Catching My Breath

Okay, time to get caught up here. Done a bunch before my last post, and done a little bit since then. Rather than try to remember everything chronologically, I will record it here by subject and maybe kinda sorta in chronological order within each subject.

Windshield Posts
I think this dates back the furthest, according to my photos. Quite some time ago, I was loaned (with the possibility of future purchase) some beat-up, mighta sorta would work windshield posts from my hot rod parts pusher friend that, frankly, looked terrible. One was factory height and bent, the other was chopped (but leaving both "eyes") and cut and laid back, which I think is unnecessary on the 1926-27 Model T roadsters.


Then, not too long ago, the friend of mine who assembled Twice Lucky and has been doing some side projects recently turned up a pair at a large regional swap meet up north. The price was very nice, and they were both factory height, uncut.


They looked great until I put them both on the car and found the passenger one would not fit the cowl. It has a different shape to the base, which neither friend (both Model T guys) could identify as a year difference (1926? vs. 1927 for the "nice" ones?) or a random Ford thing that they were wont to do.




Anyway, as a result, I couldn't get the base to fit the cowl, no matter how much heat (rosebud torch) and pipe-wrench bending I gave it, so...



I gave up. I'm OK doing the hot rod thing...IF the result would be it would look good, but it still wasn't the right base, even if I could get it to fit. So...

I let the guy from whom I bought them know, and he - presto chango - found a match to the driver's side one, and traded straight across for the "not fitting" one.


So now I have a matching pair of the "nice" posts, uncut, for a VERY reasonable price - and they're all original Ford!


To be continued...(reinstalling the clutch; modifying the starter and checking the fit; finishing the k-member; installing the motor, trans, and pedal assembly)

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Mission Accomplished!

Long time, no post, but that doesn't necessarily mean I haven't been busy. While I'll catch up on the rest later, here's the latest update.

Today I spent the holiday "laboring" (it was fun to me) putting the motor and trans in the hot rod. Here was my payoff:


And, as a reminder of the source of this motor:

Before

After

More to follow!

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Canned Canon SD400

"Do you have your Canon SD400 (or variant thereof) in a can?" If this question brings up thoughts of prank calls, you're correct. If not, you need to live a little.

Just wanted to show off the mod I did tonight on an Altoids can, to hold my "new to me" Canon SD400. A friend of mine won a new digital point and shoot and he and his wife generously gave me their old one, as I don't have a digital camera; I've just been using my iPhone (and previously, my old Samsung). Since I sold the Samsung, I've not had the ability to shoot video. Now I can not only shoot better photos (hopefully), but video, too!

I cannot take credit for this mod; I found it online while searching Google Images for pics of the SD400. Intrigued by the novelty of it, and not one to shy away from a fun mod, I tried my hand at it tonight. And I didn't even have to consume Altoids to get the can (I don't really like them) as the friend who gave me his camera is also an Altoid addict, so he gave me the can, too (or, technically, tin, I suppose, but how uppity does that sound?).

While the blog I read described using a Dremel, etc., I ignored all that and used my pneumatic tools because 1) I have them, 2) they were already out, and 3) they're louder and more powerful and therefore more fun. I used a die grinder to do the initial work, followed by the bench grinder and wire brush to smooth things out. I also tried my hand at "kinda" metal bumping by using a larger Vice Grip clamping pliers with rounded jaws to pinch, conform, and curve the corners for increased clearance.



This wasn't hard, but it wasn't a quickie, either. It took a fair bit of finagling, and the tin doesn't take well to a lot of manhandling, so take it easy. You need to modify the four inside corners of the tin, and make clearance for the shutter release/zoom controls on top of the camera. When you're all done, though, it's a pretty fun way to carry the camera to protect it, its allegedly fragile screen, and make the camera nondescript when lying around.

Have fun!

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The Mounts Are In

Well, I finally got the motor mounts installed. Took long enough to get to this much-anticipated point. The work itself was quick, actually, it was just getting there. But, after repeated measuring, squaring, etc., and after many other tasks, I finally got the motor mounts installed, they're square to the K-member, and everything (using the mock-up block and transmission case) fits fine.

First, I just dug in and drilled all the holes, replacing the C-clamps with 3/8" bolts as I went around.



Unfortunately, my work was momentarily halted by a broken bit when I fumbled the drill during an awkwardly angled drilling operation. But, fortunately, I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 30 piece "grab bag" (actually a little plastic box) of drill bits in various sizes, from 1/8" up to just under 1/2". The price (around $7.50?) was right because it doesn't include an index and it's not a complete set. Many large bits are included, and then multiples of 1/4", 3/16", and 1/8". They're supposedly high speed steel (HSS). All I know is they have that distinct stink of Harbor Freight: cheap Chinese oil/packing grease.



If you're wondering, I'm trying to avoid using any new hardware on this project, as it would stand out like a sore thumb. Instead, I've been rooting through the several coffee cans of original Ford nuts and bolts I got from my uncle. Unfortunately, I hadn't really thought about what I would use for the motor mounts, and just threw in whatever I had six of, just to get them installed. Tonight I went back and replaced them with drilled bolts and castle nuts, to which I'll later be adding cotter pins, 'cause I can.


I also mocked up my F1 shock mounts, to see where the mounting holes would end up relative to the motor mounts bolts and the front crossmember.


I also cut, ground, and filed down the Model A rear spring hangers to 2" wide, which is what I'll need for the Model T spring.





Afterward, I installed the two shackle bolts I'd been saving for these, as they are 2" wide. Some later ones are wider, which would've stuck out of the spring hanger, and possibly interfered with the shackles. The real trick here is using one of the correct driver tools to install them. While you can use a socket to drive the shackle bolts in, this tool threads onto the shackle, protecting the threaded stud from mushrooming (which can happen, I've found out the hard way).




Next, I'm planning to install the rear spring on the axle and mount the assembly in the frame, to get it up on its own feet for the first time.

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Forgotten Update

This is a quick post simply to add information I'd apparently forgotten to post back when I did it. I did some mocking up with the fan and pulleys on the block mounted in the K.R. Wilson engine stand, to determine whether or not I'd have sufficient room to run the right angle drive for my mechanical tach off the crankshaft using an adapter.

According to this picture, there is. I'll post more on this project as it comes to fruition.


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