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I'm looking for a new breed of T-bucket owner

5K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  deckofficer 
#1 ·
I have been into hot rods for 40 years and recently (3 years ago) went the Bucket-T route. This platform has a great potential for all-out performance, light, nimble and lots of performance per buck. I have in 3 years socialized with the T-bucket crowd and have found myself in the minority. I have traveled over 12,000 miles attending major T events in the Midwest, only to discover the majority are into bling, even if detrimental to the performance of the T-bucket.

As I am part of the Baby Boomers, the largest population bubble in history, and grew up loving these little over powered cars, I have to think there are others like me, but where are they? They aren't in the Midwest that I could see, but maybe they are and don't participate in the T-bucket functions for the same reason I'm going to stop going to the Midwest functions, all show and no go.

If you are a serious enthusiast of T-bucket performance, please announce yourself and we will see what kind of group we can put together. If your not into T-buckets but have friends that are, steer them here and we will talk.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and pass it on to those that feel the same as me.
 
#2 ·
Not into Bling. 70's style bucket. I originally built in the seventies. NOT A Dragster..Up dated to. Giant Mickey Sportsmans on the rear. 15x3 littles on front. Big Pipes on a supercharged 383 Chev. Brite yellow paint, Metalflake interior. A bit of brite trim.

Into good looking, FAST, reliable vehicles. This fits the bill.. Usually drive it every almost dry, above 55 degree day. Once in a while a 30 something day.. In Michigan you gotta take the chance.. Rain ponchos are under the seat.

Currently both it and I are in for some reconstruction. But, She and I will be out later this year . Along with a Studebaker Gasser early next spring..
 
#3 ·
Bob,

Glad to hear another like minded T-bucket owner, I knew there had to be some. Your also a long time member and major contributor to this forum, feels like I hit pay dirt in my request. Since you are so well embedded at Hotrodder's, you must know of others that enjoy a reliable, capable T-bucket, instead of the trailer queens. Would love some introductions.

Bob
 
#4 ·
It's funny you should say what you did about the T bucket driver, I have only hung out with one, a 471 blown 327 "Fad" T owner. The car was one of those ones with the tall top and the three windows cut into the rear and wires on front. A very cool well built car and he never got on it! He was in a club with me and we would be going out on a run and I'd pull up next to him and gas it and he would never do it! He said he was afraid something would break. :rolleyes: Sorry, if it's that weak I wouldn't be driving it at all!

Then another one I remember was a blown 427 Ford Cammer power car that at the street rod drags he ran about as fast as my truck with a stock 401 Nailhead. :)

Brian
 
#5 ·
It isn't the total theme, there are fine exceptions, but for some reason those exceptions come from the 7 Western States, not the Midwest. A good case in point, Chris from Arizona, who is as Mopar as anyone can get, has had a number of very capable rides. This is his blown Mopar on the rollers (his dyno, I've run my T on also)


BTW, he laid down the largest HP numbers that day, I took honors for top torque on this run......


For most the others, fell between 109 hp to shy of 200 hp.

This is Chris's ride he just finished (I saw it long before completion in his garage), 1995 Viper V10 and more important to a gear head like me, the Viper 6 speed manual, with the 0.50 OD. I thought I was tall geared with my 0.63 and 31" tires, 73 mph at 1700, he is 70 @ 1500 rpm.

While we were both driving our stick shift Ts.


And at the hotel back in Chattanooga.
 
#9 ·
You know me well enough that I don't care about thread drift, in fact invite it. Most all are replicas and have to be registered as a kit built car, with all the hoops for whatever year it was built, i.e., smog, horn, turn signals, seat belts, you get the idea. My ride started with 3" of an original frame, but the most important 3", where the VIN was stamped. That allows me to register as a 1923 Ford Model T, since it has a 89 year registration history.
 
#10 ·
Mine was built with both speed and looks in mind. I don't drive it real fast but it goes 0-80 in a hurry with a 400HP SBC. The sail of a windshield makes high speed a challenge and to be honest it feels unsafe over 80. My days of high speed driving ended long ago.

I have had fast cars my whole life and nothing compares to the bucket. I am not a chrome polisher or a spray detailer. I will often let youngsters sit in the car at cruise nights so dad or mom can take a picture.
 
