Safety Issue on our T buckets

It's taken me a long time to write this thread. Maybe too long.
Actually, I was hopin' somebody else would spot it and write about it.
As a builder of these beautiful little cars,and working and goofin off with others who build them and sell them, and thier parts,I figured it would do no one any good to bring up the matter I'm going to refer to.
But, no one did. Sooo... I have to now.
The one thing that is great for our hobby is that not everyone builds these cars.
America has the freedom of choice. Many guys build cars, or should I say, rebuilds cars that were already built by Ford,Chevy or some other large company.
We didn't. Instead, we relied on little Mom's and Pop's, guys that thought up designs and such in thier garage.
Let me get to my point before I bore the heck outta you guys, and you can give a competent thought as to wether this issue has merit or not.
Do you remember the Ford Pinto? In the mid seventies there was a concern over the placement of it's gas tank. There were a few huge explosions and there were a few large law suits and then the design was changed.
Well, Take a look a where your gas tank is.
Now,take a look where your battery is.
On most T buckets, the battery is right next to the gas tank.
If you have a short truck like bed on the back of your T bucket, there is a chance your gas tank is in there. Right next to your gas tank is your battery.
Do you see where I'm getting at? Have you ever jump charged your battery? Ever set your charger on your battery and left the garage? How many gallons of gas does it take to cause an explosion? Answer: less than one.
Now, granted, not all T's have thier batteries located next to your fuel tank.
Some are located under the floor next to the transmission in a battery box that hangs off the frame. Much Better.
Where did Henry Ford put his? When the speeds started increasing he put his fuel tank in the cowl (Model A) right between the engine and the dash. Why? To get the fuel tank as far away from an impact as possible.
We are a Brotherhood. We ride together. We go on trips together. We make our own decesions.
Also, we have to regulate ourselves. The designs of our cars are of our own choosing.
No one can force us to change the way we make our cars because we fall under an "exemption rule"(For now). The politicians have left us alone figuring there aren't enough of us to matter anyway. There isn't any money in it for them. Soo.. They wrote us off as being a "parade vehicle". At least in my state (Texas). You can even request an insurance waiver here in Austin. Just as long as you only use your T in Parades,car shows,or club events. Great! That would just give some guys the excuse not to get any insurance at all! Not me!
Anyway, I urge all T bucket owners to take another look at your T bucket and make sure your gas tank,battery and your electric fuel pump are separated from one nother. Maybe switch back to the manual fuel pump,even. If your fuel induction system can handle it.
If you were to get rear ended,or if you were to charge your battery and create an arc,is there adequate ventalation? Are you sure the fumes wont ignite? Be extra careful. Better yet, move your battery out of the fuel tank area! Thanks in advance. Mikey

 

Yes this an issue for Ts but also for 32,33,34 cars their fuel tank is at the rear of the car behind a bumper. One caught fire in LA after being rear ended by a local. Safety is everyones responsibility.

 

you're right, mate.

However, to stay safer, you can always connect your battery charger to the engine block and alternator (or starter) terminal. Battery will get charged, without going near the back end. Maybe a master switch for the +ve batt cable can be installed too?
Fork lifts have calcium batteries, and for batteries in the car's cabin (well, here in Oz anyway) need to be gel type...no corrosive fumes or acid spills in case the car ends up upside down (or if your alternator overcharges).

But yeah, you are right when the issue of safety is risen. Definitely a divider between power source and fuel cell is needed, there's also plastic boxes for batteries found in boating shops.

You always need to exercise caution when charging/disconnecting a battery.
I had a dumb ass apprentice disconnect a charger while it was still on. He was charging batteries in a small tipper truck, the arc made a mini H-bomb in the car park.
He couldn't breathe for a few seconds, he also blew up one of the truck's batteries, and the acid spray?
All over a Trans-Am just in from the paint shop - we were supposed to do the air conditioning. Well, to say he was in the shit was an understatement.
When lead acid batteries are on charge, hydrogen gas is given off. NEVER disconnect the charger from the battery unless you turn off the charger, or unplug it FIRST..

 

.......... And yes! I do remember the Pintos.. My mom had an '80 "puke cream" colored wagon that started give her problems after 40k on the clock back in '85. So she gave it to me and I quickly sold it to a friend of mine for 700 bucks.. He wanted it and I was glad to get rid of it.

 

True
I never cared for the arrangement, have even seen it in the back seat area of channeled A sedans and such..geat riding with a bomb and an ignition source so close you can reach back and give it a pat on the head

Or , yeah we all need to quit building these things and just sit on our couch and do nothing.

 

I've thought about the safety issue while filling that 12 gallon spun aluminum tank sitting on the back of my T-Bucket.

I currently have my T-Bucket torn down for new paint and interior. Although i love the looks of the spun aluminum fuel tank i'm replacing it with a fuel cell. Haven't decided if i'll make a pickup bed or go with a small flatbed. The battery will stay under the seat. I'll be replacing the electric fuel pump with a mechanical pump simply because i like the simplicity of a mechanical pump.

I'll also extend the back of the frame to give the tank a little protection.

 

Better go buy a Volvo.........better yet, wrap yourself in bubble wrap (leave an airhole) and never leave the house!

 

Volks wagons had them in the front. Can you imagine how dangerous a head on collision would be in one?

