New resident for my garage.

[Boyd Who]

I knew it wouldn't last!

I put my Essex away in storage for the winter a few weeks ago. It was nice having a bit of room in the little garage, but after a few days it seemed empty. I just had to fix that!

Yesterday I went to a farm auction a few miles from town and scored a cheap, straight, and fairly rust-free '26 Ford Model T Touring body & fenders. I've been looking for one of these for over 20 years and this was the first decent & affordable one I've come across. My wife loves it and can't wait for me to get started on the build.

Here's some pics. Don't mind the snow, we've had a really strange year weather-wise. We shouldn't have snow here for another few weeks.

At the auction site...

Loaded and ready to head home...

The gravel country roads were a mess from all the melting snow, so I stopped at a car wash on the way home and cleaned it up a bit. It worked better than I expected...most of the moss growing on the car washed away along with the dirt!

There's some rot along the bottom edges of the body, but it's not nearly as bad as most of the T's I've found. On the plus side, the doors are MINT!!

The car had a bunch of oddball parts piled in it that were part of the deal. I dug everything out and found a good portion of a 1915 T touring body along with some fenders and top irons! This stuff alone is worth what I paid.

It took alot of effort to unload the carcass and get it into the garage. There were only two of us to do it, but we managed. It looks right at home here, now I need to get started on it!

Plans are to keep it stock-bodied and full fendered, with a V8 of some form (perhaps a flathead?). Dropped in the front, painted steel wheels with trim rings and baby moons. I'm going for an early 60's rod look, something similar to this one...

 

[348guy]

Man, now that is a project! Good luck and post pics of your progress as it comes along.

 

[mikethegreek]

Congrats on your new purchase. That will be a fun little project.

 

[SpeedCoach]

that's awesome! have fun with that project.

 

[c5golfguy]

What a great project!!! I could see a late model Chevy LS1 motor in that thing. Light and powerful! That would be something to talk about.

 

[Kona Cruisers]

I dont think an LS1 would go over very well on the hamb....

Good find essex!!! I ended up with a 32 5 window ..(chevy... ) while I was looking for a T Tub... cool find.

 

[TRWTOW]

your right the car wash made a lot of difference great find congrats

 

[medic583]

Snow??? What part of MB are ya in?

Nice find, looks like this will be a fun but intensive project

 

[Frank Elson]

Oh no, that's my dream again - Ed Burns' Kookie Car off 77 Sunset Strip.

 

[djd99]

Very nice, Looks like a ton of......... Post pics of your progress...... We luv pics

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Wow...very, VERY cool!

Lotta history there. That body looks good!

 

[rktolds]

That looks like a very fun project and the garage is perfect. Period correct for a flathead between the frame rails.

Matt

 

[colt zantop]

very cool! keep us updated

 

[Boyd Who]

Thanks guys!!

No LS1 for this baby...I'm more of a traditional guy, like Kona mentioned. It might get a flathead, or I might even go older and put a hopped-up Model A banger engine in it.

Medic...I'm in Neepawa, and the auction site was about 20 minutes NW of us at the edge of Riding Mountain Nat'l Park. They got about 5 inches of the white stuff last week, while we only got a couple. It warmed up alot yeterday and today so all the snow's gone.

Frank, you want a Kookie car? Check these next pics out!

 

[Boyd Who]

I just posted this in the "what are you working on" thread, but I'll add them here as well.

I just spent the last 3 hours cleaning out the new T tub. Lots of moss, leaves, dirt, and other junk, but I found a couple of cool little treasures as well. They're not worth much $$ wise, but I found these two bottles as well as a 1927 Cdn nickel and 1919 Cdn dime. Both in fairly good shape. I bet they've been hiding in there for awhile.

I sorted through all the bits and pieces that had been piled inside the car and found an almost complete T-bucket body! It's rough, but the main pieces are all there.

I don't know what year of T they fit, but there's two types of top irons in the pile as well. Any guesses?

This is an aftermarket "Peerless" rad shell. It's pretty decent with just a couple of cracks at the mounting flanges.

A cowl and w/s assembly for a 1917-22 touring/roadster. I also got a second cowl panel that's near mint! You can see it on the bucket body.

And finally, my new tub now that it's up on jack stands and cleaned out. I also crudely straightened out the fenders and some of the bigger dents in the body. This car will be all steel when I'm done with it!

 

[HOTFR8]

Congratulations on a great project. just shows you that good vintage tin is still out there. I hope you keep us posted of the progress as I like the sounds of your plans.

 

[Old61]

That was a kool find. There were a few at that auction I wouldn't mind having.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Boyd, any more pics of your garage? I have a one car garage similar to that one with old license plates on the wall as well. I don't know when it was built, but I'm guessing maybe in the 1940s. My house was built in 1900.

 

[fordsteel]

that is a nice body.... wow would be real sweet with a hopped up model a banger

 

[Stuart in MN]

I saw your post over on the HAMB, there were some neat cars at that auction. I think that extra body you found inside the car is actually the front half of another four door tub - notice how the sides extend to the rear instead of ending in the back panel.

A flathead would be good. If you're going for an early 60s style, maybe a Buick nailhead instead.

