My 1927 RPU

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: My 1927 RPU
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Monday, July 16, 2012 - 09:31 pm:

I wanted to share with you my Model T RPU. I finished it about 8 years ago and built it as a hot rod. The body is original Henry Ford and pretty much everything else I have changed.

It's a mix of Old Ford parts and runs a mid '80's Mustang drive train: 5.0 HO V*, 4-speed SROD manual trans. and a 9" rear.



Posting this is kind of nostalgic since I found the body here on this board back in July 2000. Bought it from a fella named Frank Iaccino from the finger lakes region of New York.

I wondered if anybody here knows Frank, thought maybe he'd get a kick out of seeing how my old hot rod turned out.

Thanks,

John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 03:45 am:

Pretty slick in my opinion but then, I'm a 'Hot Rodder' who just happens to own a stock Model T. Most of the folks who post here are 'stock' Model T collectors so I doubt their opinions are going to be quite as complementary.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Patterson, OZ on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 04:53 am:

Being a former street rodder who saw the ($) light and now messes with other stuff, T's included......I like it too.
I have had a couple of dealings with Frank Iaccino but it was several years ago. I remember him as being a thorough gentleman, who bent over backwards to help me with a T related problem. And I was on the other side of the world too.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 09:37 am:

Very nice. At least you kept it mostly, if not completely, Ford. If it were mine, I'd paint it a bright red to complement the tan interior and change the headlights to some of a smaller diameter so they're more proportionate to the body, but that's just me. Good job.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 10:38 am:

At least the body and some parts could be salvaged. Otherwise, even as a rod, it is a POS.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 11:13 am:

The body, pickup bed and lower windshield look good.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Semprez-Templeton, CA on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 11:32 am:

If this car were mine I would exchange the late drive train with an early 40's Ford or Merc. and turn it into a classic late 40's early 50's period rod. This car is very nice and has tons of potential. The front end treatment need work but over all I like it!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 01:56 pm:

By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 10:38 am:

At least the body and some parts could be salvaged. Otherwise, even as a rod, it is a POS.

Well, shucks John. I can understand it if it ain't your thing, but a POS? I think you've been smokin some of that same stuff as Nancy Pelosi! LOL!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Berg on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 08:31 pm:

I think it's schweet, flat military green would be kool also.

Philip


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 12:21 am:

I know there are "purists" who restore; amateur hobbyists who aren't critical about having a perfect restoration, and even some hot rodders on this forum. To each his own. That is what freedom in this country is about, but I haven't seen anywhere on this forum or in the club bylaws that says that a picture of a hot rod is not allowed on this forum. For someone to judge another man's car and call it a P of S, on a public forum is tactless, classless, and crude. Maybe everyone ought to be so critical of that "someone's" car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep NZ on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 03:56 am:

You know how they always split the radius rods like that? Does that make the axles twist ever so slightly when they meet uneven surfaces?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 07:12 am:

Well said Terry

kep NZ,

The rpu drives quite well and doesn't exhibit any ill handling characteristics. I am sure there is soem twist. It is my understanding that's inherent with any I-beam style buggy sprung front axle.

Living here in Colorado where the speed limit is 75 mph on the highway it has been up to 80 mph for sustained time periods. A bit "twitchy" though at those speeds due to the light weight and 4 ply tires.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 09:27 am:

Well, you guys predicted controversy, so I delivered some. Yep, everyone has an opinion. I am a rodder too...sometimes there is class, sometimes not. After all, it doesn't have a Chevy 350 engine. Check out the cover page on this month's (09/12) Hot Rod Magazine....for a good example.
John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 09:28 pm:

Ok Mr. McGinnis, I am trying to understand your perspective. I subscribe to Hot Rod, and I read the article about the "Sailor Jerry's" 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan, small block Chevy powered, Rat Rod.

Here is a link for those that don't know what we are discussing: http://videos.hotrod.com/video/VIVA-LAS-VEGAS-2012-with-Sailor

And here is a photo:



So explain your comment: "sometimes there is class, sometimes not. After all, it doesn't have a Chevy 350 engine." You like a small block Chevy in a Ford.. for you that is class? Or are you saying the exact opposite?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 05:12 am:

