Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

Thanks Tim
I would't mind seeing more of your T and you promised some pictures of Paul's piles of parts and steel T body. Gary got a great deal/steal on the T body he bought. Things didn't work out for me to tour garages when I was up there. Still glad the wife and I made the trip. She is still blaming me for her fall in the motorhome while I was taking off from a rest stop. I told her I was glad she hadn't broken something and couldn't get up as I would have hated to have to step over her all weekend. Funny she didn't think that was a funny as I did. She is still talking about my Kiwi friend Paul. While he was visiting us I could hardly get a word in their conversation. But I'm used to that. Plus she picks up on speech patterns quickly and she was speaking like a Kiwi all the way home.
We all need to start planning for LARS it's just 8 weeks away.
Gary

 

great minds think alike
I was about to say should we make the arrangements here or on a new thread, we have finalised our trip plans to LARS now so it would be good to hear from others.

 

Okay guys this it who, what you need to look for in the swap area at LARS. What I plan to do on Friday June 19th is have my brotherinlaw who travels with me drive the flamed truck in the back gate and buy a swap space. I will drive my roadster in the front gate one and meet him in the swap area and we will find a spot far enough away from the crowd of swappers but close to a port-a-potty that all the rest of you will be able to find my truck and roadster and form our group. I think any of you that want to will be able to camp on the fairgrounds right in the swap area. So any of you in a motorhome, Camping trailer, Caravan or just a tent can stay right there. I will throw some swap stuff in my truck to sell so it will truly be a swap space.
I wish Chip was on to help make plans. Anybody else that has any ideas just chime in and if anybody wants to start a thread just do it.
The HAMBers might be meeting some place else that is better and we can do that instead.
Gary

 

Seems like the HAMB meet and greet is usually just outside the Suede Palace, but it usually doesn't last very long. Gary, I like your plan better. I'll probably just be driving up as a spectator, but I'll see you there.

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Hey Gary,thanks for the different photo's of your Roadster which again makes me ask. Being a wrong side of the body steering wheel and pedals, I have noticed in that interior shot where the go pedal is located. What I would like to know is did you shape the trans tunnel cover so that the heel of your right foot rested comfortably to operate the accelerator ? I or we are lucky here in our fabulous country as we have our steering wheel and pedals on the proper side of the car which allows for a flat floor space for feet and pedals. What I am going to do while the car is apart is modify the trans tunnel to make a foot rest for my left foot as it gets uncomfortable perched on a curved surface.

 

You know their is nothing comfortable in a left hand drive T bucket. You do the best you can and don't expect to be comfortable. No the heel and toe of my right foot are at about a 45 degree angle out and I work the brake and clutch with my heels. It's all part of the charm.

 

Good points, Whip. My T has both pedals on the right of the steering column, and it works fine, but there's NO room for my right foot between the column and the side of the body! Reupholstery will probably make all the difference, but until I cross that bridge, it's pretty tight. Make sure your leaving enough room for both feet to be comfortable, and preferably, in more than one position.
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As regards to LARS we arrive on Thursday just after lunch time. Allowing for time to get through customs etc and get our shuttle to the hotel (Sheraton @ Fairplex) we should be in the bar by 5. We are hoping to go through the NHRA museum Friday morning and watch the cars arrive during the day. No doubt there will be others like us so we shouldn't get lonely. And I'm sure I can find your roadster by now Gary.

 

Graham, don't forget all the shop tours that go on on Friday. You gotta get to SoCal and Walden's!

 

For me an the wife the problem will be transport. Be cool if stuff is not far away, don't know what taxi fares are like.

 

This all sounds very cool and great fun.
Jeremy

 

Not sure where Waldens is but the SoCal shop is fairly close to the Fairplex.

 

What I'm hoping to work out is twin go pedals...one operated from the usual foot resting on the floor position, and the other with the foot resting on top of the transmission tunnel. Among my multitude of health issues, I'm prone to leg cramps if my leg is in one position too long.

Also because of the health issues, I may put in hand controls.

 

Brad posted some pictures on another thread and he called some of us on this thread weirdos

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/calgary-alberta-spring-thaw-2015.973181/#post-10962169

 

I wouldn't call So.Cal. or Walden's a "must see". Like everything else they have gotten so big it is just a "mad house" there. Unless you just like to run around like "Chickens with your heads cut off" you can miss them. We did it once or twice (in fact that is where Chip first introduced himself to me) and we don't go anymore. Just take your time in the NHRA museum. Lots to see on the fairgrounds. If you can bum a ride okay but they are both just big warehouses full of all the stuff you see in other build shops.
Gary

 

You know Bill you do the best you can. Whatever it takes. I'm getting so it is harder and harder to get in (with the top on) and drive my bucket. That is why I don't go on long trips in it anymore. Yes I trailer it.

