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sitting low

M

mikeyboist

New Member
Hey whatsup guys, I was cruising through streetrodderweb.com and found this t bucket built by Joe Leone. Very nice T he has, but I actually had a question for you guys about his T. How did he get the frame to sit so low? I know about z bar'd frames and the kickups, also notching the frames for the rear end, but in the pictures I cant see how he got it to sit so low. I know also channeling the body will sit lower, but my concern is in how getting the frame to sit low. Why I ask is I want to get my build back started and possibly go this route, I love the look of hot rods sitting on the ground, but never seen a T this low. Any help would be greatly appreciated, here is the link to this guys feature from the site. http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/0707sr_1923_ford_t_bucket/index.html

Thanks in advance guys
 
Mike, there are several factors that determine frame height. You can lower the frame by using a 6" dropped axle and a higher spring perch in the front. In the rear, whatever it takes as long as the body still fits. Might try higher kickup and have the lower shock mounts closer to the ground.
 
He used torsion bars in the rear and has nothing behind the body to limit how low it can sit. You could acheive the same look with 1/4 elliptic springs.

Also, the engine is mounted high in the chassis. The distributor is actually above the top of the cowl. This alone would allow you go really low, as the oil pan is usually the limiting factor. The downside is that the engine/trans/driveshaft hump starts to intrude on the interior big time in a 23 if you go high with the engine.

Getting the front that low would be easy with a 6" drop axle and the right spring mounts.

Mike
 
Gotcha, thanks guys. How about a double z bar frame? Ever seen one done on a 23 T, if so where was the front kickup started? I would imagine right aft the firewall of the body correct?
 
Check these guys out. There's some good chassis shots of a double Zed frame. I'm not sure if they sell just the frame or not, but it should give you some idea of how to do the frame.

http://www.nehrspeedcraft.com/
 
Hey thanks Larry. Not to thrilled with the looks of the z'ed frame, most likely won't go that route. I like the idea of a higher spring perch and a 5 or 6 inch dropped axle. Hey guys also is there any shops in CA that make a good quality 23 (stretched) body preferably other than CCR? The shipping costs are crazy if I have to order out of state.
 
In a T there is not a lot of extra room to start with then the trans hump takes some peddle room away it must be really tight. Have you ever drove a bucket to see how little room there Is?
 
mike r said:
Hey thanks Larry. Not to thrilled with the looks of the z'ed frame, most likely won't go that route. I like the idea of a higher spring perch and a 5 or 6 inch dropped axle. Hey guys also is there any shops in CA that make a good quality 23 (stretched) body preferably other than CCR? The shipping costs are crazy if I have to order out of state.
Click to expand...

What about Arizona?? There are several there. Just search < T-bucket bodies,arizona > .. Here's one; http://www.knscustoms.com/index.html .
 
Drop the frame rails and keep the engine where is needs to be, like EX JUNK's hotrod.

The downside for most buckets would be the transmission will take up all the interior room.

Stitch's old bucket was super low, engine was mounted where it should be, and he used an arch spring and coilovers on the rear with a HUGE kickup. It looked awesome, but I couldn't drive it. Stitch could but his feet were half the size of mine.

I have another friend that built his car super low and it looks awesome, engine is mounted where it needs to be for clearance, but there is NO room in the interior, the accelerator is almost behind the brake. Car looks great, it is almost completely un-driveable. I can't fit my foot in there to get to the accelerator. Might be one reason he never shows up at the cruise-ins.

You CAN build a low car and it can be driveable but it takes a little bit of preparation.

Anyone have the pics of Don't beautiful black and copper bucket?
 
Putz, yes I have been on a t bucket. My uncle had a total performance kit made, not much foot/leg room for me bring 6' that is why I am looking at a stretched body. I like the CCR body but its very expensive but yet I could pickup and not have to pay for shipping.

T odd, what do you mean by drop the frame rails and keep the engine where its suppose to be? Do you have any pictures of the 2 buckets you mention?
 
mike r said:
Not to thrilled with the looks of the z'ed frame...
Click to expand...

I never cared for the front Z either. Have you thought about a '27 body? You'll still have the T-Bucket style but with a little more leg room.
 
No not to interested in the 27 body, I like the extra leg room offered but a 23 stretched t body alone is what I am leaning towards. Actually similar to the T build by Joe in the streetrodder website was what I had in mind, with a similar round fuel tank. Im young, I want something modern yet at the same time keeping it to the roots. Thats what I love about the T, their so unique to its owner you can really do anything to them. But yet its still a truely bad ass hot rod. What about a spring over design, can a lower stance be accomplished the same way with a 6" dropped axle and higher spring perch? What are the pros/cons between spring behind and spring over?
 
I have tons of photos, about 15,000 or so. Digging through them at work isn't a great idea... so if you can wait - I'll dig up all the photos of the cars I'm talking about with full explanations at a later time.

Unfortunately that might be Sunday.

Tonight I have an Official Visit (fraternal obligations), then tomorrow morning another Visit to take care of, and my niece is getting married tomorrow night.

I should be able to dig up a few pics Sunday sometime.

In the meantime if anyone wants to post pics of Stitch's car, Don's car, and EX JUNK's awesome ride, it will show the low frame rails with the engine sitting at proper height.

Thanks,
T-Odd
 
They race go carts at more than 100 mph. You're telling people to put their engines/ motors in the right spot. I'm wondering,

what do you think that should be? 3in., 6 in., 8 in., or what? --You set the car up fully loaded for two -- people. If you have built

your own car, you will know exactly where it rides and how it's going to handle. It's relative -- if you know exactly what's going on

with your car and have confidence in the suspension and understand travel distance. This is not even arguable!? -- I would like

to see the photos. I think that's kind of neat. I like the low look myself. If you go to my post on '60's and '70's chassis builders,

my pan sits about where the bottom of my license plate is. Also, I will note-- my cousins raced ---- SUPER MODIFIEDS -- and were

chassi builders and every race was different, setting the chassi up for race application. They were also STATE CHAMPIONS CA.

Well, if you build your T-bucket properly, you can do the same thing. I will make one statement. The motor sits in my car lower than

anyone's I've seen in a T-bucket and my car has 25,000 miles on it. Looking forward to seeing your pictures. Oh, yeah, one more thing.

You would have better credibility with the older guys that have done things -- PROFESSIONALLY, if you would give your full name and

where you live. Bob Nunes
 
Leg show t, yea I still need to edit my profile. I'm not on here all to much unless I have a question. As soon as I start building I will have tons of photos, my first build so I'm gonna take pics of everything. Right now I am putting it on paper to get a view and make my brackets. Having a hard time picking a body, might go with class glass as just need a shell kust need to find out what shipping is going to cost me.
 
Chief-T said:
Most everybody who has been around this forum and the other T-bucket forum for any time knows Todd Mullins (T-odd) lives in Memphis, Tenn.
Click to expand...

...and his bucket is Kletus. :jester:
 
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