Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

Larry, I remember reading theese postings when you building your frame.
Your and Anderssons buildthreads are my favorits right now om Hamb.

 

Anders and Larry both of your frames are exceptionally great. My previous posts were to the guys that just needed a pretty standard T bucket frame like I built. Except for the front spring perch which would have been pretty easy to add it is fairly run of the mill. Speedway sells them for 4 or 5 hundred $ and you would then be guaranteed of safe welds and square and level. Now if you have something special like you guys do throw out what I just said.
Oh and Tim this is the space I built my T in. Probably about the same square footage as what you are working in.
Gary

 

No better place to get T related opinions or info than this thread so here we go...LoL
I've noticed a lot of the T's that seem to really turn my crank are from an era where it was common to run single 5 3/4" headlights in small buckets.
I assume they were some type of tractor light shells with hi/lo car sealed beams swapped in.
Not sure on the whys of it all but have to admit the look is growing on me and is "different" from what is common right now, era correct (for the early 60's I believe) AND not the least bit gaudy...which is in itself not that common a direction to take on a bucket!
What are the thoughts on that style and will it supply an acceptable amount of light for regular night time use?

 

Hackerbilt, on my first bucket, I ran a pair of chrome 6" Unity F-1 fog light housings with a regular hi-lo beam bulb. You can find them on ebay, or you can still buy them new.
I liked them more than than the Deitz's I got now.

 

Here are the lights.

 

They look cool for sure!
Did you find the lights bright enough on high beam?
Usually there would be a 4 lamp system with the 5 3/4" sealed beams.
I was given a set of light housings years ago...supposedly aircraft landing lights...but I seriously doubt it.
More likely used in the landing gear compartment or something like that...if they are even off an aircraft of course!
Regardless, I dug them out of the shed a couple of nights ago and 5 3/4" sealed beams fit perfect.
With a bit of paint etc they will do the job nicely.
I'm very tempted to use them as the early to mid 60's is about as far back as I can aim my T anyway. The car just has too many modern touches to bring it back any farther without radical changes, but considering how much I like some of that era's HOT ROD T's...I'm OK with it anyway!

 

Came across this while looking for something else. This was used in a movie called Village of the Giants in 1965. Anyone recognize it?

 

Chip, be sure to notice the intake system!


And everyone else check out the high quality special effects for the "giant"...oh, and the brand spankin' new Mustang 'vert!

 

They lit up the road just fine. On a four bulb set-up like my 66 Caprice, only 2 bulbs light up on high beams.

 

Looks a lot like Bud Lakeman's car. It was on the cover of Car Craft early in '65. It didn't have a blower at that point, but everything else is right.

 

Actually, I like it better with the 4-71. Makes it better from a proportion standpoint. I think that is because the engine is a couple of inches too low. Interesting pics of Tom Booth`s T in another thread on here. Did you guys see it? Really the start of the `Fad T` with the front cycle wheels. Not my favourites, but some good ideas in each.....

Hey...Fellow Portland Swap Meeters....Looks like we are on for Friday at Jalopy 45`s stalls. What time works for all of you? I won`t be looking for much...can barely afford to pay to get in.......

 

The engine is too low...? Really? By visual standards or by functional standards? Not trying to start a war, just wondering how you came to that conclusion.

 

Must be by visual standards as it seems fine otherwise.
Everyone has their own preferences and expectations.
The car sits pretty high by todays standards with the Ford tube axle so ground clearance is fine...and look at that foot room with the trans mounted low!
Thats a NICE frame setup too. Looks really strong.
Oh look...small headlights!

 

It hasn't rained in a month or more here and now just before the Portland swap their are storms forecast for next week. Glad I bought rubber boots and rain gear.
Okay guys here is my take on the above bucket. I think small blocks just look small in T buckets. I actually had a guy say that to me at LARS once when I had the SBF in it. "Aren't these things supposed to have big engines". It set me back and kinda pissed me off. Sounded like something Dad or I might say. After a lot of thought I now think he was right. But maybe more for '50s style buckets. By the '60s everybody was putting them in their buckets.
Gary

 

Sadly...it's more than $500 these days. The cheapest Speedway frame I can find listed is $2K:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Basic-1923-T-Bucket-Frame-Kit,24810.html

 

On e-bay, a weld it yourself kit for $195

 

That looks like a pretty good deal to me Larry.

 

Thats a rolling chassis!
Heres a basic frame.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Nostalgia-Deluxe-Bare-Model-T-Frame,37113.html

 

The last frame I built for my son,he and I did a 23 T for him back in 2010/11. I had some 2x3 .120 wall steel in shop anyway.

