An actual steel T-Bucket!

Some build pics on my newest project. Original cowl top and firewall, main body stretched 3inches, working p***enger door, and channeled over the frame. Ch***is is front and rear spring over shocks sort of similar to a Roth set-up. It looks pretty sick in the front with no perch or connection between the frame and I-Beam! Using a sectioned and worked 51 chevy hood as a turtle back. I attempted to build a very different style windshield. Not sure if I like the windshield yet or not? I see too many fibergl*** TBuckets set up all the same, I wanted something a little different. Feedback? Do your worst I'm sure some of ya'll will love it and some will hate it.....

 

You mean "steel" right.

 

Opps thanks....ya i meant steel...duh!

 

I dig what you're doing with the sheet metal, but the front suspension looks a little clunky in my opinion. Roth usually put the spring perches on the front cross member with smaller springs. Maybe that would 'lighten' the look a little? Nice work overall, though. Just throwin' my 2 cents because you asked.

 

Nice T body!!! The rest of the build, always can be changed later on....

 

Yeah, that is the word that I was looking for - CLUNKY -. Kind of has that Mustang II front suspension look. It's okay if, that is the look you are wanting.

 

i agree..... nice looking project , but ditch those front springs. or you could hide them with something like Roth did on the Outlaw

 

The front and rear hairpins, sway bars, and future drag link and such is all done in 1in tubing. Overkill probable so, but it looks beefy as heck, and all of it was made not purchased from speedway or whereever. Ya Roths setup was from the frame to front axle if I remember correctly. It wasn't meant to copy him just borrow i guess Its set up for a straight six 250 with a 29 grill shell and hood without sides soon.....

 

I don't hate it. Not sure why though. I'll second the clunky front spring perches. I don't hate the windshield either. I"ll give you points for the steel body. If you get it sitting right and don't make any of the other stupid "T Bucket" mistakes you could have a winner. Keep us posted we love to criticize. Look at Royalshifters T.

 

I dig your creative approach. Will look forward to seeing more of the turtle deck -- I'm curious.

 

Thats cool! Magnets stick to my T bucket also.

 

Your gonna snap your batwings if the wander doesn't scare the poo out of you.

 

batwings and raius rods are designed for up/down and fore/aft force loading.
Your spring configuration places them under torsional twist. if the centers of the springs were directly over the radius arms it would not be the case.
As far as wander I was thinking the steering damper looking thing isn't going to do the job of a panard bar but maybe it's solid and if thats true then it probably wont wander

 

Sorry Mr. Monkey, the first T-Bucket with a coil spring front end was terrible, and it's no better some 40 years later. There are many options to be different without going to huge coils and clunky hair pins.

 

The steering damper looking thing is a panhard bar, its a one inch tube with 5/8th weld bungs in each end and rod ends connect to a bracket tig welded onto the p*** side hairpin on one side and under the frame on the other end. I havent thought about the batwing issue, guess i'll have to see when it gets on the road...i doubt itll wander but ill let yall know what issues this setup gives me.

Usually if you're trying to run a setup you've never seen, its because maybe noone has thought of it but maybe because someone has tried it and it has problems. Hopefully my case is the first...

 

I like what you are doing with the modified hood in the back. A+ on being creative!!!

 

I think Torchmann has a point. That's a lot of weight on the batwing/clevis setup. Just my 2 cents.

 

If I was you I loose the coils.. I think spinout and torchman said they looked clunky were being polite.. The windshield looks good.. and real steel is better..
I guess there would be those that would say it is't traditional, But that is another can of worms.. Keep building you will get worked out, plus Tees are a kick to drive..

 

why not check into quarter elliptic springs for the front, keep the un sprung weight to a minimum, it'll let the front wheels stay on the ground where they should be for steering and brakeing chores

 

At least drill some holes in the spring mounts to give it a lighter look.

Ron

 

what about... L shaped levers connected to the center of the radius rods so all forces are in the same plane with no twist? they lay flat where they are visible on the outside parallel to the front axle but where your coils springs are now...
pivot the levers under the frame and then they stick up (behind the grill) opposing each other with 1 coil and 1 shock between them at the upper end...the first T-Monoshock front end