. Have a wet rag handy for quick cooling.
Now to eliminate the sharp bend the cable makes around the battery box. This is where we
need the 2" pulley. First we need to make a bracket to hold this pulley. For an anchor we can
use one of the bolts going through the frame sideways. Make this bracket from 1/8" or X" plate
using this bracket template.
-.
~-
t
1
ffi
I
'It·
I
I
t
t
I
•
4"
3/8•
I'
E8, J~
1
I
"
Heat along the dotted line and bend it over 90 degrees. The short end will anchor the pulley;
the other end will go under the frame bolt.
When properly adjusted, the brake cable should thrum like a guitar string with the handle
fully released. The handle should lock the rear wheels in three clicks. Tighten the adjusting nut
until this situation
is realized. If you made the cable too long, here is how to make a save.
(That's what I call it when you screw up and get yourself out of it).
The parts car had a long bolt with a hook in the end of it from the crossmember
to the
emergency cable to redirect the cable. Use this fastened to your master cylinder bracket to take
up slack in the cable. Then try adjusting the handle again.
Once the emergency cable is adjusted, the car is quite a bit harder to push. If you have to
move the car every day by yourself as I do, I suggest you back off the adjustment
until the car
will move under its own power.
- The bracket and pulley as installed on the frame -
- The emergency brake
unit installed on the TBucket floor. When the
cable
is
properly
adjusted, it should lock
the wheels within three
clicks-
----------
----------
- Radiator, mounts, shell and radiator cap This book deals with all the little odds and ends you will run into while building a roadster.
We will also discuss the most economical solution to many minor problems that are totally
ignored by most articles on rod-building.
hear from me. Besides astronomical
"Buy it from so and so" is a typical cop-out you won't
prices, most of these items you could make yourself if you
just knew how. I prefer to make everything
your magazine advertisements
myself, unless I can buy it cheaper. (This is where
and internet
come in handy) Since I'm not trying to steer
business in anyone's direction, I'll show you the cheapest methods I know of.
- Radiator mounts We'll start out with the radiator mounts. The mounts are very simple to make. They're just
two 3" pieces of 1" angle iron, held to the frame with two 5j16" bolts each.
- Cut the mounts and grind the corners round. Measure in and drill 5/16" holes -
~h.d
You can clamp them together and drill all four holes with two shots. The wide-spaced holes
attach to the frame.
- Measure
from
the
front of the frame 6"
and trace a line down
with aT-square Start the hole with the 5j16" drill while a friend holds it in place. If the frame isn't painted
yet, you can just clamp it. We are going to tap this with a 5j16" X #18 tap. Whenever you want
to tap a hole, drill it out with a bit two sizes down from the bolt size intended. Normally, this
will be the correct size for the tap. The reason for starting the hole with a 5j16" drill is to center
the tapped hole in the frame under the 5j16"
hole in the mount. Just push hard enough to
break the surface, and then finish drilling with the smaller bit. I've found that redrilling the
mount with a 3j8" bit allows a considerable adjustment
for the radiator slant so the radiator
angle can be at its most attractive position in relation to the body. This can be best determined
by just standing back and eyeballing.
- Position the mount down %" from the top surface of the frame-
- Radiator shell We're going to mount a Dodge Aspen radiator
under the radiator
shell, but the more
expensive Walker radiator will bolt right onto these mounts if you decide to use one now or
sometime in the future. I've used the little Dodge upright before on basically stock small blocks,
and they've always run cool (except in parades). If you've got a radical engine you may want the
bigger Walker. The little
Dodge unit can be picked up for about $50 used to $100 new,
compared to $300+ for a Walker. Don't worry about the space between the radiator and the
shell; I've got that covered in this chapter too.
First, we need to decide what kind of radiator shell we want. The normal choice is the Tshell. Racing Unlimited
sells this cheapest in fiberglass form. They are all basically the same,
regardless of the supplier. They all have to be cleaned and bondoed to look decent. Following is
a trick to making the shell fit real snug to a Walker radiator. First, cover the radiator with waxed
paper at the top, so the fiberglass won't stick to it. Try the shell to make sure it fits over the
dummy filler neck. Cut two strips of sheet metal for tabs, about %/1 X 2/1. Mark the shell where
the Walker radiator upper tabs are. Don't drill the holes yet. Mark the tabs where they must sit
between the shell and the radiator tab.
Now you have to fiberglass the tabs to the inside of the shell and let them dry. When the
mat has set up hard, put the shell back on the radiator and drill the tab holes, using the ones in
the radiator tabs for a guide.
Next, mix up a gob of banda or Tiger Hair (chopped fiberglass in a can like banda) and set it
on the inside of the shell right below the filler neck hole. Leave it in a big ball just a little bigger
than a golf ball, and set the shell in place over the radiator.
- Clamp it down and let it set-
Now clamp it down. Be sure you have bolts in the tabs you made on the shell. This action
causes the banda to spread out to fit the radiator tank, and the wax paper keeps it from
sticking. When it's set, just remove the shell, peel off the wax paper and reinstall the shell.
I've bound another and cheaper
source
shell.
for
an attractive
So far
it
radiator
has been
more
popular than the tried and true Tshell, with everyone I've shown it to,
partly because it will house a larger
radiator.
I've noticed at the flea markets
the abundance of banged-up Model
A shells that have been turning
cheap.
with new reproductions.
I bought a 1929 A shell that
had been brazed and bond oed and painted many times
over. I took my $5 purchase home and chopped 5/1 out
of it, cut and spread the bottom to meet the sides and
filled the gap with sheet metal. A little banda and paint
and the shortened A shell looks right at home on the TBucket.
They
have
been
up
replaced
- A 1929 Model A shell reworked,
bondoed and painted. Not bad for a few
bucks, right? -
Since everyone seems to like it, I'll go into the details on making and mounting it. The
aftermarket
T shell will mount directly to your radiator mounts. The Model A shell will be
trimmed to fit inside the frame rails and also set on top of them. Trim off the back part of the
shell that held the hood padding with your 4 W' Die grinder. Cut the shell in half so that the top
piece is 18/1 high.
Now cut the bottom right through the crank hole, and cut 5/1 off the sides of the bottom half.
Weld the ends to the bottom part of the shell. It will leave a gap in
the middle which can be filled with a piece of sheet metal cut to fit.
Weld
o
•
Cut along this line
and discard this trip
•
o
•
•
"-
•
oJ ~
Cut shell in haff
C~
The mounts for the A shell are made of body
sheet metal and are sandwiched between the
mount and the frame rail. Make two of these
out of sheet metal.
- Clamp them both between the
radiator mounts and run the drill back
through the holes -
- Model A radiator
shell mount template -
,
,%
Bolt the mounts to the
frame with the shell mount
sandwiched
between
angle iron mounts and the
frame,
with
the
pointing forward.
the frame.
Next, set the
shell
in
place
and
mark on the inside where it
rests on the sheet metal.
Remove
the
shell
_
__j
Model A radi'ator
shell mount
Now fold
down flat on
~------------
---------------------------------------------
arrow
the mounts
back
FRONT
the
,
-(f)11---t--_
-@3N' -----L.-1_
••.••1
and
clamp a piece of angle iron
on the line to act as a sheet metal brake to bend against. Bend each mount straight up. The
shell
can
now
be
lowered over them with
the sheet metal mounts
unseen
on the
inside.
Drill two 1/8/1 holes on
each side and pop rivet
the shell and the mount
together. To remove the
shell, unbolt the radiator
mounts from the frame.
- Inside view of radiator shell mounting -
- As you can see there is plenty of room to add water to this Mopar radiator -
- Radiator Grille A very attractive
grille-filler
can be made from an inexpensive overhead light grating. They
can be bought for a few dollars from building supply stores and are made of white plastic.
Another nice filler can be made from the guard off of one of the box floor fans, if you have a
junk one.
The first step is to paint the
grating flat black.
- Grating painted in flat
black. Note the ladder used
to prop it up for spraying It will sandwich between the
grille
shell
perfect-a-fit
and
the
radiator.
not-so-
If you are
using a Walker radiator you don't
need to make this. The Walker is
a perfect fit for a T shell. If you
are using, say, a Dodge Aspen
radiator
however, this grille will
conceal any gaps you may have as well as protect your radiator from rocks and debris.
The grille will be silicone-cemented
to the radiator shell, so both must be painted first. I use an
old ladder for painting these. Be sure to paint the egg-crate grille from all four sides so you
don't have any patches of white showing. One light grating will make two grilles. It's nice to
have an extra in case you catch a rock.
- Lay the shell upside down on the grating and trace the outline of the opening
onto the grating-
Lay the radiator shell upside down on the grating (which is also upside down) and trace the
opening onto the grating. The plastic is quite brittle and easiest cut with side cutters, one piece
at a time, like cutting chicken wire. Cut an inch outside the tracing. Use a whole tube of clear
silicone in a caulking gun to cement the grille in place. Position the grille where you want it in
the upside down shell and press the silicone in, around, up and over wherever you can, without
any showing from the front.
Let the shell set until the silicone is completely
dry, preferably
overnight.
Even without the radiator you can see what the finished roadster will look like.
- Radiator Cap To make an authentic-looking
radiator cap out of a junk antique mota-meter,
cut a 3
)12"
section of a chrome 2/1 exhaust extension. Split the pipe down 1 %/1 on each side. Then cut a T
on each side and bend the tabs horizontal before flattening and drilling holes.
o
o
THIH
Drill
3/8"
o
TRIN
holes
---------
Now drill three holes (3/8/1)
in these tabs for penetration
of the fiberglass, and insert it in the
shell hole from the bottom. The installation of thin black welt (available from upholstery shops)
will add class. I install it at this time around the radiator cap hole in the painted shell and glue it
in place with weatherstrip
adhesive. Now mix up a blob of Tiger hair, or similar mixture of
chopped strand fiberglass, about the size of a golf ball, and smear it over the ends of these tabs
and into the holes. Set the shell carefully by itself until the fiberglass sets up.
The inside of the shell can now be painted with black undercoating.
A 'T' ornament
slips
inside, and an 'A' ornament fits outside. I secure the cap with two pop rivets to prevent theft.
This is the most easily stolen item on a roadster, and the one stolen most often.
The antique car flea markets are always full of motor meters with broken or missing glass
and thermometers
for reasonable prices. I've found that the little Ford adhesive disks replace
the glass on both sides perfectly. I think they are intended for mag wheel centers.
- Pipe trimmed and ready for
installation -
- This pipe isn't going anywhere! -
- An 'A' style radiator cap -
- A 'T' style radiator cap -
- RadiatorSurprisingly enough, there are a considerable number of modern radiators that will fit under
the 'T' or 'A' shell. A good radiator can be bought from a junk yard for a good price if you know
what to look for. One nice thing about setting up your roadster to accept on of these radiators
is the low replacement
cost of future
repairs, and the fact that it will have a rock guard,
whereas the Walker would not.
The ideal radiator (Walker) can be bought for $300+. It is made to fit perfectly under a 'T'
shell, but that's a lot of green for a poor boy. I suggest you get it running and drive it for awhile
before you buy that ideal radiator. Then the additional
money won't seem so much. You might
even want a brass unit.
When shopping for a radiator, take along a tape measure and your shell to make sure you
get one that will fit. Two more important
things to watch for are a built-in transmission cooler
in the bottom and the lower outlet on the right-hand side (This is for a Chevy engine). The top
outlet can be on either side because you want the chrome outlet for the engine that faces
straight forward.
Avoid foreign car radiators because they don't have the water capacity you need. AMC and
Jeep and several others make radiators that will fit under your shell, but the lower outlet is on
the wrong side.
