Hello fellow T-Bucketheads from Central Iowa

[Gostallion]

I am Dennis who has wanted a T-Bucket since I was a teenager in the mid-60s when they were all over the Hod Rod magazines. I finally was able to buy one so I don't care how old I am, I LIKE it. I grew up working on cars and racing with my dad, building and working on sprint cars which are kit cars with a big wing on top so this should be fun. Planning on rebuilding much of it over the winter, my research shows it is a Total Performance car so I am still looking for a pdf of the assembly plans. Hope that next year (2021) will be virus free so we can get to the shows. I also have a 1980 Z28 that I take to shows (except this year).

 

[Spanky]

Welcome, Gostallion. Glad to have you in our 'family.' Sounds like you have some skills that will make owning a T-bucket more enjoyable. 'Seems like they always need some tinkering, kinda like the old geezers that drive 'em!

 

[T-Test]

https://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/The_FREE_T_Bucket_plans

Episode 1 - Introduction -

 

[EWTALLEY]

Welcome from Ocala, Florida.

 

[choppedtop]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

 

[oscar1955]

Welcome from a former central Iowan, now living in Minnesota. I have a copy of theTotal Performance assembly manual. Not ready to sell the manual, but may be able to provide information from it.

 

[Gostallion]

Welcome from a former central Iowan, now living in Minnesota. I have a copy of theTotal Performance assembly manual. Not ready to sell the manual, but may be able to provide information from it.

Hi, having issues with the brakes now. master cylinder leaking out the shaft and no idea who cast the MC to get a rebuild kit and the brake lines are all weird or maybe right for them, i dunno.

 

[Island Girl]

Welcome from the peak of hurricane season Caribbean . . . .

Tell us more about your T, in multiple posts so that once you have 10 posts, you can post some pics.

It'll be a lot easier for folks to help if they can see what you're working with.


Darlene

 

[Gostallion]

Hi Darlene, you mention hurricanes, well let me tell ya.... a little over a month ago we here in Iowa had a hurricane.... yep a landlocked bonified blower over 100 mph. anyway, I will put up some pics when they let me. I bought this thing as my top of my bucket list thing......get it? always wanted one since i was a kid reading hot rod magazine.

 

[Gostallion]

This one is a total performance car, like many are, and it was built very well. does need some fixin which I can do. i'm still trying to find the pdf of the assembly manual so I am guessing on some of the identifications on parts, like the master cylinder and calipers/pads, etc. it came with a very, very healthy 350 (codes to a 1970 Camaro or Corvette), and obviously has a big cam by the sound of it and less than 10 inches of vacuum, and to top it off they put a hi-rise tunnel ram manifold with dual quads on it. looks impressive but with a 10 gal tank its a gas station hop-scotch to anywhere.

 

[Neshkoro]

Gas is pretty cheap these days. Just over $2.00/ gal.

 

[fluidfloyd]

This one is a total performance car, like many are, and it was built very well. does need some fixin which I can do. i'm still trying to find the pdf of the assembly manual so I am guessing on some of the identifications on parts, like the master cylinder and calipers/pads, etc. it came with a very, very healthy 350 (codes to a 1970 Camaro or Corvette), and obviously has a big cam by the sound of it and less than 10 inches of vacuum, and to top it off they put a hi-rise tunnel ram manifold with dual quads on it. looks impressive but with a 10 gal tank its a gas station hop-scotch to anywhere.

That time frame a number of shops used Hurst Airheart cylinders. Google is your friend. Good luck with your project.
George

 

[Indycars]

Gas is pretty cheap these days. Just over $2.00/ gal.

I thought 43 cents was cheap for DX260 that was about 100 octane, but then again that was 2-3 years ago!

 

[Neshkoro]

43 cents per gallon. That was a bargain!

 

[oscar1955]

From the TP assembly manual dated 1997. Hallcraft brakes used on wire spoke wheels. Wilwood brakes on Ford spindles with bolt on wheels. I believe these were options if the t bucket kit was ordered.
From the TP catalog a brake kit was listed for Ford spindles using 1” rotors , using GM calipers.
The only dual reservoir listed is , 1” bore with 1/2” and 9/16” outlets.

 

[Gostallion]

It has Chevy bolt pattern hubs (4 3/4") but has regular wheels/tires, not wire wheels. can it be Ford spindles with Chevy hubs? rear is early 1969 Pontiac Firebird posi axle. can't see casting numbers on master cylinder while it is still on frame rail but it does loop the front and back reservoirs together. I am looking at cutting a hole under the seat as an access to the MC to fill it, is that typical? a 1" bore is common to find a seal but is the MC GM or Ford?

 

[Spanky]

Total's brake system was a little different, and as I recall, originally used a 'fruit jar' single reservoir type MC, probably Ford Mustang. Later they offered a dual reservoir MC. Not sure of the bore size.

 

[Gostallion]

that makes sense as to why they looped both reservoirs together, to make it bigger like their previous MCs but you lose the fail safe of still having some brakes if a line breaks.

 

[Gostallion]

actually not a good idea to loop the 2 reservoirs together like that since the front is a disc brake and the back is drums. may have to put in a residual valve. i wonder if Speedway has any of the original master cylinders left, easier to replace that to rebuild it, but then again a different MC made for disc/drum combination that would have the delay built in, be better. waddya think?

 

[Spanky]

I used a standard 2 reservoir MC from NAPA, I believe (new, not rebuilt) with a 1" bore, and put an adjustable proportioning valve on the rear drums.
Works just fine, and should be compatible with your Total setup.