My 23 TT project

[Corvette Guy]

I just picked this up from a buddy. It's got a 23 motor in it so I'm guessing that's what I'm going to call it. It runs, drives and stops. It has a True Fire ignition, solid rear tires, solid frame and a Texas T alternator (not hooked up). I've driven it up and down the drive sitting on the gas tank.

I'm thinking it is over heating as steam comes out the radiator cap. I've got to fab up a cab and bed. One of my rear wheels has a wooden fello that has shrunk back from the metal rim, the spokes are solid. I'm going to get a court ordered title before I start putting any work into it, it's going to be a dad and lad (13 year old) project.

My main question is how does the cab and floor board attach to the frame? Anyone have any good picts? I've got it figured out how to build the bed but want a cab built first. I've got a windshield for it too.

Then I've got to get that rear rim sorted out. I'm planning on putting some verier around the outside diameter of the wood fello and press it back in. Some say not to do that, but the thing only goes 15mph.

[perry kete]

WOW! That sucker must be fast it blew the body right off of it when you ran it!

[Rich Eagle]

Hey, that's pretty cool. I'm thinking what I would do with one.
Thanks for posting.
Rich

[A Whiteman]

Welcome to the TT club!

They, they are slow, but I think TTs are still fun.

No flat tyres on the rears - ever

As to body style and mounting, there are a myriad of options. Do you want it to be 'standard/factory' or ' standard/ common cab manufacture (like Martin Perry for example) or 'freestyle'?

With 'free style, you can design anything you want and a google search of the web will show lots of designs from all over the world. Check the 'Gallery' on this site, there are a few TTs there on there for ideas: app.php/gallery/album/77

When making a cab, I suggest two things to keep in mind, first that the back wall of the cab is far enough back to comfortably get behind the wheel. You will find 'original' cabs were built for a much smaller body size than the average today (poor diet then vs today). Second, the height of the cab needs to be comfortable too, if it is too low that can be cramped and you have to hang the head down to see out = not a lot of fun..!.

Until 'factory' metal cabs came out, most were made of wood and actual design depends really on how creative you are.

Field Truck Bodies Brochure.pdf

(284.19 KiB) Downloaded 110 times

[Dallas Landers]

If someone knows how to post the link to my Martin Parry cab rebuild, I think it shows how the cab mounts to the frame.

[Dallas Landers]

I like it alot Scott. Mine is a 23 also.

[Corvette Guy]

I like the looks of the C cabs and I'm looking for something easy to make. I've got 4 tabs on the frame that I think are mounting holes for the cab, but I'm not exactly sure how the cab and floor attach to them. I'm 6'3" so I'll probably extend the cab a bit to make it adult sized.

[A Whiteman]

My cab and bed are both bolted to bearers that run the length of the chassis back from the firewall. These bearers are bolted to the rear cross from, the large 'lugs' just behind the petrol tank and to the lugs just behind the firewall. An extra angle bracket is used to fit to the front lugs (just like in Dallas' post below).

The cab and the deck are built on these bearers. Dallas' cab is separate I think? Both possibilities will work.

[A Whiteman]

Here is that dimension picture - may be useful

[DHort]

Indiana is not a wide state. You need to drive over to Dallas's place and see what he has done. It is Awesome!

[Dallas Landers]

This is the main floor for my wood cab and brackets to attatch to frame tabs. Bracket bolt to the main wood runners on floor system.

Its hard to see in photos when all together. The most critical part of the floor build is the angle and placement of the front portion so peddles work as they should.

[Dallas Landers]

What part of IN are you from? I have all the original wood cab I used for patterns. You are welcome to come look at mine. Just stay 6ft away.

[Dallas Landers]

If you go to Martin Parry .com and look at the catalogs, it will show the general construction of the body without the frame. There is a tremedous amount of info from these people on this forum. They helped me figure out mine. Wood cabs are what ever you want them to be. I used part of an existing MP cab and tried to keep it as period as possible.