I have listed the radiators
preference and suitability.
and their dimensions
that you can use in the order of their
The most desirable units are listed first. Try to think of a junk car
some friend may have that fits the bill.
- Three different styles of radiators that can be used on a T-Bucket roadster-
I'd avoid the track nose in the center. I installed the heavy-duty radiator that was part of the
nose package, and had cooling problems. I installed the best electric fan obtainable and still had
cooling problems. A new water pump, and still had cooling problems. It was the customers'
option and he wanted it left on. Good riddance!
- RADIATORS Core measurements
Top Hose
Bottom Hose
18 3/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
1 Yz" - L
1}fi" - R
12"
1 Yz" - R
12"
74-75
Dodge Dart 318 V8
75-76
Plymouth
Valiant,
Duster, Scamp 318 V8
18 3/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
1 Yz" - R
80-82
Plymouth
Fury 6
78-80
Plymouth
Volare
6
80 -82
Chrysler Cordoba
6
79-82
Chrysler New Yorker,
78-81
Chrysler LeBaron
78-82
Dodge Diplomat
Dodge
79-81
Dodge St Regis 6
78 -80
Dodge
77
Chrysler LeBaron 318
Aspen
Newport
6
6
80-82
Mirada
Trans Cooler
6
6
6
V8
18 3/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
76 - 78
Dodge Aspen 318 V8
77 - 78
Dodge Diplomat
318 V8
76 - 78
Plymouth
Volare
318 V8
69 - 71
Plymouth
Fury 6
69 - 71
Dodge Monoco,
1Yz" L
1 Yz" R
10"
1 Yz" L
1}fi" R
10"
1Yz" R
10"
Polara 6
17 7/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
70 - 72
Dodge Monoco,
70 - 73
Plymouth
Polara 318 V8
70 - 73
Dodge Charger, Coronet,
70 - 73
Plymouth
Barracuda
71- 73
Plymouth
Satellite,
70 - 72
Plymouth
Belvedere
Fury 318 V8
Challenger
318 V8
318 V8
Sebring, Road Runner
318 V8
318 V8
17 7/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
1 Yz" R
70 - 72
Plymouth
Barracuda 6
71- 72
Plymouth
Satellite,
66 - 70
Plymouth
Belvedere,
66 -73
Dodge Charger, Coronet
Sebring, Roadrunner
Satellite
6
6
6
Core measurements
Top hose
17 3/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 W'
1 Yz" L
Bottom hose
1 %" R
Trans cooler
10"
1970 - 73 Plymouth Valiant, Duster, Scamp 318 V8
1970 - 73 Dodge Dart 318 V8
.
17 3/8" X 18 Yz" X 1 X"
1 Yz" R
1 Yz" R
1 X" L
1 X" R
6"
1 X" L
1 %" R
6"
1 X" L
1 X" R
8"
6"
1968 - 73 Dodge Dart 6
1971- 73 Plymouth Duster, Valiant 6
1968 - 69 Barracuda 6
1967 - 68 Plymouth Valiant 6
16 3/8" X 17 X" Xl X"
1975 - 77 Mercury Bobcat
163/8"
X 17 X" Xl X"
1965 Mercury Comet 289 V8
1965 - 66 Ford Mustang 289 V8
15 1/8" X 17 X" X 1 X"
1971 - 73 Ford Pinto
The radiator we used in the project car is from a 1976 Dodge Aspen 318 V8 with a 10" cooler.
It's a brand-new Modine unit (they still make them) that cost us only $90 delivered in 1986. I
was able to use this larger radiator because of the Model A style shell. If you are using the 'T'
style shell, you may have to use the Pinto or Bobcat radiator.
If you like the 'T' shell, there is another avenue open to house a larger, but still inexpensive
radiator. You can split the shell, and spread it to fit the radiator and then fill in the gap. I did
that
to house the
mammoth
Ford flathead
backgrounds.
But
ranch
meanwhile,
back
at
the
.
- Lay your radiator shell on
top of the radiator with the
top corners just clearing -
radiator
you see occasionally
in the photo
- These top corners should just clear into the shell -
Make sure the radiator
is setting square in the shell. I trust
my eye more than a tape
measure for this job. The shell I used here is a fiberglass copy of the first one I made. It proved
to be so popular with my customers that I had to make a mold of the original so I could cast
duplicates for them.
- Trace the outline of the shell onto the sides of the radiator sheet metal -
These lines must be copied in %" from the drawn line to allow for the taper of the Model A
shell, but this is not necessary for the 'T' shell.
Cut out along this new line with a 4 ~" die grinder. Cut straight in at the top of the frame (bottom of the
radiator) to the very edge of the radiator side. This is necessary to allow the radiator to set down in the
frame. The radiator should fit squarely in the shell. Don't worry about the portion of the radiator that
hangs down under the shell. It's virtually invisible when installed.
- The outline traced onto the radiator sheet metal with welders chalk. Note the
%" second line that will be the actual cutting line -
With
pliers,
radiator
sides.
bend the curve
straight
where
the angle iron frame
mounts
will touch
- The trimmed radiator fits like this into the shell -
the
- With vise grips bend
the
lower
sheet
radiator
metal
straight
where the angle iron
frame
mounts touch
the radiator sides Now cut two 10" pieces
of 1 X" angle iron. With the
radiator propped in the car,
place
these
shown
mark
uprights
in the
for
photo
the
as
and
necessary
trimming.
Mark the mounts where these uprights
rest. Remove the left side and weld the
upright to the mount. Drill X" holes where
shown
with
in the photo,
they will coincide
the raised portion
of the radiator
sides.
Drill out the rearmost hole in the lower
mount with a
)12"
bit to allow for radiator
angle adjustment.
The radiator
can now
be slid in from the right side with the left
mount bolted solid.
Now you can make the right side mount
just
like you did the
left
mount.
This
mount can be slid in and the rearward bolt
goes in easily. It takes a little patience to
get the front bolt in, but there is plenty of
clearance to do this.
Now run a 9j64" drill through the X" holes
into the sheet metal. Tighten the radiator
effectively
down with sheet metal screws. The radiator
is
sandwiched between the shell and the upright and should be very solid. Now pull
the shell top into place and run a X" bit through the sides of the shell and upright and secure
with bolts.
- Mark the trimmed left side
mount where the upright
must rest- The finished mount -
-Position the upright on
the mark on the mount
and weld it. (This is the
right side) -
----------
---------- Battery Box -
To make the battery box, a bedrail or 1 X" angle iron is perfect for this project. First cut four
pieces with each end cut at a 45 degree angle. Don't just overlap them with straight cuts
because you want to watch TV or something, the battery gets no support in the center if you
do.
- Cut two 11" and two 7 ~" pieces-
The finished box will accept most batteries. Lay the pieces together on a flat surface and tack
weld the top corners together. When all four corners are tacked, flip the box upside down and
tack both corners of each corner. Then you can weld across the bottom seams.
- Set the box on its side and weld the corner seams-
Then cut two 8 %" pieces of 1 X" angle iron. (Don't use bedrail for these, bedrail is tempered
and will destroy your drill bits)
- Use a square to position them on the box and weld them on -
When welding these uprights on, leave them clamped tight until they cool, because they
warp easily as they cool.
- Weld 45 degree
gussets here to
strengthen the
box -
The box can be bolted to the frame with four 2 %" bolts by drilling the holes in the uprights
and clear through the frame. The box has to be bolted on the right side and to the frame just
under the seat, right ahead of the frame kickup.
- Drill two 3/8" mounting holes in each upright -
2~1:
r--
0
-'-
GUSSET
TEHPLATE
Since the bottom half is exposed under the roadster and I don't want anybody to see my
Acme-Cheapo battery, I've come up with an attractive,
inexpensive cover. Buy an aluminum
louvered 8/1 X 16/1 Soffit panel from your local building supply or hardware store. The price is
under $2. Now cut off one row of the three rows of louvers and rivet the remaining section to
the side of the battery box.
- Rivet the
remaining
louvers to the
battery box side Hammer the top row
of the louvers closed
to clear the frame.
The soffit
will
be sandwiched
frame and the battery
3/8/1
between
the
box, so drill out the
holes the soffit covered. Now paint the
box to match your frame.
On one
battery
roadster,
farther
transmission
to
I had to
the
rear
to
mount
the
clear
the
mount to a TH 400 Tranny. As a
result the battery can be serviced from under
the seat, but must be removed by removing
the driveshaft,
from underneath.
and sliding the
battery
out
----------
---------- Driveshaft -
In this chapter we will modify a driveshaft to fit our roadster. The first step is to adjust the
pinion angle with the lower radius rods so that the pinion lines up with the rear of the
transmission as closely as possible. To do this, slip out the lower tie-rod ends, raise the pinion in
front with a jack until it aligns with the output shaft of the transmission, and adjust the tie-rod
ends until they slip into their holes.
What follows is the shortening technique for driveshafts that I began using in dune buggies
in Nevada. They were shortened V8-powered chassis, with just a seat and a roll bar. Besides
being great in the sand, they were nasty little dragsters when we would happen on a road. The
driveshafts showed no signs of vibration at 70+ MPH, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that
they were perfect. What I'm saying is they will work in 90% of the roadsters built from this
book, and they won't cost you a dime. If you don't like the way it drives, then you can take your
paycheck to a machine shop and order one later. At least the rod will move under its own
power. I've never busted one either (a few U-joints) and those buggies beat the hell out of
them.
The shortened driveshaft will have a final
measurement of 15" center to center of the UJoints. This is for the 350 Turbo with the short
tail
housing.
transmission,
If
you
have
slide in the front
a
different
yoke of the
driveshaft all the way, then back it out 1". Now measure your center-to-center with your pinion
yoke, and make necessary adjustments if needed, to what follows.
Cut the shaft right at the taper on both ends. Above is pictured a 1972 Chevelle shaft.
Measure in 10" from the center of the U-joint on the rear section and cut it. All cuts should be
made with a tubing cutter, chop saw or damn square with a hacksaw.
Clean the shaft down to bare metal with sandpaper and drill an 1/8" hole 2" in from the rear
end of the shaft. Clean the burrs from the inside of the 2" section (with a rattail file) that you
cut off the rear portion of the driveshaft.
Split this 2" section with a hacksaw or die grinder.
When the cut is made completely through the sleeve, it will pop open just enough for the front
and rear shafts to slide in and meet in the middle. If your particular shaft provides you with a
longer sleeve, by all means use it. The more the better.
- This sleeve is meant to hold the shafts true -
Knock off the balance weights with a chisel and hammer, they no longer balance anything.
- Slide the front and rear shafts together in the sleeve. Measure to make sure of
the 15" length -
The gap in the sleeve must be filled with weld bead to replace missing metal
and regain balance of the shaft.
Next comes the welding process. The first step is to spot weld the shafts together in several
places then weld W' at a time, alternating around the shaft to avoid warpage. The 1/8" hole you
drilled will allow for air expansion. Without it you might have a metal lunch.
- Be sure to grind the welds smooth, and inspect your welds -
- Bondo will dress up the shaft for a finish coat of paint If your driveshaft is one of the types with the rubber shock
cushion between an inner and outer shaft, you can't use it.
You'll have to find one of the solid shafts. I shortened
a
Chevelle shaft and found upon installation that the Monte Carl
rear end needed a larger U-joint. The little Chevelle joint was
swimming in the big space. I found the cups slipped right off
the larger U-joint in the rubber-type
slipped
right onto the smaller
Monte Carlo shaft, and
U-joint
around. So don't fall for the 'adapter
for a perfect
fit all
U-joint' scam until you
experiment a little.
