What would you do to bring this 70's era T bucket up to standard?

I wouldn't change one thing on that car accept fluids and stuff to make it safe (brake parts etc...) Thats a period piece and looks well preserved.

 

Id leave it alone ,Maybe change the color and interior ,Wheels Just think of it as a sit and spin ,Probably the way it is you have more leg room.

 

its an old enough build now that I'd "restore" it back to its heyday.besides, youve obviously wanted it for a long time....there is something that attracted you to it

 

Okay one thing. After studding the pictures (and I'm sorry but that's what I do) The steering column actually looks like it leans forward. After putting a windshield on it, if the column is not at the same angle you could lean it back to match it. To look right with a vertical or near vertical steering column the windshield and steering column need to be at the same angle. That also might make it more comfortable to drive. But if you like it the way it is just tell me to "go to hell"

 

I vote to keep the vertical steering. That's one of the first things people comment on while they're checking out my T-Bucket (originally built in 1971).

 

Another vote for keeping the vertical steering. Awesome score, now get that bucket on the road.

 

The gel rust remover leaves a light grey phosphate finish-it will blend in with the chrome.
I have used this gel remover hundreds of times. It works great.

 

Speedway has chrome BB Chevy sprint headers for $400 so don't spend a lot of money getting those chromed.

 

yep, but really that whole thing is so 70's it'd be hard to make it not.

 

Here's are T for kicks

 

Food for thought. You couldn't ditch all the 70s stuff, but the fad T stuff/look came along about 63/64.

 

15 yrs ago primered rods, survivors, and flat paint was uncool. Everybody was painting 36' fords like damn Easter Eggs. My vote is leave the vertical steering, freshen it up, get it roadworthy, and wait for the next trend to go 70's. That trend is coming, look at what stages we've gone through in the last ten yrs. Currently we seem to be in a metal flake, lace paint, late 60's vibe. That means the 70's are next. That's a cool car grab a moon lamp and hit a disco.

 

At this point, the machine work is done on the 396 and I have the tunnel ram and carbs sitting on my toolbox, so now I just need to order some pistons and find a th400 core and I'll be moving right along. That and wait for the car to arrive. Aargh. I guess that gives me time to scrounge up more stuff for it. I wonder if I can just drive up to the dry cleaners and have them "dry clean" that velour interior.

 

Aim the right head lamp, it looks like its aimed into oncoming traffic and see if you could get those M/T valve covers to go with it. Are those someone's initials carved in the dash? Re-do the dash exactly like that with YOUR initials! And maybe you could try and score a 70's custom van to complete the set. This car has been outdated for a long time but it's time is coming again soon! Time capsule T's that haven't been updated or even seen the road in 20+ years are way cool!

 

I can't imagine having an engine and trans. like that in that light of a car and not driving it. How did it come to just rest in his garage?

 

When I first met my friend Chris years ago I had no idea he had this thing. One day he mentions it and says it has a big block with a tri power set up on it. This was back when Clinton was in the white house, the FIRST time. I told him right then and there that I wanted it without ever even seeing it. Every few months I would bug him about pics and tell him I still wanted it. Evidently someone he knew looked at the engine and read the codes off, and revealed to him that it was in fact an original 435hp/427. Drats! I kept telling him then that I would take it without the motor and tranny since there was no way I could afford those pieces. A week after I bought my 56 project he calls me up and says he's yanking the motor and to come get the car. I asked him he was going to take it for one more drive before he pulled the motor, and he says nah, that he had only driven it once when he first bought it and thought it was too ridiculously over powered to actually use. So it sat on stands in the garage since the week he bought it. That was back in the late 80s or early 90s.

What makes it so funny is that for the last year he kept telling me to make him an offer, and I kept telling him to name his price. So then he names a price and I agree, even feeling guilty a little cause it was so low. Then he emails back and says to send a lesser amount, about half what we discussed, and then if I liked it and thought it was worth it, I could send the other half, otherwise he would consider it done with just the first payment. Every once in a while you come across a friend that just reminds you how cool someone can be, this friend Chris is mine.

 

Cool, sounds like a nice guy.

 

I wonder what is the age of those who post such varied opinions. I'd be willing to bet that the guys who want it basically restored to damn close to original are in their 50s or 60s...maybe a bit older. Those who want all the major changes are likely in their late teens through their 40s. The difference is that we, old geezers, remember these cars when they were newly built. Seeing them in great condition is, for us, sorta like a trip down memory lane. Most younger guys don't have that connection to the era no matter how much effort they put into it. Changing the basics on this T ruin it. I think that a few of the guys who don't get what this T represents would put a big block in a mid-50s Ferrari and go drifting.

