One ride began asuPmRd quest for Ford T By JiI Pclntosh When Del Sallows, 35, of Whitby was a boy, his neighbor's friend owned a T-bucket Ford. One day Del was given a ride in it which started him on a quest for an oîd car. nOnoe 'd ridden in it, I wanted to build one of my own,0 Del says. %Years later I stumbled across a fiberglass T-bucket body at a bodyshop and that's what I started with.w Del was 18 and stilî in sohool when he began building the 1923 Ford T roadster which he stili owns toclay. His mechanicai abiîity, combined with skiîîs he had learned in his technicai courses at school enabled him to build the car entirely by himself tram the ground up. el didnt have a lot of money and I had to use whatever I could get,N he explains. "I paid $125 for the body but that was al I had to work with.0 He built and welded a frame himself. Needing an engine and transmission, he bought a 1965 Chevy for $15 and rebuilt the engine himself before putting it in. NAIlI1 had were some ideas and some dimensions of how the body wouîd fit onta the frame,' he says. The rear axle was tram a Chevrolet, but Del had to make special supports by hand and weîd them to the trame so it would fit. The front axîe, which he paid $2 for, came trom a 1964 International pickup truck; aiong with supports for it, Del also had to fabricate springs to make it fit into the frame he haI made. The only things he didn't do himself were the paint and uphoîstery. Even the brass-plated radiator shell is Del's creation. Although brand-new kits are available ta build this type of car, Del says, el didn't want an over-the-counter car. I wanted the challenge of using what I had available to me and making it wark. I even used the emergency brake handîe out of a dump truck because that's what I had. I didn't want ta buy any new parts! Despite the diversity of its components, the Fard was ready ta go in 1978. Its tlrst trip was tram Scarboraugh ta Ktchener; although Del put 400 miles an it that weekend he did not experience a single problem. He stilî drives the car regularly and he and his wite Karen are usuaiîy seen at most cruise nights and car shows, wvhere the Ford has won several trophies. Son Kyle, 15 and daughter Kristen, 11, aren't as interested in old cars as their parents are, though. wThey'd rather play sports than go to car shows," Del laughs. He enjoys the attention the Fard gets and alsa the tact that like most aId cars, it holds its value very weII. It cast me about $8,000 ta build this car," he says. nWhen it was tinished il years ago, it was appraised at $9,000. Two weeks ago I had it appraised again and it was valued at $18,000. I've put Iess than $2,000 into it over the last il years and yet its value has risen that much. Not anly that, but I can drive around in something that I buiît that's unique!' No SWEAT AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE Our expert technicians wiII: Check for leaks Check and adjust beits Tighten connections Top-up refrigerant (1 poufld) 51~~ See us first, before you lose ypur cool! AUTO SERVICE PROMISE CUSTOMER SHUTTLE SERVICE " Fix your car right. Our trained Leave your car with our service technicians know their job. department and we wilI pick up and " Do only the work that is needed. deliver you anywhere in Whltby and If extra work is required wel' surrounding area. Just another cail you first. reason why it makes sense to bring " We will guarantee our work and your car repairs to Canadian Tire in parts nationwide. Whitby. TRST CANADIAN TIRE TRCANADNS iCOC FORAUO ERVICE* CANADIAN TIRE j04AN WHITBY" - 400 Glenhili Drive HOURS: Mon. - Fni.: 7am ta 9pmn SERVICE 668-1296 Saturday: 7:3Oam ta Gpm Whitby Free Press 17