One asshole, in an attempt to put me and this book down in
one of his books, deliberately
driveshafts,
you've
stating
that
misquoted
I 'butt-welded'
how I built
them
read this chapter you know different.
work! And it costs nothing.
together.
my
If
My way does
I've built 12 T-Buckets with this
shaft and countless Rat Rods and nobody ever complained or
changed the shaft to my knowledge. Not even the fellow who
used his T for X mile drag racing. In fact I'll be the first one to
tell you don't butt-weld
knows that!
two halves together.
A f--king idiot
It is impossible to get them true and it would
vibrate like hell! I talked with the fellow that drag raced his later and he said he ran 140+ and
the shaft never vibrated or twisted so he just left it alone. So go fuck yourself Tex!
----------
---------- Fuel System -
I use a 9' length of 3/8/1 copper tubing for the fuel line. It bends easily and doesn't rust like
steel or harden like rubber. I fasten the ends to the fuel pump and fuel tank with small lengths
of 3/8/1 fuel line. I rivet the same type harness clamps we used in the brake lines to the frame to
hold the fuel line.
- As you can see, the fuel line follows the bottom of the frame on the right side -
The fuel line bends in a U shape at the fuel pump, and curves in at the rear -
- The copper fuel line will be connected to the fuel tank with a 3/8" rubber fuel
line -
Two possibilities
present themselves for gas tanks. The project rod went with a relatively
inexpensive spun aluminum (round) seven gallon unit. Racing Unlimited carried them for $69. I
finally located a local aluminum shop that would make square tanks to my dimensions for $75.
You might check around your area to see what kind of prices you can come up with.
- The completed installation. Note the rubber fuel line from the tank to the
copper fuel line -
The gas tank mounts to two 4" lengths of 1" square tubing welded to the pickup box. Where
you place these depends on the tank you want to use. The spun aluminum tank comes with
mounting straps. If you have an aluminum shop make you a custom square tank, remember to
have them weld mounting tabs on it.
- Finish all the metalwork
including the complete mounting of the gas tank
before you paint the pickup box -
- Use a square to position the straps for mounting the tank. Mark the holes and
drill them for }{" bolts -
- Mount the tank as far to the rear as possible -
----------
---------- Lights - Headlights -
One of the best sources for cheap hot rod headlights is the swap meet. I look for rusty
chrome headlights with good bezels. Usually the bezel or retaining ring is stainless steel and not
affected by the rust, which has made the headlight too unsightly for a pedigreed hot rodder to
use. A good sanding and primer coat (sometimes bondoed dents) fills the pits, while further
sanding and finish painting makes them look brand new. I usually paint the bucket of the
headlight to match the body color and polish the rim back to its original luster.
Another
place you can find the right size headlights
motorcycles.
Beware of the motorcycle
is on junk farm
equipment
and
headlights with side mounts, you can pass them over.
Also avoid those big, ugly early thirties style headlights on a fenderless street rod. They make it
look like a toad someone stepped on. Several suppliers sell nice painted headlights cheap. JC
Whitney also sells a nice set of chrome headlights meant for dune buggies but equally at home
on a T-Bucket. I've bought these and was surprised to see that they were identical to some
lights a friend
of mine bought from a famous-name
company for double the money. My
personal favorites came off of a Ford Ferguson tractor.
We are going to make our own mounting brackets. For these I use %/1 water pipe and two 3/1
sections of 1 X/I angle iron. First cut two 3/1 sections of angle and center punch the holes with
the template on page 180. The large hole in the center is for the wires to pass through.
- Round the corners for a
neat job Cut
two
each
of
the
headlight bases, and the posts
out of %/1 pipe. The cuts on the
headlight posts (the longest pieces) are 45 degrees as shown on page 180. Drill the holes in the
angle iron bases before welding. Weld the pipe headlight bases to the posts first. A guide on
welding these lighter metals is to use a rod no thicker than the metal that you are welding. I use
1/8/1 rod on light welding and in situations where excessive slag builds up (pockets and corners),
and X/I rod (7014) on heavier metals. Of course, if you are one of those welders that use only a
mig welder, you probably don't need any advice.
'3 "
_---:-
__
-" ...1
DT
J~
"
.:!..
Headlight
base
.~:-------
I~.
-~
I
I~'l
I
-@-
Down
Angle iron
base
Assemble and weld the brackets. When welding the pipes to the lower brackets, be sure
you've got them positioned
right. It is possible to weld them upside down where they angle
down instead of up. Position the brackets about X/I back from the installed friction shock. Drill
and tap the X/I holes. The large hole can be drilled in the frame with a 3/8/1 drill approximately
where it will line up with the hole in the bracket. Our headlight wires will thread downward
through the bracket into the frame, through rubber grommets, and back out below the frame,
again through grommets.
(You'll notice I make a rubber gasket out of inner tube rubber) Bolt
the bracket to the frame
and
drill
below
a hole
it
right
for
the
headlight wires.
With
the
brackets
on drill a 5/16/1
bolted
hole in the back of the
post
about
from
the
junction.
thread
1/1
down
headlight
Now you can
the
wires
through.
Don't
doing
this
until
is
painted,
everything
bother
though.
- Taillights The taillights
we will use are merely plastic
accessory units available
in any department
store for about $5 apiece. They also carry a
license plate mount
that
plate below the taillight
for
illumination.
motorcycle
mounts
the license
and uses the taillight
The rear turn
signals are
units mounted to a small section of
angle iron welded
to the bottom
rail of the
pickup box. Wire the turn signals to the cycle
lights, and the brake and taillight
accessory lights.
wires to the
I
TAILLIGHT
MOUNTING
BRACKET
+---+----------
,"
o
'if
o
- Small pieces of angle iron are welded to the box to mount the cycle lights to -
- The rear lighting is complete, legal and operational
-
----------
---------- Dash-
The first step in constructing
posterboard,
the dashboard is that of cutting out the various sections from
using the templates
provided. Just match up the arrows and letters; then tape
them all together to make a full-size template of the dash.
Now go to your favorite building supply store and buy a wooden plank at least 6/1 X 48/1 X %/1
or 1/1 thick. Select your favorite type of wood, but buy one for the grain as well as the type of
wood. I went in for a piece of black walnut for the project and found a cypress plank with a
grain combination
that just blew me away. Whatever you buy, make sure that it has been kiln-
dried. I chose the nicest grain combination
and set the dash template
of the three available on the plank for our project,
over it. (Page 186) The dash on the left is the 23 T dash for our
project. The dash on the far right is for the 27 T in the background Disregard that. The dash in
the center is another 23 T unit.
Cut out your dash with your friendly saber saw. The picture may seem like a waste of wood,
but I select the best available grain, which is often in the center of the plank.
The speedometer
hole, which is larger than the average hole saw, can be cut out with the
saber saw too. The hole in the template
speedometer.
fits a Stewart-Warner
speedometer
or any 3
)12"
Select one from your local wrecking yard and cut the hole to fit before routing or
the resin coating is applied. I've found that International
trucks from the 1970s (trucks, buses,
Scouts, Travelalls, and pickups) have a beautiful speedometer
accept the early Chevrolet speedometer
full of Internationals!
with a spun aluminum face, and
cable. And I mean to tell you the wrecking yards are
Volkswagen speedometers
may only go up to 80 MPH but they're round
and contain a gas gauge. Some Oldsmobiles from the mid-60s had a nice round 3/1 120 MPH
speedometer.
Just go to your local wrecking yard or swap meet and look for a 3 to 3
that takes the early cable.
)12"
face
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- Reduce image to match measurements-
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- Adjust copy to match measurements for life- size template -
'\.0 --------- Copy to scale -
- Reduce copy t o scale-
- Reduce to scale -
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6"
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- Select your wood for the best grain -
- Trace the dash from the template
and cut it out with a saber saw or bandsaw.
You can't afford any slips, so go slow and sand it smooth by hand -
Cut the gauge holes with a 2" hole saw, the hole saw for installing door knobs is perfect. Cut
a hole in a piece of scrap first to make sure you have the correct size for you gauge.
- Use the template
to center punch the different holes -
- For the inexpensive accessory gauges, a simple hole saw for installing door
knobs is the right size -
Drill a 55j64" hole where the template indicates for an accessory type ignition switch. Drill a
15j32" hole where indicated for a headlight switch. You can use a toggle switch if you like, but I
use either the push-pull unit from the donor or a push-pull switch from a marine dealer. (Boat
switches are made for thick wood dashes)
- The dash on the left is the 23 T dash for the project, the center is for a 27 T, the
third is another 23 T dash in the process of routing -
- You can burn the wood carefully with a torch to darken it and bring out the
grain (Practice first on wood scraps) -
Now you can apply the resin coating, whether
it is Viro-Tex, Decoupage, or whatever
is
available in your area. This is the clear resin coating used for sealing pictures to wood. It costs
around $10 for a 1 Qt. Kit, with instructions and plenty of coating to do one dash.
The horn button will be under the dash out of sight, as will be the turn-signal switch, which is
merely a 3-way toggle switch.
There are three mini-lites on the project dash for turn signals and headlight bright indicator.
These are available at Radio Shack.
The back of the dash has to have about X" routed out to clear the windshield
posts, so the
dash will rest flat against the body. Trim it out like shown here on the outer, upper portions of
the dash back.
,
,
\
\
_ .... _1
- The finished wood dash is an object of beauty, and is easily removed by
loosening two screws. Complete accessibility is obtainable for servicing by this
five minute maneuver -
----------
---------- Electrical system -
Don't let the wiring scare you. It's a lot simpler than that family wagon you're thinking of.
Just tackle one system (harness) at a time. Don't tape up the harness until all systems are wired
by the numbers and double-checked.
This is one of the last stages in construction.
I will do my wiring in three sections to avoid
confusion. They will meet in one spot taped with matching sequential numbers to be soldered
together.
I have included in this chapter general wiring schematics in case you use a different
motor, dash, or in case you bought this book to help with a different project.
As you are wiring
you can hold the wires in place by cutting
a small piece of plastic
electricians tape, and bind the wire into the loom about every foot or so. When the loom is
wrapped upon completion, these will blend right in.
This project is wired for a small-block Chevy. If you chose a Ford or Mopar, you will have to
use the general schematics and make your own system. Actually, it's not that hard. Just mount
the solenoid on the firewall and change the engine wires to accommodate the different
motor.
It's your baby. I said Chevy, remember?
- The battery cables should be installed before the body is bolted on tor the final
time.
Here you
can
see
route
and
the
the
placement of the
clamps.
The
positive cable is
44"
long;
the
ground cable is
short, bolting to
the outside part
of one
of the
battery box bolts
The
basic
schematics included in this chapter are designed to help you wire up any street rod. If you plan
a Chevy-powered T-Bucket like our project car, you won't need them, just follow the step by
step instructions that follow the schematics.
- Basic gauge and accessory circuit -
e
e
Q
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111-
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- Ford alternator/ignition
18 giiluge wire
10 gauge wire
circuit -
- General Motors ignition/charging circuit (internal regulator) -
16 gauge wire
10 gauge wire
..
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s
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- General Motors ignition/charging circuit (external voltage regulator) -
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a:I
16 gauge wire
10 gauge wire
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- Parts and supplies Our wiring will be done with 10 and 16 gauge wire. The 10 gauge will handle the normal load
imposed on street roadsters of our type.
For the beginning of our wiring adventure we need a cluster of wire ties. We will fasten the
wires together forming the loom and use the bread ties to hold the wires in place until the loom
is finished, or substitute pieces of plastic electrical tape once they wear out and the loom is well
under way. When the loom is finished completely wrap it with plastic tape.
We'll need a 6-post junction
block and a 5-fuse block. These are available at good auto
supply stores, and Radio Shack.
