Engine Mock Up For the Blue Jay Special - Model T Track Roadster!!

Since we brought the Model T home from Missouri Matt has been itching to slide the Ford Inline 6 into place. The plans for the "Blue Jay Special" is to combine the original way it was built and incorporate some things that Leland had done to the car. There is currently no history on the car, besides what Leland has told us so we are trying to piece the car back together just from the parts we have. The few older photos do not show how the engine was mounted or located. We joke that this is like big kid legos, just with very vague instructions!!!
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[@JohnSmith-pi4ju]

Matt, it is great that you finally have somebody working along side you, who you can discuss technical matters with. Well done Steve!

[@michaelcastor7276]

It is so awesome to see it put back together even this far. I don’t honestly remember it ever being together when Brian and I were kids but I do remember playing in the body out in the yard when we were kids thinking how cool it would be to be racing it around. Glad you got this and we can watch it’s progress back to its old glory days. Thanks 🙏.

[@johnlandbeckjr3736]

Love the modified 6 cyl racers! Old friend of mine, now, unfortunately, deceased-Dave Bowman from Havre de Grace MD built some awesome dirt cars in the day: his grandson still has a couple in his garage. Amazing mechanic, with no formal training/education at all: just native mechanical skills which could never be duplicated!! John in MD

[@jimandlinsnow7002]

Looks great guys. It’s gonna be a ton of fun at the Allentown dirt drags.⛄️

[@mikeslattery8715]

Outstanding!☝️😉🙄😁😎💥☝️

[@johnelliott7375]

Looking like you poor guys are running out of room there. Enjoy your day, going to work and listening to the video.

[@charlesherrick7400]

What a lot of fun...a catchers mitt six drinking threes.

[@dad44139]

Trippel carb flathead six love it, good luck with boys

[@stevenkarnisky411]

Seems you have another historical gem there, guys!

[@dougzera1487]

The “Blue Jay Special is sweet nice job guys!!!!👍💪

[@michaelfarren3712]

Love that it has a straight six in it. Will be great to hear it running again. Keep up the great work.

[@CarterAutoRestyling]

That car is seriously cool! I love the old track roadsters, I hope you can find some more history on it!

[@timlowery7156]

Nice to see an I6 added to your stable.

[@fredwicker5400]

On my v8 60 midget racer, the front motor mounts set inside of the frame rails instead of on top the frame. Lowers the motor a couple of inches.

[@sallybrokaw6124]

Its like reconstructing a dinosaur after ya dig it up!lol! AL B.

[@rolandtb3]

Neat lego detective work. The makings of a dirt racer. Blue jay rises.

[@andrewlewis3486]

I get excited as I watch you build these old relics to functional cars. Don't stop now!

[@Mercmad]

I remember reader a leroy Tex Smith Article about how he and some friends were beaten one night at a dirt track meeting by a guy running a Ford Six.. the following weeks saw others trying to race with Ford Sixes ,without success. The trans sounds like an early homemade version of the in- out box which was still common on Sprinters until recently. No clutch,Just in or out. I once sold a bunckh of flattie trans to a guy who wanted them for making into in out boxes.

[@tombrewsaugh1399]

I have to say this is a really cool find. There is a possibility that they may have fabricated some sort of velocity stacks so that could be an option for you.

[@kevinkelly1523]

Another great show. Thanks guys. Love how you all work as a team.

[@michaelguinn5736]

Morning Matt, Mike & Steve, wow, pretty cool reliving someone's vintage race car, as you know, in the beginning things were crude & unsafe. Can't wait to see your second story shop, that will be interesting...be safe!! God Bless!!

[@johnbehneman1546]

GREAT VIDEO MATT!!! GREAT BUILD!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!! I LEARNED SO MUCH.

[@leebongirno9670]

You guys are just like archeologists with this stuff very interesting and cool. Great video.

[@handyhippie6548]

just goes to show the body on a racecar is more of an afterthought than a must have. it just had to fit around the important parts. good job figuring out the puzzle.

[@mikeslattery8715]

A, automotive archeology! ☝️💥😎😁🙄😉☝️

[@kyleforeman4543]

Wow, what a race car in that era,getting a breath of fresh air again

[@johnelliott7375]

Good morning to you Matt and company! On the other side of the state, I watch while the car warms up in the 15° weather in Seven Fields, Pa. Have a great day.

