Three very different questions...

[Wyo George]

While having dinner with my wife last night we were discussing my T bucket plans for when I finish the '65. She is 100% on board with the T, but offered up a suggestion that I like. She suggested I build a "touring-T" then we take it on a back road tour through the southwest, route 66, US50, etc. enjoy it a bit then sell it and build my dream bucket that I've been planning for years. In the course of discussion I came up with three questions to answer in relation to building a bucket for road trips all over.

#1. Has anyone put a small heater unit in their T? I understand that without a roof or windows that it won't do much, but warm legs and feet will make a big difference knocking off the chill on a cool morning.

#2. Has anyone routed their exhaust between the rails and out the back like on a "normal car"? (HER idea...) I'm asking because she thinks on a month long road trip it would be nice to have it a little quieter and no pipes to burn ankles on. After the trip is complete I'd put a proper T bucket exhaust in place!

#3. Has anyone on here built a bucket with an EFI 5.0 / AOD combo? I have a good running, very low mileage '91 Grand Marquis sitting in my field that I picked up to use the rear axle on another project. I'm thinking a nice mild EFI 5.0 with AOD would be just the ticket for efficient, reliable touring, but mostly I favor it because I have it on hand already and so it would be a free powerplant.

 

[EX JUNK]

To answer your first question, I put a 22k BTU heater in my car. It uses water from the engine like most all cars and it has a 3 speed blower also. Check out Summit Racing as that is where I got mine.

If you check out the attached photos you'll see that it is not "in your face ugly."

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/exjunk/Heater/IMG_2456.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/exjunk/Heater/IMG_2440-1.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/exjunk/Heater/IMG_2451.jpg

As you can see in the last photo, it is virtually invisible when seated in the car.

Jim

 

[guilld]

Heat:
My wife has a BMW Z. The heater with the top down is virtually worthless. If you plan to drive in cool weather you need to dress like a biker gloves with gauntlets, preferably a leather jacket, and of course long handles. The "best" thing you can do for heat is put in seat heaters. They are pretty amazing in a convertible. You can find them on the after market and I understand they are easy to install when doing the upholstery. They really help.

 

[Wyo George]

Thanks for the input and yes, we are familiar with dressing warm since we spend a lot of time on motorcycles. Several years back we took a spring road trip here in WY and one morning woke up to -19F temps which was a tad unpleasant on the bike! Still, we endured

Heated seats will probably be a part of the build; I used to own an auto upholstery shop specializing in restorations and street rods so I've done a few heated seat installs

 

[Indycars]

Couldn't hurt to throw in an electric heated blanket from Northern Tool for $40.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200395351_200395351

 

[409T]

#2. Has anyone routed their exhaust between the rails and out the back like on a "normal car"?

I have a friend who ran his pipes that way, and he claimed that the exhaust would curl back up into the T-bucket. He changed to sprint headers with turn-outs and said that solved the problem. If you just want to avoid burned ankles, zoomies will solve the problem. My wife has them on her T and she likes them.

 

[Wyo George]

I don't mind the exhaust so much, it was just a suggestion from the wife regarding riding along for 8-10 hours a day for a month with loud exhaust. I told her she'll be wearing earplugs, just like on the bike and it won't be so bad...still, I thought I'd ask.

 

[Wyo George]

Keep in mind, all of these "silly" questions are spurring from my wife's idea that we take a month off and tour the country in a bucket. If she's onboard with such an idea then I'm gonna make a few adjustments to accommodate it!

 

[Hackerbilt]

Yeah...you're gonna need ear plugs anyway to prevent ear aches from the wind.
I don't think the exhaust noise will be that big an issue even without them and you can add screens to guard against burns if you like.
I'm changing my exhaust to be longer and include a reverse flow insert section that hopefully will cut the sound down even more...but really it isn't all that bad as it sits.
I'm up in the air about a heater.
I've been thinking about running hot air heaters from the headers right next to the engine block but the more I look the less I think I can pull it off without it looking strange.
It seems the more effective I can make them the stranger they will look...and T's are about simplicity.
May end up going for some heated seat inserts instead.
I doubt a heater that uses a small fan to move air can be effective at highway speed with all the outside air flowing into the cockpit...although it might be good with a blanket or tonneau to hold the warm air in.