What concerns me is that our hotrods don't have passive restraint.

 

*everything* about fad-t's is a safety issue...

 

Those things will kill ya

And BTW-- lots of gas + battery didn't equal explosion for me, guess I'll chalk that up to another stroke of luck!

 

You're just lucky kid the rest of us aren't even here.

 

Seriously, Anchorhead ? If you get rear-ended in a T, you'll probably be thrown FAR- Far, away from the explosion. Unless you've got one of the tall windshields, then your face will be peeled of when you go through it, and you'll pray for an explosion.
And as far as charging a battery goes, I've seen the BATTERY BLOW all to pieces, acid and all, from just hooking it up to another car or charger.

 

Good thoughts about separating the battery and electrical components and the gas tank/lines on a T-bucket (or any car for that matter).

So, are T-Buckets risky? Sure, they are more risky that many cars, but probably not as much as a motorcycle.

 

I think of my T as a motorcycle. Half of the T's in the world also have their bodies held on with nutserts. Etc. Etc. Etc. Did you ever see a forty Ford in a real crash ? Or any other old car? It's a Hot Rod, but drive it like it's a motorcycle. (That's all I need , to have a self appointed safety bureaucrat inspect my freakin' HOT ROD.)

 

Being rearended hard enough to tear a leak into a gas tank in any old car without a headrest or safety belt would have enough energy to 1. break your neck on the 1st impact and to 2.make one bite a big chunk out of the dash and/or steering wheel when the seat throws you back forward....

What I try to say is, I don´t mind WHAT kills me when I´m hit, breaking my neck, being stabbed by a non collapsable steering column , an explosion or being thrown against a metal dashboard---- or a combination of all...
just my 2cents-
Drive safely and be aware that you´re driving an old car, just like you are aware of the danger when riding a motorcycle. Make sure your brakes an your lights work and keep an eye on the other drivers around you. That´s what kept me out of trouble till now....
Chris

 

Ill stick to 50's Kustoms and just avoid the whole problem completely. All though a 60's show rod does get the pulse rate going.

 

hugh m, I do the same thing (drive my hot rods like my motorcycle). Sometimes I feel more safe on my motorcyle than I do in my 1959 Ford!

 

This thread is kinda dumz

Point out something in a t-bucket that *is* safe.

I think it's way more dangerous than riding a motorcycle.

I bet it's a lot of fun though.

To each his own.

 

I think there is a lot more to worry about in a bucket than the tank catching on fire. Maybe roll over protection. I am really thinking of a role bar. If you want to be safe buy a Volvo. Anything less than that and you taking more risks. It just all depends where you draw the line.

 

You can pour gas on a battery and nothing will happen. It takes a spark and that can occur anywhere in your exectrical system where you get a short or a loose connection. The location of the battery has little effect. By the way, being a retired fire fighter I have been to hundreds of car fires and have never seen one explode. That only happens on TV. They can burn very fast though.

 

I have had em drove em and sold em, I find it really hard to consider the safety of a car that under hard exceleration or even bumps in the road leaves air under the front Wheels. These type of cars have been around forever and seems that they were never really considered or spoken of as unsafe until now.They are built owned and driven by owners who consider them exactly what they are timeless old school hot rods. Come on remember riding your bike without a helmet, cars without seatbelts or riding on the dog tray in the back window of you old mans chevy. Seems now some self righteous fools want to protect us from US!!! Give me a break!!!!!!!

 

All motorized vehicles are dangerous!

 

Ford mounted the gas tank on the cowl to get gravity feed [ all motorcycles use this principle ]
Gasoline isn't explosive or inflammable , the Vapours are!
So you can safely light a match over a gas can that is full to the brim [ a 1/2 full tin that is full of vapours is highly explosive ]
in the 70's there was an invention to prevent gas cans exploding!
Basically it was "Aluminium Wool" inserted into the tank,so the vapours would be at the outer perimeter [ the filler neck ],the gasoline would burn,but not explode.



Remember unless you're knocked unconscious , a T-bucket is safer in a fire than a enclosed car

 

Maybe we need to have a special endorsement on our drivers license to operate a Hot Rod and seat belts on our Harley's and roll bars on our quads and maybe we need to wear a helmet when we shower. Thank you but I already knew about gasoline and sparks and rear end collisions, etc.

 

I remember reading about a guy who got rear ended in his T-Bucket and burned to death when the tank ruptured and caught on fire.

he couldn't get out because the doors don't open.

 

A valid point at that, but when it all comes down to it. All antiquated cars are a risk to the occupants, to a degree. We are all in this together. Have you all seen the video of the 1959 Impala versus the new Chevrolet?

 

The most dangerous thing about "T" buckets is the idiots driving in the other cars on the road, made "safe" by our idiot politicians.

 

Good point,but all vehicles are dangerous,hell look at the Corvettes,gas tank in rear and battery right behind the seat,not 10 inches away.Then look at all the older pickups with an unprotected gas tank right behind the seat.It is never going to be safe just bad drivers,hell if cars were safe where would you send your insurance payment too.?

 

using the words "safe and t-bucket" in the same sentence is an automotive oxymoron.

 

I witnessed a battery blow up from opening the car hood. A car came into our shop for battery service and all the tech did was pop the hood and blooey!

Bob