New build thread - My son's first car
 

All this recent talk of youngsters in the hobby got me to thinking that I should start a build thread for my 12 year old son Daniel's new summer project. He worked with my Dad and I in our restoration shop all last summer helping with whatever small projects we could find for him, but he told me a few months ago that he really wanted a project of his own for this summer.

After kicking around a few different ideas we all decided that a Model T speedster would make a great first project because they're fairly inexpensive and parts are plentiful, so we started looking. We checked out several leads but couldn't find anything in our price range until a strange twist of fate had me on the phone one evening talking Model A's with fellow FordBarner Racur96. During the course of conversation he mentioned that he had a 26 chassis that he wanted to sell, and it just so happened that the price was right and he was fairly close! Daniel spent his Spring Break working around the shop to earn money and we sold his dirt bike on Craigslist, so before the week was up he'd managed to earn enough to buy the chassis. (The SMOKIN' deal that Racur96 made us certainly helped! Thanks Adrian!) I had to laugh because he had a can of PB Blaster soaking down everything on the chassis before we even got it off the trailer! :D

I'll try to post periodic updates and make this a build thread of sorts, so here's the first couple photos.

Deron


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Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Way to go kid. Sure glad you picked a T. Everything else is just a Ford. But a T is something pretty special. By the time you get done with your speedster you'll know a lot of stuff that'll make you realize Henry Ford was a genius. And you'll also realize the guy wasn't hooked up right. JK Glad to see you're starting with pictures. That'll give you a written journal by the time your done and something to share all your life. And we can all rejoice your from Alabama and not Wisconsin. Not that Wisconsin is a real bad place it's just that there's some shady characters from over there that are just kind of, how should I say it, different. Well ok let's get to the point. It's not all of Wisconsin. It's just the guys on here that are from Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Good Luck Daniel.

Mike

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

A great, complete chassis. What a learning experience. It's a grand thing when a Son takes an interest that leads to the family business. Got your work cut out for you but so many have started with so much less. Good Luck.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Hey Steve... I may be out of place, but Id like to welcome you here! Without going into semantics, its wayyy more user freindly! ws

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Now that school's out for the summer Daniel is starting to make a little progress on his speedster, so I thought I should post an update (being that I did title it a build thread...) We dug out an old frame that I had stashed away for another project and he's using that to dummy up the body out of cheap pine. This way he's learning a lot of valuable skills such as laying out patterns, keeping things symmetrical and most importantly keeping his workspace clean! So far I've been very proud of his progress because we showed him how to make the first bulkhead pattern and he's been off and running by himself from there. He just informed me that tomorrow he's planning to finish the next bulkhead (or station) which will serve as the door latch posts. Once he gets all the stations erected we'll rip some thin pieces of wood and string them front to rear along the body to see how well everything flows, and then make whatever adjustments are necessary. So far his eye for that kind of stuff seems to be pretty good, but time will tell. He does have some funky ideas floating around in that little head of his... Once he's got all that like he wants it then we'll go back and build the body structure out of ash, but he'll need help with that since I'm not yet comfortable letting him use anything but the band saw.

So far I think the proportions look pretty good with the exception of lowering the steering column. I told him that I'd help him dummy up a seat tomorrow so that we could figure out just what needs to be done with the steering column.


Stay tuned!

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Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Nice shop lucky kid to have you and a shop like that to start his first project.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

The look of pride on his face says it all. Way to go!

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Putting padding on the running board braces is cheating. Everyone needs to skin there shins on them at least once or twice before you learn to cover them. That is why it is called the UHK or University of Hard Knocks.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

My son's only four, but part of my interest in my building a T truck is that my son and I can not just build a truck for me but a future 'first car' for him. - It's great to see someone else' child doing the same. - He's doing a great job!

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Help/question from/about second pic where he's posing in blue shirt during the day and it's a angle view of the passenger side...... as I look at the pic, it looks that the straight stick of the frame is about 2"by about 4"under where the cab will be and at about the firewall and behind body the frame tapers to about 2"x3"??? Do I see on the side of the passenger side of the frame by the fire wall a distinct line on the frame as if it is bolted together??? I dont want to build a box tubing generi-stick frame like the custom t-bucket and cant find a frame so I am trying to find how to build one.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Thanks guys,

He's having a blast and seems to be learning a lot in the process, so I'm thrilled. There has been a lot of discussion lately (and not all good) about the younger generation and their interest in the hobby so I thought some of you guys might like to know that there really are young people out there who have a genuine interest in this old scrap iron. Heck, he's already asking about whether or not he can take his driving test in this thing 3 1/2 years from now!

And Andy, those rags wrapped around the running board brackets were one of the first things we did when that frame came into the shop. We're doing a 32 Plymouth for a customer right now and I can't tell you how many times I whacked my shin on those, so I figured I'd just save everybody the hassle and cover 'em up. He's almost finished with that coil box you sent too, and I'll be sure to post photos when he is. I had to laugh the other day because I showed him how to fill small rust pits with glazing putty and he worked on that thing nearly all day. You'd have thought it was the Mona Lisa the way he was working on it.... :D

Near the end of the day he went outside to paint it and came back in almost in tears. When I asked what had happened he explained that something must be wrong with the paint because it had run really bad! All I could do was laugh and try to explain that those things happen when you try to put too much paint on something too fast, and that he'd better put his big girl panties on because it wouldn't be the last time it would happen. I don't think he understood what I was trying to say, but he'll get it eventually..... :cool: Some lessons we just gotta learn the hard way...

Thanks again guys,
Deron

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Thats great,looks like fun!:D Best of times;)
I just finished Dec. of 2011 one with my son too,we built a 1923 hot rod Ford roadster w/v8 350 SBC,he's having a ball going to the car shows with it.:cool:

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Deron
What a fabulous set of pictures and wonderful project. My son built a 30 Ford speedster and it was a great project. High quality time and it kept him busy. Good grades and he is now and engineer.
Enjoy it because they do grow up. He is acquiring a skill set and knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

great thread,i to will be building a 1927 Ford T pickup with my 11 year old boy when i finish my 33 coupe,keep us posted,

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Great job! Way to get 'em hands on!

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

It is soo refreshing to see a young fellow into something besides heavy metal music & body piercing & tattoos. looks like you are doing a fine job Deron. Keep us updated I like these kinds of posts.

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Cool pics.....cool project......cool kid! Congrats all around!

Jim

Re: New build thread - My son's first car
 

Great project keep it up I wish dad would have been more saportive when I bought my ModelA at 19 . He did warm up to it later.