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

Now if I built a T bucket it would be along these lines

 

Thanks for the scans of the Roadster Top in your Post # 338. Those pictures brought back memories from the mid-80's when I installed the top on a friends 29 Roadster Pickup. When I first tacked it all together the doors would not close (glass body) and I had to go back and loosen it up a bit. Lucked out and everything came together nice. I finally finished Mike's 29 with a Dove Grey Vinyl (top stitched pleats) It is hard to believe that that was around 30 years ago.................. Jeff

 

Not true (sorry pet peeve) Their are rules to be followed if you don't want to be "one of those" (I'm referring to the first time I drove my roadster into LARS and the parker looked at me and pointed to a line of T buckets and said "you don't want to park with those guys do you?" One of the best compliments yet on my roadster.

A few things can just kill "the look"

1- Tool tall windshield or one leaning forward.

2- Steering column forward of vertical.

3 Engine too far off horizontal.

4-Headlights too far forward or back of grill.

5- Radiator/grill too tall. Should she substantially lower than firewall.

I'm sure there are plenty more.

That is what this thread is all about. Taking the ugly out of T roadsters.

Okay that is off my chest. I feel better now.

Gary

 

Shades of Emily Litella.[/QUOTE]


"What's all this I hear about banning violins on television? The violin is a lovely instrument, and should be heard on television more frequently if anything else..."

 

5- Grill or radiator to high in comparison to the firewall

6- Grill or radiator at a different angle to the cowl.

7- Rear wheels an tire too wide to be proportionate to the car itself.

8...

 

Thank you!

 

Lanterns hanging all over, frt/back, too tuffed interiors, too much brass,

 

And thank you too.

 

9.......Low profile wide rear tyres (actually they look bad on all hot rods not just buckets)
10.....Hot Rod (or street rod) badges on the radiator (it should scream hot rod already)
11.....Turtle decks on buckets that arent sitting low
12.....Brown paint
13.....Buckets with chassis painted a colour that clashes with the body
14.....Wheelie bars on buckets that cant do a wheelstand

 

Sorry Chip for taking over your thread but this is getting good.

 

Grill shells that are drastically shorter compared to the cowl...

 

The roof style on this car is just like the style that I did on my T- Roadsters. I personally like it the best.

 

And ..... if you stretch the body 12" or so inches in the right place, they look really good, but most importantly it allows you to configure the interior and seating very comfortable for those fun long trips.

I even made my top tilt back (used latches on the top of the windshield frame) which made getting in and out so easy. The windshield was only 12" tall and raked back.
Glenn

 

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The Bucket T Song .......

 

WOW...just look at all those traditional period correct old parts being used.... this is awesome!

 

No need for flaming on that one! Cotton's car was awesome! He built a second chassis for another friend of his, and that car is still around. there is a huge picture of it on another recent T-Bucket thread, but for some reason it won't copy to my computer.[/QUOTE]

 

Thanks, Louvers. I HAD to copy those scans. Every one of those listed is spot on. Especially the big lights and huge tires. So what happened with all the Fad T's? Did those guys just not get it or maybe didn't care? Freedom of expression is granted to everyone, but some things just don't appeal to the eye. That tall top sure looks like the one CCR uses in their ads. I always hated that top. But I don't like the other ones either. I'm actually still waiting to see the perfect top for a fender less T Bucket.

If your T is going to have a top, I'd love to see what you come up with.

 

It's funny, but Total Performance made a nice top for their chopped windshield T, but they made it out of fiberglass!

 

Mine might get a top after all is said and done. If you really want a perfect top, Royal Shifters is awfully damn close

 

Are you kidding? I've admired that T and it's top, since I first saw it. Royal's in a tie with Rebel for my favorite T award. Don't tell them though. They might get big headed.

 

Norms wasn't too shabby. But I don't see many, any flaws in the original. Pretty perfect.

 

Just had a thought. You know those cool hats the British sports car drivers wear? That's the profile of Royals top. It's perfect.

Rebel, I think Norm's has the same shape, just a bit taller.

 

I can't find any flaws with Royals T either.

 

I have to agree with you on Norm's top. I didn't include it in the discussion simply because he didn't start with a set of "T" windshield posts, so it makes proportion and such a bit tougher to discuss and digest in relation to the typical "T".

 

Hey, NL;

On the volksrod thing. What I've noticed, is that vw guys hate them since they're not vw-bodied. Hotrod guys hate them because they have a vw mill. Seems the "public" thinks they're "cute"... goin' downhill here... . Now a volksrod is any cobbled/hacked/r-r'd vw anything. Well, not to me. & considering who built these things, & was involved w/them, I'd like to think I'd be following in some good footprints. Yup, I know there's a few on here that like them.

20 yrs recovering? Since you had some last? .
My last one was a chopped, lift-off carson-topped, customized 62 convert done in an attempt at the LaJolla style. Never got that far, but car, once rolled, actually looked nice in shiney dark black. ... & I was amazed at how much lead Ghia used. It left me in ~ '77, & guy that bought it, unchopped it! .

Sorry to derail your thread.

Back to our regularly scheduled discussion on T's & their proportion(s). .

Oh, & as for T tops, Cottons 1st one is about as good as it gets. There was another T done by Joe the Chromer that was decent, but I'd have to go digging for others. Scanning/posting doesn't work well for me.

Marcus...

 

I had never thought of Norm's T top not being built on a T frame but your right. The thing is because of his or someone artistic eye they got it perfect. I too didn't use T hardware on mine. I started with aluminum boat bows and tried to emulate Grabowski's top. Think I came close but not perfect. The way I did it was set up the bows and cover them with some white plastic from insulation rolls then step back and look.

 

This should be the industry standard for a T Bucket top.

It looks perfect to me. Raked in the right direction (bum dragging is for customs), not too heavy looking, no silly height in it, and it "fits" the car.

 

Actually, I agree with you to a point, I just think it's fun to break the rules, successfully. My "case in points" would fall in the latter 60's and 70's though, and I don't think we'd see eye to eye on that anyway. For instance, I like the too-tall tops and the Indy car WIDE low profile tires, but having said that, only a very few have "the look". Most were absurd freak shows.

 

It's up to you if you want to break the rules. It's your car. Just remember there rules. If you want to be "one of those guys" go right ahead. I have done some stupid things on my roadster in the past. Once I bought some maybe 12" or bigger digger slicks and some wide chrome truck rims and put them on the back of my roadster. Actually thought it looked pretty kool. The back bounced like having two basketballs on the back. Lasted about one trip around the block.

 

I like the looks of this top too. Did it start with Model T or Model A irons and bows? It looks a bit like an A to me. Bob