[@thirdcargarage2951]

Hope to see you guys at the auto fair in Charlotte on the 7th. My 64 1/2 mustang will be the first car by the start line on the track for sale. Stop and say hi.

[@stephenglines1553]

The best part of building a hot rod is Mookup, Like I say research and development guys are doing great job .

[@reneprovencher8395]

Years ago getting a call like this. Oh yes. I’d have a store selling refurbished stuff!!!! Man oh man. Glad for you guys!

[@THEoriginaljmelford]

Matt. That Model T would be great to take to the "TROG"! The direct drive trans might be out of a boat from that era. I had a V8/60 boat motor with that type of trans it had forward, netural and reverse only. Jim

[@reneprovencher8395]

This is a great race car to show off at car shows. Cleaned, painted and polished. No kidding this is an awesome show boat!!! Yep love it! I LOVE FLATHEADS. Raised with MeMere’s flathead 51 Nash Statesman. It could fly. Dads 48 Ford 2 Dr Sedan that I loved!!!! Yep, I’m old and just watched your egg show with a passion. Loved all the racing parts. 👍👍

[@Jemini553]

i hope you might find some pictures that show it racing that would be so cool keep up what you are doing love it all

[@_Peremalfait]

This is a pretty interesting build, a piece of racing history being put back together, and just a little different from what Iron Trap usually works on. Cool to see you working with a straight six. I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this one.

[@edryan2926]

Great detective work Matt and Steve. At 27:44 in the video, the old picture of the car shows the steering wheel is much lower, and closer to the dash. The current steering column or box are probably going to need moved to accommodate the old straight 6. Looking good.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yes Leland told us he extended the Column when he raced it with no body

[@sargentslaughter3509]

It's always cool to see what a car is going to look like before you start to build it ,great job!

[@robertjean659]

Looks cool, one neat build and will be exciting to see it finally running again. Most aussies were into straight sixes during the 1960’s, many still are. 🇦🇺🇦🇺👍👍

[@squidgameisaliarisawnosqui5341]

To cool....another one I want to see done love it ty Steve

[@paulfox3532]

What a great adventure in hot rod archeology!

[@DuckReach432]

What a beast. It's like a Frankenstein model T version of a Shelby Cobra - big motor, little car.

[@jim6214]

Love the "Blue Jay Special". Did someone mention that the engine was from a truck? If so, what year? It has such an "interesting look" with the inline 6 and the blue engine cover that I'm sure curious race car fans of the day would have taken photos of this "oddity". I hope you get tons of pictures to help you with the rebuild.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Mid to late 40’s ford Flathead 6

[@richardwyatt8979]

How about a side shift trans. Dirt tracker would only have 2nd and high gear in it. Check with Speedway Motors Museum for pictures. They have a ton of info on midwest dirt racing.

[@tommytompley4950]

Beautiful Car🏅

[@jerrylong381]

Hey Matt, Mike, and Steve, You have worked your way into a grest bunch of builds. This year is going to be fantastic and Thank You for bringing us along Isn't it great to have a bitchin' 3D puzzle to put together? And when you put it together, you not only win a cool hotrod , you sometimes get great insight into another persons thought process, or lack thereof. Some of these guys were way ahead of the average bear. Thanks

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching!

[@Ecosse57]

this car is in great hands. man, it's so cool.

[@richardmarino5658]

The Blue Jay Special is just so cool. What a project almost like a school project. Research and History. I'm sure you'll have fun doing it. I know I'm going to have fun watching all your progress.

[@380.motorsports]

The hood holes over the carbs and the picture you showed make me wonder if there was no stacks sticking out. Being a dirt track car the holes in the hood provide air inlet but stacks or scoops sticking out would possibly suck more flying dirt into the carbs.

[@josephcrispell7975]

Awesome keep up the great work on all the older hot rods

[@pinwizz69]

Man, that hot rod would be awesome painted either black with red / orange flames from the hood back or red with yellow flames hood back and a racing number on each side. Maybe the year Matt was born. Lots of racing parts company stickers all over it.