 

Rad story, keep the steering.... A nicely done '70s T-bucket is hard to find.. People that actually own them bolt on the biggest back tires and add gray leather interiors and Autozone-trimmed 350s. Embrace the wood grain and brass plating.

 

I say keep it intact, and I'm in my mid '30s.

 

I say change it and bring it up to todays practices and I'm 56

 

Why in hell would you change anything???

 

Personally, I think the car may have originated in the mid to late '60's. Almost all the '70's built buckets I remember had coils in back and a lot had them on both ends. Even the show stoppers. It looks like tie rod ends holding the rear hairpins to the rear end. Along with the spicer rear end and the Chevy van front brakes and the fruit jar on the firewall I'm thinking it may have been built in the mid '60's and redone in the '70's with the big block and the Cragers etc...

It's a neat little car but, I don't see what the group orgasm is about. Don't get me wrong, I like just about any "era" T but the style this one's built in is my least favorite. I never cared for the look of the bus steering on those cars. If you don't put seat belts in it you'd better drive around wearing a cup. Aesthetically you could probably get away with leaving it in the floor and moving it forward a few inches so it can be rotated back and lowered a few inches, like the pic posted of Norm's car. It comes down to what you're trying to do. If you're trying to get on the road as soon and as cheap as possible then, like someone else said, air up the tires and drive the rusty Crager's off it. Otherwise, figure out what you want the car to be and build it that way.

Personally, I'd be building a 2X4 bbl. 283 for it with a set of swoopy homemade headers and a powerglide. I'd keep the body black and accent it with some subtle striping in white and just a little red. I'd only run the bottom half of the windshield. I'd have to put the funky brass era lights and stuff in a box in the attic. I'd swap the Cragers for a nice set of painted reversed wheels, (wider on the back and more subtle striping) with chrome bullets and chrome acorn lug nuts. I'd modify the steering col. as I said above and make a new simple flat metal dash with the gauges symmetrical and the radio would go under the seat if it stayed in the car at all. I'd have a nice white vinyl rolled and pleated interior with maybe one red piping at the top of the pleats under the seat back roll to go with the splash of red in the striping. The heavy roll around the top of the body has to go. I'd also have white carpet on the floors with black mats sewn in. That's what I'd do.

 

Metalflake, white tuck & roll, and fix the dash! Green & gold or something like that, and ditch the cassette player.

 

Fluids
Brakes
Steering
Suspension
Check right over the frame for cracked welds etc. That was a WHOLE lot of motor!
Tyres
Insurance
Registration.

IMHO all of the above need to be gone through thoroughly before putting other road users at risk. Then just give it a good clean and drive it a bit, see how it fits the look and feel you are after. Then change a few things as you go. You may even learn some of its history when others see it on the road etc.

Good on ya for chasing this for so long.

 

---------------------------
I think the cost of re-chroming the headers and
sidepipes would be close to or probably, even
more than buying a new set of ready made and
already chrome plated new pipes. If the chrome
is too far gone to clean-up, maybe for now, at
least, until you can afford to replace them, glass
bead them to remove the rust and any flaking or
peeling chrome and then paint them white with
VHT or other high temp 'header' paint If you do
that, be sure use several light coats of high-heat
primer and ideally with at least a day or two of
drying time between coats as well.

Mart3406
========================

 

Yep! Put "big and little" snow tires on it and you'd have the coolest snow plow around!
Btw, I think I have an eight track player you can stick in it.

 

I agree with it looking like it was originally built in the 60s and updated in the 70s. There is a lot that screams 60s about this car including the column set up

 

Late 60's style build, keep it that way and must make it nice.
396 in vintage dress is perfect
If theres anyway to get rid of the vertical steering column - Do It
Interior - reduce the wrap over of the interior arm rest area, look at boat interior vinyl, very durable, I'd try to do a better "door panel" area to seperate it from the seating area, so it doesnt look like a big lounge chair. tan or maroon or cream with piping would all look good to me.
Wheels - If you like the cragars stay with them, maybe paint to look like old magnesium if the chrome is bad, - I dont care for cragars myself but theyre perfect period wheels
Metal Dash - wood on a router just screams I dont have a welder.
Paint, chrome, just clean it up. you'd have to completely disassemble to change it.

Great car, you could drive it as is and have a great time, this is just what I'd do if it were my car

 

Sell it and get a Model A.