You know guys, there's a difference between a 'Rat Rod' and something that's been built from the start to fit in a 'Rat Rod' category.
John's little 27 Roadster Pickup looks like it could have been built in a garage by some kids back in the 60's, something we would call a 'Rat Rod' today.
In my humble opinion that thing in the picture above was built to be a My Rat Rod is 'rattier' than your Rat Rod, from the start.
Way back when I was involved in this (60's 70's), the idea was just the opposite, the name of the game was to built a 'Rat Rod' that was 'less Ratty' than the ones your pals were building. We worked mowing lawns, collecting bottles, anything to get the money to buy the nice steering wheel, the nice wheels, all the chrome we could get our bloody fingers on and the fancy stuff, to make our cars look less 'home made' and we wanted to drive them, that was the idea. So they had to resemble something that was remotely 'street legal' because we were kids and we were going to spend most of our time signing traffic tickets if it wasn't, (something I was quite familiar with).
I can still recite all the words to this song today.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9QpDvhshOQ


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 07:32 am:

Your link to the You Tube clip of "Hot Rod Lincoln" is spot on.

Today folks seem to identify any old modified 20's - 30's car that doesn't have shiny paint as a "Rat Rod".

I built my RPU as an homage to the Hot Rods built in the 40's and 50's, but it was never mean't to be a "period correct" piece.

A trip to Bonneville Speed Week back in the 90's is what sent me on my way to build my car. That and vintage photo's like the one below.

It's a Hot Rod... not a Rat Rod:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 08:43 am:

John Simmons,
I need to apologize to you, and the forum for my initial emotionally-charged reaction. I guess our views of rodding collide when I envision a classic rod and I see modern stuff in a *what should be* classic rod. The original T body seems a sacrilege to the T community...but I suppose there are too many original, restored '26/'27 RPUs in existence already. I have one. But a loaded 59A flathead would have been nice. I could go on. Again, please accept my apologies for a tasteless comment.
John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 08:59 am:

John Simmons,
I need to apologize to you, and to the forum for my emotionally-charged reaction to your car. I'm afraid our values and visions for rods collide when I want to see a classic rod and find a *what should be* example using modern stuff.. The use of a pristine, original '26/'27 RPU in such a fashion now days must wrangle and violate the T community. However there are so many original, restored versions that perhaps there is no issue. I have one. I would expect a loaded 59A flathead instead of such modern stuff. I could go on. But again, I apologize for my seemingly tasteless remark.
John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 10:24 am:

Apology accepted.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott McBrook on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 12:46 pm:

I like the car, especially since it seems like you did a ton of the work yourself and it doesn't look like those "kit" hot-rods. You could argue about what engine and that sort of thing but its a nice ride. I'd personally go for radials just so it would drive better but it does have that period look.
A flathead would be interesting, but I'd probably go somewhere else myself like a 3.5 DOHC v6 olds I have laying around and put a turbo on it just to be wierd LOL


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 09:22 pm:

Dennis, I liked Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody, too. One of my other favorites from that era was Beep Beep by The Playmates. Its on YouTube, also.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 09:31 pm:

Dennis, I liked Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody, too. Another one that I liked from that era was Beep Beep by The Playmates. Its on You Tube, too.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Simmons on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 09:40 pm:

Yeah, the ton of work part is spot on!

Actually it drives and handles very well, and the only time the old pie crust four ply tires are squirrely is on grooved concrete.

For the frame I started with a set of repro duece rails and cut them about 3 feet ahead of the rear axle. Rear suspension is also my own design based on a triangulated 4 bar using air springs for support.

I used a sprint car style rear roll bar, and the front axle also has a sway bar, and a mono leaf spring.

The small block Ford is a factory roller motor that I pulled from a 5.0 HO Mustang. Pretty neat little motor, came from the factory with a Holley carb. and aluminum intake.

Here are a couple of photos I took during fab. at my shop.




Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 10:52 pm:

Didn't mean to double post, above. Computer was just slow at adding the first post.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Friday, July 20, 2012 - 06:44 am:

"Dennis, I liked Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody, too. One of my other favorites from that era was Beep Beep by The Playmates. Its on YouTube, also.".

I'm kind of partial to that one too Terry. Check out this version, that's MY "Little Nash Rambler" in it :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1c4QZGQw5o


The horn on my 'Little Nash Rambler' DOES go 'Beep, Beep, Beep' and with a 350 Chevy/Turbo 400 in it, that shifts from 2nd to 3rd right around 90, I don't have to worry much about having to figure out how to 'get it out of 2nd gear'.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Halpin on Friday, July 20, 2012 - 06:55 am:

That's some really nice work John. :-)
Primer black paint paint jobs are a pain in the you know where, to take care of but that's not something that you don't already know.
My Rambler is referred to as a 'Rat Rod' these days too. Back in 'the day', you would have a Hot Hod and I would have a Custom Car.


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