1922 ford T, uncertain t, custom show car – Hot Rod

Take the ambition of a 17-year old teenager who devours car magazines, has an active imagination, and loves hot rods and guess what you end up withThe Uncertain T. It would subsequently be featured on the cover of Car Craft in November of 1965 and inside the May ’65 issue of Car Craft as well as the June ’67 issue of Popular Hot Rodding where it was described as, “A real bent out of shape showstopper!” It’s hard to disagree with that description. The idea came from a pencil drawing of Steve Scott’s (Reseda, CA) advanced-physics classmate drawing of the abstract characterization of a tipped over Model T. Scott would later become the Associate Editor of Car Craft magazine. He had been a freelancer and the magazine’s publisher Dick Day saw the talent that was there and hired him. His tenure at CC lasted about six months before he was drafted but served half a year with the Coast Guard Reserve. However, after his active duty was over there was no longer a position available at CC so Scott worked in the Petersen distribution department.

The Uncertain T made its impression on many a young hot rodder back in the day and apparently continued until today as modern day rodder Martin Bennett (member of the Stragglers Rod & Kustom Club) of Cambridge, New Zealand thought he would “give it a go.” He was taken by the original Uncertain T to pay tribute by attempting his recreation of the once famous Ford. However, there’s one distinctive twist from the original effortBennett built his Uncertain T as a right-hand drive hot rod whereas the original, based here in the States, was the conventional left-hand drive.



What Is The Uncertain T?

Bennett refers to his version as a 1923 Ford T, while Steve Scott, of the original Uncertain T fame, used a stock 1921 Ford Model T headlights, radiator shell, and Motometer; hence giving the car an abstract theme of a ’21 Model T, which was made from fiberglass (an uncommon building material for hot rodders back in the day). The original Uncertain T escaped the fertile mind of Scott back in 1960 and by ’65 was finished. The car was extremely successful on the car show circuit as well as becoming a Monogram model kit; back in the day that was an unbelievable honor and notoriety.


Aluminum Frame and a 1957 Buick Nailhead

The original T was based on an aluminum frame (also housed additional coolant operated by an electric water pump) that Scott welded up and within the ‘rails he dropped in a 1957 Buick Nailhead topped off with Hilborn stacked mechanical fuel injection and sported a bored and stroked 384 cubes. The tribute T from Bennett was Nailhead powered as well but this time a ’63 401 version but it too is topped with Hilborn stacked injection. The original car utilized a ’55 Pontiac hydro trans while the tribute car uses a 727 Chrysler TorqueFlite with the original running the power back to a quick-change with redrilled ’59 Buick backing plates. The tribute car also uses a Winters V-8 quickie rearend F100 drum brakes.





Metalflake Tangerine Orange

The fiberglass body of the original was painted several times but the final (and successful color) was applied by Junior Conway utilizing a metalflake tangerine orange. The car took home several Best Paint awards. The tribute car by Bennett was also painted in a candy tangerine by Mark Jones Paint and Panel.

There’s plenty more to tell about both cars but suffice to say it would take much more time and space than we have right now. So, for the time being look at these photos of the original Uncertain T and the current tribute hot rod and enjoy.




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