As far as the GM alternators
regulator.
through
go, try to get the newer model (1970s) with the internal
This can be seen from the back of the alternator.
the air holes in the rear; the newer alternator
external ribs (resembling a gear cog) on the alternators
Look for the finned
regulator
can more easily be spotted
by the
body. If all you can get is the older
model, no problem, they are just as good and I've included a separate wiring diagram for them.
The mini-lights and dash lights can be wired with 18 gauge or speaker wire, and the rest can
be done in 16 gauge, except where I specify to use 10 gauge.
For terminals I buy a box from an electric supply store without that fancy plastic insulation.
Instead, I use heat-shrink tubing for insulation on the connections. That stuff is pretty neat. Just
cut off a
)12"
piece, slip it over the terminal and hold a butane lighter under it. Zappo! It shrinks
right up. I roll the hot connections between my fingers sometimes to make it even tighter.
If you're using regular automotive
terminals and want to use heat-shrink tubing, just pull the
plastic insulator off with a pair of needle-nose pliers and side cutters prior to putting it on the
wire end. Remember to slide the piece of tubing over the wire before you put the end on or
splice the wires.
One very important
item in wrring is the soldering of any wire splices you make. Just
wrapping a pigtail connection with plastic tape won't do. It will work temporarily
but start to
corrode as soon as current passes through it. What will happen is after a while the wire will
short out and when you take the insulation off to see why, a bunch of green crap will fall in your
hand.
Stick with copper wire. Don't use the solid core household type, either. A spool of automotive
wire is cheap enough, so do it right. The electrical system is no place to cut corners to save a
few bucks. Speaker wire is nice for wiring the mini-lights and instrument
wire is fastened together and easy to work with.
lights because the dual
- The Dash Harness- Before starting the dash wiring, a trial fit of the dash with the desired
instruments installed is necessary. The body must be trimmed for speedometer
clearance -
Our dash instruments, with the exception of the speedometer,
A 3-pack usually includes a water temperature
can be purchased anywhere.
gauge, ammeter and an oil pressure gauge. Get
the chrome bezels (rims) if possible; they look nicer in the wood dash than the black rims. The
three small mini (indicator)
lights can be bought from Radio Shack, and they display in this
order: left turn, bright lights and right turn. The speedometer
be routed out to use a multitude
of different
hole accepts a 3 W' face and can
units. Tour a wrecking yard for your own choice.
Check the back to make sure it accepts a screw-on cable.
If you end up with a clip-on cable and a screw-on type speedometer
or vice versa, you can
make a very simple adapter. Cut about a 1 W' piece of heater hose, slip it over the speedometer
and tighten the clamp. Now, making sure the square drive cable is set in the speedometer drive
gear, slide the cable housing as far into the hose as it will go and tighten another clamp over it.
Bingo! All this with no shade tree!
Any round face speedometer
speedometer
will look good in your dash. It is not a bad idea to get the
before you put the epoxy resin on the dash, in case the hole is not large enough.
Stewart-Warner
has a 160 Mph unit with a 3/1 face, International
trucks, pickups, scouts, and
Travelalls have a beautiful 100 Mph unit with a 3 W' face, Luv pickups had an oval unit with a 4/1
X 5/1 face, and sucking hind tit is the Volkswagen 90 Mph unit with a 5/1 face.
- The mounting positions of the
horn and signal switches- Turn signal toggle
switch template
o
2
)12"
o
1"
- Run the water
temperature
lead under the
headers, with
the spark plug
wires -
-
- To install accessory gauges in a
wood dash you need to trim ~" off
of the retainers Cut
- Gauges and light placements-
Ammeter
Light switch
o 000
o
o
o
Ignition
Speedometer
I lucked into a Stewart-Warner
Water tempent~
speedometer at a swap meet for $3. It installs with a retainer
like the accessory gauges. I also found the speedometer in the photos at the same meet. I don't
know what kind it is, but it fastened very simply with 3 screws like the speedometer
in the Jeep
pickups. (Which is also a nice round unit) Whatever speedometer you use, you'll have to mount
it the best you can. I can't cover them all. Use your common sense, you'll do fine. If you use
screws, be careful they don't break through the face of the dash and ruin the finish.
Buy three mini-lights (flush mount) from Radio Shack. (Be sure and get 12 volt) Drill three
holes (for whatever
size they need) where indicated on to dash template.
Measure them as
shown in the lower photo to determine drill size.
Install an accessory ignition-starter
switch and a push-pull light switch. You need only a two
pole light switch; off and on. Accessory (universal) switches are made this way.
If you use the switch from the parts car, hook a hot wire to the red wire and use a trouble
light to find the wire that completes the circuit when the switch is pulled out. Then forget that
remaining mess of wires that originally belonged to the light switch. Clip them off short and just
use the power and headlight leads.
- Now fasten four harness clamps to the back of the dash -
Put a screw in the upper corner between the oil gauge and the outside of the dash, for a
central ground. Make sure the screw doesn't go all the way through the dash and ruin your
finish.
Now for the actual wiring. I use the heat-shrink tubing, because those cute little multi-color
wampum terminals don't permit soldering.
1. Put an end on a 16 gauge wire and route it through the clamps from the left (looking at the
back of the dash) to the ignition switch (which would be on your right) and fasten it to the
starter terminal
(marked S) of the switch. Hang the other end of the wire off the left lower
corner of the dash. Cut it 12/1 from the end of the dash. This will form a loom end (hereafter
referred to as the loom tail), with the other dash wires to be hooked into the other looms later.
The dash will fasten to the body with just two screws and we will leave enough slack in the
loom
so that
the
dash can be
removed and laid over to one side
upside down for accessibility. (The
speedometer
cable
must
be
unscrewed to do this)
- Sheet metal riveted to body
for the two
the dash in -
screws holding
Buya roll of X" masking tape, you'll need it. Write 'Starter on a piece of tape and fasten it
about 3" from the end of the wire in the loomtail.
Clip off all wires even at the end of the
loomtail as you go.
2. Run a 16 gauge wire from the 'Ign" terminal
of the switch to the loomtail. Mark this one
'switch to coil.' Hold the loom together with temporary
bread ties as you go. When you're
done, you can replace them with plastic ties.
3. Run a 10 gauge red wire from the 'Bat' terminal
of the switch to the loomtail.
Mark this
'Ignition switch to Bat.'
4. Run a 16 gauge wire from the 'Acc' terminal of the switch to end in the center of the large
blank area of the dash, on your right. (Remember the dash is upside down with the bottom of
the dash facing you)
5. Run a 16 gauge wire the full length of the dash bottom and out the loomtail. This wire can
hang down from the last harness and fasten to the center post of a 3-way toggle switch for your
turn signals. They are located right under the driver's side of the dash. Mark this wire 'turn
signal +' at the loomtail.
o
-----
The toggle switch can be mounted
000
on a small
strip
of body
metal
screwed to the back of the dash. A
template
Horn button
for this piece is on page
199. Drill the hole for the toggle
,
switch
in the sheet metal before
cutting it out, to avoid twisting the
3-Hay toggle switch
small strip around the drill bit. The
accessory type horn button can be mounted on a 2" piece of angle iron also screwed to the
back of the dash.
6. Run two more 16 gauge wires exactly like the last from the loomtail to the two remaining
terminals of the toggle switch. If, when the entire electrical system is completed,
they don't
correspond to the direction the toggle switch is pushed, you need only to rotate the switch over
to make them work right. Mark them 'turn signal left' and 'turn signal right' at the loomtail.
7. Run a speaker wire (dual cord) from the turn signal switch to the mini-lights The one next to
the speedometer
will connect to your left signal terminal, and the far light will connect to your
right signal terminal.
You'll find these mini-lights
quite
handy, as there
is no automatic
cancellation of the signal. It's quite easy to forget the signal while you're trying to catch the eye
of that 38-24-36 that's looking at your rod. And when she ignores your ugly mug, you won't
look like a total ass driving down the road with you blinker on.
8. Run an 18 gauge wire from the other pole of the right turn mini-lite to the central ground. Split a dual
speaker wire and ground the two remaining mini-lites to the central ground.
9. Run a 16 gauge wire from the central ground to the loomtail and mark it
'central ground'.
10. Now ground all four instruments to the central ground with speaker wire so that the instrument
lights will work.
11. Measure 7" in from the right or turn signal bottom end of the dash. Run two 16 gauge wires from
this point to the loomtail. They will fasten to the accessory horn button. Mark one
'Horn', and the other
'Hornfuse'.
12. If an electrical oil pressure gauge is used run a 16 gauge wire from the + side of the gauge to the
'Ign' terminal of the ignition switch. Run a 16 from the - to the loomtail marked
'oil pressure sender'.
13. If an electrical water temperature gauge is used run a 16 gauge wire from the + side of the gauge to
the 'Ign' terminal of the ignition switch. Run a 16 gauge wire from the - side of the gauge to the loomtail
and mark it
'temp sender'.
14. Run a 10 gauge red wire from the Ammeter + side to the loomtail, and mark it
15. Now run a 10- gauge wire from the ammeter - side to the loomtail and mark it
'Solenoid hot'.
'Alternator Bat'.
16. Run a (dual) speaker wire from between the water temperature and oil pressure gauges, split it and
fasten each instrument
light to a wire. Connect the other ends together to the light switch to be
activated when the switch is pulled. Both wires can use a single terminal end.
17. Split another speaker wire and hook up the ammeter and speedometer lights to the same light
terminal of the light switch as in step 16.
18. Next run a 10 gauge wire from the same terminal to the loomtail and mark it
'lights'.
19. Now run a 10 gauge wore from the other terminal of the light switch, to the loomtail, and mark it
'light fuse'.
20.
Run an 18 gauge from the empty terminal to the center mini-lite to the loomtail and mark it
'Brights'.
Now replace all the bread ties with plastic ties and clip off the ends. Then you can wrap the loom
with black plastic tape. It's easiest to wrap if it's removed but you can struggle through it without
removing it. Take the harness clamps off and replace them after the loom has been wrapped.
- The dash wiring is complete-
Install the mount and the 3-way toggle for the turn signals and make the mount for the horn
button. For this cut a 2 W' piece of 1 X" angle iron and drill two 3/16" holes on one side. Fasten
it to the back of the dash. Set the horn button flush with the bottom of the dash, hook up the
two horn wires to it, and fasten it to the angle iron with pop rivets. The dash can be fastened to
the body with one long X" bolt on each side. That way it is very easy to remove if the occasion
arises.
- Drill a 1" hole in the firewall directly in front of the speedometer for the
cable to pass through. This hole can also be used for the water temperature
cable and the oil pressure gauge tube -
- Body HarnessThe positive ground cable to the starter solenoid is a prefabricated
standard cable 44" long
and available at any parts house. The ground cable need only be short and fastens on the
outside of the frame to a battery box bolt, or it can be longer and fasten to one of the starter
mounting bolts.
A heavy ground strap (the woven steel kind) is needed from the engine to the frame. If you
have the battery grounded
to the engine, you don't
need quite as heavy a ground strap
between the engine and the frame. I like a short ground cable because if for any reason you
have to crank the engine for a longer period of time, the ground cable is the one that will get
hot. The longer it is, the hotter it will get.
Run the water
temperature
line down
and under the plugs with the plug wires to
avoid the header heat.
Note
how
I've
designed
my
roadsters for ease of maintenance.
By simply lifting up the seat, you
have accessto everything Fasten the fuse block, junction
block,
voltage regulator (if needed), and flasher to
the center floor below the seat. Cut a 4" X
B" piece of posterboard to fasten under the
junction
block. This is extremely
labeling the individual
future
reference.
useful for
wires and fuses for
You'd be surprised
how
quickly you forget what went where. I also
write the amp rate of the fuse beside the
fuse block to avoid any future confusion.
