Today (Friday 5-30-08) in downtown Everett, Washington, around 11:30 A.M., an accident happened involving a 1923 T-Bucket roadster and a minivan. The driver of the T-Bucket was apparently lighting up the tires and crossed into oncoming traffic,hit the minivan head on, and the driver of it was ejected, flew some 15 feet landing on his head. He's in Harborview Medical Center (leading trauma center in the Pacific N.W.). The body of the T-Bucket came completely off the frame! The pic's in the EVERETT DAILY HERALD at Heraldnet.com. This happened on the "main" road through Everett and there is NO reason this should have happened. What's left of the T-Bucket looks like it was a really nice car. Please, everyone be careful out there, and use COMMON SENCE; our cars/hobby don't need any kind of bad press. There's a TIME and PLACE for everything and this was definitely NOT the right place, no matter what the TIME was. This is an extremely busy thoroughfair and virtually downtown. Nuff said.
The article mentions he "may" have been speeding ....... still wonder why that body came off. Hope for him he is OK and Im stoked the people in the mini van werent hurt.
Wow I hope that guy learned hi lesson, what kind of idiot would do that right on the main drag of town?
I'll bet you can pick it up for a lot less than that $15K asking price. A guy that age 'should' know better then to do that kind of thing where he did. That's what back country roads are for, kinda like in front of blktopbandit's joint. I hope he recovers and learns from this. It was good to see the comments from the Idlers guy too. Vance
Hot-rod driver critically injured in Everett crash By Jackson Holtz, Herald Writer EVERETT -- Witnesses told police it looked like a man in a hot rod burned rubber and was showing off his fancy car moments before he crashed head-on into a minivan in Everett Friday. The seriously injured man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The man, who fire officials said was in his 50s, was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said. Around 11:15 a.m. Friday, the high-performance 1923 Ford T-Bucket street rod crashed in the intersection of Rucker Avenue and 42nd Street, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. Witnesses said the hot rod driver was going fast as he headed south on Rucker. He apparently swerved into northbound traffic to avoid hitting a car that was turning left onto 42nd, Goetz said. The man was ejected from the modified car and landed about 15 feet away. "It looked like he got launched out," said Robert Tegland, 20, of Everett, who was waiting for a bus in the area. "It was really sad to see someone on the ground." The driver of the minivan, an Everett man, 45, was not hurt, Goetz said. The street was closed until about 2:30 p.m. as collision detectives investigated. They'll try to determine exactly what happened and who, if anyone, might be at fault. Firefighters said it didn't appear that the souped-up car was equipped with a seat belt. Vintage cars aren't required to have safety restraints, Goetz said. Still, many owners of classic cars will install seat belts and other safety devices, said John Dahlbeck, vice president, Twin City Idlers, a classic car club in Stanwood. Dahlbeck said the 1923 T-Bucket is a classic street hot rod modeled after the Ford Model T. Typically, it's a two-seater with fat tires in the rear and skinny tires in front. An engine with lots of polished chrome parts usually is exposed in the front. The hot rod that crashed Friday had a for sale sign on it asking $15,000 or best offer. After the accident, the car was shattered to pieces. "He was probably just out for a cruise, because it's a nice day," Dahlbeck said. "My heart goes out to the guy. I hope like heck he gets better." Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
Once the T bucket driver recovers, he'll have a huge headache when it comes to insurance premiums. I'm guessing the crash impact caused the body mounting bolts to tear right through the (plywood?) floor.
the guy is an idiot, the bad thing though is he messed up a really nice looking car and could have killed the people in the van or some bystander. i say he got what he deserved....................
Did he build that "T" or buy it? Wonder if something broke, then sent him into on coming traffic? Reminds me of Vegas a few years back, when Axle almost drove off the top of the parking lot after something broke. Could be the machine not the man, but do your burn outs in a parking lot....(lower level)
Unfortunately , I see this kind of stupid driving all the time . Then these same drivers whine about government , insurance , and public opinion . I love to do a good burnout and to see one , but it's not hard to restrain myself till I'm someplace safe both from accidents and from getting tickets from " johny law " . Every event such as this just inforces the public and government opinion that hotrods should be gotten rid of !!! When I was broadsided in my 105e it was very very very lucky I had 6 witnesses as the cop just wanted to blame me and not the lady in the respectable car who ran the stopsign . He kept asking the witnesses questions like , " but do you think that he was going too fast " and " are you sure that he was not driving out of his lane " The people who saw the accident actually called for other police as they saw this cop was going to " screw the guy with the tats , and the little hotrod " That's one of the things I heard this witness lady tell 911 !!! So , if we as a hotrodders do not speak against such stupidity , we can hardly complain when the time comes when our cars are outlawed from the roads . That's just my two cents worth and I know I'm new on the H.A.M.B. but I feel we should all be sounding off about this kind of crap , and not just on here !!! Thanks for posting this thread . Bane
that question did pop up but then he should've known not to be doing stupid things while behind the wheel. well put!
That would depend alot on the car and the drivers ability. On my small screen here at work I can't tell if the car had front brakes as many of these don't. Perhaps he hasn't had alot of time behind the wheel of something like this either and it was simply beyond his abilities. The story I got about my Pontiac was that a teen got the car and not being able to properly drive a 4 drum non power brake heavy vehicle hit the rear of a mini van. Yes, it can happen to anyone but not just anyone can just jump into an old car/hot rod and be safe.
T-buckets, with their short wheel base, are known to be a little squirrely. It said he swerved to avoid someone making a turn. He probably over-swerved. What bugs me more than anything is the number of times the reporter pointed out the car was modified, "souped up," etc. "...showing off his fancy car..." "...the high-performance 1923 Ford T-Bucket..." "The man was ejected from the modified car..." "...it didn't appear that the souped-up car was equipped with a seat belt." Those who control the language control the argument. The reporter sure lays it on that souped-up, modified hot rods are dangerous. -Brad
t-buckets have never looked to safe to me, i like them but i have always though in a wreck you would be lucky to survive, but then i guess your still better off then a bike.
Brad, i am always impressed with your common sense insight. Local Counts member did that here years ago after having a few at a BBQ, I wont name names (initial DW) he is still an pompos idiot to this day.
A T-bucket isn't usually built to run the slalom course in record time. But it wouldn't surprise me if maybe he was going a little fast, but no more than anyone else, and someone just nailed the brakes at the last second to turn in front of him, too. It just so happened this car he lost control, where maybe some late model car he might have been able to swerve around and keep going. I mean, I see people do unbelievably stupid shit on the roads all the time, maybe if everyone had to drive something like a T-bucket they wouldn't try half the crazy shit they do.
could be the guy who turned in front of him misjudged the rate of acceleration from the "burning rubber moments earlier". TheT-bucket might or might not have been legally speeding, but the guy who turned in front of him caused the accident.
This is EXACTLY what I was thinking as I read through it. I freaking HATE the media. Dont get me wrong, theres no excuses for being a dumbass and getting into some shit (if that was truly the case and not mechanical failure of some sort), but they sure want 'joe public' to know about the "souped up, high performance, modified, hot-rod"! Pisses me off......
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