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Well, I almost have myself a roller. I got the spring pivots welded to the rear eaxle, and the frame almosrt done in the rear. I will be assembling the front end tonight, and building the spring perch.I'll have photos tonight.
 
Here's a couple of photos taken with my cell phone. Once the engine and tranny are in the bottom of the frame should be right at 6" off the ground. It will have a 4' truck bed on it. The frame was just a hair off when I measured last night. It is out by 3/8" at the top at the very end of the rear part of the frame. I adjusted for that by slightly moving the spring perch on the cross member. I am so happy how the rear part of the bucket turned out. I never imagined in a million years that a 53 Chevy rear fender would match the curve of the back of the bucket like it did. Saved me a lot of time.
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really like what you've done with your rear spring setup, looks great.. making good progress on that tub too!!
 
One thing is that this truck will have a 144" wheel base. A little longer than most. The front axle will be mounted suicide, and my radiator will be behind it quite a bit.
 
WOW...I can't believe how lucky I am for finding this forum, and now your build thread. I, too, have just started a '27 T and have plans similiar to yours. The bucket I'm starting with looks exactly like yours. I'll be watching and waiting....looks really good so far. Bill.
 
ssimpala said:
WOW...I can't believe how lucky I am for finding this forum, and now your build thread. I, too, have just started a '27 T and have plans similiar to yours. The bucket I'm starting with looks exactly like yours. I'll be watching and waiting....looks really good so far. Bill.
Click to expand...

Hey Bill, I used to go right through San Angelo on my way to New Mexico on the scoot. I would make a straight shot from Corpus to Clovis in one day on the bike. There is a helluva steak house in Clovis. hehe I was born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX. . I should be able to roll her outside this weekend. I'm stoked. I'll be hangin the engine tranny combo also this weekend to get ideas on motor mounts. I'm running a mild 289 Ford that was built for a boat. Should be very interesting.
 
Lookin great Blaksheep--The use of the donor fenders is excellent.. Creative use of junk..

You might need some more preload on the rear A spring--I've had some issues with them. If you can get the shackles at about a 45 degree angle under load they work better and you might get around using a tracking bar.

Love the Ts.

Have you checked out the NTBA site?---all Ts.

PA41
 
just a couple thoughts. you ARE gonna Z the back of the frame too aren't you? don't forget to fishplate those new cuts!
also, i think i'd leave the back of the bucket alone. my body started as a 4 door and was cutdown into an R.P.U. cab before i got it. i'd much rather have the kickup at the back but ya work with what ya got right? without the kickup, they look a little like an A style R.P.U. heres a couple few pics of mine with a flat style rear bulkhead and yes, it started life as a tailgate on an old truck. again, refer back to the "use what ya got" philosophy. :)
 

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"You might need some more preload on the rear A spring--I've had some issues with them. If you can get the shackles at about a 45 degree angle under load they work better and you might get around using a tracking bar."

When you say preload, I'm not sure what you are referring to. I have been told that if the springs were parallel to the ground or close to it, they are just right. Of course, there is no load on it right now either.

As far as Zeeing the rear, I zeed the rear section right at 19". This was figured considering the weight of the engine and tranny and how far off the ground I wanted to be with my frame. Right now the bottom of frame is sitting about 8 1/2 " off the ground. But, I ma hoping that opnce I install the motor and tranny it will squat down a few inches. The truck bed is going on there also. I just like the look ,and get kind of bored with the typical T Bucket stance. 3" of the lower body will wrap around the frame, so I won't have to look at the frame from a side view. I just barely have enough room to attach my radius rods right behind the bucket.
 
What I ment by 'preload' was to spread the spring ends a inch or so and then attach the shackles flat. I've always had to do that on front and rear cross springs to get them to end up with the right shackle angle (about 45 degrees). I usually fab up a screw jack thing with some tubeing and a threaded rod, and spread the ends. Any time I've attached them without the preload-- the shackles hang straight down under load.

I've seen rear high arch springs that the shackles hang straight down, that work, but they need a panhard bar to hold the side movement, where if you have the shackles at a 45 or so--that holds the rear from swaying back and forth too much. Same for a front end--I don't have a tracking bar on my front axle on my 26 and it has a 45 on the shackles.

Panhard bars are probably better, no matter what though.

Just engineer it as you go along--even 'wrong' stuff works--often pretty good--like ackerman -- I've never built a car with the 'right' ackerman and I ain't dead yet:p.

Ts are great-- If a guy could only have 1 hotrod--it oughtta be a T.

PA41
 
PA41 said:
What I ment by 'preload' was to spread the spring ends a inch or so and then attach the shackles flat. I've always had to do that on front and rear cross springs to get them to end up with the right shackle angle (about 45 degrees). I usually fab up a screw jack thing with some tubeing and a threaded rod, and spread the ends. Any time I've attached them without the preload-- the shackles hang straight down under load.

I've seen rear high arch springs that the shackles hang straight down, that work, but they need a panhard bar to hold the side movement, where if you have the shackles at a 45 or so--that holds the rear from swaying back and forth too much. Same for a front end--I don't have a tracking bar on my front axle on my 26 and it has a 45 on the shackles.

Panhard bars are probably better, no matter what though.

Just engineer it as you go along--even 'wrong' stuff works--often pretty good--like ackerman -- I've never built a car with the 'right' ackerman and I ain't dead yet:p.

Ts are great-- If a guy could only have 1 hotrod--it oughtta be a T.

PA41
Click to expand...

Ok, I uderstand now. I had to work to get the one side attached to the pivot. It seems that I pulled it apart about 3/4" . I'll check it when I sit the frame down on the ground. Thanks for the usefull info.
 
Well, I was going to work on the project last night , but work got in the way. Didn't get home until 7:30 and was dog tired. But, you can bet I will be working on it tonight. Plan is to have it rolling by Saturday.
 
Well, I was out in the shop this afternoon trying to get the front end together, and low and behold Speedway shorted me one outer bearing on one side. So, I guess it's off the the auto parts store to get one tomorrow. I was so close to getting this thing rolling too.
 
lookin good..can't wait to see the stance as a roller[dr,stance is everything.. love what you did with those fenders..thats great!
 

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