- The ballast resistor (if points style
ignition is used) should be mounted on
the engine for heat disipitation. It gets
hot enough to set wood or fiberglass on
fire. In a normal car the metal firewall is
used, lacking that alternative we'll use
the engine-
If you mount the ballast resistor under the seat it will make a hot box when the battery and
master cylinder covers are installed, if you want roasted nuts buy them in a supermarket.
Now drill four holes in the body for the
harness to pass through:
- One in the floor by the firewall on
the inside of the frame - One in the front floor by the
upright on the outside of the frame
- One down at the firewall base
between the steering column and
frame - One on the left side behind the seat
riser and inside the frame- One in the floor, behind the seat riser
on the right side, but outside the seat
support, and another one through the
seat support to meet this hole - Mount the dimmer switch on the
firewall -
Before we start building the body harness,
let's do the more simple light harness.
- Floor hole locations for the harness wires - Light Harness 1.
,
I I
I
I
,
I I
Ground both black wires (ground)
from the headlights to the headlight
mount posts. (The ground wire is the
center wire on the sealed beam plug)
I
I
2. Run a 52" long 10 gauge wire from
I
the left-side headlight (dim) up through
I
I
I
I
hole #5 to the low-beam side of the
I
I
I
dimmer switch.
'.6.
3. Splice the right-side low beam into
I
I
this wire with a 20" piece of 14 gauge.
4.
Run a 52" length of 10 gauge from
the left headlight (bright) up through
hole # 5 to the high-beam side of the
dimmer switch.
5. Splice the right side bright light into
this wire with a 20" length of 14 gauge.
- Splicing the headlight wires into
the
loomtail.
Note
the
labels
denoting the different wires 6. Run a 55" long length of 10 gauge
wire from the center (+) post of the
dimmer
switch
transmission
up
hump
and
to
the
over
the
loomtail.
Solder this to the 'lights' wire.
7. Run a 110" length of 14 gauge from
the right front
turn signal along the
inside of the frame, up through hole # 1
to the loomtail. Solder this to the 'Rt. turn signal' lead.
8. Run a 96" length of 14 gauge wire from the left front turn signal to the loomtail. Solder it to
the 'Rt turn signal' lead.
The rear lighting system will be part of the body loom, so this completes our light harness.
- Now wrap the
loom with plastic
tape, making sure
you leave enough
lead for the
various
components -
- The Body Ha rness The engine harness will also be included in the body harness. The body harness will be one of
the most time-consuming
jobs, but take your time and get it right. Read this entire chapter
once before you start, then double check everything as you go. Mistakes are hard to find once
the loom is wrapped with black plastic tape.
1. First run a 14 gauge ground wire from the regulator (if so equipped) to a central ground
located in the blank area behind the flasher.
2. Run a 63" red 10 gauge wire from the solenoid 'Bat' terminal, up through hole #1, follow the
inside firewall and cowl, down through hole #2, along the chassis to come up through hole #3,
through
hole #4, and over to terminal
#1 of the junction
block. Mark the paper underneath
'Solenoid hot'. This will be the route for all wires in the body harness unless otherwise
specified.
3. Run a 2
red 10 gauge wire from the terminal
)12"
block #1 to the #1 fuse in the fuse block.
Mark this 'Ignition switch- 30 Amps'.
4.
Run a 59" red 10 gauge wire from the other side of fuse #1 back through the holes and
straight up through hole #2 to the dash harness loomtail. Solder it to the 'Ign switch 'hot'
lead.
Connect a bridge between junction block terminals 1 and 2.
5. Use a 2
)12"
length of red 10 gauge to connect terminal block #2 to fuse #2 and mark this fuse
'Lights 30 Amp'
- The under-seat area is done, electrical system finished and sheet metal covers
in place-
6. Run a 52" length of 14 gauge wire from the loomtail to terminal block #3. Solder this to the
loomtail wire 'Ign switch to coil',
7. Connect a 2 W' piece of 14 gauge wire from terminal block #3 to #3 fuse. Mark the paper 'Ign
coil- 10 Amp. Bridge #3 and 4 of the terminal block.
8. Run an 85" 14 gauge wire from #3 fuse to the ballast resistor, mounted next to the coil on
points style ignition, or direct to an HEI distributor.
- The loomtail splice ready for final taping -
- Horn location 9. (Points style distributors) Connect a 14
gauge wire from the ballast resistor to the
+ side of the coil. Make sure the ballast
resistor is the right one for you engine. If
the voltage is cut too low the engine won't
start, to high and you'll burn your points
and weaken the coil.
10.
Connect the
coil -
side to
the
distributor.
11. Use a radio condenser on to - side of
the coil if you plan to use a stereo.
12.
Run a 27" 14 gauge wire from the
solenoid starter post to the loomtail. Solder this to the 'Starter' lead.
13. Run a 48/1 red 10 gauge wire from the large post on the alternator (use the big rubber
insulator as originally) to the loomtail. (Down the back of the engine to the starter wires and up
through hole #1. Solder this to the 'Alternator Bat' lead.
14. Run a 27" piece of red 10 gauge from the Bat. Post on the solenoid to the loomtail. Solder it
to the 'Solenoid hot' wire.
15. If equipped with an external voltage regulator, run a 107" length of 14 gauge from the 'F'
(Field) terminal on the alternator to the voltage regulator.
16. Run 106/1 of 14 gauge wire from the alternator (the other wire in the two-wire connector
sometimes marked 1 or R on the alternator body) to voltage regulator terminal 2. (I save the
long plastic plug-in for the regulator and solder to the leads).
17. Run a 10/1 piece of 14 gauge from #3 and 4 (soldered together) of the regulator to fuse #4.
18. For an internal GM style regulator, omit #15 - 17, and run a 101/1 14 gauge wire from the
Acc terminal of the Ign. Switch to the alternator, where it will solder together with both wires
from the 2-plug
connector.
19. Connect a 2 )12" length of 14 gauge between terminal block #4 and fuse #4 (10 Amp)
20.
Run a 69/1 length of 14 gauge from the 'Central ground' screw under the seat to the
loomtail. Solder it to the wire marked 'Central ground'.
21. Mount the dimmer switch on the firewall. Run a 55/1 length of 18 gauge from the dimmer
switch 'Bright' terminal to the loomtail. Solder to the mini-lite lead marked 'Brights'.
22. Run a 59" length of red 10 gauge wire from fuse #2 to the loomtail. Solder this to the wire
ma rked 'Light fuse'.
23. Run a 42" 14 gauge wire from the central ground to the body bolt under the seat on the
right side.
24. A 68" piece of 14 gauge wire goes from the flasher to the loomtail. Solder it to the 'Turn
signal +' lead.
25. Run a 63" 14 gauge wire from fuse #5 (10 Amp) to the loomtail. Solder it to the lead 'Horn
fuse'.
26. Run a 9" piece of 14 gauge from the flasher to fuse #5.
27. If an electric oil pressure gauge is used run a 34" 14 gauge wire from it to the loomtail.
Solder it to the lead 'Oil pressure sender.
28. If an electrical water temperature
gauge is used, connect a 59" length of 14 gauge from the
sending unit to the loomtail. Solder it to the 'Water temp. Sender' wire.
29. Run a 71" 14 gauge wire from the center or + post of the dimmer switch, under the
floorboard
and up under the seat through holes 5 and 6, and back to the left rear corner of the
chassis. (If there is no room in the frame cutout section, drill a hole).
30. Clean the insulation (about )12") from a spot 12" back from the taillight end of wire #29 and
solder a 34" 14 gauge wire here for the other taillight.
31. Solder a 7" section of 14 gauge wire to this same splice for a license light.
You have a choice of brake light switches. The most
dependable is the hydraulic. You can make an adapter for
the standard Ford type switch. If you bought a manual oil
pressure gauge there is an extra fitting included that will
work here. Braze it to the single terminal
body after you
gut the switch, and run a drill through it. (This single wire
switch will not work in our system, and will only blow
fuses if hooked up to a hot wire).
Your other choice is a switch that acts off the brake pedal.
The switch you need is one that completes
when the button
floorboard
is released. Mount
the circuit
it to the wooden
between the seat and the brake pedal so that
when the brake pedal returns to its rest position, it will
close the switch. When the brake pedal is depressed the
switch is released, completing
the brake lights.
the circuit, and actuating
32. Run a 19" 14 gauge wire from fuse #4 to the brake light switch.
33. Run a 51" section from the brake light switch to the left rear corner of the frame brake
light.
34.
Repeat the procedure in step #30 with this last wire and use another 34" length of 14
gauge for the other brake light.
35. Run a 97" length of 14 gauge from the left rear corner to the loomtail. Solder it to the 'left
turn signal' lead.
36. Run a 122" 14 gauge from the right rear corner to the loomtail. Solder it to the 'turn signal
right' wire.
37. Run a 14 gauge wire from the unused terminal of the solenoid to the + side of the ignition
coil. (If so equipped) This feeds 12 volts past the ballast resistor to aid in starting.
Now you can wrap all the wire looms with black plastic tape, and place harness clamps
where needed.
- Here's a little reward for all your hard work -
----------
---------- Gas Pedal-
We will, of course, use the gas pedal from the donor car. If the pedal has the excess baggage
you see in the photo, cut it off at the chalk line. If you're running Ford power, get a Chevy go
pedal.
- Cut off this excess baggage
at the chalk line On the project roadster I took
the pedal off this unit and used an
early Chevy (50s) pickup
pedal,
which fastened to the floor, and
slid freely on the arm as it was
depressed.
- Trim off the lower portion of
the pedal so that it clears the
transmission hump -
Next we need to make a block or spacer to mount the pedal back away from the firewall.
This is necessary to allow space for proper pedal depression, and enables us to use a stock GM
throttle cable.
OU
A 10/1 cable
works perfectly in
our project. You
=__
~J============~__~
j
•
"
can also custom-make a cable using a bicycle brake cable, it's just as strong.
Cut a 3 %/1 length of 2 X 3/1 square tubing. (The left-overs from the frame work well here)
Use the pattern
configurations,
on page 214 to drill the holes. Some GM throttles
have different
bolt
but the idea is the same. Set the pedal on the block and mark the holes if your
pedal is different.
- Template for gas pedal spacer block-
3/,,"
-0I
3.0
L~"
R-
L
+
vI'
-y.-~.
N
.
3-%.~
The 17j64" holes go all the way through both sides. Bolt the spacer block to the firewall with
3 W' X X" bolts or all-thread
existing speedometer
cable attachment
with a nut on each end. Drill a 47j64"
cable hole, wherever you throttle
hole to the left of the
pedal arm needs it to line up with the
hole on the end of the pedal arm.
-Notice positioning of the cable hole and pedal block outline on the firewall -
Avoid using a longer cable, as the resulting horseshoe in the cable makes for a hard-to-work
throttle that may stick open.
Now take the gas pedal arm, cut the
straight section and reverse the arm. If it
proves necessary, you can heat and bend
the
upper arm to line it up with
throttle
cable.
Disassemble
the
the
pedal
assembly and lubricate it.
- A stock arm and its reversal -
- Note that the
brake pedal is
bolted on
sideways here for
clearance -
Install the throttle
cable and depress the pedal all the way down. Now reach over the cowl (I
have long arms, you may need a friend here) and see if the carburetors bell crank can be pulled
back any farther by hand. If it can, bend the upper arm back as much as necessary to allow for
total opening. This is an important
check ignored or missed by many builders, resulting in a
gross loss of available horsepower when you punch it.
