Well, been busy since the T came home to live in Jersey back in August of '09. It's now August '10, and I think she's beginning to look like a car.

Here's a couple shots in order of the car since coming to my home in April of this year:










And here are some shots as of today:

Looks like you're moving right along. Nice work.

Nice car

Wow, great! That's a fine lookin' Chevrolet.

WHAT?

Hopefully when I'm finished, it will look like it's been used but taken care of for 86 years. Currently, there are only 5 pieces of repopped metal on the car, not including the Berg's radiator or gas tank and they are: radiator apron, front seat toe panel (in the rear passenger compartment), the rear panel of the car, and 2 sill plates (not attached in the photos).

The passenger side sheet metal from the hood to the quarter panel is all one piece, not like the sheet metal for that side sold in three pieces by the vendors. The driver's side sheet metal is exactly the same but in reverse (without the door, of course). On my car, the rocker panel on the driver's side was split and I brazed it when I first got the car. I immediately stepped on it fumbling around in my dad's storage shed (where the car was for 12 years). So it's splitting again. I've patched it with plastic, but I have a complete original side for the driver side, so I might change it out, who knows.

Each picture looks better than the one before it.
Keep up the good work.
Norm

Looks like the little one sittin along side of you is gonna want to drive it come real soon.

Sincerely

Jim Weir

The little one has already declared "Our Car" with emphasis on "our".

Here's a few more shots today....can you spot the differences....???

And here's some interior.....






The sill plates in this picture were painted with a roller.

It is looking good! Great job and great progress. Also it is great to have your young helper with you!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 Model T Ford touring cut off and made into a pickup truck and l907 Model S Runabout. Sumter SC.

Lookin' good Will . !!

The rear center body section was the hardest to put in. I did it with the body assembled to the car. I bolted the top of the panel in first and then I used a ratcheting tie down and some wood blocks to pull the panel and the T-strips all in as one piece at the same time. I then used a drift to align the holes. All the bolts went back in fairly easily after pulling and fitting a little at a time, except one: lower corner right side as you face the rear of the car. That bolt had to go back in in the opposite direction from the rest of them. I also used square nuts on the replacement bolts, even though you'll never see them. The T-strips should be spot welded to the sheet metal panel AND riveted to the brace that goes along the bottom of the body between the sills. I didn't do that, although I did rivet the brace to the sheet panel.

Thanks, Bob....

come over some time and check it out in person. I can drive it without having my knees in my face now.

Here's a few more today. I took the hood off, as I need to tweak it some more.....

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my T actually running.

Here are some more shots of the effect of a "recreation" I am going for. Remember I am not striving for a showroom restoration:










I started with a rusty hulk of metal that I completely disassembled down to parts. It wasn't even a complete car when I got it. A gentleman (who I think is deceased now) helped me move it to my father's house where it sat stored for 12 years 9 months being pieced together once a year.

The first work I had done on the car was the engine: overbore .30, replaced valve guides to .312, lifters welded and reground to factory size. That was $ 139.00 and I still have the receipt. (I carried the engine block to the shop in my Ford Festiva). I have the receipt for every part that I've ever bought for the car.

With help of my local T buddies, I had the car transported to New Jersey last August 2009. Not even three weeks later it was running. Without that core group of guys helping me, from getting it transported, stored, running and finally moved to my home, I don't think I could have made it this far. It certainly would not look like it does now had it stayed in NC.

The body as you see it now is 5 pieces of reproduction metal and the rest is 100 % Ford manufacture. Only two main portions of the body are repro (not including the wood kit): The rear panel and the toe board in the rear passenger compartment. It has a new gas tank and Berg's radiator.

I have a few more nuts and bolts to attend to as well as an upholstery kit, top and top irons, and glass for the windshield (I have the frames with glass channel, but no glass).

The Model T is not without it's problems. Doors don't fit exactly right, body panels needed nudging, and the tranny still leaks like a sieve around the bendix cover, but I figure that's ok for me. Well, not the tranny leaking.

I suspect an engine rebuild will be in the near future.

Boy, it looks like a great car, you should be proud.

All that leaking oil will just keep it from rusting!

I applaud you sir! Great looking car! I did sort of similar, I ddin't quite take all the dents and imperfections out of the sheetmetal. There's something to be said for character scars

Nice work! What's 13 years among friends.

Goin' like 60. Great job.

Looking great. I am shocked however to see in the first photo that some oil has dripped on the floor. I guess it is a real model T. Congrats.

William, when you finish that good looking touring, I have a body that needs almost the same thing. I could ship it from Texas to you for the same total work-over.
Nice job

Here's some shots at nite:








My little helper with "his" T.

Yup ~!, paint looks darker black at night !!

Nice windshield. Now you need the address for Becker's in Ohio for that alternator ????

Great improvement Will .


Bob Jablonski