I have a set of plans from CCR for a frame for a T roadster. I have a tub I want a frame built for. Question is if anyone has ever used these plans and changed them to suit a tub body. I will be getting the frame built by a machine shop and need to know if any changes have to be made as far as frame rail length and rear spring height/placement is concerned. Any insight would be great.
I haven't done a '27 tub yet, but I will be doing a '23 very soon for a client and I do know that it needs to be stretched about six inches to place the rear wheels correctly. I'm not a huge fan of CCR's plans, but most "T" bucket frames are pretty similar as far as lay out goes. The easiest way to figure this out is get a measurement from the fire wall to the axle centerline, (on a stock '27 I believe it is 75") figure about 29" for an engine ( small block Chevy), and about 4" for a radiator. The '26 '27 ends up being a bit longer than the typical '23 bucket. Depending on what ride height you want, rear kick up should be about right, although the rear seat on fad tubs really is basically unusable as a seat. Ever notice how most of them have a tarp over the back seat?
Lotsa good advice over at the T bucket forum, but the best in your case is to have all the parts first before making the frame. You will need them all to provide measurements to the shop. Engine, trans, front and rear axles, steering, suspension, pedals, M/C, radiator, etc. All of these will need brackets and/or can change how the frame is set up.
If you're planning on using the back seat and making a touring car a touring car, the CCR planes will not do the trick for you. There is no reason a 26-27 T should have any longer wheelbase than a Tbucket, 23-25 style unless you just like stretched out iron. The decision to use or not use the back seat for passengers will dictate the frame construction as well as whether or not you'll be using fenders and runningboards and aprons. Hood, engine room length if hoodless, is not so critical because you can stretch the boards and aprons easily.
Not wanting to get to far off topic, and it is somewhat personal opinion, but if you look at most '23 - '25 "T" buckets, the body is usually slid back a bit in comparison to where the rear wheels would be on a stock full fendered "T" of the same era. This compensates for a shortened P/U bed, and also works well with the earlier turtledeck. On the '26 '27 bodies there is a an actual wheelwell that just doesn't look right unless the rear wheels are centered in these arches. Because this point is a bit rearward of the earlier bodies, I have found that the couple of '26 '27 "T"buckets I have built frames for look a bit more "comfortable" on a wheelbase of about 103" - 107". Most '23 - '25 "T" buckets I have built frames for have ended up at about 94" to about 98". Just my two cents worth, Chip Quinn
As others have suggested, it's not so simple without having your body and doing some measurements. Just for comparison purposes, a '23 Tub is going to need about a 30" longer frame than a Bucket. The '27 is bigger but the same adjustment would need to be made. Where it gets a bit more complicated, though, is that with a Bucket you usually have the kickup portion of the frame either outside the body line or just barely intersecting it. But, with a Tub you don't want a kickup hanging outside the body and if you do a typical kickup, like in the CCR plans, your rear "seat" will only be for appearance purposes of those sitting on it will have their butts just a few inches below the upper bodyline and be sticking out like they're in a parade car. And, you'll need to figure out a fuel tank location as well. It has been done and can be, but if what you're trying to do is just tell somebody to build it by these plans and make it so much longer it won't be real easy. But, it's worth the effort because the results can look dramatic.
So, fenderless then. What sort of spring should I use so it doesn't sit like a 4x4?? Would an original T rear crossmember work? And then use some sort of a lower spring?? or have the body sit on top of the frame like a deuce?? I had some real nice pics of T-man's frame from a long time ago, but they disappeared in a hard drive meltdown.......
Allot of these questions would depend on what you want have the finished car look like. If your going for more of a "T"bucket kinda look, then the body is usually channeled the depth of the frame or maybe a bit more. If the details of the car are going to include things like a flathead, kelsey wires, and forties type details, then it would be more appropriate to run the body on top of the frame. What you should probably do is use the search function here a bit and find some cars similar to what you want yours to look like, post them here, and then making educated guesses at chassis set up and wheelbases and such would be a heck of allot easier.
My step son said he always wanted a T bucket. but He is 6 ft 6 in and drove one around in the chevy dealership shop area where he worked and said no way would it work for him. His father built a strong 400 sbc and put in a 70's chevy pickup, and his father didn't drive it very much before losing the battle with cancer. IN the early 60's I helped my brother start on a shortened T tub, He never finished it and sold it and moved to Calif. I got a super deal on a 23 T tub body, the right side panel between the 2 doors is cancered, but the rest of the body still has the Henry black paint on it. I can't remember how much more room my brother had inside the pieced together body. Does any body have any picts of shortened tubs ? We were thinking of using the chevy truck eng, auto trans, rear end etc and finding a 50's chevy pickup front axle and build a longer frame. I have used the CCR plans and did one with an 8 in stretch. I would have to figure how much for the short tub. Using the numbers on the drawings it looks like by using the rear doors and seat area we would get about 6 or 7 inches more interior room.
I have built a couple of buckets, I have always moved the rear spring behind the axle to get a lower stance. I aslo redid one crosmember to get it lower. the CCR plans have the spring behind.
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