The official T bucket truck project

[blacksheep]

like Willowbilly said, your front spring is HUGE..I'd get a better spring before I messed with the frame anymore..would make it easier to figure out what the frame really needs

I have removed evry other spring on the original set that was on there. I now have , but my question is about the offset and are these typically offset more to get slammed, and I was also looking for a few photos of some buckets that some of you may have built that set low loke I want.

 

[blacksheep]

I have an early 30's front axle. I'm trying to move the spring behind the axle and will be welding a bracket to the bottom of the bones for a spring pivot. This leaves me with having to move the steering rod to the front. Can this be done to the early 30's axle without putting on later style spindles?

 

[Willowbilly3]

With the style of frame you have, you could go to a suicide style perch.
I've never changed to a front tie rod configuration but my limited knowledge of the ackerman angle tells me most of them scrub tires like crazy in a turn. My understanding is that you need to be able to draw an imaginary line through the center of the tie rod end and the center of the kingpin and it should meet at the middle of the rear axle, when the tires are pointed straight ahead. So, in theory you can't just move the tie rod to the front, you have to make it longer and move ends of the steering arms outward.
As far as engine placement goes, just put the engine where it belongs in relation to the ground and tie it to you frame wherever it ends up with the driveline pretty level. I would try to maintain at least 6 inches of clearance under the oil pan.

 

[blacksheep]

Yes, I'going to make sure I have plenty of room underneath the oil pan. I was looking at it tonight,and noticed I'm gonna have a huge tunnel. One thing I plan on doing is to move the engine forward slightly , so that I'll just have the narrower part of the tranny to deal with. Plus, since I am building the bucket and truck bed as a unibody, I plan on taking the back of the cab straight down ,because it will be hidden by the truck bed. I'm still going to leave the lip of the bucket (about 4") to distinguish between the bucket and the bed. Any thoughts on this line of thinking?

 

[41Panel]

Wheelbase over 160 inches? wow that's long.

Nah, willow, my 41 is 163 and it's not bad. I guess if I tried a 3 point turn......I'd probably just drop it in 2nd and goose it....thats 3 points.....left front tire sitting still and the other three moving. Later Whit

 

[blacksheep]

Well, I made some progress today. Got the frame welded so I can move it around. I also got the back part of the bucket trim off so I can replace the sheet metal back there. I welded the doors shut ,so I can get it squared up. It's starting to take shape.

 

[blacksheep]

Ok, I got some stuff done in the shop today. I got the brackets trimmed off of the rear axle and ready for the spring pivots to be welded on. I have a question though. How far outside of the spring do the pivots need to be welded? I am using a buggy spring suspension and am not sure about how far outside the spring my pivots should be welded on. I know the shackles need room to flex, but unsure of how much to give there. I figure I'm gonna have aboyut a 19 1/2" offset in the rear of the frame.My frame under the body will ride right at 7" off the ground. Is that plenty? Thanks in advance.

 

[blacksheep]

Well, I got some things done today on m day off. I did start getting the back of the bucket frame up. The Homersapien who owned this before did a terrible job of piecing together the back of the bucket. I'm just rebuilding the whoile back side using square tubing and new sheet metal. While I'm at it, I extenede it just a bit for more leg room.

Bout a new welder and it came today. Will have my tacked together frame done by the weekend, so I can at least have a roller.

 

[blacksheep]

Well, tonight I set the body down over the frame. This thing is gonna be low. The bottom of the frame is 6" off the ground. In the back , I will have a 5' truck bed that is being delivered to me on Sat.

 

[blacksheep]

Wow, no ideas , no responses,no nada?? Hey mr. moderator, please delete this enitre thread. It seems that I'm boring these folks with my project. I'm done.

 

[Tim...Ok]

No, don't delete your thread..the whole board has been really slow for the last few days, not sure why but it has..

I really like where your going with it,love the ride height..Keep the updates coming..

Tim

 

[blacksheep]

No, don't delete your thread..the whole board has been really slow for the last few days, not sure why but it has..

I really like where your going with it,love the ride height..Keep the updates coming..

Tim

Thanks Tim, as you have probably found out, there are a lot of knowledgable folks here on this forum. This build is kind of my maiden voyage as far as from the ground up. I really look for insite and maybe possible help as far as how it is being set up. I have also noticed that this forum has been slow in the past few weeks. But, I also know that a T Bucket build may not be as interesting as say a 35 Chevy truck. But, I'm really trying to stay away from the typical T Bucket on this build. Sometimes we just need a little reassurance that we are nopt building an albatross. hahaha. No biggy though, I'll keep building regardless[.

 

[Got Rust?]

I like it,
ground up rod build pic's, can't do much better than that.
nice.
get some training wheel's up front and it'll be standing on it's own. before you know it (and without me doing any of the work)
purdy soon scoot'n round the yard under it;s own power.[P

 

[bob w]

I like what you're doing a lot. My son & I both have '27 T's. Unfortunately they are glass. He sits above the windshield like you will be doing. Be prapared for a lot of wind in the face. Doesn't bother him, but does bother me.
I am following closely the way you are building the back of the body. How are you bending the square tubing?
Frame looks solid. It will be a fun ride. In the right weather, on roads that aren't busy, there's nothing I'd rather do than drive my roadster. You will have that same pleasure soon.

I don't know if other RRR members have the problem I have. There are so many cool builds going on here (and this isn't a real big site) that I feel sheepish commenting too often on too many builds. If you make a new entry on your thread, just note the number of views. Then check a day later and you will see that many people are looking at and enjoying your build.

 

[blacksheep]

Well, it appears that my windshield will be about 13" tall. I plan on having it righ at my nose level, so I can see over it , but still keep the direct wind off of my face. I also extended the back to give me more leg room up front. The back edge will be rolled and I am using a rear seat from a Camaro for the seating. Should be fun.

 

[CORPO]

Looking good man.. dont get discouraged by our laziness to comment .. keep at it

I almost bought a 26 touring body.. i was going to make a roadster bucket out of it like you are doing... but decided that i should finish my first build before starting another

 

[SugarRay8]

Build looks great so far.

I’d offer some input, but I’m in the middle of my 1st build and really don’t know what I’m doing yet.

I pretty much joined up to get help as I need it. If you have some specific questions you need answers, try posting them in the Frame/Suspension/Brake Q&A section or the Transmission, Read End…Q&A section.

Keep up the great work!

 

[PA41]

Well, it appears that my windshield will be about 13" tall. I plan on having it righ at my nose level, so I can see over it , but still keep the direct wind off of my face. I also extended the back to give me more leg room up front. The back edge will be rolled and I am using a rear seat from a Camaro for the seating. Should be fun.

I've built a couple 26/7 T roadsters, one had a laid back 'V' windshield and the other was a straight up glass--both about nose high. The laid back would dump the wind right in my face where the straight up glass kept it off me much better.

T's are sweethearts--the essence of hotrodding.

(Like that frame kickup and extended bucket)

PA41

 

[blacksheep]

Well,today I got to work on the bucket. My buddy gave me an old truck bed with fenders on it. What do you do with the fenders you ask.? You use them to rebuild your bucket. In the photos you will see that I used the rear fenders from a 53 Chevy to replace the rounded back on my bucket. It was awesome how well they fit. No bending or shaping needed. hahaha

 

[TwistedDemensions]

dang,the buckets coming along nicely.