 

The point i try to say and i think thats is for Larry to is that you
can build your frame as you want it if you do it yourself.
One of the thing that been discussed in this thread is propotions got to be right.
And a couple of inches can be what make or break a car.
I may be stupid but i dont trust cheap massproduced stuff. If i weld myself
i know the seams have proper preparation and the weld have penetrated right.

 

That is not you being stupid, it is confidence in the work you do, nothing wrong with that. You can also feel pride in what you have built, when you build it yourself, I know that is the way I feel too.

 

As far as the Speedway frames go, I can say that I was happy with the quality and fabrication of mine. It came with a manufacturer's certificate of origin, which will make it easier for me to title the car. I bought their "Traditional T Frame" with the Model A rear crossmember. I ended up having to make the frame longer in length in the rear because of the transverse rear spring mounts I wanted to use. My rear axle was located right at the kick up. If you were to use a Model A style spring perch on top of the rear axle, you wouldn't have an issue.



As far as what I will do the next time, I am going to build the steel T body I have on top of an A frame that I just came up with. It's fun (and addicting) collecting parts! I have almost everything I need to start building that car now... I need to focus and finish the glass one though lol.

Portland Swap Meet:
I am inside, Hall A, Space 1377. If it's dumping rain, we can meet in there. Otherwise, I'll meet wherever works for you guys.

 

Tim, what year is you steel T boby ?
Jeremy

 

It's a 1915-22 T touring. I am still collecting parts for it, but I have very usable panels including cowl, firewall, driver's side that's cut in the middle of the rear door, passenger's side panel which is cut in the same spot, passenger's door with hinge and latch, seat back panel, seat bottom panel, windshield frame brackets, and rear panel. I'm missing rear doors (don't need them for what I want to do) and the two piece rear quarters (I do need these as I want to do a shortened touring). I know I will have to do some slicing of the A frame to make it fit the proportions and contours of the early T body, but this time around, I'm being a lot more strict on using period parts

I initially wanted to build a second bucket, but thought the short touring would be kinda cool. So.... Portland Swap Meet guys, I will probably be getting rid of the A tailgate I have. It's kinda pitted, but it has new hinges and brackets. Just throwing that out there.

 

I stand corrected! 349.99, very reasonable.

 

I never thought I would be the one advocating "KIT T" stuff. but I will repeat.
"IF YOU ARE JUST BUILDING A STANDARD 2X3 INCH TRIED AND TRUE T BUCKET FRAME"
It is much easier and not much more money to just buy one from speedway.
Gary

 

I hesitate to mention this, as I have one client on here that I am just getting back to now that I can somewhat function as a welder again, But I do build frames for a living! If you truly want something "traditional" or custom using your ideas of proportion, I can do that for you. At this point it would be a few months down the line to get it out to you, but the option is there. I am at about 500.00 for the typical custom T-bucket frame.

 

Yeah, Missy`s Dad, it`s just a visual thing for me. If you look at the pic taken really low in the article, the oil pan is a bit too low for me. It really depends on your ideas and the engine and parts, but I`ve always liked the engine up a bit to `f`ill the gap` and put the carbs up a bit in the car. Just me. Maybe that is why I like the Bud Shannon car so much. If you compare the two, you will see the difference in engine height. That being said, you guys are driving and building....at this point I am gathering and scrambling......Tim---I have a junk Touring rear half that I am using for yard art. If you want it, come and get it....

 

Really I can't see how you can build a one off frame for that price. After paying shipping that is cheaper than Speedway. And if anybody wants anything special that's a great deal. Looking back though I could have bought one for about two hundred then (early '80s) that I know would have been as good as the one I spent weeks of hobby work and much perspiration building. Actually I wasn't thinking "retro" or "nostalgia" while I was building my bucket. Those words weren't even used in the '80s. In fact my wife says I invented the retro T. Thanks darling. I was just after "a look" and the steel body,banjo diff.,and V8 60 tube axle gave me that. In fact I turned down a chance to have Tommy the Greek Hrone lay some teardrops on it. Still kicking myself in the ass (as we speak) for that. Slap me for that Chip next time I see you. Thinking about it someone could build a T bucket with one of those frames without any welding equipment at all. Well you might have to have someone cut the driveshaft and most builders have that done anyway. In fact I think the roadster that won Oakland the first time the builder was reported to not weld anything. You know the one Jake has now.
Okay I'm just rambling on here lets get back to some de-uglifing.

 

My son doing some testing back in 2011,home built;
https://www.facebook.com/dana.barlow.9/posts/866239383419178?notif_t=like