[@terrystewart2070]

You guys have such a fun job! Man....this rig takes sketchy to a whole new level............Can't wait to see how you improve on it.

[@KC-ok5qg]

I'd like to know more about this engine. Looks like they were only made for a handful of years. Never heard of it until you pulled it out of the barn. It'd be great if you did a breakdown video going over the details of this oddball flathead straight six.

[@jimschafer9196]

Nice progress looking forward to the future reveals on this one of kind build, should be awesome when you get some history back on it.

[@sulistiman]

that's looking really cool

[@daviddickerson2288]

Hi Matt. If you can find a 6 cyl. trans from a 46 to 48 ford. they had column shift with side levers instead of top lever, you could clear that steering setup.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Column shift race car?

[@daviddickerson2288]

@@IronTrapGarage you could adapt a floor shifter with your fabricating skills.

[@simonlane1277]

@@daviddickerson2288 I had a 40 coupe some years ago with a floor shifter attached to the stock side shift 3-speed. Worked quite well if I remember. Have also seen a very basic car with a side shift box with two short gear levers - you just had to remember to shift one lever into neutral before shifting into your next gear.

[@dougaranda6187]

I love that thing! It's a 10 on the unique scale. I'd make the 3 hr drive if it was ever at Hershey or Carlisle.

[@volvobrynk]

Maybe its time to look at the spartling bros. Track roadster? Maybe the ganahl recreation on The HAMB, because they put a transmission on that, 3 speed, possible Chevy. Aposed ti the in/out box. Im definatly a fan of this and your Way of doing things.

[@johnkranz4004]

Looks very nice and That must have been one HELL of a Ride in its day

[@jefffoiles5530]

Thank you Mr. No baffles on this one. Please..

[@murdoc6501]

Great video of automotive archeology! It's amazing how all the bits and pieces seem to let you know where they are supposed to go. Keep moving forward!

[@AndyGeesGarage]

Such a cool old race car

[@chuckster6513]

Hey Matt Thank you for this video. I sure hope we get to see you take this car all the way to a driveable state of being. These roadsters were insanely dangerous but had to be so much fun for the people racing them. Take Care, Be Safe & Well

[@squidgameisaliarisawnosqui5341]

Love the name great video ty Steve

[@eddieporter9420]

What most people don't know is that the 6 cy. had more hp and torque than the v8. but reved a little slower than the v8.

[@Hillsiderusto]

Going to have to work fast to have 'er done for the Circle M Speedway!

[@thomasst.martin3308]

Quite the puzzle. Hope you find some more photos to lead the way.

[@jeremyjamison3106]

Good morning fellas!

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Very cool!!!!!!!!!!

[@tomcummings655]

inspirational!!Thank You!

[@frankm8533]

Super cool

[@deemoe6051]

The Blue Jays were the mascot of Junction City High School, Junction City, Kansas, given where it was found it may have been built somewhere in that area, and ended up in Kansas City, not a long trip, even then.

[@bencumbee5542]

I’m doing roughly the same thing with the T I’m building. Kind of a cross between your free T from a few years ago and an old dirt track car. But I’m going to run a flathead V8 that is being built by a multiple land speed record holder.

[@TheOldParakaoStoreCafeBar]

Cool race car 👍🏼take it easy mate 👍🏼😎🇳🇿🍺

[@andyd2806]

That is as cool as.... I hope you are able to get it roadworthy as that could really p*ss off the neighbors whilst being a ton of fun! It just looks so cool.

[@buza1300]

I'm imagining the sound the engine who'd be sweet👍😁

[@robertbrady9597]

amazing video you are doing awesome job on it

[@87mini]

What a great rig! What racing looked like before plasma cutters and mig/tig! The headers are most excellent folk art if the engine doesn't run! By chance was Leland a bit deaf in his right ear? ;-)

[@DR-FRANKEN-STINE]

a guy named brian cooper his dad raced old cars in missouri , knew them when i was a kid in the early 70's, have not seen since then

[@jamiecampbell3068]

Matt, Mike .. great content always. Two things. Hood screws. Could replace those with early used WWII era Dzus fasteners. Old racers, or old airplane restoration place. Probably give them to you, with your story. "Old & obsolete" for air travel is far and above racer necessity. They legit have bins of these collecting dust. Like you, they can't throw away soul. Secondly ... Marty Strode. Will send this video to his email. Hope he watches to the end. He's on the HAMB and has built racetrack T's for decades. Pat Ganahal, Jim Lindsley, and a slew of knowns have had Marty build cars for them. Ronnie Roadster likely knows him personally, if not in life .. for sure on the HAMB. Anyways .. off to work !! God bless fellas !!!

