T frame plans

[all-world1]

Thanks for the procedure on those mounts Ron, sounds a little easier and makes more sense now.

Good point on taking a break after some good welds. Now that I think back when we welded continuously at night school, I found good welds to begin with and then things started to deteriorate not too long after.

Craig

[twannabe]

thanks for the help Ron. My past experience has been in restoring muscle cars. I run a tool & die shop, and it has allways been my desire to build a car from scratch. your plans have really helped me to figure some things out. at this stage i am still collecting parts and trying to decide what look i want.
Bill

[Youngster]

Bill, Having a plan is the first step in building one of these great little cars. Although this frame is pretty much universal, it's still a very good idea to have the part listed in the second paragraph on page #1 of the plans. The more you have on hand before the build starts, the easier your car will go together. I welcome questions, so don't be shy about asking them. I want to see you succeed almost as much as you do.

Ron

[WayneGrass]

Youngster,
Thanks for the plans and willingness to give advice. What brand body (if any in particular) did you base this on. I was thinking of stretching mine (I'm 6' 4") and was trying to decide how much I would need to stretch the frame also.

Thanks again
Wayne

[Youngster]

First off, welcome to the site! If you're thinking about building a T, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge here for you to farm.

This frame will work with any body that has the stock T dimensions. There is 45" figured in the front rails for the body. If you are stretching the body, say 4", just add 4" to the length of these rails.

If you have any more questions, please don't be afraid to post them here. You will get your answer and everyone benifits from it.

Ron

[tjhorse]

Great plans! Thanks.
Question; I'm just getting into the planning stage of my project, got the drivetrain and nothing else. I want to do a 27 roadster. Poking around the net looking at prefab chassis it seems there are some demensional differences between the '23 and '27. I was wondering if these plans can be adjusted to accomodate the roadster body? Is the difference is just in the wheelbase or are there other differences between the frames?
Thanks in advance. I'm new to this so forgive me if these are silly questions.
Todd

[RPM]

I would recommend you contact Josh at Spirit for a 27 body. They can also answer your questions about the frame.

Spirit T-Bucket Parts and Turn-Key TBucket Cars - Home - Spirit Industries

[Youngster]

I'm using one under my '27 modifed. You can figure the new length for the rear rails by mocking up you body and placing a wheel where the fender flare is on the turtle deck. At the same time you can see how much kick you want by setting the body at ride heigth. On guy told me he used 2x4's to build a mock frame to get these measurements.

Ron

[EX JUNK]

Using 2 x 4's to mock up a frame works great. I had never built a frame before and that is how I started my build. I also made plywood cutouts of the diameter tires that I intended to use and placed them in the position where I thought they looked best. With that done, I stood back and was able to check the profile to see if it sat the way I envisioned it in my mind.

By taking the time to do these little "crude" steps, you can avoid some expensive mistakes when you start with the steel. Buying steel tubing is getting more and more expensive every day.

[Youngster]

The balance or look of these cars is so important. All it takes is for one component to be an inch out of place, and your whole car looks unplanned. This is the reason Total, Spirit and others with the look are so popular. They did their homework at the beginning, not after they had units out in the market. If you want to get a feel for this, go to e-bay or any picture site and study what looks good and what dosen't. Better yet, with summer here, there will be alot of shows and runs. Nothing can replace looking at a great example close up. Don't be shy about asking questions. You will find most all bucket heads want you to get one on the road too. Very friendly and helpfull guys.

Ron