New guy looking for a T to race!

[drhill]

Hi everyone! I'm brand new to the bucketeers and so far this seems like a great site! I am looking for a fast T bucket for some street and dragstrip fun...I have always loved these buckets and it looks like going fast is easy with them!

I would love to run one into the low 10's high 9's in the 1/4 mile but it needs to be safe and NHRA legal. The horsepower stuff is easy for me, but I'm green when it comes to making sure I buy a Bucket that has a safe suspension for the rigors of launching a car that fast as well as running 130+ MPH at the top end and slowing down too! Also - I'm sure the roll cage design will be interesting.

If anyone could give me some pointers on where to post these questions I would be much obliged!!

Thanks to all...

 

[der Spieler]

Do a thread search for Hot Rod Todd. He has a bucket he races in New Zealand that's pretty quick. There are photos of it in some of his posts.

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

Hi guys,

Im hoping to have my bucket back on the strip in the next month (summers coming down here)

I got to 10.2 @132 with a mild 454 with a 671 on top. Hydraulic cam, cast crank & 2 bolt block. Seriously, it was nothing special, but made 627 hp. We upgraded to a 540 with the 671 and a pair of dominators for this season. If we dont run 9s then Im gonna cry. We also upgraded to a trans brake on the powerslide.

There are a plenty of buckets racing down here that are way faster than me - some in the 8s. And Andy Fadster in the UK is in the 8s too. Hes pretty much outlined everything you want to know on his posts on here, but heres my advice:

Put in a strong diff - you cant trust a 28 spline 9 inch to leave the line with bulk torque at anything much over idle
Run a spool, aftermarket axles and slicks - consider a full floating rear end for safety
Put in a trans brake - coz the big back tyres will push the littles on the front forward unless you leave the line at idle (like I do)

Making the car lighter will make it faster. Mine is a street car and weighs in at 2500lbs without driver (add 230lbs there).

Your rollcage/safety stuff will need to comply with your sanctioning body. Down here for under 10.99 its 6 point cage, headsock if running blower or methanol, floating rear recommended. Under 9.99, theres a medical needed and a diaper on all blown engines.

And the two final observations:
130mph in a bucket seems much faster than 130mph in a doorcar with a windscreen and roof
Fuel altered drivers are the bravest of the brave

Cheers
Todd

 

[drhill]

Thanks for the advice guys! Todd - New Zealand seems to be a hotbed for drag raicng buckets! They must put testosterone in the water down there!!

The thing I'm most concerned with is suspension and steering...just making sure I can hook up and safely get down the track each time (130 mph ) and still drive it on the street and highway...

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

My car was originally built in 1976.

Front end is an old I beam axle with disc brakes adapted, and 4 bars to hold it in place. Rear suspension is ladderbar onto a 9 inch with QA1 coilovers and a locating bar to stop the rear moving around.

In our latest NZ Hot Rod Magazine theres an article by Wayne Scrabba on why anti-roll bars work in straight line applications. They were talking about some stuff from TRZ. Heres there address: TRZ Tubular Control Arms -Other Race Parts

I dont claim to understand physics at all, but I figure these guys do, and that I should take note. When we redo my rear end, Im going to incorporate something very similar.

Steering is a rack & pinion was that is what was used back here in the 70s. Back in 1973 our NZ Hot Rod Magazine set out to build a t bucket for under $1000, which the achieved. And all over the country enthusiastic young guys set out to do the same so most buckets down here still follow those original NZHRM plans

My steering is close to upright and the R&P works as a push/pull on the steering arm which attaches to a bracket on the back of the front hubs/brakes. It has stood the test of time without bumpsteer.

Some used a steering box with excellent results too (tho dead Kombis arent that common anymore) .

 

[benT]

Search for posts by Andy Fadster, He has a kick-ass T that's hell on wheels (sometimes only one of them)!!: Here is a video that he posted a while back:

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/andyfadster/?action=view&current=918secondrun.flv

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

In "T Bucket Bar & Grill" theres a section called "Photo Album" and in that you will find the whole story on Andys bucket adventures.

Its Fadsters new photos volume 1

Its a great read and its full of details on things to do to make your bucket go down the quarter mile really quick

Cheers
Todd

 

[putz]

[ame]

If you are going to race a bucket here is what you could be getting into.

 

[drhill]

I checked out 8 second bucket from the UK - "Fadsters" awesome! His suspension, brakes etc...is not far from most builds from what I can see.

That Fuel Altered car is nuts...I looked up some other vids of that car and sometimes he is all over the track...is that b/c of the short wheelbase?

 

[putz]

Technology has helped on these cars that bucket is a replica of the original. Some new buckets have better suspension and frames so you don't get quite as much twist.

 

[Ted Brown]

While watching that video of the repo winged express, I did not see the lights on the wing that showed where the throttle was, the more lights that were on, the more the pedal was down, I used to watch Willy sideways off the track (at Lion's) with the pedal full down, that was what made that car worth watching... Take your breath away...

 

[oldtman]

I used to work with Joe Davis who built the Jewel T back in the 60's. At one time he held 4 records in NHRA and AHRA at the same time. Google Jewel T and check out joe's story on the HAMB , his race car altered Fiat, 65 Mustang and the Jewel T

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

A 10 second bucket isnt actually that hard to build, once you know what you are doing.

If I was doing it again, I would go for a big inch small block with around 450hp with strong internals, and fit up a NOS setup of say 250hp. A good fuel system is also essential.

Then its a case of getting it to the ground. A strong diff with a spool for racing and a different head for the street.

And for something way out there, a Lenco 2 speed with reverser would be way cool There are second hand ones on Racing Junk for not a lot more than I spent on my transbraked powerglide.

Actually, that setup should slip happily into the 9s once you get used to it.