I've been talking about this screw-ball plan of mine to build a T-Bucket for a couple of months now, and I figure it's time to start a thread here.
What I'm shooting for is a modified T formant...with the open gas tank on the rear instead of a bed. I want a cruiser big on simplicity rather than glitz...and not a ground shaking wheeled rocket. Because I have issues with Degenerative Joint Disease, and a pinched spinal cord, I have to make this thing as easy to get in and out of as possible, and as much as possible maintainable without getting under it. This means a very low floor for easier step in, a higher than I'd like bench seat, and some things exposed/visible that ideally would be more hidden. Because of the fixed income necessary low budget, and my health issues, this is going to be a relatively long term project. I'm a planning junkie, so I'll likely be doing a lot of question asking and plan revising as I go. The budget isn't there for a lot of trial and error.
At this point I've acquired the intended engine, transmission, rear axle, and steering rack. Unfortunately the axle and rack are currently 200 or so miles away, so I may be asking dimension questions when I can't find the info elsewhere on the net.
Here is where my plans stand at this point:
What I'm shooting for is a modified T formant...with the open gas tank on the rear instead of a bed. I want a cruiser big on simplicity rather than glitz...and not a ground shaking wheeled rocket. Because I have issues with Degenerative Joint Disease, and a pinched spinal cord, I have to make this thing as easy to get in and out of as possible, and as much as possible maintainable without getting under it. This means a very low floor for easier step in, a higher than I'd like bench seat, and some things exposed/visible that ideally would be more hidden. Because of the fixed income necessary low budget, and my health issues, this is going to be a relatively long term project. I'm a planning junkie, so I'll likely be doing a lot of question asking and plan revising as I go. The budget isn't there for a lot of trial and error.
At this point I've acquired the intended engine, transmission, rear axle, and steering rack. Unfortunately the axle and rack are currently 200 or so miles away, so I may be asking dimension questions when I can't find the info elsewhere on the net.
Here is where my plans stand at this point:
- Drive train: A GM 2.8 litre V6, with a 700-R4 transmission from an 89' Camaro, and an Explorer 8.8" rear end with disk brakes.
- Chassis: A wheelbase of around 96", with typical "Z" shaped rails, made of 2x3 3/16ths wall tubing. To accommodate the wider '27 body I'm planning on, I plan on the rails being angled out at 4 degrees from the center line. At the rear, a 13" kick up. I plan on the bottom of the frame to be at 6" above the ground, to keep the floor low for easier ingress/egress.
- Front Suspension: 4" drop, 48" I-beam axle, with leaf spring over, and tube shocks. For location, the plan is for a 21" 4-bar setup and a panhard bar, and a perch raised around 6" above the centerline of the front crossmember.
- Rear Suspension: 200 lb spring rate coil-overs mounted at around 25 degree angle, 27" radius rods, and a panhard rod.
- Steering: I'm hoping to use an Omni manual sport ratio R&P, converted to work like Unisteer's one sided cross steer units.
- Brakes: Disk all around. The rear will be the Ford factory ones on the Explorer rear end. The front will likely be what ever the supplier of the spindles is pushing. A floor mounted pedal assembly with no booster.
- Body: Fiberglass '27 rpu bucket, with both doors functional. The floor will be 3/4" marine plywood.
- Wheels & Tires: I'm going for a modern version of the old big-n-littles...modern radials, 24-25" diameter in the front, and 29-30" on the rear...both on 15" steel rims, 8" wide max.