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks man!

[@shartne]

Looks like now its time to put the engine together on the run stand and see if it will fire up? It looks a lot cooler without the hood so you can actually see the three carbs.

[@87mini]

Will need to make extension rails for the run stand to fit that beast!

[@shotsrodder]

She’s going to be cool when done 😎 I guess she was blue when raced originally from the color of the hood 🧐 how much 😂🤣 she needs to be carefully restored 🥰 it’s almost a shame to cover up that cool engine 😎

[@marjoriekaminski3996]

Love the name!

[@NathansMoparGarage]

It looks great I think it may look better without the hood on.

[@dombutler7685]

Great to see it going back together, to me the exhaust looks wrong, hopefully more photos will surface and show what it was like. Is it getting front brakes?

[@charlesmoxley739]

Have not forgotten you on this I'm in the process of trying to get together with the daughter of one of Lelands old racing buddies I am told that if she has her Dads pictures (only child ) then there's a good possibly there's pictures of this will email you when i know Peace

[@IronTrapGarage]

Oh wow thank you! That would be awesome!

[@justdale1966]

Hey good morning from Northern California how about throwing on a set of old beat-up matching wheels and tires popping in some of those gauges you have that would look cool

[@HansensSpeedShop]

You could paint the grill shell to look like a blue jays football helmet lol

[@EVILDR235]

I wouldn't run the hood if it were mine. That engine is just to cool to cover up.

[@bobdupre3721]

man..u guys are great

[@BrianSmart1959]

Could there have been stacks on the carbs? Oh, you just thought the same thing. It's a great puzzle!

[@andrewmcewan8081]

theres a hagertys on "snowballs"42 ford i think which was his circle car its set up really awkwardly for driving it may give some clues as they did it

[@andrewharrison8782]

Never heard of an in and out box, here speedway cars tended to use a low high transfer box, got push started in low rolling start slam into high and away they went

[@joeyleclaire]

I'll bet all those holes in the frame near the front were for pieces of C channel that were bolted into the frame to "box" it

[@brettwilkinson8904]

Dirt trackers always trying to get the weight as far back as possible for more traction. Awesome old car.

[@rickbarger7921]

Looks like something Barny Ofield used to drive

[@lenscap8925]

And the hotter version of this would have been the Ranger aircraft engine-mounted backwards-in that frame...

[@jongolliher4280]

I only saw ranger engines in sprint cars later than the track roadsters. Would they fit in track roadsters?

[@hotrodZack1948]

I’m thinking eelco type air cleaners like the skinny round mesh ones.

[@Fordman7575]

Couldn't those air cleaners you've got for the carbs have been used? It seems like they would work with just some tubing or pipe between them and the carbs used as spacers/extensions. So the air cleaners basically sit above the hood. Yes that means pulling the air cleaners to remove the hood, but I've seen weirder set ups. It would be very cool if you could find some pics of the car while it was racing.

[@yayoib49]

I will be Following this , I have a 41 Ford with a Stuck Flathead V8 I also have a Ford 6 G model , I have to Decide weather to Rebuild the V8 or put the 6 in it , I like the 6 , or I could just go with a SBC ,

[@garycamara9955]

It it had a Lincoln gearbox the shifter would be on the right side of the trans. That would clear the steering box. (Maybe)

[@IronTrapGarage]

Lincoln didn’t get a straight 6 Flathead. So that wouldn’t work without an additional adapter thus pushing the trans further into your lap.

[@hammerandhatchetengineerin4967]

I was thinking that they ran some sort of stack extensions that run thru the hood and put the air cleaners outside and on top of the hood .

[@raydaggers5773]

Sweeeeet!