40's Style T's

[Shawn F.]

This isn't for pictures of MY T bucket but I figured this is the correct place to post this... How many of you here have a 40's era built t bucket? I think this is the route I want to go (40's era, spoked wheels, but have it sitting as low as I can that will still be safe). I am into that style and would love to add some kind of WWII theme to it whether it be some kind of plane gauges and a sheet metal interior or maybe I will paint it silver to look like sheet metal and air brush some fake styled rivets to look like panels. I haven't decided on the paint but have decided on the era I want to go with. If you have any pictures of ANY 40's styled T's then it would be greatly appreciated to see them posted. Even if they are not yours that is OK. Here is one that you have all seen before I am sure and even though this thing supposedly has over something like 2.3 million, it is the stance I want. 0509rc Pinkee 01 Z Photo


Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Youngster]

Shawn... go to here;

http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f6/windshield-thoughts-yea-i-need-opinions-again-400/index2.html

Look at post #13. That was the icon of T roadsters from the late '30's to the mid '50's. It's Phill Iskenderan's. This car wasn't even on the streets yet and people were coping it in 1937.

Ron

 

[tfeverfred]

Shawn, that link you posted is of a T that I had for a screen saver for a very long time. It's absolutly gorgeous!

 

[Shawn F.]

Thanks for that link! That is nice. I like the style, just want it lower. Pretty much exacly like your Avatar of what I guess is a 27? I was thinking about getting a 27T (Speedway one) with the glassed in turtledeck like on it. I dont like a huge flare in the back of the 23's, a little flare is nice but not that big. The only reason I do not go with the 27 from Speedway Motors is because I want to have the pickup bed in the back like the link above that I posted. Guess you'd call it a RPU, just though I could make one with a glass bodied 23 or 25 T.

 

[tfeverfred]

 

[Shawn F.]

Shawn, that link you posted is of a T that I had for a screen saver for a very long time. It's absolutly gorgeous!

We must have posted at the same time haha. Anyways, yes it is awesome. I loved it when they have it in bare metal too but the color and everything is perfect. And I dont know where I heard this from but if I remember correctly there is over 2.3 million into that car.
Of course mine wont have all the chrome and high end motor like that. Just a basic 9" or S10 rear end, Ford small block 302 (unless I find a 351W in the meantime) and C4 tranny. I wanted to use this 3 speed I have but supposedly it's a pain to fit 3 pedals in these cars. Especially if I will be using bomber style seats. Even though I want the car to be LOW which means channeling it some, I do not want to be sitting on top of the car with my legs showing, I want the seats to be pretty much on the ground as low as it can be. I am small (about 5'8" but I am skinny as heck only weigh 110 pounds soaking wet!) Don't tell anyone!

 

[Shawn F.]

Oh and notice the floors of that car? Looks like the late 70's or early 80 ( I think) where they would put that wood wall covering up in homes that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot. I thought it was a good idea and considering it even though on top of the wood floor I will fiberglass in I'd like to rivet down some bead rolled sheetmetal floors and maybe even the door panels, if not then door panels like that. I remember once seeing a Chip Foose car on the internet that I saved SOMEWHERE where he won a show and the car was done up like a old fighter jet. I am sure you guys have seen it. Anyways after I saw it I knew that my idea would be able to work if someone else did it.

 

[Shawn F.]

Here is the car but I cannot find the interior shots of it.

Ok here is a shot of that interior. Not what I though it was for the floor for some reason. I have seen a hot rod with bare metal floors like that and I thought it was the one. Either way I like that as well and is what I plan to go for.

 

[Youngster]

The interior of Chips '32 were painted to look like the zinc chromeate used in aircraft. Those are basicly bare metal floors. There are lots of tricks to building a low car. Most of them center around suspension and frame mods.

Ron

 

[Shawn F.]

To get one to sit as low as the one in your avatar or the rod & custom, what would you do or what would need to be done to achieve that and not sit on top of the T bucket while driving? I'd still like to sit semi low in it.

 

[Youngster]

To get a low profile in front it's mostly your choise of components. You said you wanted a '40's type of T. If I were building that type of car, I would look for a '40 Ford front end complete with brakes and a Model A spring and perches. These parts would be set up like this;

From there it's how high the spring perch is above the front crossmember.

The perch on the frame would set about 10" off the ground. The perch off the frame would set about 6" off the ground.

To get the rear of the car down, you adjust the height of the kick in the frame. Just remember, the lower you go with the frame, the higher the drive shaft tunnel will have to be inside of the body. Probably not a problem for you at 5'8", 110#.

As for sitting low in the body, with a 3" channel, you will have about 19" from the floor to the top of the body at the door. By keeping the seat riser low, you can tuck yourself down in the body.

Ron

 

[Shawn F.]

Sounds good thanks for this advice I know what to go for now. As for finding old 40 Ford stuff I may just buy the components online that are new from Speedway or such if they are any good. I'd like at least a polished I beam (not round tube but an actual I beam) as for brakes they do not exactly have to be 40's. I like the look of a 40's era but want the brakes and safety issues as modern as my budget allows that way it is comfortable to drive, easy to work on, find parts, SAFE. I've seen plenty of people with no front brakes and all these other things and they worked fine. I've also seen some very bad wrecks and I'd like to not have one. :lol:
Anyways, now I have to find out the demensions to get this thing to sit how I want. I know the look and what to do (kick, the perch). Now it's getting the inches of kick and how much drop of the perch. I guess I can look at a stock T bucket kit and get their stock demensions and see how much lower I want it from there and just add onto it. As for the channeling and the driveshaft, I guess since I am using bomber (bucket) seats I can put it in the middle huh? Is a T body wide enough to have that much space in the middle?

 

[Rick]

Bomber seats will work fine for the channell job.Get some one to post the Total Performance specs on the frame then go from there.Anyone of these guys can help(except me)Try Youngster.

 

[Shawn F.]

That will be great then if they work. I will look around and possibly find someone with the stats on that Rod&Custom one in the link I posted on post #1 and in the photos on the first page. Either that or find another one with that stance from someone on here or the HAMB and ask them. Now it's all about saving my money, selling a vehicle of mine and buying the darn thing. I think after this summer is when I will start. I have a few motorcycles to finish up in the next few weeks and I'll be set.

 

[Youngster]

When you are building a one off car, you definately want to have the body before you start anything. You can start there and work your way toward the ends. for seting up the frame, use 2x4's. they are cheaper than steel and easy to change lengths 'til you get the look you want. You could start with the diamensions in my pdf posting on building a frame.

Ron

 

[Shawn F.]

Great idea with the 2x4's, I will do that. Better be careful now though because some people may think that you can use 2x4's to build a chassis and you will get those so called "rat rodders" building them and running around. :lol:

 

[T-Odd]

One of the guys in our group used 2x3 C Channel, really thin, but it held the weight and we could get a much better setup idea than when I was setting mine up using lumber. Added bonus - using chop saws and welding the C Channel is more fun that working with wood AND the frame dimentions ended up exact rhather than close (2x4 lumber is 1.5 x 3.5 and 2x3 channel is 2x3 - same as 2x3 square tubing he ended up using).

Close sometime works though, and lumber could be cheaper and might even be easier to work with for some.