Depress the brake pedal and check to see if it mashes the throttle
when pushed hard. A
bull's-eye pad has no problem, but this type pedal was too wide. I kind of like it sideways, but
the bull's-eye (pre-1948 Ford) is inexpensive and much more attractive. They are easy to find in
swap meets or through the antique Ford suppliers on the internet.
return spring on the carburetors'
It's very important
bell crank. Work the pedal quite a few times to see if it sticks.
to have a perfect return here. An acquaintance of mine screwed his up and
disaster struck when the throttle
also relates to the shifter
competitors
Be sure you have a strong
stuck wide open. More on this story on page 216 because it
he made.
The really scary part was that
and he built roadsters for customers!
he was one of my
----------
---------- Shift Unit -
One thing I always loved about the fifties roadsters were the tall shift arms coming up out of
the floor from the 1939 top loaders. So that is what I decided to put in our project, at least a
facsimile of one, designed for an automatic. (I had a real 39 top loader in my flathead Bucket).
The easy way out is of course the readily available and inexpensive Mustang shift unit. It
saves fabrication
time and seems to shift nicely. I've included some tips and a floor-cutout
template for installing this unit later in this chapter. If you've selected Ford power you'll have to
use this unit because I only have plans for the Chevy transmission.
However, before taking this
easy way out, let me tell you a true story about what happened to an acquaintance of mine.
The Mustang shifter bolts to the floorboard
and connects to the transmission
with one shift
rod. It seems he had his roadster (a very nice one) in neutral and was working on his engine, a
Chevy big block with two fours on a tunnel-ram.
the motor and the throttle
He gunned the engine once when working on
stuck wide open. (He was standing alongside the car).The torque
twisted the power train, causing it to slip into drive. The roadster took off, running over his toes
and shot across the parking lot, luckily smashing into a loaded trash dumpster at the end of the
parking lot without
hurting anyone. His business of building roadsters folded up within a year.
Since the turbo 350 is the most common Chevy transmission,
that. (It also fits a Turbo 400 by just leaving out the rear-center
I've designed this unit to fit
mounting bolt) If you have a
different transmission perhaps you can use this as a guide in designing your own.
This shift unit bolts to the transmission
itself and fits under the floorboards,
original Ford shift lever coming up out of the center-front
of the floorboard,
and has an
giving plenty of leg
room for the T's occupants.
First, scout a swap meet or junkyard for an old floorshift
A, Ford V8, even an old truck or tractor.
transmission lever. It can be Model
I pay from $1 To $5 apiece for them, and the swap
meets are full of them. The 7/16/1 rod shift lever is somewhat flimsier. Gearshift balls are a
matter of personal choice, with the Ford's original knob being the nicest driving, least attractive
one. I put a glass sculptured doorknob on the project for looks, and it cost only $6 new.
- If you have a column shift unit with ears on the sides, cut them off -
CUT
on
I use an old transmission case for a jig because I make a lot of these. You can just use your
transmission.
Remove the filler tube and dipstick to provide clearance. It has to be shortened
before
trash
re-installation
can the
anyway. Also, I
manual
passing gear
system.
- Trim an 8 ~" piece of 1 ~"
'!'
angle iron using the template
'A', folding it so that it covers
both sides with the 3/8"
hole
drilled offset to the right Template
;A'
::
'A'
'"'FT ""T
-, .
Cut a 17 %/1 length of)l2" square tubing for 'B'.
!+-/~/--+
I
3~
~1-
- Heat the tubing 6" back and bend it over
2" measuring as the photo shows (tube
1---
'c'
is in the photo)
Weld the long end to the left side of 'A; as
shown on the template. Cut a 19" length of
~" square tubing for
'C'. Heat it 8 %" back,
and bend it down to
a measurement of 3
}{" Weld this to the
right side of 'A' with
the 8 %" end facing
forward.
Weld tube 'C' to the right side of 'N with the 8 %" end facing forward.
Bolt this unit to the
transmission. Twist the tubes as necessary to line up with the tabs on each side of the transmission bell
housing. They should rest on the top of the tabs. The rear hole lines up with the offset tab on the center
rear of the transmission. (Non-existent on the 400). Fasten the center rear with a 1" X 3/8" bolt, lock
washer, and a nut underneath the tab. Slight grinding to the arch of 'A; may be needed to bring this hole
into line. Drill X" holes in the front of 'B' and 'C' to allow 2" X X" bolts to drop through the holes in the
tabs and fasten with a large flat washer, lock washer and nut underneath.
Cut a 12" length of W' square tubing. Use template '0' as a guide for heating and bending. If you
touch the posterboard template to the hot metal it will burst into flame, so be careful or make several.
It's tricky, but you need the tubing bent exactly like template '0'.
- Set '0' on the transmission side rails right where the bell housing curves into
the transmission top. Position it so you can just see daylight between it and its
closest point to the transmission. (I use a 5/16" flat washer laid flat on the bell
housing as a spacer-aid) and tack weld each end of '0' on -
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
Shift unit
template D.
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
,\
/0\
» '\
';>",
\/~.
Cut two 1 W' lengths of %" pipe. (The chopped out section of steering shaft works well here).
Slide these sleeves over a 7/16" round steel rod. (I save the torsion bars used to close the trunk
lid for these) and clamp them to the 'D' bar (re-installed on the transmission) for welding. Tack
them to 'D' and check to see that the 7/16" rod rotates freely before welding them solid.
- Clamp rod with sleeves intact to D bar for welding-
If you are an amateur welder, here is a hint to keep you from melting through the thin tubing
with an arc welder. Concentrate your arc on the pipe, including the tubing in the outside edge
of your puddle. Grind for inspection and fill holes if necessary.
- Cut your shift arm (whether from an old Ford or a John Deere tractor) as
shown -
- Weld a 5/16" flat washer on one end of a 20"
WELD
length of 7/16" rod. Set it flat on the end and weld it
in the center Now slide the rod through the sleeves from the right to the
left until this washer hits the %" pipe sleeve. Now slip a 7j16"
flat washer over the rod on the left side and up against the left
sleeve and spot weld it to the rod at this point.
Weld on the transmission shift rod (the tall 'top loader' rod
you cut off). The washer you welded on the 7j16" rod on the left where it extends through the
sleeve will keep the rod from having a sideways movement.
- Weld on your transmission shift rod -
- Cut out this shift lever for the transmission from }{" plate -
r-.
5/.:
~
Shift Unit 'F'
+--------------+~.__,,------------------------~
-Heat and bend the 7/16" rod so that it curves over the framework -
With the shift lever where you want low gear, trim off the excess about X/I below the side rail.
Cut tab 'E' from 1/8/1 plate and drill a 21/64/1 hole using the template as a guide.
- Use a scrap of 3/8" plate for a temporary spacer to hold the tab in position
while you weld the tab to the bottom rear of the 7/16" rod -
- Weld a 2" X 3/8" bolt in the left
rear corner of the unit under the
side rail as in the photo. The hex
head will nestle in the corner. Use a
scrap of ~" square tubing to hold
the bolt level Cut a shift arm (F) from lj8" plate. (I save
the old power steering and air conditioner
mounts for this) use the 'F' template
and
drill the three holes indicated. We need an
adjustment
so our top
rod will
have a
clevis on the rear. You can use some 5j16"
all thread and a hardware store clevis.
Cut about 12 "of rod and screw it halfway through the
clevis. Chalk a mark on the rod 9
)12"
from the clevis eye.
Heat it here and bend it over 90 degrees.
Cut it off %" after the bend and drill a lj8" hole in the
1/8"
cotter
key hole
end for a cotter key. Then spot weld a 5j16" flat washer at
Spot
the bend.
. we l
d
Insert in tab 'E' on the unit, slip on another 5j16" flat
washer, then a cotter key. Faster the clevis to arm 'F' in
the
second
sandwiched
hole down
from
the
top.
'F' should
be
between two flat washers on the 2' X 3j8"
welded bolt and held on with a self-locking
nut. Tighten
Pivot
the nut, then loosen just enough so that 'F' swings freely
with no slop. A %" long piece of pipe makes a good sleeve
to hold 'F' out away from the transmission.
o
- Illustration of lower shift rod -
12 1/2"
r0
"
'-
.__0
3/4"
Make the lower shift rod out of 5j16" rod, and then drill lj8" cotter key holes in the shift
rod. This shift rod doesn't need an adjustment on it. Weld flat washers as before and insert %"
end in transmission arm facing outward from the transmission.
Insert the other end in arm 'F'
and slide a 5j16" flat washer over each end and check for slop with the cotter key installed. Use
flat washers to eliminate any slop.
- The shift unit finished and
mounted on the transmission Adjust the Clevis with
and
transmission
position.
Adjust
lever
both handle
in the
it until the
park
pin slips
through to clevis easily, from the inside
out.
Now you can clean up your shift unit and paint it.
When the paint has cured about a week, you can oil
all the joints. If you want to get fancy, you can drill
and tap for Zerk fittings on the %" pipe sleeves.
PARK
--
..
- The finished shift unit, as it looks in Park position-
- Shift is out of the way, and attractive -
- Shift knob is a cut glass doorknob, a hardware store item -
- Ford shift unit Trace the template
onto the floor and cut
out the center area. Bolt the shift unit to the
floor and make a shift rod to fit with both shift
and transmission in park. The transmission shift
arm must be facing up to place the selector in
its proper
sequence.
The unit
shown
is a
Mustang unit, (Pinto and Bobcat is the same)
If the transmission
selector is a downward
facing type, make a 1" X 6" strap, drill a hole in
each end, and bolt it to the selector arm to reverse the direction pattern.
I
Cut out the inner area
I
'I. ""__.
38
CooL
~{
'+~
FRONT
,,~
t.
5'/+"
.
-
----------
---------- Upholstery-
You don't need a professional to upholster your roadster. You can make an attractive interior
yourself out of Naugahyde or fabric without
who completely
upholstered
an industrial sewing machine. I even had a friend
the inside of a Model A sedan (except the seats) in oilcloth for
under $20, headliner and all. It took him all night and I stayed and helped wherever
I could.
(When I was still in school, this opened my eyes to what was possible for a person to do if they
just set their mind to it, and helped form my life). Thank you, Tommy Williams, for that insight.
I've seen fur interiors in T-Buckets, but they look like a dog with mange after a little wear.
Carpeting the side panels of a roadster, like you would a van, looks cheap. So we're back to
conventional
upholstery materials.
I did the sides of the project rod in finish grain plywood (1/4") and epoxied the wood in the
same fashion I did on the dash. Besides being durable and waterproof,
it adds a few inches to
the already tight interior.
I've designed the inside wood structure for ease in upholstering.
It is basically five pieces: the
two sides, seat bottom, seatback and seat riser panel. The back of the firewall under the dash is
best covered with carpet, fastened with Velcro.
As much as I hate to farm anything out, I take the seat bottom and seatback to an upholstery
shop and let a professional do it. If you can handle this at home, I bow to you. Remember, T
seats take one hell of a lot of abuse. Anyway, if this is all you have to farm out, maybe this book
has saved you some money. The interior
complicated
has square corners in the rear so you don't have a
curve to wrap around. This feature alone knocks $200 off the price of a complete
upholstery job.
The seat will consist of two square (almost)
constructed
of X"plywood,
pre-stitched
naugahyde that gives a tuck'n'roll
The side panels are
either covered with material or just varnished wood. You can buy
my way. That is, cover the panel with
desired upholstery
pieces of plywood.
)12"
effect or take the easy way out with button-tuft
sheet foam first. Next, cover the panel with the
material, leaving about 4" over the border. Fold the upholstery
over and
glue or duct tape it as tight as you can. Next, mark off even squares, and drive a decorative
upholstery
tack through
each corner. Fold over the tack in the back and presto! You have
upholstery. Needless to say, this won't work on the seats.
