MTFCA Forum

I’ve got a start to one. I don’t know anything about it really. It’s a late model, it came with 2 blocks and a 4 dip pan, lots of stuff, fellows, bands, steering column, even the straps from the back of the hogshead to the frame. I’ve got a late model transmission already. I just got it today but it’s about as much of a T as I ever get because I enjoy putting them together so here I go again. I’ll see tomorrow if the numbers on one of the blocks matches the frame. TT’s also had numbers on the frames also in 26-27 I suppose. I had to go to high school graduation after unloading it so I didn’t get to sort through it all.

I bet if you put one of your carbs on that engine, it will run. Its always exciting to bring home a new project. I will be watching.

Good for you Corey ! You have enough knowledge and patience to make a go of that project. Let me know if you need any parts (like the top tranny inspection cover)

One thing to remember about a stock TT at least is, you better LOVE to go slow!! I mean like 18 mph slow!
Hopefully you'll at least latch on to one with the faster rear end gears, I forget what the ratio is. Others will tell you. Good luck and have fun!

I had to go to graduation last night so I just got to sort through this stuff and get the chassis off the ground. It has body brackets up front, starter switch and electric taillight. I put one of the spare blocks in my Overland body speedster so I can figure out how to make it neater where the exhaust goes since I’m working on the motor that I’m putting into it.

There are two worm/ring gear ratio possibilities for TT s. The cast iron worm gear with 4 ‘wraps’ is the slowest - 7.15:1 and the one with 6 ‘wraps’ is the “fastest” - 5.25:1. Unfortunately the latter ratio has been usually associated with TT Ruckstell rear ends. What kind of body do you have or will you use ? Looks like there’s some sandblasting in your future

I think I have the 7.15:1 gears. 2 turns of one wheel = 7.15 turns of the driveshaft. I don’t really know about a body yet. It’ll be a slow process but I couldn’t pass it up being 7 miles down the road.

I am intrigued by your last photo of what appears to be an unusual front end? Can you show more of what it is we are seeing?

Thanks

It’s a front end from a 1925 Overland Model 91. I bought the front half of what was left of a touring to get the windshield frame for an Overland I was working on. I had an extra T frame with a bent front axle so I thought I’ll use the cool front end and the body on a T frame. The axle is in the same place as a T axle would have been. I did lower it some and Z the frame in the rear. I adapted the Overland hubs to use the 28-29 Model A wheels that came with the T chassis. Most of the bottom body sheet metal is from 1970 something Chevy truck door skins. I had to buy another windshield frame since the one I bought the parts car for went with the other car.

There seems to be a small cult following for TT's here. If I wasnt a city boy I would have one, i'm sure. Never had much use for a T that slow in my area.

Back about '84 I was on my first national T run in Estes park CO. Hooked me good. Anyway, on the way up to the great divide I came across a TT. How could he be here ahead of me? Turns out he put a late passenger rear end & warford under it. He had adapted TT wheels to the passenger hubs. Interesting.

Forward to recent times. A fellow member got the hanherin for a TT. Why? We are drivers. A TT doesnt run fast enough for our group tours. Shortly after finishing it, the thrill of life in the very slow lane must have waned. ( the truck is a real nice 26 closed cab with the long P/U box with fenders.) He did a '27 passenger rear end conversion & warford. Made custom spokes to use the original TT rims & big tires. It looks fantastic & still runs very well speed & power wise with the rest of the cars. It actually performs better than some of the other T cars in the group. I am very impressed.

This sort of modification is a good option, if not considered sacrilegious.

To make a Model TT truck faster, it all happens after the Ford transmission assuming your motor is good. A 5 to 1 high speed gear set (standard housing or Ruckstell 2 speed housing does not matter), shorten the drive shaft, torque tube, radius rods, then add a third party gear box (Muncie, Warford, etc., etc.) THEN MOST IMPORTANT THING IS SOME AUX. BRAKING SYSTEM TO STOP THE DAMM THING. You will find yourself doing 35 to 40 mph easy. Any faster than that is a little scary to me. With the set up I have Ruckstell and Muncie plus the Ford transmission that give me 14 forward gears and 10 in reverse. It also gives me a creeper gear set up for parades, up hill too.

