The effort that went into redesigning the chassis was necessitated by the radically redesigned body. You probably noticed that the fiberglass King T body combines the increased dimensions of a '26-27 Model T with the smaller cowl area of a '23. The result is a larger, more comfortable car with the popular, aggressive front end treatment-not to mention a full three-piece hood and track nose with grille shell and insert. The newly designed windshield is shorter and wider, but utilizes TP's existing straight or angled posts. A molded dash, floor, and trans tunnel come with the package. Brian McAllister at Total Performance calls the King T "a redesign of things we've been doing for a long time to achieve a look we've never offered before."
The dimensions of the King...
The dimensions of the King T body, which combines the best elements of the '26-27 and the '23, required Total Performance to build a completely new frame, custom fabricated just for this car.
Brian emphasizes that the King T will not be the final package for a lot of Total Performance customers, but the starting point for getting creative. "If you can weld and know how to fabricate, you can take our package and do your own thing," he says. "It's cool to see what guys are doing to our stuff. The way this car is assembled and built, it doesn't have to be a Bonneville car, but it could be. It doesn't have to be a traditional rod, but it could be. It could just as easily be high-tech. This can be the launching point for whatever you want the car to be."
We decided to take a closer look at the idea of building the King T in different directions, but with an emphasis on keeping it relatively low-buck. The Total Performance package, including just about everything except the interior, rolling stock, and drivetrain, starts at just under $7,000, which is a pretty economical start.
We wanted to get some ideas about finishing the car in a way that would keep the rest of the budget under control.
Earl Kane is the designer/illustrator who worked with Mickey Lauria to turn Mickey's ideas into a real vehicle Total Performance could manufacture. We asked Earl to create some additional illustrations for the King T in a few popular styles that could be built on a real-world budget. He obliged with a bunch of cool dream car concepts centered on this new King T roadster.
There aren't many changes from the "out-of-the-box" King T package on Earl's simplest, most traditional-looking '50s hot rod. Notable features on this roadster are the lowered headlights, which are Total Performance lights dropped down to the axle-a simple change. The headers could be homebuilt with straight pipes and an aftermarket flange-it doesn't get easier. Earl selected a tilted windshield, available from TP.
A vertical windshield would suit this car too. He added a high crown to the glass to fit the period. The front suspension components and the headlight buckets are finished in flat black. Chrome sets off the headlight bezels, and the smoothie caps on painted steelies. The King T grille is polished. The chrome windshield frame is contrasted with painted mounts. More pieces could be chromed as paychecks roll in.