 

Why do you have to tattle Larry?

 

Because of my serious mobility issues (degenerative joint disease among other things) a lot of what I have planned for this car will be unconventional and/or not widely approved of here...not by intent, by necessity.

I'm going for just the opposite...as comfortable as possible for long trips, and pulling a trailer instead of being pulled on one. The trailer is a small one for transporting my power chair.

Also as much as possible I'm trying to configure the car so that I can work on it from a stool or a wheel chair. I'm hoping to get it so that the only thing under the floor will be the transmission.

 

Apparently, just us Mopar guys! You T-bucket guys are perfectly normal (Yeah, RIGHT)!

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Because it was funny and appropriate at the same time

 

Bill
I applaud you for your efforts and just try to follow all the good pointers gleaned from Chip's thread that you can and still make your ride as comfortable as possible for you.
It is funny these little cars (T Buckets) are so kool that someone with all your challenges still feels compelled to build one. Build what fits you.
And I get pissed because I am getting a little Arthritis.
Gary

 

You may consider this: Years ago a SUPER BUILDER, Herby Gilkin from Redding Calif.
build a T bucket for a man who could not use his legs.. ( not sure of spelling, last name )
Herby used a ' 65 Chevy SS shifter, and as I remember, you pulled back to go , and pushed forward to slow and stop. I drove it, and the leg room, with NO PEDALS AT ALL, was so neat. Herby was getting "into" Airplanes, but he is so innovative, he could do well at ANYTHING.. He owned a Hamburger stand in Redding, Ca. Might still be around..

 

Things from over 50 years came together to inspire this bucket list bucket build. My uncle Gene planted the seeds 50+ years ago with his collection of old hot rod mags, and his building his own car from the ground up.

The car I was fixated on from those old mags was Tweedy Pie, and Gene supplied the desire to build something I could call uniquely mine. A couple years ago, after 30 some years away from my gearhead pursuits, I stumbled across that little V6 for a price I couldn't refuse. Wile my friend was unloading it from his truck, he asked what I was going to do with it. I had no idea, and told him "something small and light". Almost in chorus we both said "T Bucket". Since then it's been a matter of figuring out how to make it work.

You mentioned Chip's thread...I'm not sure what thread you are referring to.

 

That is an interesting idea. The first thing that comes to mind would be if something could be done with the steering wheel and column moving forward to go, and pulling back to apply the brakes...hmmmm.

As things stand now, the twin go pedals and at least a simple brake hand control, are what I have planned to help my driving issues. What I'm working on for my issues getting in and out, takes a hard turn into the realm of probably not suitable for this forum.

 

First Bill you are on Chip's thread right now. Chip is Needs louvers. Sorry guys if I seem to have taken it over but I just love this shit so much I can't help myself. I really hope Chip can get back to it.
Gary

 

Consider yourself the caretaker of the thread Gary. And as Chip has stated already, this has evolved into all of our thread.

 

This thread is already my favorite, and I've only read this year's posts. I guess I should start at the beginning...and try to resist the urge to necro-post.

 

Yes you need to read the whole thing, even though it will take a long time. There is so much wisdom shared within the 242 pages, so far, that you don't want to miss any of it.

 

Thanks to themoose on the Photoshop thread, I now have a more realistic view of the overall form of what I'm shooting for.

 

One thing I would like to mention here that doesn't really concern most of you guys due to where you all live is here in New Zealand, all modified vehicles must pass a Low Vehicle Inspection before it can be legally registered for use on our roads. The vehicle then has to pass a Warrant of Fitness every six months to remain on the road. Now that may sound harsh but I personally am in favour of our system as it has removed some dangerously engineered vehicles from our roads. What I'm trying to get around to saying is that , as to what Gary mentioned, T Buckets can be " different, awkward and uncomfortable " to drive and it is just the norm for us who build these small cars but here in NZ we have to design the vehicle so that technically, anybody should be able to get into it and safely drive the vehicle. For instance, and I'm not picking your car apart Gary, but down here Gary's T Roadster would probably have to have surgery to rectify the pedal placement so that the car became easier for anybody to drive.
Bill, Jeremy on here is the man to talk to about how to set up a vehicle to aid a person with a handicap as he works for a company that does handicap vehicles all the time. I also had a friend who had Muscular Dystrophy and had both his '39 Olds and his '47 Jailbar Van set up with a hand controls. I will post the photo of the T Bucket we have in Auckland here that has hand controls for it's disabled owner.