This '27 Ford Model T Has Us Seeing Double with Two 4.6L Mod Motors

Walking through the center concourse that splits the North and South halls at the Las Vegas convention center, we saw a twin engined Ford T Body Roadster that cause us to do a double take. Standing beside this double powered devil was the owner and car builder, Gary Tronson, from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Before we could say a word (or two), Gary said; “Yep. It runs.”

We’re sure that he gets asked that question a lot. You can’t help but ask when you’re looking at the car from the front. The left engine blocks the driver’s view. Couple that with an engine on the right and you have a double dose of blind spot.

It may run, but we had to ask, “Why?”

Video of Double Trouble:

“I was looking at the ceiling one day wondering what I could do. This was the result.” Gary replied.

Turns out that Gary Tronson is originally from Napier, New Zealand (we didn’t ask if he had dual citizenship). Having been into Hot Rodding most of his life and two different continents, he has seen or done most of the routine rod stuff. He decided to go further with this project than he had ever dreamed of.

With no plans, no models, just an idea and a dream, Gary set about to handcraft one of the most evil twins on either continent. And no one had to double dog dare him. This Gemini would be a one of a kind.

Obviously, this build would require double effort without any example to draw knowledge from. The chassis had to be handcrafted from scratch to house the conjoined twin powerplants and still mount the fiberglass body. This gives the front end of the car a distinctive double wide look.

Double Trouble’s Specs:

Chassis: Custom-built 1.5″ tube. All tube was bent manually by Gary and powdered coated gray.
Body: Fiberglass 1927 Model T painted Candy Apple Blue.
Independent front suspension: Unequal A-arms, coil over shocks, fabricated by Gary.
Steering Box: Off road sand rail type rack and pinion.
Front Disk Brakes and Spindles: Early 90’s Corvette.
Rear End: Jaguar with inboard disc brakes. Under floor brake and booster with 2lb residual valve front and back.
Wheels: Mickey Thompson tires with Billet Specialties wheels 15″ x 14″ rear and 15″ x 7″ front.
Steering wheel: by CON2R, column shift.
Gas Tank: Custom made, rides in rear above rear end, Pro Comp electric fuel pump.
Engines: All aluminum Ford 4.6L modular V8s, DOHC, 32 valves, Custom made supercharger manifolds with B&M Teflon superchargers and
Holley blower 4150 double pumper carburetors and shotgun air cleaners. Approx 1000HP
Ignition: Pro Com CD system, distributors are new magnetic pick/up type 1939 Ford flathead V8s replicas, custom made adaptors on back of blocks driving through the valve cover connecting to the overhead cam shaft on each motor via slotted end.
One starter motor per engine, which start both engines together.
Radiator: Custom made by Griffin Thermal Products. Built with two lower outlets and two upper inlets around 7 gallons, one 16-inch electric fan.
Driveline: Gates 90mm by 14mm pitch Poly Chain GT Carbon via steelsprockets and a custom machined 2inch spline shaft driving a 3spd Ford C5
automatic transmission. Custom built bell housing. Machine work by Micar Fab Las Vegas.
Custom hand made windshield frame.
Other custom made parts by Gary include exhaust system, headlight posts, dashboard, pluming pipes, seat frame and door panels. All welding, engineering, and wiring.