Just picked up a new Rod "Wooden Box Find"

I just figured I would post up a cool old Hot Rod I picked up.



I have had a lot of cars over the years... from just a shell and a pile of rust to clean runners and complete ground up builds, but never a complete Rod someone else built. I don't feel too bad about buying something someone else built considering I wasn't even alive when this one was started.



Rewind about 6 months ago: I saw an ad for an old T-bucket. There were a couple of pics and a description.

T-buckets don't do too much for me, but this one had a nice look. I worked in a Rod shop back in the early 90's and built 'em/ worked on 'em. I have driven and ridden in a few. But, overall... the Rodney Dangerfield of Hot Rods wasn't really my thing. I even started a Turtle deck T after someone gave me a free glass T body. Kind of an Ed Inskendarian style build. I lost interest once it was a roller and sold it.





So... Emailed about the T and set up a time to look. It took a couple weeks to get out there. By the time I DID get out there...the guy had several interested parties. I sure as Hell wasn't going to get in a bidding war over a T-bucket...but I drove out to take a look-see.

When I got there the guy was pretty cool. Mid to late 60s and a pretty storied past of Hot Rods, Racing and Art. He had some great pics from the drags back in the late 50's, early 60's. Also, lots of racing pics, chunks of car wall hangers and some cool memorabilia.

After walking around the car and checking it out, he gave me the complete history:



Around 1963/1964 he had a Model A Coupe with a pretty hot Smallblock. It was a 1956 265 punched out with a Duntov cam, solid lifters, 3 deuces, headers, reworked heads and a dual point distributor. This was linked to a '39 top loader tranny. The wheels were Buick hoops reversed with early Ford centers. The thing is, this guy decided he really wanted a Roadster. In 1964 Car Craft had an article "How to Build a Hot Rod". The guy looked around for a Model A Roadster body, '32 Roadster or even a "T". But in Seattle in '64 I guess it wasn't so easy to find between the rain and restorer's (so the guy says). He decided to follow the article and build a "T" Roadster. This part is pretty cool. So he calls a few Hot Rod buddies and some racer friends and puts out the word. Using the plans in the article, some buddies and lots of beer they weld together a pretty damn nice chassis. Once it's a roller he swaps the drivetrain out of the Model A (his daily driver) and sources a 4" dropped axle. It seems that this would have been around late 1965 sometime. He bought a fiberglass body from Kellison and finished all the plumbing, steering, etc and got her running. Between '66 and '67 the car went through a few changes and by '68 or so the car was running and driving and in various stages of completion. Also, in late '67 he bought a Black on Black '68 Mustang Fastback. The Mustang was a lucky break for me as you'll find out.....

According to his memory and the photos I got...it looks like the car went through a few different tire and wheel combos between '66 and 1970. Starting with the reversed Buick steelies, Torque Thrust rears with slicks and spindle mounted spokes with Ansen's on the back. The spokes are 19" and the story goes that a friend of a friend got 'em from Jerry Ruth in the Early to mid 60's. They are not Harley, but appear to be British car maybe? Also he got a Halibrand quick change from one of his Sprint cars and swapped the tri power for dual quads. Another Drag Racer buddy sourced some big Buick rear brakes with cool drilled backing plates.



The last pics from 1970/1971 are Black with black button tufted interior, dual quads, a Halibrand 201 Quick Change and the 16" Ansen mags on the back with Goodyear Speedways and spindle mounted Spokes on the front. Around '72/'73 the guy started going through a divorce I think and stopped tagging the plates in '74. Shortly after that the car came apart. The body was mounted on a base and crated up. The frame stripped and stored in the rafters, the suspension came apart, engine was on a stand for display and everything else squirreled away. The miraculous thing.....is that it ALL stayed together for nearly 40 years!!!!!!!!!!!! The guy moved a couple times and was involved in Sprint car, Indy car and drag racing.



In 2011 he gathered everything and kinda mocked it all up. The car went up for sale but the guy didn't put much effort in to it, was out of town and got busy I guess. I remember seeing it, then it disappeared right away. Almost a year later it came up again, this time better pics and the car looked like a runner. So........



We talked price and he gave me the "You are in line" line about all the other guys interested. Well, the other guys dropped out and I got the call. The guy was having a hard time letting it go I guess.... and I waited him out.

About 4 months later.. he was good to go and I brought her home.



So...I got lucky 'cause.... he never got to the point where the car turned into a 70's nightmare. After the Mustang Fastback he was a Black on Black guy. The low profile 14" wide Goodyear Speedway's on the back and a few other things are about as "Modern" as the car got in the early 70's. The guy had a good eye. The car sits right. With the Torque Thrusts and slicks.. the car looks like 1965 all the way. The front spokes aren't my thing either... but the Jerry Ruth story is cool and being 19"...they are NOT the scary 70's style spokes.

Otherwise... LOTS of cool stuff and really NOTHING newer then 1967/68 for the most part. There is a cool cast "Moon" gas pedal, Eelco flip type gas cap, vintage (brand new at the time I guess) guages, from what I can tell the engine hasn't been apart since 1965, Mallory Dual point, Aluminum 2x4 intake, '57 and '58 date coded Carter carbs, The Buick brakes, Reversed Steel Buick steelies and of course the Halibrand Quick Change.



I haven't had the chance to really do anything to the car. Looking for a nice pair of early Ford bolt pattern Torque Thrust rims and a few bits and pieces. Otherwise.. she's 99% complete from what I can tell.



Buildwise...most all the work is top notch. Considering it was done in the 60's. It's even decent by todays standards. The front Tie rod is a BIG no no, and I am not the biggest fan of perches through the wishbones, but guys still do that now...so. This is not and never was a "Kit car"...so I am pleased with the fabrication. The temptation is there to part it out for a Model A or Duece build (suspension, drivetrain, etc). But, considering it's a well built, well executed Rod with history...i probably can't bring myself to "break it up".





