Hot Rod Bucket
- Thread starter Jim B
- Start date
Jim B
Active Member
Took it to the Annual Rod Run in Pigeon Forge, TN. Sally did pretty good considering I had zero miles on it when I loaded it on the trailer.
Here it is loaded up and ready to go. Clears the dovetail on flat ground by about an eighth of an inch.
Right after I unloaded her. It was a big parking lot just for unloading and storing trailers so I had some space. Ran her around the lot a few times and drove it over to the hotel.
At the hotel. The first mileage I put on it was the short run to the hotel. I got it out on the Cruise Strip once or twice but since she was unproven, I took it real easy and did not go far but it was good to have Sinister Sally there. The Pigeon Forge Rod Run is a circus and the strip is packed from about noon to about midnight.
So after this little outing, I have a short list of things to do.
1. Brakes, I wish I had the room for power brakes. Need to bleed them again....and again....and again until I am happy.
2. Need a full size alternator.
3. Finish the interior.
4. New mounting system for the seats. It is ok now but could use a little improvement.
5. Build some new permanent exhaust pipes that work. These were temps I built the day before we left. The other pipes were too close to the body and got the paint too hot.
6. Update sending units to correct ones for the gauges. VDO gauges with Chinese sending units that came on the crate motor. I don't trust them. Gas gauge works fine though with a generic sending unit.
This little car steers nice and straight, no wobble, no issues, probably thanks to my brother being so meticulous when we built the frame. The frame is perfectly square and true. It is faster than I thought it would be. The 4.11 gears and the 700R tranny make that first gear really low and even with the taller tires, it jumps. I am happy with the choice of running gear. The stroker motor was a good choice at 365 HP. Plenty. If I had it to do over, I would have bought a regular body and cut it up to make it wider and longer. This body was too flimsy and thin and required a ton of body work and filler to make it right. It would have been easier to start with a heavier standard bucket and mod it. The suspension works great even with that big stack-o-springs up front so I am pleased with that. I have 4.5 inches of ground clearance and made it in and out of parking lots, over some speed bumps and out of a very scary driveway without scraping anything.....so far.
Big thanks to the people on here that comment, encourage and post. It truly helped me all along the way. Thanks again.
Here it is loaded up and ready to go. Clears the dovetail on flat ground by about an eighth of an inch.
Right after I unloaded her. It was a big parking lot just for unloading and storing trailers so I had some space. Ran her around the lot a few times and drove it over to the hotel.
At the hotel. The first mileage I put on it was the short run to the hotel. I got it out on the Cruise Strip once or twice but since she was unproven, I took it real easy and did not go far but it was good to have Sinister Sally there. The Pigeon Forge Rod Run is a circus and the strip is packed from about noon to about midnight.
So after this little outing, I have a short list of things to do.
1. Brakes, I wish I had the room for power brakes. Need to bleed them again....and again....and again until I am happy.
2. Need a full size alternator.
3. Finish the interior.
4. New mounting system for the seats. It is ok now but could use a little improvement.
5. Build some new permanent exhaust pipes that work. These were temps I built the day before we left. The other pipes were too close to the body and got the paint too hot.
6. Update sending units to correct ones for the gauges. VDO gauges with Chinese sending units that came on the crate motor. I don't trust them. Gas gauge works fine though with a generic sending unit.
This little car steers nice and straight, no wobble, no issues, probably thanks to my brother being so meticulous when we built the frame. The frame is perfectly square and true. It is faster than I thought it would be. The 4.11 gears and the 700R tranny make that first gear really low and even with the taller tires, it jumps. I am happy with the choice of running gear. The stroker motor was a good choice at 365 HP. Plenty. If I had it to do over, I would have bought a regular body and cut it up to make it wider and longer. This body was too flimsy and thin and required a ton of body work and filler to make it right. It would have been easier to start with a heavier standard bucket and mod it. The suspension works great even with that big stack-o-springs up front so I am pleased with that. I have 4.5 inches of ground clearance and made it in and out of parking lots, over some speed bumps and out of a very scary driveway without scraping anything.....so far.
Big thanks to the people on here that comment, encourage and post. It truly helped me all along the way. Thanks again.
guilld
Active Member
Regarding the brakes. This is not from experience but have read if you do a dual m/c like this one from wilwood it is similar to power brakes. I hope it is because I purchased one for the T I am working on.
Wilwood Dual Master Cylinder Floor Mount Pedal Assembly
Wilwood Dual Master Cylinder Floor Mount Pedal Assembly
Jim B
Active Member
That is a beautiful brake set up. I wish I had the room to put something like that in. I have a Wilwood remote single M/C and my pedal ratio is a tad higher.
Jim B
Active Member
Just a little romp through the hood
Still need an interior. Working on it. Put in a bigger battery and a bigger alternator. That cured my starting issues. A lithium group 20 battery is the ticket. Small and 600 CCA does the trick. Can spin these tires in a straight line for blocks BUT when a passenger gets in who weighs 220....different story. Got to pay attention and be ready as it actually hooks up. That is why this vid is so short, had to let off but you can hear my all terrain tires still howling.
Still need an interior. Working on it. Put in a bigger battery and a bigger alternator. That cured my starting issues. A lithium group 20 battery is the ticket. Small and 600 CCA does the trick. Can spin these tires in a straight line for blocks BUT when a passenger gets in who weighs 220....different story. Got to pay attention and be ready as it actually hooks up. That is why this vid is so short, had to let off but you can hear my all terrain tires still howling.
Last edited:
Jim B
Active Member
Nicely done. There is no reason not to use this space for a little artwork!!
HotRodBucket
New Member
Had to get a new username but it is still me, Jim B! AND my sidekick, Sinister Sally. 
HotRodBucket
New Member
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