Hot Rod Bucket

[DonnyRay]

Lookin' great.

 

[EX JUNK]

Late breaking news. Driveshaft is here.
View attachment 16544
Although the tranny is in the right spot, it is not permanent yet. It is on the list.

I'm happy to see that you have those safety hoops on your drive shaft. I incorporated some on mine shortly after the build and feel safer.

Jim

 

[Jim B]

Hope I don't have to change the hoops. We set them up to use with some seats that just didn't work out. Different bucket seats are on the way. Should work fine but you never know until you have them in hand.

 

[Jim B]

Seats came in.The plan is to put an aluminum floor in this thing and have it running and driving much like the Factory Five Kit Cars. All the wiring and plumbing will be separate from the tub. After that, the tub will just drop down onto the frame and bolt down. We will see. The good news is, I am back on track working on it again.

 

[Spanky]

All the wiring and plumbing will be separate from the tub. After that, the tub will just drop down onto the frame and bolt down.

Those are way cool seats, Jim! Obviously you will have a separate plug-in harness for the gages and switches, right?

 

[Jim B]

separate plug-in harness for the gages and switches, right?

It may be that the fiberglass bucket dash might not actually house the gauges and switches. Perhaps there is a way to have the actual dash be part of the chassis so the bucket is completely free. Still working on it but making mental progress. If not, plug-ins it will be.

 

[Jim B]

Headlights are mounted low to keep with the look. Probably won't be able to see a Buick at 100 feet but that will just make me drive slower. Mini-shocks hidden behind the headlights.

 

[DonnyRay]

I like the name ," sinister sally ".

 

[Island Girl]

What do the shocks connect to at the bottom . . . . seems the only thing there is the radius rod?

 

[DonnyRay]

I think he welded a flat plate vertically between the 2 tubes ( which make up the radius rods ). Then he attached a lower shock mount to the vertical plate. I've seen other builders attach their shocks the same way. This is merely an assumption . Maybe even an educated guess ??

 

[DonnyRay]

I looked again & I see a second plate attached to the vertical plate. The second plate is attached horizontally & the end of the vertical plate. The lower shock mount appears to be attached to the horizontal plate. Hope this helps.

 

[Jim B]

Right. Plate between upper and lower tubes with two plates sandwiching the lower shock eye.

 

[Island Girl]

Thanks guys . . . .

I was assuming it was something like that, but never saw it done before.

 

[Guy]

frame — Postimage.org
Well, here is the future frame. The little pieces on the right are the T. This could be a long build. Bare with me. I am not a fabricator or a hot rod builder. Learning as I go. Hopefully, when I ask stupid questions on here, you guys can help me out. I have been gathering parts mostly so far. I gave up on the blower motor and settled on a 383 stroker motor. Nine inch ford posi rear with 4.11 and a built 700R4 tranny. More to come as it happens.

is that 2" box steel was looking for some of that recently

 

[Guy]

Yes, the back loop will be behind the tub, the middle one will be between the seats. View attachment 16007

off road tires are you planning going on the beach LOL

 

[Jim B]

off road tires are you planning going on the beach LOL

The beaches here in Naples deserve some T-bucket!

 

[Jim B]

Thanks guys . . . .

I was assuming it was something like that, but never saw it done before.

I haven't seen it either but I couldn't think of a reason it wouldn't work. Kept the shocks low and kind of hidden. Front end moves correctly now and the shocks work. Guess we will see.

 

[Spanky]

Right. Plate between upper and lower tubes with two plates sandwiching the lower shock eye.

Since this is effectively a "gusset" between the front radius rods, will that lack of flex have any adverse effect on handling?

 

[Jim B]

Since this is effectively a "gusset" between the front radius rods, will that lack of flex have any adverse effect on handling?

It would seem to me that even if the radius rod was instead just a flat plate with the same adjustability on all three corners, it would still work. Doesn't look to me that flexibility between the two rods is important but I am just a rookie and am sure others here know more about it.

 

[DonnyRay]

I was considering using the plates between my radius rods when I encountered a problem with the front shock installation. Because ( as I posted earlier ) I've seen it done before. But , I decided to take a different route. I purchased some shock mounts from Speedway Motors. I strongly believe the radius rod method will work good. The front leaf spring is doing most of the work.