Tim, if you were to look back at the magazines and books showing the
cars run at the lakes since the pre war years, and at Bonneville since 1949,
I believe you will find that in the modified roadster class, the ' 27 T,
Henry' s
old Tin Lizzie, was the predominant body style, and I think this is not just
because they came first, and therefore fell into the hot rodder' s hands
first . They
appear to be slightly narrower at the cowl, and also at the rear of the
turtle
deck, than the ' 28 / 29 bodies, and also the last two Model As, the ' 30 /
31s .
In the regular roadster classes the traditional ' 29 Hiboys seemed to be
found in roughly equal numbers as the ' 32 roadsters, from the Forties into
the Sixties ...... they both have that classic look that endears them to
almost
every hot rodder, young or old . I would guess that in recent years that
most
entrants in the roadster class now sport the ' 29 body, while modified
roadster
builders still favor those low ' 27 Ts . All of those, from T to Deuce,
have
terrific appeal due to their original classic styling right out of Dearborn .
You could give Dick Williams a call at Poliform, and he could probably
fix
you up with some measurements, and maybe sell you a body in the
process . I also think Jim Dincau and ArdunDoug recently posted some
specs from their roadster bodies . The lengthened chisel noses that look
so fantastic on modified roadsters seem to be at their aesthetic best on the
' 27 T ...... that' s just my take ...... very aerodynamic ...... they look
fast
even when sitting still ! I have always loved them since I saw the cars
of Fred Carrillo, the Dahm bros, Ak Miller, Jim Khougaz, Fred Larsen
and Ruddy & Weinstein, and others, in the pages of early Hot Rod mags .
This sleek body style also showed up in 50s drag racing roadsters :
The Bean Bandits roadster, Speed Sport I and II, Buddy Beavers and
many more all sporting narrownose Ts . Early day dragracer Holly Hedrich
built a longer wheelbase version that was a work of art, based on this tried
and true style of roadster , and some even started putting these bodies on
slingshot rails such as the well known " Tennessee Boll Weevil "
of Ray Godman ...... but these designs altered the classic look of their
earlier brothers from the same assembly lines of the late ' 20s .
You might find someone who can give you some aerodynamic Cd s
on these different year styles ...... but I think you might just end up going
with the classic style for the modified class ...... the ' 27 . They also
make fantastic looking street roadsters ...... ask anyone who has seen
Gene and Alan Barbee' s bright red, record grabbing piece of jewelry !
Have fun building it, Tim ...... I hope your shop is heated if you' re
working on it tonight ! Mercury at 36 * here, but none of the white stuff
Bellytanker John L. got .......
Bruce
|