 

[benT]

I run seat heaters in my '27 and while they won't keep your face and hands warm, they do a pretty good job on the back and butt.

 

[Hotrod46]

I built long muffler inserts for my traditional headers. I used perforated stainless tubing and rapped it in fiberglass muffler batting. The inserts are as long as the turnouts. That quieted mine down pretty well. As Hackerbuilt said, wind noise is the main problem. I wear noise reducing ear muffs with speakers for my MP3 player. I know some states don't allow that, but around here no one has ever said anything.

The wind is so loud in my car at highway speed that conversation is virtually impossible. I did see a setup in a T on the net that used an aircraft intercom with noise reducing headsets. Nice, but $$$$$.

Speedway has some turnouts that have a heat shield built on or you could build your own.

I also wired plugs in mine to hook up heated motorcycle vests. Works good.

Mike

 

[Swampdog]

The reason I got a T bucket is to hear a SBC roar and burn rubber.

 

[Wyo George]

The reason I got a T bucket is to hear a SBC roar and burn rubber.

If that's what you enjoy then I'll say it was successful. I'll never own a "Ford" with chevy engine (and I'm mostly a "chevy guy"). Right now this is all just theoretical, I'm expecting her to change her mind and we'll take the trip in my '65 Impala with heat, A/C and a nice stereo. I just figured why not enjoy some abstract thought while waiting to actually start my build.

 

[Wyo George]

...and since comfort is very personal let me add that I'm comfortable where most people wouldn't be. I'm a motorcycle rider and during the spring-fall months I rarely ever take a four wheeled vehicle, even if it's raining. I don't ride a comfy touring bike either, I'll ride 600-800 mile days for a week at a time on this bike:

 

[fletcherson]

...and since comfort is very personal let me add that I'm comfortable where most people wouldn't be. I'm a motorcycle rider and during the spring-fall months I rarely ever take a four wheeled vehicle, even if it's raining. I don't ride a comfy touring bike either, I'll ride 600-800 mile days for a week at a time on this bike:

I don't get the bias between engine manufacturers. If it was an actual Ford, yea, but it's a replica. I am not biased either way. All of them made some good ones and some junk. If mine wasn't already setup with a bbc, I would likely install a Pontiac motor. Build what you like!

 

[Johnny]

Amen, Brother!

 

[Swampdog]

I don't get the bias between engine manufacturers. If it was an actual Ford, yea, but it's a replica. I am not biased either way. All of them made some good ones and some junk. If mine wasn't already setup with a bbc, I would likely install a Pontiac motor. Build what you like!

The only thing Ford on mine is the 8 inch rear end and the blue ovals I got stuck on. But I did get in the All Ford Show this Fall.

I get a lot lectures at cruises about not having a Ford Engine, though. I would like to have a Ford Y-Block in a car someday.

 

[Wyo George]

The only thing Ford on mine is the 8 inch rear end and the blue ovals I got stuck on. But I did get in the All Ford Show this Fall.

I get a lot lectures at cruises about not having a Ford Engine, though. I would like to have a Ford Y-Block in a car someday.

I never lecture folks for their choices. I may disagree with them, but it's their choice to make, not mine!

I have a nice low mileage Y block and 3 speed auto sitting in storage waiting on either a T bucket or deuce highboy build in the future. This first bucket will be a 302 since I don't plan to keep it forever and the 302 is something I wouldn't feel bad parting with.

 

[Wyo George]

I don't get the bias between engine manufacturers. If it was an actual Ford, yea, but it's a replica. I am not biased either way. All of them made some good ones and some junk. If mine wasn't already setup with a bbc, I would likely install a Pontiac motor. Build what you like!

It's just a preference. Like I said in my last post, I'm not putting him down for having a SBC in his ride, it's just not something I would want. How boring would the world be if we all agreed and nobody had an opinion of their own!

 

[iajjpop]

Some times when I go to car shows , I put a sign on my car saying '' This car is a hybrid , burns gas and rubber '' some people ask how does that work , so I have to explain it to them...I have another one I use says ''This car gets 50 smiles per gallon.'' Have to explain that one to...