I think car builders look at it differently than the general public.........they see the beauty in the building and morphing from the catapillar to the butterfly as well as all the thought and effort the transformation takes. Keep on Truckin!
Well, it's 42 degrees, so it's time to go to the car wash and gas station. Wanted to get it out in the light and see how the new part looks. Remember, much taller tires are on the list. I like the angle, so I'll probably cut the springs to keep that when the tires lift the rear. one more
A friend had a T with sprint car type pipes that were sagging, too. He started the engine and let it get good and hot, then jacked the rear of the pipes up to level with the ground, and they stayed there when they cooled!
Appreciate your response, thanks buddy. I am just in the looking stage right now. My drag coupe takes up a lot of my time especially now getting ready for the 2025 season. I am entertaining the thought of a T Bucket retirement project, when I retire.
They are actually level (with the engine). Look at those last 2 pictures. Imaginary line thru the ports and the pipes will be very close to parallel. The frame is tilted the same as the body, UP in back. Floor to frame is even. The engine/trans is tilted DOWN in back. There is a 5-10 degree difference. This is most noticeable at the back of the engine and cowl. Once I get taller rears (currently 25.5, the Cragars that got reposted were 28, want 30 tall), I will probably have to shorten the rear springs a bit and might even shim the trans up a bit. This will bring the angles closer, but I want to keep the difference. Some say it looks broken like this and like everything even. This is how Speedway kits are set up. Axles even with bottom of body, engine level with frame, only rubber rake. It is smoother, but I like the jaunty angles.Note the pipes here also are very close to parallel.
EDIT: went looking for more to post and found these. After posting, I noticed all have that angle between the drive train and body/frame. I just seem to spot them without even catching it. The Blue one is almost level, but still has it.
On a custom, you want your eye to just glide over the body. On a T, you want it to be a bit 'where do I look', because it's so minimal. Everything is out there. There have been many 'straight' beautiful Ts, don't get me wrong. But I like 'em more like these. The Purple one has the radiator at the engine angle. I looks a bit funny. I split the difference. It's between perpendicular to the frame and even with the fan. It's just a washer stuck in for now, but will get an angled shim.
I like the blue except it would look better with the rear elevated a bit and a PU box added to it, and the yellow one looks pretty good to me and would look better if the body ran even with the frame instead of running up hill in the back & the purple one looks bad to me with the different angles of the body angled up in the back, then the engine and exhaust angled down in the back and the grill shell vertical with the ground!
Yep, there is a little to critique on almost every one of them. And what works from a 3/4 rear view may look off from side profile. It's a balancing act, and you can't please everyone. Royal Shifter's T is almost universally acclaimed. I agree, BUT the top while in beautiful proportion, is too short for me to fit.
There is a T bucket competing for this years 75th GNRS. As posted in the GNRS thread, by @Stu (THANKS!)
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