So, that's about it. Pretty cool old "T" I thinks... even if it was someone else's (technically it IS someone else's....the Dude that built it).














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We need pictures......!!

 

Took me 15 minutes to figure out how to post.....



....been a while.


Attempt #1

 

Okay.....that worked.


Some more:

 

More pics:

 

More pics

 

KQQL I like the taller windscreens, my buddy's T is famous for launching them big summer bugs into my forehead.

 

a few more:

 

Funny......first thing I did was take the top 1/2 of the windshield off. I can deal with some bugs in my teeth.....

 

Won't let me load anymore pics........

 

Wow. I'm diggin' it big time! That's the way to put a bucket together.
I like it with the 3x2 and the chrome front wheels and brakes.But I dont think I could change it from the way it looks now. Spindle mounts and a 2x4 are nothing to sneez at ether.
Great story and pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

That looks great. I'd keep the tall screen - but put the stays back on!

 

My favorite look.......

Sad story for the previous owner. Great find for you! Does the guy at least know the car is going to somebody who will enjoy it and recognizes what has been done to keep it cool? I hope so. That is usually the reason for the ever so cautious torch passing....Keep us posted on the progress.

 

That 70's look is getting popular again and this one looks every bit the part. Very cool find.

Don

 

Very cool!

 

That stance is perfect! Nice bucket.

 

Timecapsule, very cool.

 

Geez there is a bloody Corvair in every picture these days. How many did they sell?

Nice find and a great story. Good luck with what ever direction you take with this nice piece of history.

 

I can relate to the seller. You must have said the right things to him so he felt comfortable selling it to you. I was approached once by a guy who offered me some big bucks for my T. He made the mistake telling me the first thing he would do after buying it was put disk brakes on the front. I could see he didn't know what he was looking at and said sorry Charlie! You need to do the right thing with this T. Leave it pretty much as built. It has a good look.
That being said I would lower and lean back the windshield.

 

Cool car!

 

Does look very early Seventies and tasteful. Later "the Fad T" gaudiness crept in. Cool car.

 

I don't often see buckets that I dig but this one is killer!! My favorite look is wit hthe aluminum slots on back, the steelies are a close second for me.

 

great story---keep the wires...

 

I like the old pictures

 

I think a few on here need a history lesson. Or to read the text ,Because this bucket has 1960's written all over it.

 

Now that is a cool magazine cover !
/ primerkid

 

I like the old pictures, they'er cool

 

Thanks for all of the cool comments!

I agree with Lurk King...... while I was waiting and thinking about buying it, I dug out some old magazines. Here is a 1965 R&C with almost a dead ringer:




With magazine lead times.. this car was likely built in '63 or '64 and ended up in the Feb 1965 R&C.

Historically, rods after 1963 entered the "Dark ages". As Detroit factory muscle cars came into their own and the "pony cars" came on the market, REAL Hot Rods died a slow death.


The coolest thing about this T (mine) is that the original owner/ builder packed it away at the very PEAK of the cars life. The pics with the little kid at the wheel are 1967/1968. It's his Son. So..the cars basic shape (wheelbase, ride height, body position) were set in stone. Things like finished paint, upholstery, wheels and tires and induction set ups were all easily changed back and forth into the early 70's...but the "bones" didn't change.

I am MOST thankful for the basic black on black style though. THANK GOD... the guy didn't load the car with brass and a ribbon paint job!



The original builder also gave me a cool 3 ring binder with build details, the magazine article from 1964/1965 in it's entirety and lots of little built notes and measurements along the way. THAT and the photos are cool icing on the cake. He also is available by phone with questions and seems pretty engaged. And yes, he is VERY happy that the car went to someone that appreciates it.

One of the prospective buyer's didn't fit ( ) and another said he was going to swap in a Powerglide or TH350.

The guy is an artist now. He said the Model A was his daily driver in 1964/1965 while he was in art school. He worked as art director for a couple of Indy racing teams and does graphic arts now. I think the proportions, stance and some of the understated detail are thanks to his "good eye". Oddly enough, I think this is his only finished Hot Rod ever! He has had lots of old cars, race cars and foreign stuff.

Also.....
Here is a cool framed collection of racing pics he had hanging on the garage wall:


For now.......

I plan to maybe swap the rear tires for taller profile, maybe another windshield to swap on for my taste (keeping the original) and different air cleaners, maybe at one point back to 3x2 induction. I have the old steel reversed wheels (maybe 6" wide).... but would like some 10" cheater slicks or some cool style of tall bias ply tires with maybe torque thrust style on the back. I agree...my favorite "look" is the profile with the kid standing at the wheel!

At this point...it's a NOBODY, NO NAME car built by some guy and a T-bucket at that. NOT a super high dollar car......SO..... I don't feel guilty changing it around a bit with respect to the original builder.

Having said that..I do respect the history. I am a steward to the car now.. and have every intention to preserve it and hopefully save it from being turned into a blown and chromed out belly button T!!!!!

The car is PERFECTLY preserved and has the "P" word all over it (little rust dots, nicks in the paint, thin spots, blemishes, etc). I definitely don't want to lose that!

As my profile name implies... I chase shiny things... so I might have this one for a while...or it might pass to to someone else at a whim....... just how I am.

I WILL definitely have a little fun with it first though...........



T-buckets are like fat chicks...... CRAZY FUN until your friends see you riding them!!!!!!!!




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Still........ having problems posting pics....?!

 

i believe my dad started building his first t-bucket off that same magazine article

awsome find by the way.

JEFF