cooters T bucket build

[dcmalone]

I have found that transferring frame on top of floor with pencil has made life easier. still thinkin bout the brake pedal assembly? all my vw railbuggies had floor mounted pedal box. wonder how that would look? ill just go under floor I guess? also thought about hanging pedal from top? need seat and steering column on hand before I can do anything. funny how everything is affected by one or the other. what kind of braceing yall running under/behind dash for column and windshield?

I'm wondering about the dash bracing myself.

 

[cooter]

I'm wondering about the dash bracing myself.

I have some ideas I have stolen from thousands of hours at computer lookin at pics. maybe ill get some hands on at pigeon forge rod run next month.

 

[cooter]

 

[cooter]

tired.. ill try some more tomorrow after church. don't know if radiator should be parallel with firewall or level at ride hight since the car has so much rake? how close to engine should I set it. tomorrow I create....

 

[2old2fast]

If a blower's not in your future , then a couple inches from the fan to radiator makes it easier to build a small , effective shroud ...if you're planning an electric puller fan , then you need to plan accordingly ... I like parralel to the firewall ... also run a piece of masking tape from the top of the firewall to the top of the rad. shell , gives you a line of site so the proportions look right...
dave

 

[EX JUNK]

If a blower's not in your future , then a couple inches from the fan to radiator makes it easier to build a small , effective shroud ...if you're planning an electric puller fan , then you need to plan accordingly ... I like parralel to the firewall ... also run a piece of masking tape from the top of the firewall to the top of the rad. shell , gives you a line of site so the proportions look right...
dave

This is very sound advice.

Jim

 

[cooter]

its not tape but she is level across top. had to drop radiator down in frame.

 

[EX JUNK]

Is the frame sitting at the same angle as the level that is shown laying from the cowl to the grill shell? If so, then you should check to see if the grill shell is at the same vertical angle as the firewall.

Jim

 

[cooter]

Is the frame sitting at the same angle as the level that is shown laying from the cowl to the grill shell? If so, then you should check to see if the grill shell is at the same vertical angle as the firewall.

Jim

Frame is level. Radiator is level vertical

 

[2old2fast]

Any chance you can take a side view pic from 15-20' away , camera level w/the side of car ??
dave

 

[EX JUNK]

Frame is level. Radiator is level vertical

I take it then that the firewall is vertical also.

Jim

 

[cooter]

Any chance you can take a side view pic from 15-20' away , camera level w/the side of car ??
dave

I'll try

 

[cooter]

I take it then that the firewall is vertical also.

Jim

Correct

 

[one finger john]

Leave everything as is. Make a tape hood. Run 5 or 6 or 7 lengths of tape from the cowl to the radiator. Assemble the car with the wheels & tires that you will use. Roll the car outside on to level ground. And LOOK at it. Then stand back as far as you can and LOOK at it. Then take lots of pictures and let us LOOK at it.

John

 

[Zandoz]

tired.. ill try some more tomorrow after church. don't know if radiator should be parallel with firewall or level at ride hight since the car has so much rake? how close to engine should I set it. tomorrow I create....

This is one of many questions I've been pondering as I draw up my plans. The frame & body will have a 2-3 degree rake, but the engine will sit level. I've drawn up both ways...radiator vertical matching the engine, and the radiator angled to match the body. The result is one day I think one way will work the best....the next day the other looks best <shrug>

 

[one finger john]

Hopefully Cooter knows me well enough by now to know that basically I am asking for him to show his possible flaws and mistakes so both he and others will learn in their T designs. If there is a T Bucket computer design program available (don't thin so ...) then it would be easy peezy to whip up a design drawing and the finished product would be exactly the same. But it ain't that easy. Every T that is built (especially when designs and parts are taken from so many differing sources) is really on a cut and try basis.
Worst case scenario - everything looks off (even though the "designs", sketches, and patterns say it will be bitchen). Engine angle - wrong. Tire rake - wrong. Engine, radiator shell, frame spacing in front - wrong. Body height - wrong. And my favorite - header angles in relation to body panels and the ground - wrong. Here one is dealing with a game of inches. And those inches add up.
That is why I would advise to get your body, wheels and tires, axles, suspension, radiator shell, and tack weld everything, Then roll it out into the light and LOOK at it. With everything tacked, changes can be made easily and relatively painlessly.
Cooter, I am not saying that any of the above scenario will come to happen. What I am saying is catch the mistakes early instead of towards the end.

Remember, men make plans, God laughs.

John

 

[cooter]

Hopefully Cooter knows me well enough by now to know that basically I am asking for him to show his possible flaws and mistakes so both he and others will learn in their T designs. If there is a T Bucket computer design program available (don't thin so ...) then it would be easy peezy to whip up a design drawing and the finished product would be exactly the same. But it ain't that easy. Every T that is built (especially when designs and parts are taken from so many differing sources) is really on a cut and try basis.
Worst case scenario - everything looks off (even though the "designs", sketches, and patterns say it will be bitchen). Engine angle - wrong. Tire rake - wrong. Engine, radiator shell, frame spacing in front - wrong. Body height - wrong. And my favorite - header angles in relation to body panels and the ground - wrong. Here one is dealing with a game of inches. And those inches add up.
That is why I would advise to get your body, wheels and tires, axles, suspension, radiator shell, and tack weld everything, Then roll it out into the light and LOOK at it. With everything tacked, changes can be made easily and relatively painlessly.
Cooter, I am not saying that any of the above scenario will come to happen. What I am saying is catch the mistakes early instead of towards the end.

Remember, men make plans, God laughs.

John

Thats right!!!!

 

[cooter]

I have the tape hood pics in phone. I'll have to load my bucket when i get off work at 4:30 p.m. nothing is tacked yet. Radiator is setting on milk crate and a 3/4 inch thick board. Cardboard spacer between grill shell and front crossmember and paint stir sticks wedged against radiator and water pump snd 2 harbor freight welding magnets at frame and lower radiator support. No body slam door or sneeze when you walk in shop!!! Lol

 

[choppinczech]

Sounds like the way I do stuff. Lots of wood spacers.

 

[cooter]

photobucket is down. NO!!!! I'll have to try again in a few.