1933 Terraplane KT 8 Convertible Coupe sees the light of day after 50 years!pics added

33ET8conv

The heading says it all... I'm the lucky new owner of a disassembled but well preserved '33 Essex Terraplane 8. The timing was just right, as I was ready to tear into my all original untouched KU coach, but now it will become invaluable as a guide for the Convertibles re-assembly....My new acquisition was purchased circa 1965 by a teenager, who drove it home and proceeded to disassemble the entire car.He accomplished a great deal of research and accumulation of extra parts over the years, but not much on the restoration and re-assembly. But, he saved and carefully stored all of the parts for 50 years,and the car remains complete and the always indoor storage helped preserve it. 

Anyway, he provided me with reams of paperwork including correspondence from the HET club in 1965, as well as lots of copies of hand written specs and info from John Conde via AMC. All very fascinating, and I have only begun going thru it all!

The original owner was a daring female who purchased this racy car in 1933,(painted a color called Steel Dust) and put nearly 100,000 miles on it by the time she gave it up in the early 1960s.I will be the third registered owner.

I have been on the Terraplane 7 facebook page and they have been very helpful. I am a long time member of HET (joined in 1972) I just want to see if any one here on the Forum has a convertible coupe, or knows how many KT converts may be left. And I will most likely need pictures and help with the correct assembly and the correct placement of fittings and such. Thanks in advance!    

Scott

RL Chilton

And pictures are forthcoming, right?  

Congratulations!  What a find!  I'm sure someone like Pete Booz would be a wealth of information, as well. 

Jon B

What a find!  Imagine the joy of that kid back in the 1960's, acquiring a one-owner car like that.  And how unusual of him to have carefully researched and stored it like that.  (So many old cars managed to make it to old age, only to suffer a horrible fate when purchased by buyers who had no regard for their rarity of antiquity.)

You might try the person in charge of the '32 registry, who may know of a lot of other '32 convertibles.

Glowplug

Second the suggestion to talk with Pete Booz. If at all possible go visit and record your conversations. I was fortunate to view Petes car and listen to Petes conversation about it.

48rob

Scott,

   Sounds like a great project!

Rob

33ET8conv

Thanks. Ive 'met' Pete on the Terraplane 7 facebook page...Pete has a wealth of knowledge on these cars and has already cleared up some questions i had, as has Wayne Graefen. I'm grateful for the Internet just for this reason!

33ET8conv

Here's some pics from moving day....

33ET8conv

Some more parts dug out.

RL Chilton

That's absolutely AWESOME!  With a sidemount, to boot.  I wish I had one just exactly like it. Thank you for posting the pictures and I hope you continue posting throughout your restoration.  

Ric West IN

Scott,  Congratulations on your find/purchase of this beautiful car.   I purchased mine as a bunch of parts rescued from a street rod project  in 1976.   By 1981 It was mostly completed and made its first appearance at the National meet in Milwaukee.  Have been enjoying it ever since.

I have tried to track these T-8 Converts. since 1976.  This has been a very frustrating task as many owners will not register their serial numbers with the club.  Known cars have been sold and "disapeared". Our current

registrar has done an admirable job, but  without serial numbers we wind up guessing, or have multiple entries for the same car.

I would be happy to share any info/knowledge I have gathered with you .  Also suggest searching the club roster/registery.  Call me if you wish/ or e-mail. Contact info is in the HET Club Roster.

Fred "Ric"Pinder

Jon B

Scott, you might want to mention what part of the country you live in.  It's quite possible that IF one of our forum members has a car like yours and lives in your region (or knows someone with a car like yours who lives near you), he'd be motivated to contact you.  In that case you might have access to a nice restored or original-preserved car which you could use as a guide when re-assembling your own car.

33ET8conv

Great idea, I live in upstate NY near Syracuse, and my email is hetsftamx1@Verizon.net (drop the het)

33ET8conv

I noticed on the ET8 from Bill Jennings estate auction, the hood has chrome doors.also, the entire dash was woodgrained.Were these an option, part of the deluxe model, or perhaps just personal taste customization?

Ric West IN

Scott,   The chrome hood doors was a period fad, done with several makes that had hood doors.

Wood grain on the dash was just the glove box lid and a wood grained panel insert surrounding the gauges.

Bills car was his personal taste.    

"Ric"

Glowplug

Scott with the rarity of your car a WTN article would let the members know about the car and its originality.

33ET8conv

Scott with the rarity of your car a WTN article would let the members know about the car and its originality.

I'd like to give that a shot!

33ET8conv

KU meets the newest member of the family, the sporty KT.

54SuperWasp

That's a nice pair! Congrats! And thanks for sharing. Michel

33ET8conv

Here's a spray out card of my cars original paint. One of the first Metallics ever offered, it is called Steel Dust. The fenders were also this color. It should appear a silverish green on your screen.

33ET8conv

Going thru the many boxes of parts I received with my 33, I found this rear lamp.did someone add this to the round terraplane housing, or was this off a super 6? I know the 8 cyl.32/33 Hudson had triangular tail amps.

33ET8conv

Moving forward, I have new tires installed on the freshly powder coated wheels now, and the fenders have been media blasted and are at the body shop for restoration.The body will be removed next for media blasting.

RL Chilton

So, that must not be a sidemount that I saw.  Does the spare go in the back? 

33ET8conv

Yes, that cover is for the rear mounted spare. Next dilemma, it is a locking spare and I don't have a key for it.

tombia

I am getting in on this a little late, but is that the car from poughipse, NY? Years ago a fellow from there called me and said he had one all apart. .I also remember one in Solon Iowa. that was being streetrodded and also Rich Vensa found a rusted hulk along I 95 near Baltimore That would have been 40 years ago. I was involved in Bill Jennings cars restoration, so, know quite a bit about the car and its restoration. That car was in a junk yard in Clinton Md. when I first heard about it in the early 1960,s. My uncle was the first owner of my coupe which I bought from him in 1965. It is now in Minn. with its new owner. In the 50 years I had my coupe I found that there are about twice as many convts left than coupes.

33ET8conv

Thanks, Tombia, I think you had that sweet looking blue '33 coupe? How many coupes are accounted for? I bought this KT conv coupe out of  Mass, where it has been all of its life, I'm the third owner.... The registry shows around 12 of the KT converts, rarer yet is the KU Coach, I also  have one of those in original unrestored condition....I hope you will share your knowledge with me as time goes by, not many active '33 owners on here other than Ric Pinder and Matt Faust. I'm still searching for a gauge cluster that says Terraplane 8. Thanks! 

ESSX28-1

33 ET8conv,
Please post a pic of the Gauge cluster you are seeking.

33ET8conv

That's the trouble, I don't have one. If it says terraplane 8, that's the one!

33kc1989

I have one in rough shape, I'll take a pic and post this week.

tombia

Over the years I heard lots of stories from old guys about how fast the T8,s were. and that was one reason not many coupes left, they were busted up from racing. The fellow who has my car is a HET member and knew and appreciated what the car was, that is the reason he has it now. Ed Moore in Mass. a coupe, coach, sedan and a convrt. and I believe the late Hal Denman had a Roadster. If you decide to make yours a driver that will run with the best at highway speeds, I can tell you what fits without cutting or heavily modifying anything.

Ric West IN

Here is a pic. of the gauge set Scott needs for his T-8

(I hope)

"Ric"

33kc1989

Yes here's one a little rough