Uncertain T (show car)

Show car built by Steve Scott in 1965

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Uncertain T is a show car built by Car Craft photographer Steve Scott in 1965.

## Construction details

[edit]

The chassis is steel tube, painted red.[1] The 1957 Buick nailhead,[2] block painted brown with red detailing,[3] was bored and stroked to 386 cu in (6,330 cc) and equipped with 11:1 compression Jahns pistons, Hilborn injectors, Scheiefer magneto, 1963 Buick cylinder heads, and open headers.[4] The transmission and quick-change rear axle casing were painted brown, the rack and pinion and torsion bar tube yellow.[5]

The body was fiberglass,[6] resembling the Model T "phonebooth" coupé, steeply raked forward, with a "wind-up key" in the rear section.[7] When it debuted, the body was painted a deep candy red (applied by Bill Cushenbery).[8] The upholstery was done by Lee Wells.[9] The steering wheel was a four-spoke design, mounted vertically.[10]

The car ran on narrow spoked motorcycle wheels in front and wide five-spoked wheels in back.[11]

Torsion bar front suspension was a rarity in customs (or any cars) at the time.[12] Scott's use of a 1960 MGA rack and pinion to operate the drag link was also innovative.[13]

While the car ran, it had no suspension, no shock absorbers, and no front brakes, effectively making it a trailer queen.[14]

## History

[edit]

Uncertain T debuted at a carshow as part of the 1965 Winternats at Pomona in February 1965, and appeared in the May issue of Car Craft.[15] It was on the cover of November's Car Craft, which had a three-page feature (with only black and white photos) inside.[16]

About a month after completion, Scott had the car repainted metalflake brick orange by Junior's House of Color, before entering "Uncertain T" in the Oakland Roadster Show;[17] in this new color scheme, it toured the U.S., and won a number of trophies.[18] Some time later, the engine and chassis details were repainted yellow.[19]

"Uncertain T" also appeared in Hot Rod in July, August, and September 1966.[20] In the September issue, it was listed as for sale, with a price of US$7000; usual for a used custom car was $2000 to $3000.[21]

In 1966, "Uncertain T" was offered as a Monogram model kit.[22]

Around 1970, the car, then painted metallic gold, was sold to a California resident. Ownership could not be established, and in 2003 was still unknown.[23]

In 2024, it was announced in various online sources that the car had been rediscovered in Van Nuys California by Beau Boeckmann and would be displayed at the Grand National Roadster Show.[24]

## Featured appearances

[edit]

* Car Craft Magazine, November 1965.
* Street Rodder, July 2003

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Ganahl records Car Craft calling it 6061-T6 aluminum, but believes Scott would have polished rather than painted it, in that event. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 and caption.
2. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
3. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 caption.
4. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.74 caption and photo.
5. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 caption.
6. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
7. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75 photo.
8. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
9. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
10. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 photo.
11. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
12. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
13. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
14. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 caption.
15. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
16. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
17. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, pp.75-6.
18. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76.
19. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.76 caption.
20. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
21. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
22. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
23. ^ Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, p.75.
24. ^ Jones, KJ, in Motortrend, January 2024, https://www.motortrend.com/news/uncertain-t-custom-1921-ford-model-t-grand-national-roadster-show/

## Sources

[edit]

* Ganahl, Pat. "Uncertain T", in Street Rodder, July 2003, pp. 74–6.

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