[Corvette Guy]

What part of IN are you from? I have all the original wood cab I used for patterns. You are welcome to come look at mine. Just stay 6ft away.

Cool thanks for the offer, I'll take you up on it once the China Virus settles down. Did those little metal angle brackets come with the cab? I guess I could make some out of some angle....

[Dallas Landers]

Very easy to make some. These came with another wood cab I have.

[D Stroud]

Scott, you have a high firewall so your TT would be a '24 or newer. The firewall, hood , hood shelves and radiator are different than a low radiator '23 or older. Just a heads up. Dave

[Corvette Guy]

Scott, you have a high firewall so your TT would be a '24 or newer. The firewall, hood , hood shelves and radiator are different than a low radiator '23 or older. Just a heads up. Dave

Ugh, it's got a 1923 engine and that is the only number on it so I guess that is what I have to register it as? Who knows how many changes there have been in the last 100 years or so?

[HPetrino]

Scott,

I'm not convinced it's a '24 or newer just because it is currently sporting a high radiator/firewall. Contradicting that opinion are the short running boards.

Some things a photo of might help get a better idea of the year it was built:

1. The rear end' Clam shell bead at axle tube or not.
2. Rear chassis cross member 1 hole or 2 on each side.
3. Horn button on steering column.
4. Patent plate on fire wall.

These things will not date the truck exactly, but will give you a better idea of whether it's an early TT or one from a little later on. You may never know for sure what year it is, but for legal purposes it's a 1923 Model T Ton Truck!

[Corvette Guy]

Scott,

I'm not convinced it's a '24 or newer just because it is currently sporting a high radiator/firewall. Contradicting that opinion are the short running boards.

Some things a photo of might help get a better idea of the year it was built:

1. The rear end' Clam shell bead at axle tube or not.
2. Rear chassis cross member 1 hole or 2 on each side.
3. Horn button on steering column.
4. Patent plate on fire wall.

These things will not date the truck exactly, but will give you a better idea of whether it's an early TT or one from a little later on. You may never know for sure what year it is, but for legal purposes it's a 1923 Model T Ton Truck!

Here's a couple more photos. There is no horn button and the patent plate is unreadable.

[HPetrino]

These latest photos would indicate that it is a later TT. The longer chassis rear cross member with 2 holes on each side, the absence of the bead on the clam shells and the oil plug on the top of the rear end cap (early units didn't have this) all indicate a later truck.

This all makes me curious about how it ended up with those short running boards. Of course, it's nearly 100 years old. Anything could have been done to it over that much time.

[Corvette Guy]

These latest photos would indicate that it is a later TT. The longer chassis rear cross member with 2 holes on each side, the absence of the bead on the clam shells and the oil plug on the top of the rear end cap (early units didn't have this) all indicate a later truck.

This all makes me curious about how it ended up with those short running boards. Of course, it's nearly 100 years old. Anything could have been done to it over that much time.

Right, 100 years is a long time and there are no numbers on the frame, so I'm going to have to title it as a 23 due to engine numbers. I guess it's a frankentruck?

Are the solid tires typically on older ones?

[D Stroud]

Scott, you can title it however you want, my point was just to help you identify what you have so you won't run into problems down the road when looking for parts. Dave

[HPetrino]

Scott,

My TT is an '18 based on some evidence including a 1917-'18 patent plate, a '15-'16 steering column, short running boards, rear end clamshell beads, short rear chassis cross member, etc. However, it has a '23 engine. I registered it in about 2002, after it being off the books since 1941 (license plated was still on it). The CA DMV had a hard time accepting any year I proposed. So, I brought my copy of Bruce McCally's book and showed them the page with my '23 engine number and date of production. The clerk called her supervisor, they had a pow-wow, made a copy of the book cover and the page, then issued my Certificate of Ownership and Registration. It is forevermore now a 1923 Ford Model T Ton Truck no matter what any of us think.

I dunno what it's like where you are, but you need to be prepared for such nonsense when you register it.