Design Criteria
Overview
- Open roadster with exposed engine.
- Enclosed cab to accommodate spare tire, car tools & luggage.
- Short, 100-inch wheelbase.
- Full-fendered “retro-look” body.
- Combine “old carriage” and “Tall-T” look.
- Modern steering & suspension.
- Minimum “off-the-rack” components.
- Posh Italian leather interior with highly-polished walnut garnishes.
Traditional boundaries
& seamlessly combining the new
What makes the Model-K so unique is its adherence to traditional boundaries while at the same time seamlessly combining the new.
A perfect example of this is the custom steering wheel. How do you marry the old Model-T “spider” wheel with the feminine elegance of the Jaguar Saloon steering wheel?
The same can be asked about the custom taillights: they may look plucked from an old car but are, again, designed specifically for this project. After the design & drawings comes casting the aluminum body and stalk, CNC machining then chrome plating the bezel, welding and boring the parts for internal wiring, having LED circuit boards designed and fabricated to suit, (at about $4,000 for two dozen boards!) and finally prep, painting, and assembly. OR, you might consider replacing these lights with a pair of $75.00 vintage reproductions – BUT, NOT HERE OLD BOY! And then there’s the running board step plates; you get the picture. There are well over 100 drawings for this project and literally every piece is designed on paper before being built.
Specifications
Specifications (standard equipment)
- Engine: G.M. ZZ-383 Stroker with aluminum Fast-Burn heads.
- Transmission: G.M. 700-R4 modified for performance.
- Front suspension: TCI ’32 Ford polished “Show” IFS unit.
- Rear suspension: Kugel/Winters Quick-Change polished “Show” unit with “Extreme duty” half-shafts and four coil-over shocks.
- Wheels: Billet Specialties 15 x 7 and 15 x 12s, respectively.
- Induction System: Polished Weber/Inglese 48-IDA Eight stack.
The above list is “standard equipment” for this vehicle and is designed to suit the very high-end theme of the project.
A small range of optional engines will be offered and priced separately. Likewise, a small range of suitable color combinations selected by Moorhouse Design will be offered in the future, but no flame jobs, artsy graphics, nor metalt-flake paints will be considered. As unique and traditional as this car is, every effort will be made to keep it according to the original theme.
The custom frame is 2″ x 4″ x 3/16″ steel rectangular tube which is extensively stiffened with a round steel tube “spider” which doubles as a carrier for rear suspension pinion brace rods and various pieces such as the horn and guides for emergency brake cables. The frame is highly finished and powder coated. All body parts are hand laid up using only high quality (and expensive) vinyl ester resin.
