History Anyone have info on Randy Bianci or Sunkist/Moonkist T's?

I have found several pictures of these T's but I would like more information. I love the retractable top but I want to find out how he made them. Also, I would like to ask him what steering and gear box he went with. Anyone have any contact info for him or pictures of the T's? Here's what I have:

 

You could send him a pm. His son Randy is on here as Flat Power and Randy uses BianchiCorp. Thanks for the cool pics!

 

Someone had asked this question recently, maybe it was you? I remember seeing the two pics with the roof down. Ive always been a big fan of 70s buckets, and i love the first pic.
Would you please post any info you find here, as the fold down roof thing can apply to lots of cars, and id love to see what you find out.
Thanks, Jeff.

 

Sure man. Yes, I believe it was you who identified the car first off. That's what got me to where I am now. I've been researching trying to find any info at all. Not having much luck. I will let you know something as soon as I find this out. I will try and PM the son and try and find out some info.

Thanks for the original head up too!

 

I can't tell you anything about the folding roof, but I love every car that Randy Bianchi builds.

I took these pics at the Englishtown nostalgia drags a few years ago:

 

Thank you Gary. Great shots. I'm glad to see sunkist is still around as well. All of the recent pics I have found are only on moonkist. These are the most recent pics I've seen of Sunkist.

Thanks again!

 

btt

 

Beautiful buckets. I saw them at Columbus a few years back.

 

As far as fad T's go, those are perhaps two of the coolest ever done.

 

Yeah, I've got one of my own that I would sure like to take some tips off of both of those buckets.

 

as a guy who builds drag altereds for fun and very little profit, i have to say, these are my all time favorite street T's. does anyone have any pic's of the interior. i would like to know how they sit down low enough to drive them. are the bodies stretched or are the seats curved or what?

 

Good question! I would also like to know the answer to this. I am in the process of taking my seat riser out, relocating my battery, msd box and fuse panel. Any info would be helpful.

 

Anything from anyone? Any info?

 

Just found this thread! I will try and scan some pictures for you guys

 

Here is a picture my dad painted in the mid 70's while out in california with the sunkist.

 

Here are a few older blurry ones I alrady had on the computer. These are from the early 80's

 

I came across this thread and I have a few photos of the Sunkist which Ill share...

 

It's all in the riser and seat back. I'm 6'3" and sit IN not ON mine. I have a 6" riser. The seat bottom is a combination of webbing and foam. A square hole is cut in the bottom board where each persons butt would go. When the webbing, foam and upholstery are applied, it comfortable. The webbing allows you to "sink" a little into the seat. My battery and wiring are inside the riser. I sink about 2" in my seat. The battery sits below the body on the right side. The top of my battery sits level to the top of the frame. I keep a few tools and such in the riser as well.

My seat back is slightly angled with 3" of foam. Any more and you take up needed space. It also flips down. Imade it that way, so when I park in the sun, the vinyl seats don't get hot in the sun.

When I'm sitting, the bottom of my shoulder blades are even with the back of the body. My left knee is about 3" above the side of the body. My gas pedal is placed almost at the top of the trans hump. I'm not fat, so it's okay for me. If I had a big gut, I'd need a tilt column.

In the Sunkist, he seems to sit almost like I do, in one of the pics. But with his top on, his vision is basicly straight ahead and sides only. There's no way he could see a stop light overhead.

I've thought about doing a top like his, but it would need a "sun roof" and that would look stupid.

 

Here is a pic I found

 

Always wondered how hard a T would be to steer with the column straight up.

 

Tfeverfred;

Actually, not bad. Many years ago, I got to steer my friend Tom Burgesons' 425 dual quad powered T, as we towed it to my house for some repair one day. I was *very* surprised just how easy & light it was. Still don't think I'd go w/that style of steering, (at least not *my* 1st choice), but I am not afraid of it anymore since then.

Marcus...

 

I see the Sunkist most every year at Fall Wildwood. Flatpower, I never new that it was built by your dad. Very cool T, one of the few I like. Rich, the fellow who owns it now drives the wheels off all weekend. I've driven a few with similar steering arrangements and as noted above, they steer very easy. The verticle steering column didn't bother me at all. The seating in this car is almost molded to you and you sit somewhat like in a beanbag. Looks very comfortable.

Have to mention though.... Of all the rods I've owned over the years I miss my T the most. I know they're not popular but I routinely would lay down 150 miles no problem. I think about building another but for some reason just never do.

 

These have always been my two favorite T-buckets ever. They're both radical, but they still avoid that hokey fad T look. Here's some old magazine scans I have.

 

Here's couple very early shots of Sun Kist.

 

I always wondered if this red T owned by Barry Mazza was the Sunkist or Moonkist rebuilt, or if it was a different car all together.

 

Anybody know any more about the history of this purple tub T. I had heard it was built by Bianchi years ago, and that it was originally green, with a tunnel rammed big block. Anybody got any pics of the original green version.

 

Totaly differnt car

 

I'll try and find the photo in a T in a magazine feature that had a steering rack mounted parallel with the frame rail and the column mounted at 90 degrees to the ground. Seamed like a great idea but never saw it on other cars. Bob

 

Bump...

Anybody else know anything about the Barry Mazza car? How about any old pics of the tub T? Any other stories or old photos of Sun Kist and Moon Kist?

 

it has to be a huge rush when you mash the gas pedal on either of those Ts. things have to happen real quick. How do you control them. front wheels have to want to lift.