#11 ·
I do the same with the kids. Sounds like the only thing you question of your T's capabilities is a huge, flat windshield's lack of support vs surface area times your speed, so still a driver and performer in my book. My weeding out process is applied to the Ts that the owner will never even venture onto a freeway and the ones that have been so goobered up engine-wise, for the appearance of power, they only get 3~5 mpg and don't have the "go", but at a show & shine, get all the drool from an un-educated (automotive-wise) public, and at small local shows, have judges that are impressed by appearance.
 
#12 ·
T's forever

I still have my original T body I found in 1951, I first put it on an essex frame, olds engine with ford flat head axles, trans, I ran out of money in college and took the body off and sold the rest. 4 years later I built a new chassis, 2 T frames welded to box it, Ford Fe, 3 carbs, packard OD trans and olds 4.56 gears , olds spindles and front brakes on a tube axle. It needs restored, brakes, wiring and steering box new paint,. I have 2 glass T.s under construction, CCR prints stretched 8 in, 350-350. 2 4's, lincoln disc rear and motorcycle front wheels on a tube axle. the other one I started with My son 25 years ago but not finished, Buick V6, 5 spd, track t nose. and with all original the T parts I have started to restore my 22 t speedster, too many projects get in the way to get one back on the road. and there is an original 17 touring in the barn that I started and backed into my barn, needs restored. and a couple pickup loads of t parts in there.
 
#13 ·
I still have my original T body I found in 1951, I first put it on an essex frame, olds engine with ford flat head axles, trans, I ran out of money in college and took the body off and sold the rest. 4 years later I built a new chassis, 2 T frames welded to box it, Ford Fe, 3 carbs, packard OD trans and olds 4.56 gears , olds spindles and front brakes on a tube axle. It needs restored, brakes, wiring and steering box new paint,. I have 2 glass T.s under construction, CCR prints stretched 8 in, 350-350. 2 4's, lincoln disc rear and motorcycle front wheels on a tube axle. the other one I started with My son 25 years ago but not finished, Buick V6, 5 spd, track t nose. and with all original the T parts I have started to restore my 22 t speedster, too many projects get in the way to get one back on the road. and there is an original 17 touring in the barn that I started and backed into my barn, needs restored. and a couple pickup loads of t parts in there.
Wow. What an inventory. FE as in 390? What is the ratio of the Packard OD? The Track nose sounds like fun with the 5 speed manual.
 
#14 · (Edited)
traded parts

I traded off the 390 FE for some scaffolding when I was building a new house, It had a rare Isky set up, 1.5 to 1 rockers, dual valve springs, would really rev, but didn't like pump gas so I put together a 352 ford truck block-heads with a hyd mustang gt cam. My son said the new engine just doesn't sound like a T bucket. I have no idea of the Packard gear ratios. but it has a synchro on first gear, is stout and short. Back years ago packards and lasalle were the trans to use. lasalle was long but had a close gear ratio, and that big tapered shifter came out on the RH side top of the box. , and a buick roadmaster was tough similar to lasalle, had a torque tube.
 
#15 ·
More music to my ears. After a week of 150 T-buckets in Chattanooga, mostly sporting TH350s, I like the way you think when it come to transmissions.

I am a fan of 3 deuces, if set up with a sliding progressive linkage. Good off idle performance due to high (compared to a 4 barrel) velocities through the single two barrel, with the ability to support some good top end performance with the combined cfm flow.
 
#16 ·
You gonna include T modifieds in your little group. 1926 Steel body. Started life as a touring. Back half chopped off. T bucket type frame. Buggy sprung at both ends. Split bones. Hairpins. Halibrand clones with bigs (sorta) and littles. Not much bling. Chrome tank will be replaced. Hard on the eyes.
Ford 302 and c4.
A little, light bugs in your teeth blast.
Just a work in progress. Keeps my retired butt busy.
 

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#17 ·
FWIW the 'all show, no go' trend isn't limited to T buckets here in the mighty midwest. Plenty of the show cars I've seen around here run poorly. One in particular (friend of mine helped build) had a mean looking hillborn setup on an all aluminum BBC that couldn't back off the trailer without fouling the plugs..... had a room full of trophys though :pain:
 
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