 

[Boyd Who]

Congratulations on a great project. just shows you that good vintage tin is still out there. I hope you keep us posted of the progress as I like the sounds of your plans.

Thanks! I probably won't get much done with it over the winter as there's no heat in the garage, but I may start collecting parts for it. Pics to come as I progress.

That was a kool find. There were a few at that auction I wouldn't mind having.

If I'd had deep pockets I would have brought home 5 of the 6 T's that were up for sale that day. Enough projects to last a lifetime!

Boyd, any more pics of your garage? I have a one car garage similar to that one with old license plates on the wall as well. I don't know when it was built, but I'm guessing maybe in the 1940s. My house was built in 1900.

I have a thread about the garage in the gallery somewhere. I'll find it and PM you the link. We figure my garage was built in the '30's or 40's a couple of houses away from ours. It was moved onto our lot by a previous owner in the mid 90's.

that is a nice body.... wow would be real sweet with a hopped up model a banger

I've given that option some consideration. Serious consideration, actually.

I saw your post over on the HAMB, there were some neat cars at that auction. I think that extra body you found inside the car is actually the front half of another four door tub - notice how the sides extend to the rear instead of ending in the back panel.
A flathead would be good. If you're going for an early 60s style, maybe a Buick nailhead instead.

Yeah, that was a fun day at the auction. Lots of cool stuff to drool over.
You're right about the extra body being the front half of a touring. I forgot to mention that when I posted. A flathead or banger engine might be the ticket for this build. I'll still have the Essex for longer distance cruises, so I may as well have old-time fun with the T.

 

[wagonmaster]

No LS1 for this baby...I'm more of a traditional guy, like Kona mentioned. It might get a flathead, or I might even go older and put a hopped-up Model A banger engine in it.

As a long time rodder, I understand you wanting to go traditional. However, don't forget those week end trips, etc....They're WAY more fun at 70 mph with a reliable engine up front!! How 'bout a 350 disguised to look like a 265 or a 283 with rams horn or "log" type manifolds?? A Lokar shifter on top of a turbo 350 could look like a '39 top loader, but with the ease of an automatic...Just food for thought. It's quite a nice car and you clearly have a wealth of parts there that will go a long way in helping pay for the project, if you're so inclined!! Keep us posted!

 

[Boyd Who]

As a long time rodder, I understand you wanting to go traditional. However, don't forget those week end trips, etc....They're WAY more fun at 70 mph with a reliable engine up front!! How 'bout a 350 disguised to look like a 265 or a 283 with rams horn or "log" type manifolds?? A Lokar shifter on top of a turbo 350 could look like a '39 top loader, but with the ease of an automatic...Just food for thought. It's quite a nice car and you clearly have a wealth of parts there that will go a long way in helping pay for the project, if you're so inclined!! Keep us posted!

I hear what you're saying, Wagonmaster. However, I've already got a rod on the road, my '27 Essex. It desperately needs to be updated to be more driver friendly and will be getting a boring but reliable 350/T350 combo. It will be my long-distance driver when I'm done with the changes.

I've decided that the T will be a serious nostalgic ride. The only V8 it could possibly run is a dressed-up flathead. Maybe not as reliable as a SBC, but 100% more cool. Besides...done up right they can be just as good on the highway as any modern engine.

 

[wagonmaster]

The only V8 it could possibly run is a dressed-up flathead. Maybe not as reliable as a SBC, but 100% more cool. Besides...done up right they can be just as good on the highway as any modern engine.

True enough, understand all. I remember riding to high school in a friends '46 Coupe and reliability wasn't part of the picture then, same with my '39 sedan and my buddies '40 Coupe. I see 'em all over nowadays so they must have developed more good flatmotor stuff, like good electronic ignitions, etc! LOL! I'm sure the tub will be magnificent with the flathead out front!

 

[Boyd Who]

I love modern stuff when it comes to my daily driver vehicles, but when it comes to hot rods I'll walk past a line of billet-encrusted, LT1 powered "Boyd style" cars at a car event to drool over some crusty, old style hotrod. Hence my user name. LOL
I have a friend in Calgary AB who has driven his flathead powered A roadster to Bonneville and back numerous times over the past 10 years. They can certainly be made to be reliable, you just aren't as likely to find parts at a 7-11 if you break down in Bumfuck Nebraska as you would with a SBC.

 

[rocco]

i love the last of the model T's
My father has been working on his 27 T tudor sedan since the late 90's, its just about ready for paint and interior.
he's running a late model Camaro FI V6 and running gear, S10 rear end on 4 bars front and rear.
Its not really my style, its more of a hi-tech style rod, you know the one he always wauted to build with A/C, cruise, Fuel injection, etc.. but the work is well done on it.

good luck with the touring T, those make awesome rods, pity you don;t see them around so much anymore. They must all be put away in the back of barns and garages because they where super popular as street rods back in the 60's and throught the 70's.

i love em with a nice and low stance like this *but* with fenders

 

[Boyd Who]

Damn, that is a gorgeous tub, Rocco! If I could get away without fenders in our communist province I'd build a highboy like that. However, rules are rules, and they seem to enforce the fender rule quite strongly here.

Any pics of your dad's sedan? I'm not much into high-tech rods either, but I always enjoying looking at T pics. And hey...at least he's not running an IFS in it!