SWEET T INSPIRATION

A labor of love, Dan Stoner (owner) and Tim Conder (fabricator) have been in cahoots on this car for a long time.
One of its most unique features is the fact that its vertically sectioned to accentuate the tallness.
I can't wait to see it running.

Every T lover knows this car The Uncertain T.

The car that started it it all for me. Mercury Charlie's tall T with Von Franco flames. 

Beyond its many radical mods, I love one of its more subtle ones. Not the height of the header panel at the top of the windshield. It has been shaved to provide even more visability. Looks sweet, too.

T FRAME PROGRESS (NEW SHOT ADDED)

Charlie sent some progress shots of the frame today. 

All jigged up with nowhere to go. 

All jigged up with nowhere to go.

Off of the and jig and flipped over (12-28 update) 

Note the holes plumbed along crossmember,
for brake lines on one side and electrical on the other.
(12-28 update)

I

Note the gussets for added strength. (12/28 update)

INITIAL FRAME BUILD PHOTOS

Charlie has started the frame and snapped a few photos. It's a great feeling to see it starting to come together. The rear has yet to arrive but it should be arriving any day now. I'll keepposting shots as I get
'em.

CHARLIE'S GETTING THE PARTS

We've got a 9" ordered from John's Industries. It's going to have the 10" X2.25" brake package, the best choice for an un-boosted brake system. It will be narrowed to Charlie's exact specs, and have a 3.50 gear set/center section. Meanwhile, a Pete and Jakes triangulated rear ladder bar rear suspension and 40 Ford style traverse spring have already arrived at Charlie's. He'll be getting started on the frame any day now. Good times!

PARTS DELIVERED TO CHARLIE

Just got back to Denver from Austin. Went for the weekend to scrounge up all the parts Charlie is going to need in order to build my T's frame and get the suspension hung and the drivetrain installed. My 425 nailhead is now at his shop along with a Turbo 400, complete front end, wheels and tire, etc. He has ordered all the parts form Pete and Jakes to hang the rear end. The only problem is the 12-bolt I dropped off with the other parts is Waaaaaaayyyy toooooo wiiiiiiiiideeeee! Looks like we're going to have to go with a plan "B" scenario. prolly a 9".  Will keep you posted. Very excited to have all the parts with Charlie. Above is a schematic of the frame he's building for me.

THE NEW REAR IS COMING

Well, the trusty-- and crusty--12-bolt I'd purchased to replace the bent 12-bolt in my 29 Model A turned out to be a lousy benefactor for the Model T. It was no less than six inches too wide, and being well used not worth spending the time and effort of narrowing. So I've bitten the bullet and I'm buying a new 9" Ford unit from John's Industries. Mercury Charlie will be ordering it next week and the only unanswered question is what the rear end ratio should be. Seeing as the 425 Nailhead is a very torquey motor and the car is going to be well under 2500 lbs -- probably two thousand lbs. less than the car it came in -- I won't be needing a steep gear. The turbo 400 gives me three gears and no overdrive. So I need to get the rear gearing to where the RPM's are comfortable for cruising speeds, figure 65-70mph. I'd like to be taching between 2100-2300 at freeway speeds. I narrowed it down to 3.0, 3.25, or 3.50 as my options.  A quick post on the HAMB revealed the following feedback based on a 30.20" diameter rear tire (below):

2016 RPM @ 60 MPH with 3.00 gears

2184 RPM @ 60MPH with 3.25 gears

2352 RPM @ 60MPH with 3.50 gears

Considering the fact that the 425 Nailhead reaches maximumum torque at 2,800 RPM, we'll go with the 3.50 gear set which will provide the following RPM's at the speeds noted using a 30" tire:

2352 RPM @ 60MPH
2548 RPM @ 65MPH
2547 RPM @ 70MPH
2940 RPM @ 75MPH
3136 RPM @ 80MPH
3332 RPM @ 85MPH
3528 RPM @ 90MPH
3724 RPM @ 95MPH
3920 RPM @100MPH

While I'm on the subject of the rear, I've decided to go with a non-posi unit, as I'm not planning on doing any racing in it and feel that the single track nature of the rear end will be a more comfortable choice for the way I'll be using the car, which is primarily for casual cruising. It also saves on the overall cost, as a posi TruTrac would add about $900.

PARTS DELIVERED TO CHARLIE

Just got back to Denver from Austin. Went for the weekend to scrounge up all the parts Charlie is going to need in order to build my T's frame and get the suspension hung and the drivetrain installed. My 425 nailhead is now at his shop along with a Turbo 400, complete front end, wheels and tire, etc. He has ordered all the parts from Pete and Jakes to hang the rear end. The only problem is the 12-bolt I dropped off with the other parts is WAYYY TOOOO WIIIIIIIDE! Looks like we're going to have to go with a plan "B" scenario. prolly a 9".  Will keep you posted. Nonetheless, very excited to have all the parts with Charlie. More to come. Stay tuned.

MERCURY CHARLIE'S T

This is Mercury Charlie's new T sitting on one of his double Z'ed frames. This is the same frame Charlie will be building for my T. The stance of this car is exactly what I'm looking to achieve.

THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT ADVENTURE-- PARTS DROP

Well, I'm now just a few days away from heading down to Austin to deliver my drivetrain and suspension to Mercury Charlie's shop. It's basically the complete drivetrain my '29 roadster came with, which is a 1966 Buick Riviera 425/Turbo 400 combo backed by a 12-bolt I plucked out of a '67 Riviera from John's Auto Salvage in Seguin, TX. Given the size of the barge the rear came out of, it's a safe beat we're looking at rear end gears in the neighborhood of 2.75 to 3.0.  

 The front end is a vintage "Dago" dropped axle.  Not sure what the steering box came from,  as it was in the car when I got it from Ian Loska. The roadster as I got it from Ian is pictured below:

The next time I'm in Austin will be to take delivery of a roller. A Mercury Charlie double Z'ed frame with suicide front end and traverse sprung rear. The drivetrain will consist of my 425 Nailhead, Turbo 400 and 12-bolt. All suspension will be in place. Charlie should have the chassis ready for me in February. We've got a long way to go, but we'll at least I'll be a giant step closer.

Well, here's the body patiently waiting for its close up in my garage.
It sat in the corner of a restorers garage in AZ since the early eighties.

A fella's allowed to dream, right? Soon my dream will be a giant step closer to reality.

The wheels and tires will be robbed from my 29 roadster.

Here's the engine and pipes. A massaged 425 with a Schneider cam.

Here's the parts list for Charlie:

425 Nailhead

Turbo 400

12-bolt

Driveshaft

Steering box

Front drop axle front end with spring

Radiator

Grill Shell

Wheels and tires

A YOU TUBE TREAT

A KILLER INTERIOR

This info was pulled right from the net: 1970 Cadillac Chateau Mauve material repurposed for a 

'59 Caddy. Can you say badass? Can you imagine using a material like this on the interior of a T inspired by the Munsters?great colors.

Bold yes, but as you can see it works! As outrageous as you might think it is, it’s a factory ORIGINAL color on Cadillacs in 1970. This NOS fabric color is: Chateau Mauve.  For the men reading this, that’s a nutty mouthful to say purple. Todd explained when they initially laid out the fabric they’d bought it looked like a bad, “cheerleader’s outfit.” Maybe, but they stuck with it. Hats off to the designer with the guts to choose these great colors.

THE OVERALL LOOK FOR MY T

Picture a similar treatment with red or maroon accenting a metallic gray block.

One of our custom knobs, using a piece of jewelry we found at an estate sale.
I'm thinking of keeping this one for the T. 

This suede beauty was painted by Jeff Meyers. 

This a a good example of what a metal flake roof would look like with a suede body.

Here's a purple T with a severe chop. I'll go much darker on the color if I go purple
and no haircut for me, thanks. Mine's going to be a lowboy, but unchopped.

Button tufts are more seventies than sixties, but I like. 

Red is a pretty damn cool engine color. PArticularly dig the red carb bodies. 

This is the interior of Ryan Cochran's car. Tasty. 

Another color reference. See how nicely the red of the wheels and tail lights pop? 

Another classy use of a fifties type material, this one in a '59 El Camino by Fat Lucky's.

Another option that would work well with the glitter roof would be to incorporate it into the seating.
Note to self: A little goes a long way. 

Nice but even darker would really do it for me as far as the paint color for the body. 

Another cool reference for a knob would be an ornate door knob. This is also one of ours. 

Now this is the level of darkness I like 

This is a nice color, balancing somewhere between maroon and purple.  This is where I'm currently leaning. 

CHUNKY METAL FLAKED GREEN T

I saw this car on HAMB a few years back. We can debate the paint all day long but there's no denying how great it sounds. Click HERE.

MORE INSPIRATION- COURTESY OF PIPEWORX

Here's Matt's T sitting on a Mercury Charlie frame, which is the same set-up my T will have. He brought his car out for the Lone Star Round Up in 2010 to help promote Pipeworx, his fabrication and metal work shop. Proportionally, I think he's got it sitting just right and like his choice of wheels and tires, though there's no way I'd ever run fronts without brakes. Not sure what the car's status is these days, but it's a perfect example of how badass un unchopped T can look.

CHARLIE'S OLD T

Just came across this on the net. Charlie's old T sans BLack paint and Von Franco Flames.
http://youtu.be/YuennQtC3Yw

PERFECT STANCE

A gentleman by the name of Mr. Cheater on the HAMB posted this shot of his T
on a thread I started this weekend. His car sits exactly as I'd like mine to. I sent him a PM asking for the specs for his frame and he was good enough to share the info below. 

Here are the stats for my model t frame 14'' inch kick up in the rear on a 2x3 tube frame suicide front end with about a 6'' perch body is channeled about three inches over the frame. If you pm me your email I can send you some of my in progress shots. thanks -- MR. Cheater

A TIDY "T"

I came across this car for sale in a Google search.
Proof positive that sometimes less is more. Indeed. Interested parties can learn more about this beauty that is for sale in Oregon: (503) 231-1940. Enjoy.