The way I do my side panels is to first
make a template
side
with posterboard
panel-to-be.
posterboard
First
hold
of the
the
in place and mark the outline
of the doorsill on it.
- Side Panels -
Cut the template from posterboard.
Hold it in place with tape while piecing it together. Take
your time and get it right, Leave a 3/8/1 gap in front of the seat riser; you'll find it makes for
much easier installation. The seat riser panel will cover it when it's installed. Also allow for the
wire loom as it curves down from the dash. Because of this, the two sides will be different.
Cut the top cowl area at a slant (about 2 WI). The firewall end must taper back 1/2" at the
top to allow the panel to slip under the dash. The panel should slip in fairly easily at this stage
because once it's upholstered; it's too late to make amends. The right side needs to be trimmed
a little to clear the wire harness.
Make the side you made the template for, and then revamp the template if necessary for the
other side. Mark each side on the back to avoid confusion. It also helps to ma rk the wood panel
itself: Face and Back, left and right.
- Laythe template on }{" plywood and trace the outline -
- Trim for clearance. Note the router cut on the back side allowing for an easier
bend without cracking -
- Seat- Make a seat back template and transfer it to 5/8" exterior plywood -
Allow a X" space on the sides for upholstery
clearance. If the seatback doesn't
rest flat
against the back brace, fasten it flush with screws and dampen the wood. When it dries it
should be the right shape.
Make the template for the seat bottom and round the edges of the wood face on both the
bottom and back. It's easier to upholster that way.
Lay the seat bottom
upside down and lay a 2" X 2" board on the front edge. Trace a line
behind it. Measure in 3 X" from each side. Cut a length of 2" X 2"- 28 W' long. Set this 2" X 2"
between the side lines and behind the front line. Secure with wood screws from the top. The 2"
X 2" fits behind the seat riser when installed, locking the seat in place.
- Seat Riser Panel A panel to cover the seat riser is easy to make and adds a lot to the finished appearance of
the interior. You can cover it with rug, upholster it or simply varnish it. On this project I epoxied
it the same as the dash and sides, and added small interior lights made from the license lights
from a pickup step bumper.
- The seat riser panel with interior lights -
- Bed coverCut a square of 5/8/1 plywood 16
)12"
X 34
)12"
and round the upper edges. Position the bed
cover on the bed and mark around the gas cap if clearance is needed there. This can be routed
out if only a little clearance is needed or a circle cut out if necessary.
Since it is very hard to upholster around a hole, you might consider a nice wood finish in this
case.
A piano hinge in the rear will allow the lid to lift up, I use small lengths of chain fastened to
the corners of the lid and front inside of the bed to stop to lid in a vertical position, and provide
a back rest. Dog choke chains are nice here. With a 33/1 X 18/1 floor (route to clear bolt heads) of
5/8/1 plywood the rear compartment
becomes a rumble seat for small children for parades and
toodling around a meet. They can sit on the aluminum tank and the lid becomes a seat back. It's
certainly not the safest seat in the house, but used intelligently
instead of just two.
it will allow seating for a family
----------
---------- Windshield -
Let's face it; we all want a chrome windshield frame. I don't know why they even bother
selling plain ones. I remember wanting to go first class with my firs roadster, so I ordered $140
worth of chrome windshield frame so I wouldn't
have to make one myself. Lo and behold, it
was too big! I had to cut the frame into four pieces to make it fit. I ended up with one that
looked more homemade than if I had conjured it up myself. That was back in my pre-school
days, when I figured if you spent a lot of money on a prefabricated
it would automatically
unit from a famous supplier;
just fit perfect. Boy, did I get educated! So for our project car I built my
own frame, used mail-order short posts, and had safety glass cut to fit. The frame I made can't
be easily discerned from chrome, and with glass, post, and frame the cost was less than $100.
The windshield frame is made out of %/1 electrical conduit tubing (EMT) polished to a high luster
and sprayed with clear lacquer. Don't polish it until the glass fits in the slot, but polish the four
pieces before you braze them together. You can make this frame for under $10. The two brazed
corners don't show because they are the bottom corners which nestle in the windshield posts.
The windshield
posts are on item I couldn't get past buying. When you get them, you'll see
why. They run about $55. The windshield
posts get sandwiched
between the body and the
dash. This is where the dash cutout for post clearance is helpful if not essential.
Our first step will be to mount these posts on the body. They will only go on one way and the
back of the dash should have already been trimmed for clearance. It helps to use the first (40
W') section of windshield frame to set these up square. If your dash shows level on the top, set
a level on the windshield section (with both ends cut 45 degrees). With it level you can jockey
the posts into position, and mark the holes for drilling. Although the holes are bigger, I fasten
them to the body with 5/16/1 bolts so the angle of the windshield
is somewhat
adjustable.
I believe you'll find when the finished frame is set in, one or the other of the posts will need
to be adjusted to line up with the other.
I like to use chrome acorn nuts on the posts for appearance' sake. To do this, cut two 2
lengths of 5/16/1
all-thread,
)12"
and two 3/1 lengths. Put chrome acorn nuts (available at marine
dealers) on one end of all four pieces to make your windshield bolts.
Drill the body holes (5/16/1)
and bolt the posts on. You may need to trim the side panel
sections slightly for nuts and washers to clear.
Now for the windshield
frame. Cut a 40
)12"
length of %/1 EMT (electrical
conduit).
The
windshield frame will require two of the 10' lengths sold at electrical outlet stores.
Cut a 45 degree at each end ---
"""",1 _--------
,_.,.
\
Now cut two 18/1 lengths, and angle cut each end 45 degrees. Cut one 42 X/I long with both
ends at 45 degrees.
- These are the four lengths of
tubing
that
make
up
the
windshield frameYou might want to hand this next
step over to a machine shop. I have
a table saw with a metal cutting blade and a homemade jig for holding the sections. You'll find
on the EMT a blue line that runs the length of it. If you cut along this line with your 4
)12"
die
grinder with a thin cut-off wheel the tubing will open slightly as you go. Follow this cut with the
regular X/I thick grinding wheel on the die grinder, sliding a 5/16/1 bolt through the tube as you
go to check the clearance.
The tubes need to have a 5/16" slot cut all
the way along the length of the inside edge.
STRAIGHT!
When all the slots are cut, it's time to polish the
sections.
brazing
It's much
or
welding,
easier to
and
polish
touch
them
them
up
before
upon
completion.
Polishing is a quite simple procedure, requiring a minimum amount of equipment.
I polished
parts for years on an old washing machine motor fitted with a cloth wheel, but any old electric
motor will work. The flea markets and garage sales are full of them.
Harbor Freight and some hardware
stores carry cloth wheels and polishing sticks. The
polishing compounds come in stick form like deodorants,
and are basically wax-impregnated
rubbing compound. They come in various grades, and each stick describes what it is for. You
have one for stainless steel which is a fast cutter, one for brass and copper, one for silver and
gold, which is a good finish buffer, and one for plastics that I haven't used yet.
The
wheel
frequently;
needs
to
be
cleaned
this can be done easily by
holding a hacksaw blade or a wire brush
against
the
spinning
wheel
for
a few
seconds.
If you have room on your motor shaft,
put 2 or 3 cloth wheels together.
They
should be sandwiched between two large
washers. I have a washer between
each
wheel. It makes for a softer wheel and it
runs cooler. I also have a very soft wheel
that
I never use any compound
on. It's
strictly for a finish buff.
Before doing any polishing,
item with lacquer thinner.
clean the
Press the stick
against the wheel for a second, then work
a scrap of conduit against the wheel until you get the feel of it. The items get hot, so get some
gloves; they'll also keep you from getting fingerprints
allover your work.
A black residue will form in spots as you polish. Clean this off with lacquer thinner on a soft
cloth. When you have it polished out, clean it with thinner and go over it very lightly with a
clean, soft wheel or piece of flannel. At this stage I normally spray the piece with clear lacquer
(spray cans are OK here) to retain the gloss longer, but in the case of the windshield, it has to be
welded or brazed yet so this can wait.
-Hole for angle bolt - Make two angle bolts with
1 }{" pieces of}{" all-thread welded together -
Now we need to set the bottom rail in the posts and prop one end rail up here where it will
go. Cut a template of the angle formed with the two rails. I made a jig out of plywood and 2" X
4"s. Trace the template
onto the wood and just flip it over for the other side. This will
guarantee the windshield
having even sides. The jig will hold the frame square for welding or
brazing. I keep a spray bottle of water handy to spray the wood with because, of course, it
catches on fire when you braze the corners. I just braze about X" of the corner, let it cool, then
flip the frame over in the jig and braze the other side. After it cools, take it out and finish
brazing. This can also be done with a mig-welder. Then clean up the corners with a file.
- Now set the frame in the posts and drill and tap the holes for}{"
bolts -
Use stainless-steel sunken head X" screws here for a flush appearance. They are available at
marine dealers.
Drill 5j16" holes in the top of the side rails, and the ends of the top rail. Drill them about
3j8" in from the ends.
The bolt projecting through the top rail is for securing not only the top rail to the frame but
also to hold a top, if you want one. The bolt through the side holds the windshield support rods.
If you don't want a top rail or want a chopped windshield,
leave the top rail off and cut the side
rails off square with the glass and order a set of glass end caps from Speedway Motors.
Otherwise bolt the top rail on and true up all the slots where they meet, with your die grinder.
Use the template
angle you already made as an aid and make a template
for the glass. It
should be inside the slots about lj8" to X". If you have all the slots right, the cardboard will
move in all directions slightly with the top bolted down. Now you can take the template to a
glass shop. Have it cut from X" safety glass. Don't use plate glass. Besides being illegal, it's a
good way too get decapitated.
- Make a cardboard template for the windshield glass-
- If the template is right, it will overlap inside the slots about }{" -
With the glass installed and the top rail bolted down; seal the glass on both sides with clear
silicone in a caulking gun. Be careful with the silicone, its messy stuff. If you have to, you can
trim away screw-ups with a razor blade after it has set up. I run a small bead down to the
corner; follow that by running my finger along the seam quickly before the silicone sets up
pressing it in a little deeper. This also makes it almost invisible. When it's dry, it'll hold the glass
in place and provide some cushion for the glass.
Since rear view mirrors are only $15 chrome plated from Speedway, I chose that route. If you
wanted, you could use the longer unit from the donor and glue the little metal tab to the glass
with super glue. Hold the tab in place with masking tape until the glue dries. Remember, the
tab has a rounded ~
side.
Like the accessory mirror, the accessory wiper will also fit right on our windshield frame. Law
requires both. In my own T I keep it under the seat. They install in seconds with two little set
screws but this ole boy isn't about to get caught in a position where he needs it. If I see rain
clouds, I head for cover. Most of the guys down here don't even have a wiper. There's always
an overpass, gas station or drive-in to get under in an emergency. If it's cloudy and gray, leave
the roadster home.
Most of the time if we're stopped by the police, it is just because they want to look at the
machine. 99% of them would
love to have one themselves.
Thank God the idea that 'Hot
rodders are hoodlums" has past. Back in the fifties we were really hassled.
-I make windshield
support rods out
of 7/16" rod with
washers welded at
each end. One end
goes under the
headlight, the
other end under
the bolt you
installed in the top
corner of the
windshield. Then 1
cover them with
Chrome tape from
Auto Zone.
