How many of you own either a T Speedster or hopped up T-powered Roadster or whatever?? Give us the details + how you use the car - hill climbs, rallies, sand drags, tours??

I became interested in cars from listening to my Dad tell stories of his Model Ts in the early twenties and how they modified them. He had even gone so far as to design and cast his own T head. Back then Model Ts were so inexpensive that he said, when one broke down, it was often just ditched beside the road. Guys would get these cars, strip off the body and replace it with a seat or a makeshift body, hop up the engine, etc. To the day he died (at ninety) he kept a picture of his T Speedster in his wallet..

I'm on the downstroke to completing my 1927 full fendered T Roadster with a RAJO head (towers, rockers, rods made by my Dad), newly built/balanced engine (by veteran builder Kyle Holman, of nearby Dewey ,AZ) fitted with aluminum pop up pistons on modified A rods, shortened A crank, rebuilt/balanced flywheel and trans (thanks to Pat Mackin here in Prescott), kevlar bands, distributor, water pump, electric fuel pump, etc. Haven't figured out whether to install the stock RAJO exhaust manifold or build a set of headers for it.. Either way, the exhaust will be a larger diameter than stock, utilizing a small muffler + a cutout..

Underneath, it has a dropped T axle with reverse eyed spring, rebuilt and balanced T flywheel (without magneto), Warford, Ruckstell, AC outside brakes, cast bronze brackets that lower the rear by placing the spring in front of the axle, 21" T wire wheels with a larger tire on the rear than the front (the car sits about an inch lower in the front than the back)..

The stock body is fited with an aftermarket rumble seat. I squirted it red and affixed "Roar with Gilmore" decals on the doors, painted the fenders/aprons/boards jet black and had the T wire wheels powdercoated red.. Upholstery and top will be black.

I plan to drive on tours, attend local cruise nites, race the Antique Nats Drag races in SoCal (if they haven't been cancelled), see what it will do on the Tucson hill climb, show it off at the LA Roadster Show in Pomona, CA and enjoy putting about in our picturesque town.

Hi Vern, The 27 roadster pick-up in my profile was originaly built for the different 500 mile endurance runs back in the late 60's- mid 70's. As far as I can tell all it has is a shaved head and an aluminum intake manifold with a NH Sway back carb. Other than a few leaves having been removed frome the springs and the main rear leaf being bent about an inch from the eye's it is completly stock.

When I got it it had the Mag and coils, but after a tear down and adjustment of rods and mains I found that the insulation was almost gone on the mag windings so I pulled the Magnets to see if I could get any faster acceleration, After wich I didn't see and difference. After the original New Day timer went out on it I put a distributor on it for temporary use.

Before I monkied with the engine it would cruse all day at 50 miles an hour.
When I get the time I plan on rebuilding the engine so it will qualify for the Montana 500 if I ever get the chance to take it.

Other than that I have used it as a daily driver and tour vehicle in the past. We don't have many T related events where I am at now but I do drive it in to town for the Black Canyon Classics and the Rocky Mountian Rides weekly get togethers every once in a while.

The history that I can say for certain is that it was in 3 California 500's, 1 Colorado 500, and has been to the antique nationals at least once. I believe it was also run in the Montana 500 several years and did very good.

How is Kyle Holman doing? The last time I saw him was when I went to get some lessons on doing babbitt. Which was in late 2003- early 2004. One thing about Kyle is that he loved his Hoped Up Four Cylinder Fords especialy the T's.

Kyle Augustin
(Student of the Great Kyle Holman, and also a lover of Hoped Up Four Cylinder Fords)

Vern and Kyle and others- I guess ours qualifies for this column, built by a club member who was in our club and several others, passed away, and gave it to his daughter who immediately sold it to buy a diamond ring, 23 rdster, dropped front axle w/single hasslers, 21 in wire wheels front and rear, lightened flywheel, full length A crank, A rods, aluminum pistons, Aluminum High compression head, Ported block, special intake, Headers, Tilliston carb, electric 12 volt fan, master cutoff, wired modern, with buzz fuses, signal lights, extra 3 'rd taillite in rear end, 11-12 rear style window, undo and roll up, side curtains, 2 ton 70's chevy truck colors, vanilla and bronze, Ruxstell 3:1 rear gears, safety hubs, Kelvar bands, No brake band in trans, as the pedal is hooked to Disc Motorcycle brakes, ( NOT HEAVY ENOUGH) as we have lost them twice, last time caught a new MUSTANG at intersection at bottom of the hill, electric fuel-pump, siern, horn, etc. hope to get it ready for Centenial , Fast, gets me there quickly, presently just cant stop it safely.

