The (T) Bucket List

Let me just admit it now– For many years, I was never much of a T Bucket fan. I guess I saw way too many poorly-built kit versions growing up, adorned with bad paint jobs, oversized blowers, and an aesthetic best described as “Brass equals Class”.  As I began to learn and understand about traditional hot rods, the humble mid 50s origins of the Bucket T found it’s way into my heart in a few shining examples: First to mind would Norm Grabowski’s Lightning Bug (later known as the Kookie Kar, but I prefer this original black beauty version) which really set the standard for how a traditional T Bucket should look. Norm’s car actually inspired Tommy Ivo’s “Outhouse on Wheels” after he saw Norm’s T around 1955. Tommy’s famous ’25 T started out as a phaeton and was cut down to a bucket, and of course ran Nailhead power. People often label Ed Iskenderian’s 1924 Ford in the same ‘Bucket’ category of Model T’s, but I would argue Ed’s car is more of a ‘Turtle Deck’ T Roadster, with it’s standard wheelbase and stock body. T Buckets always have chopped down tubs (or at least a T Roadster Pickup body) and a shortened wheelbase, like Marty Hollmann’s T, or even Ed Roth’s Tweedy Pie, which is a more ‘show’ than ‘go’, but still a beauty. Heck I really like all of these early Buckets. Enough that I would choose one outright over a 26/27 T Roadster? …Probably not there quite yet. But I sure appreciate the well-executed ones now more than ever.