Give me a call if you need some help.

The TT I had years ago had the 5 to 1 rear end and a bronze housing Universal Gear Co overdrive mounted in front of the differential. It was an about thirty percent overdrive. With the real gasoline back then it would do 40 mph all day on level ground. I suspect it would be a bit slower than that with the crud-for-gas we get today.

Wayne Sheldon wrote: ↑

Sat May 28, 2022 10:47 pm

The TT I had years ago had the 5 to 1 rear end and a bronze housing Universal Gear Co overdrive mounted in front of the differential. It was an about thirty percent overdrive. With the real gasoline back then it would do 40 mph all day on level ground. I suspect it would be a bit slower than that with the crud-for-gas we get today.

Yeas ago , I had a friend that drove a TT as his daily driver. He claimed to run 25 thru Long Beach. All the lights were synced to that speed. He warned me that running faster, as other TT guys did with extra gearing(overdrives) would get the rear end real hot & was very hard on it, since it has to whip around very fast by its design to hit those hi speeds. Thats the extent of my limited knowledge of TT's.

A TT axle that is run at twice its design speed and more would probably benefit from modern, lighter-bodied lubricant. A more fluid lubricant would help dissipate heat and might reduce heat generated by fluid friction. If you put a regular T axle under a TT truck, adding floating hubs might be a good idea.

Adding the fenders helped but I’ll have to find some shackles and put the front end back, then I may cut out a firewall and put the steering column, an old rusted out gas tank and an old radiator then it will at least look like something sitting there until I get around to it. I might can save one of those fenders.

Is that A T bucket under the front?

Thanks for the extra pictures Corey, it looks a neat idea.

TTs are great, yes slower but have their own charms.

I have a 24 roadster as well for those pesky club runs when they go too fast

Yes Adrian, speed is not everything. You can have fun in the slow lane. Mine has a Chicago 3 speed and high speed gears. With a very stock engine it will run 45 on the flat if its a long road. I have done it once to see top end. 25 is where it is comfortable running and driving. Slow is fun!

Probably, one if the most difficult parts to get for a incomplete TT are the correct rear wheels and rims. I know of a pair for sale (in Texas) if you jump before they're sold. The spokes in the wheels look solid enough to use, although not show quality. The seller does say the rims "need work". The pictures I've seen don't show rust out, so I assume the rims are 'sprung' and need straightening.

5:1 gears, a meticulous balance of the engine and transmission, Z-head,
SCAT crank, and a high flowing carb, like an OF, will get you a top end
of about 50. Mine will cruise all day at 40. An aux. transmission with
overdrive will adjust those numbers north 10mph.

Warming up of the braking system any way you can and keeping the
front end tight will add necessary safety to compensate for making a
truck go 3x its designed-for top speed. I do it all the time, but you gotta
be careful.

Other suggestions would be an aux. front end oiler and an oil screen under
the top inspection cover. Getting oil where it needs to be and keeping it
free of crud are important.

I found a TT steering bracket, a rusted out gas tank, and I had a late model TT motor mount so I put a few more parts on to make it look more like a truck and not just junk piled up.
Terry, I may wait on some wheels. I know they’re hard to find but I may not get to this for a while. I hate to put too much into it since I’ve got other stuff going. If I could just get some spokes I’ve got the hubs and fellows.
It’s 5 miles to town on a blacktop road so that might be the only place I go unless I come across some higher speed stuff to put on it along the way. Since it is a late model I might put a vaporizer carburetor on it. I don’t know. I’ve got a speedster and a 63 Chevy truck I’m already trying to build and not enough money to go around.

Corey, I’ll give you a ‘24-‘25 firewall and brackets.