Hi Vern,

It's not a speedster/roadster but has the right equipment.

Mine has an “A” crank with extra ounterweights, “A” rods with pop-up aluminum pistons, 280 cam, Aluminum timing gears, two outside oilers, Rajo cross-flow head, Rajo exhaust header running large pipe through tractor glass pack, distributor, old Holley 88 carburetor, distributor with points (mag removed), alternator mounted on left side (belt driven) ball-bearing 4th main, Watts clutch, Kevlar bands, Rocky Mountains, Ruckstell running stock rear end ratio, #3rd brake light in rear window, 12V Optima battery, electric fuel pump, directionals, column mounted starter button using remote solenoid, completely fused wiring.

All this work was done for safety reasons and to let me keep pace with all those whippersnappers in their roadsters!!!

I'm wondering about putting a hot engine in the ol' brass picup; waddya' think of this one? Note the temp gauge on the intake manifold..


rdr

Somebody has WAY too much free time...

I like those that are "well done".

Tim Moore

Kyle, Mr. Holman is doin' fine but sez he's slowing down a bit @ 85... Great experience having him build me an engine!

John, your roadster sounds great.. Let us know about what you do for brakes...

David, I love your engine compartment!! What year and body style is your T?? I'm running the same RAJO water pipe on mine. With the RAJO intake/exhaust manifold mine will have a Winfield S carb. A custom tubular header means I can run either a Winfield SR or a Stromberg 81. I'll post some pix sometime...

Rick, Talk about a hot setup!! Did you build it or buy it?? I had my '32 Tub parked @ the LA Roadster Show last June and one row over and a car behind me a guy had a custom built trailer behind his T bucket which had an open exhausted Chevy engine mounted at the front and 3 or 4 blenders on the back. Every half hour or so he'd fire up that Chevy and blend some frozen margaritas!!

Earlier this year the Phoenix T guys had their annual Speedster run here in Prescott. I'd guess about 15 or 20 cars participated. The purported fastest one was a rusty '26-7 full fendered RPU, the infamous "Skinnin' Truck" showed up sporting a new OHV T engine and several Speedsters of various types attended, too... Lotsa fun!!

Anybody else running or building a hot Model T??

Hi Vern,

Thanks for the compliment. The car is a 22 Centerdoor. One change you can't see is the original metal firewall that I had local hot rod sheet metal expert (Ron Batson) modify. He installed a recess, that took up most of the space originally occupied by the old coil box, to allow clearance for the Rajo head.

http://www.jrsmotorsports.net/images/junior.mpg

Try this movie link and let me know if it works
JS

David, in addition to my '27 Roadster, I have an early '23 Touring, a Speedster project and a '20 Centerdoor - stock with a Ruckstell & waterpump. Ironically, Ron Batson fabricated and installed patch panels in my '27 Roadster + he "notched" my firewall and gas tank to clear the RAJO head. Unfortunately, I goofed on the measurements and a good friend/body man here had to deepen the notch even further. I would visit Ron's shop every time business took me to the San Diego area (he was in Santee, I lived in El Toro) and was always wowed by Ron's work and his work ethic (Ron got stuff done when he said he would and you'd better be ready to get your car into his shop or you went to the back of the line). Nice Guy!! I understand that Ron has retired!?

John, "Junior" is GREAT!! Did you build the body? Where did the hubcaps come from? Looks like Junior could use the limited slip differential modification that a guy in Phoenix (Kirk Wright) was selling. Been thinking of getting one for my '27...

