Hot Rods How about some love for the T-Bucket?

A guy in the neighborhood where I grew up built an Olds powered T-bucket much like the one above using the parts from his wrecked ‘50 Olds gasser. It too was basic red with American 5 spokes. I bought the fenderwell headers off his Olds for my Olds powered ‘47 Ford coupe.

 

First thing I'd suggest is to copy as many pics as you can, good, bad and ugly. Just like wheels or colors, some will tickle your fancy, others will leave you cold. Even one with the wrong color or wheels may have something you keep going back to. Look them over and figure out what you like. Some things will be set in stone, others a bit of variation is fine.
Second, as is obvious from this thread and others, there are a lot of different ways to build them,


but as Chip pointed out and was discussed at great length, in the
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-bucket-of-ugly-a-de-uglifying-thread.824491/
there are some rules or guidelines for each era and some things that are generally frowned upon.
Here's an old article that was posted in Ugly that covers some of the ideas.




Third, as you decide that this detail or that is what you want, make sure it fits with the other choices you've made. If super finish on the suspension and chassis is your goal, don't go with a brush on paint and jeep seats. This one is tough, because budget comes into play. A polished Jag IRS drops into your lap, but the rest of the build is rough '40s dirt track. Nope.
Maybe you like a lot of polished Brass. Don't go with billet LED tail lights. One of @Marty Strode's beautiful Track Style Ts would look wrong with a sunburst Metalflake job.

If you want a T that carries a lot of original styling and fixtures like brass, full height windshield and wire wheels, go with a button tuck interior, don't do a 60s pleat or 90s tweed.

 

in the spirit of your advice (and chip's) i've been collecting magazines, particularly car craft as they were kinda heavy into t-buckets through the 60s, and filing pictures of cars that fit the look i like. growing up i seemed to gravitate to the 60s hot rod and muscle car era so i've developed a bit of an eye for what's what. my first love really was horseless carriages/cycle cars, etc... and it was the munsters, second hand 60s car mags with this t in particular, and dad buying me a 'big t' model way above my skill level that turned me on to hot rods and t-buckets.

 

i dig that. i happen to be using the same gas tank solution.

 

And the beer keg!

 

The "from the roof" picture was taken in Indianapolis Indiana @ Don Schumacher's race shop in about 2016(????) The event was the Tbucket nationals ...

 

Good to know the history! I saved that from one of the threads and look at it as a great example of the variations seen. It isn't close enough to pick out all the details, but there are obviously a lot of ways to style your own ride.

I'll also mention that rules can be broken which can keep things fresh, but some respect goes a long way. You wouldn't find a Victorian house with all White and Chrome furnishings appealing. The Bucket is a bastardization of the original T but has a long history of it's own with a wide variety of influences and eras.

 

A note on keg gas tanks.....in late 1959, liquor stores were putting massive deposits on kegs to prevent them from becoming gas tanks. Beer distributors had police confiscate kegs after getting license numbers at car shows. There was wording stamped on the keg that it was illegal to use for any other purpose but for beer dispensing.

 

With the short wheelbase, there are a lot fewer example to base your desires on. As you know, @Tim_with_a_T is doing a short one. He's gone through a few different iterations but is going into some truly amazing detail and effort.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-belly-button-bucket-build-thread.1000590/

 

Another note on beer kegs. Do you know what the failure pressure is for aluminum and stainless steel kegs? Approximately 450 psi and 900 psi respectively. And once dented the failure pressure decreases dramatically, enough so that they get scrapped if more than one dent. Or at least they are supposed to…

I had a project at my first research position in 1985, blowing up some kegs. Only problem was they wouldn’t send me any full ones for reference…

Interesting project just the same

 

Somehow, I knew Dave was responsible for blowing up a few kegs over his life!

 

I never blew any up.....but I sure helped empty a few!

 

The proportions on this car are spot on. I admire it and re-discover the build thread from time to time and it always makes me smile.

 

that thing has been on my radar.

 

I had to clean out the garage today.

 

@Royalshifter what is the green roadster on the right please. I know my 17 year old grandson could tell me as he really knows the exotics from modern day back to the 20's but me, I don't know.
BTW where's Ladyshifters car and didn't you have another T-bucket which has been featured in this thread a few times?

 

looks like a Jaguar drophead coupe

 

prob a xk 150

 

Thats what i was thinking but it looks smaller as in a replica.

 

What a lineup! I’d have a hard time deciding which to drive. I think the red t pickup for a morning run, followed by the fatty powered bucket for coffee break. Then Lunch at the club would be the Jag. And the afternoon run to the store would be the yellow pickup. The run to the supermarket would be in the 2 door. And I’d probably just leave the late model stuff for Jeeves to put back away…

Hey if you’re to dream, dream BIG!

 

Synchronicity! I saw and downloaded an image of the same car from FaceBook yesterday to post here, and there it is... same car, different shot...



It looks like it's the cover shot of a magazine going by the date and price in the top right. Anyone know which magazine?

Glen.

 

more proof that a cool car gets the chicks!--all shades!