- The finished
windshield-
----------
---------- Title and License -
The last and final act in this project is the title and license bullshit that all Motor Vehicle
Departments seem t
0
like to put us rod builders through. So the legal and proper way is to go
to your Department of Motor Vehicles and tell them that you have built a car and you would
like them to give you a title for it so that you may drive it. When they get done laughing they
will give you a stack of papers to fill out as to previous owners, notarized bills of sale for
everything on the car and a mess of other crap that really has nothing to do with the car. That's
the legal way to do it and with a little luck maybe you can get your title straightened out in
about ten months. So as an author of a book being sold to the public I'm supposed to support
that theory.
Don't take the easy way out and order a title for $100 from one of the ads you see in the
back of car mags, even though no one gets hurt that way, and its much quicker. Don't stamp
the serial numbers in the top of the frame on the driver's side just in front of the firewall. And,
above all, Don't take the title down to the Department of Motor Vehicles in your town and tell
them you traded a motorcycle for the car so you aren't required to pay any sales tax on an even
trade.
Do fill out all those unnecessary papers so that our public servants have more work to do. Do
let the DMV send their man out to stamp the new title numbers in the top of the frame on the
driver's side just in front of the firewall. Do pay your obligation of taxes on that $3,000 worth of
stuff you built your car out of, even though you probably already paid taxes on about half of it.
And if you see a short, fat little old lady in there, avoid her at all costs. She has something to
prove, and the ability to stomp your ass in front of all her co-workers is an opportunity
she
won't be able to pass up.
Oh! One last don't. Don't go down to your Department of Motor Vehicles at quarter to five
on Friday night, pick out the dumbest looking clerk there, and flop that antique title I told you
not to get in front of them, stupidly saying "l got this old car in a trade and I want to put plates
on it."
They might just do it.
Thanks, Chester Greenhalgh
----------
---------Summit Racing
Jegs High Performance parts
Speedway Motors
JC Whitney & Co
Dennis Carpenter Ford Reproductions
Anderson Industries
Early Ford Parts
Ft Myers Bearing
Racing Unlimited
Ron Francis Wire Works
Shake, Rattle & Roll
Total Performance Inc.
Walker Radiator Works
Modine Radiators
Check the internet for these suppliers.
----------
----------
- If I'm not working on a rod, I'm usually playing with my lizard! -
- Points of interest -
Chester Greenhalgh:
Autobiographical Sketch
Born in 1944, I was raised on a ranch in
Nevada so black coffee and cowboy is
in my blood.
I became interested in cars at an early
age, and had my first car when I was
13. A Channeled Model A roadster with
no engine. My buddies and I would sit
in it until the wee hours of the morning
talking about the wild cars we were
going to build. I don't know about
them, but I've certainly had a few.
When I finished high school in 1962 I volunteered
into the Army to go fight in Vietnam. In the Army, I
went to Mechanics School and graduated at the top in a class of 50. (Their testing revealed I had an IQ of
142). That landed me an assignment to a s" echelon motor pool, which probably saved my life, because
I'm kinda crazy. I stayed stateside for my three years rebuilding Jeeps.
In my life I was married to three different
women who cleaned me out each time. I had to go into the
remote back country of Mexico to find a beautiful woman who would let me wear the pants in the
family and wasn't money hungry.
Through the years I always built wild cars with no money and became quite efficient at scrounging.
I crossed the country five times with everything
I owned in the back of the car. I even went to Alaska.
Once in Idaho Falls I flipped a coin to see if I went North or South. I finally ended up in Naples, Florida,
married to a woman who never gave me a minute's peace. I opened a small shop, painting cars at night
when the fire marshal was sleeping, and running heavy equipment
during the day.
Soon I began building T-bucket roadsters for clients, and a hoard of "rat rods" I built from bodies from
the fields and woods, mounted on donor car chassis', and sold in a drivable but unfinished state.
I wrote down exactly how I built the T-buckets and self-published
it in a book, despite the ridicule and
harassment of my wife and in-laws. "Who would want to buy a book like that? You're a fool!" Their
comments only spurred me on. It was titled "How to Build a T-bucket Roadster for Under $3000." The
critics scoffed at the idea. But the credit doesn't go to the critic. It goes to the man in the arena. I was
the man in the arena. Fighting to produce a beautiful roadster for an unbelievable price that anyone
could afford, and recording every step in a book so that an average mechanically inclined person could
duplicate it in a home garage, and I did it! It wasn't long before it was picked up by Motorbooks
International
who wanted me to write more books for them.
About that time, at a regular checkup, the doctor said that the paint fumes from the shop were killing
me and if I wanted to see 60, to find another line of work.
So, I closed my beloved little shop and built golf courses for the next 14 years. That took me all over the
country again, but at least I had peace and quiet. My wife divorced me shortly after that.
I finally ended up going down into the 'Dark' (no tourists and nobody speaks English) eastern, unknown
side of Mexico, with a friend from Mexico.
He lived in a remote "pueblo"
in the mountains.
Most of the children there had never seen a "gringo".
was a beautiful, quiet village with a crystal clear river running through it. I ended up marrying my
friend's sister, an old-fashioned,
traditional
writing one of the books Motorbooks
girl, and have been here ever since. I only recently started
International
wanted me to write, documenting
the build of a '59
Chevy Apache on a 1978 Impala frame with gull wing doors. Stay tuned for another interesting
written
like this first one.
book
It
About TBucketPlans.com
Our Mission: To Deliver Everything You Need to Know
About T-Bucket Hot Rods
What We Do: We publish the best available downloadable plans and
information to build a T-Bucket hot rod on a budget. To bring this
valuable information to you, we are proud to be partnered with these
talented T-Bucket creators and plan authors:
o
o
o
o
Chester Greenhalgh, the author of “How to Build a TBucket Roadster for Under $3000“
Jerry and Diane Keifer of CCR, creator of the California
Custom Roadsters’ T-Bucket Chassis Plans
The late Ron Young, creator of the “Youngster” Free TBucket Frame Plans
Fred Schweser, whose legendary kit car company
produced the Bird T-Bucket Plans
TBucketPlans.com originated in 2005 as a personal blog extolling the
virtues of T-Bucket hot rods, which I became a fan of in the Spring of
1957, when my 8 year old eyes were transfixed on a full page photo of
Southern California rod builder Norm Grabowski chowing down on a
burger while seated in the coolest car I had ever seen! The flames and
skull shifter were awesome and the hopped up Cadillac engine with
that wild exhaust hanging out there for all to see was mind-blowing!
48 years later, I met Norm and got my personally autographed copy of the photo that started my lifelong love affair with T-Bucket hot rods.
Shortly thereafter, I also discovered the fascinating T-Buckets of TV
Tommy Ivo, Marty Hollmann and Bob Johnston.
Then, when Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s T-Bucket inspired Outlaw appeared
I became hooked for life on T-Bucket hot rods.
On New Year’s Day, 2009, I blogged about the undiscovered genius
of Chester Greenhalgh who had written the then out-of-print “How to
Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000″ and not too long after I
developed a friendship with Chester which has led to our partnership
in marketing the eBook version of his legendary T-Bucket “how to” at
TBucketPlans.com.
What we do is a labor of love, the proceeds of which go to help support
Chester in his retirement and me in my own long-term T-Bucket
construction project. It’s done after hours and on the weekends, but we
are as dedicated to total customer satisfaction as any retailer you’ll
visit.
We hope you enjoy our many and varied posts about the history of TBuckets, about interesting and/or unusual T-Buckets, and about TBucket events. We try to post new content as regularly as we can and
hope that you’ll either subscribe to our RSS or email feeds so you’ll be
updated on new material. We also encourage you to follow us on
Twitter and Facebook where you’ll see even more T-Bucket material of
interest.
So, kick back and enjoy exploring our little, but growing, site. If you see
something you like, we encourage you to tell your Internet friends
and/or post a link back to it.
Happy Hot Rodding!
About HotRodPlans.com
What We Do: We publish the best available downloadable
plans, DVDs, eBooks and other information to build a hot rod,
street rod, T-bucket or rat rod on a budget. To bring this valuable
information to you, we are proud to be partnered with these
talented hot rod creators and plan authors on our websites:
TBucketPlans.com
o
o
o
o
Chester Greenhalgh, the author of “How to Build
a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000″
Jerry and Diane Keifer of CCR, creator of
the California Custom Roadsters’ T-Bucket
Chassis Plans
The late Ron Young, creator of the “Youngster”
Free T-Bucket Frame Plans
Fred Schweser, whose legendary kit car company
produced the Bird T-Bucket Plans
StreetRodPlans.com
o
Bob Hamilton, accomplished street rod builder and
creator of the StreetRod 101 Instructional DVD
Series
HotRodTruckPlans.com
o
For rat rod and truck fans, after half a century building
hot rods on a beer budget Chester Greenhalgh has
created “Hot Rod” or “Rat Rod” How to Mount a
Cheap Antique Pickup Body on a Late Model
Pickup Frame
PimpMyBriggs.com
o
OK, maybe not strictly a hot rod site, but in this fun
approach to applying hot rod creativity to everything
from lawn mowers to outboard motors and minibikes,
we’re proud to offer Chester Greenhalgh’s ingenious
and off-the-wall “Projects With Lawn Mower
Engines”
To meet the varied hot rod building interests of our loyal
customers and followers, we continue to explore possibilities for
partnering with other qualified authors and content developers
and invite them to contact us at [email protected].
Other eBooks by Chester Greenhalgh
If you’ve enjoyed this eBook and are inspired by Chester’s mechanical creativity, you will absolutely
love his two other hot rod how-to eBooks.
Chester Greenhalgh's newest rod building eBook is a
full 107 informative pages of color photos and
detailed info showing exactly "how to" build today's
most economic fun ride -- a classic hot rod/rat rod
truck on a budget!
Click to check it out at: www.HotRodTruckPlans.com
Chester Greenhalgh's third eBook will make you an
overnight small engine expert and show you how to
apply "hot rod" creativity to cool new lawn mower
engine projects for not only your lawn mower but
also for boating, air compressors, minibikes and
choppers and more. Chester tells you all about the
small Briggs & Stratton engines you can get running
off the junk pile.
Click to check it out at: www.PimpMyBriggs.com
This new digital edition of the California Custom
Roadsters T-Bucket Chassis Plans features a new 6th
Plan Set showing how to build a rear coil-over shock
suspension and also includes the CCR part numbers for
most brackets and parts welded to the frame and
axles. Now, choose to either fabricate the part or have
CCR provide it.
62 pages of great T-Bucket info!
Click to check it out at: www.TBucketPlans.com
Old time hot rodders fondly remember the
pioneering Bird T-Bucket kits of the 1960s and now
we've reproduced the original Bird T-Bucket Plans,
along with a Bird Engineering history, copies of
those cool old Bird ads and some Bird T-Bucket
photos: all in a nostalgic 49-page eBook.
You'll love it!
Click to check it out at: www.TBucketPlans.com
The “must have” 4-hour DVD package for
beginners and experienced builders alike that
covers every detail for constructing your own hot
rod chassis that will be economic, rugged, reliable
and safe. Get years of Bob Hamilton’s experience
in an afternoon of enjoyable viewing.
Click to check it out at www.StreetRodPlans.com
With Bonus: Fiberglass Top
Modifications
This great 4-hour DVD set takes the mystery out
of fiberglass work. Bob Hamilton shows you how
easy it is for you to work with fiberglass. Learn
how to lengthen a body, fill holes, make a mould,
build a ‘glass dash – you name it you can do it.
Click to check it out at www.StreetRodPlans.com
With Bonus: Metal Pickup Bed
Construction
Bob Hamilton shows you how to get professional
looking results at home and save tons of $$$ too
with this cool 4 hour DVD package that also
shows you how to prep your chassis for show car
looks.
Click to check it out at www.StreetRodPlans.com