John - It works! And it sounds almost as good as it looks! I like the photos you've been posting on this forum John; keeps me "fired up" about Model T Fords during this period of "less than ideal" touring weather here in the Seattle area. I just ordered a pair of Ford Tractor 2N/8N/9N mufflers; one each for my '23 roadster and for my '23 touring. This will be the first time I've ever installed anything but Model T Ford parts on either of my T's. Hope to realized just a little improvement in performance and gasoline mileage and maybe a little easier (cooler) for exhaust valves. And most of all, I'm tired of blowing up those T mufflers with the tinny stamped end plates. I just hope my otherwise stock "T"s still sound like Model T's with those straight-through mufflers. A couple guys on this forum say that those mufflers work out real good.......harold

We have a Rajo head with an A crank in our speedster.





A little racing at the Del Mar fairgrounds.

David, you mention that you have a tractor glasspack muffler. What brand/model/size/etc. Does it sound good/improve performance? I looked @ Tractor Supply web page but they offer several sizes... Thanks.

The best sound I have found was a Smithy 20 inch glasspack deep and throaty T sound

Vern
Yes, the body is completly fabricated from some left over T parts. The hub caps are from Bob Scherzer in Mich. (I think that is how you spell his name). Lowered 5 inches Z'ed rear, my own lowering brackets in front. Will run over 90 mph.

Harold,
The sound is actually a lot deeper than the clip. It has a non-baffled 3 1/2" megaphone exhaust.
JS

Ivan that speedster looks great...

Have you any more photographs of it..?

I'd love to see more.

Cheers

Anthony

I do not want to clutter this thread with my photos, but you can see more of the car here:

http://flickr.com/search/?q=jbmc

Ivan......you must be kidding! Beautiful photos of a beautiful machine! Seems to me that that's what this thread is all about! You can "clutter up this thread" some more by telling us more about it! Talk about paying attention to detail! Look at that beautiful instrumentation! I also see RAJO & Ruckstell for a start,.....tell us about it!

My dad and I started this car when I was in junior high school and finished about 5 years ago. I am currently 25 and this is what got me into the Model T hobby. (Currently with a 24 touring and a 19 roadster and the 26 speedster)

The body is all hand built by us. The turtle deck and radiator shell are made from a 69 chevy stepside fenders.

The car has a Rajo BB head with a model A crank, stromberg OF carburetor, ruckstell, warford, hayes wire wheels, franklin front axle.

We recently won the 2006 Santa Clara Valley endurance run and have been on a couple of nation tours (Kanab and san diego). We plan attending the 2009 Kanab tour as well.

Thanks Ivan; Wow! A Warford AND a Ruckstell........you can tour, win races or plow the north 40! Just kidding, but that certainly is a beautifully designed and built car. I wondered about the front axle. Almost too pretty to drive, but obviously no "trailer queen"!

Here is a better view of the engine.

Nice car and engine compartment, Ivan!

During the late sixties and early seventies we attended many of the Long Beach (CA) Hillclimbs. I remember the fast guys: Doc Pruden, Ellis Gray, Milt Uhler, Chris Eggsgaard, etc. They really stormed the hill while the TT trucks and stock sedans often only made it part way and then had to turn around and back up.

We heard that one of their club memebers sued the club, causing the LB Model T Club to shut the event down. Anybody know more about this??

Nice postings Ivan...glad to see someone from the SCVMTFC contributes some good stuff.

I have owned this original Paco speedster for about 30 years. I have hill climbed it, shown it in car shows, and toured in it a little.

It features an original Model 21 Paco body, Pasco wire wheels, A fronty Model R head with Zenith side draft carb, Ruckstell rearend with 3 to 1 gears, Frontenac front lowering bracket and dearched rear spring. The engine has a lighten flywheel with the magnets removed, a full pressure oil system to the rod and main bearings, and a Bosch cover plate style distributor.

The car originally came from Nebraska and had a windshield and top which I have not yet installed. Unfortunately I have no more history

Vern,

Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you.

First off, Ron Batson did close his shop but did not "retire". He's working part-time for antother sheetmetal outfit.

The muffler was from Tractor Parts, item # 310079. It cost around $16.00. It was a bit loud so I stuck an internal baffle from J.C. Witless, 1 3/4" O.D. - part ZX013524N, in the tailpipe that quieted in down just right for me.

Dave