I dont have it, I left the mag there. Some guy was nice enough to leave it there, I wouldn't feel right about taking it. I'm hoping maybe Chip does and can post it.
Louvers do you think it is his T? The turtle deck, side pipes, stance and also the headlights look to be just like Gene Chans Bucket. Do you notice that the headlights are now painted? What year was this again? I see the flames on it and I wonder if this was done in the 70s and it is how it was last time anyone saw it. I still love the stance to it and I still love that bucket!
No doubt about it. Considering magazine lead times, this photo was probably shot in the summer of '75. Wonder who owned the car at this point, and where it went from there. At this point, it doesnt appear to have changed that much. Scans a little fuzzy, but it looks to have 12 spoke americans on the front at this point. Still has the transverse leaf out back. I wonder where it is now, and if it would still be recognizable...
I need to call Gens brother and ask about it. I think it is still in the family unless I'm getting another car mixed up with this one. Things are so crazy here my dad just got out of ICU and my class work I need to get some free time to call Chans brother. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The secret (and it really is a well-kept secret ) is to settle on a time frame and stick to it religiously. The game plan for my never never (its got two other unfinished projects in front of it ) T bucket is to use the original 289 out of my Falcon. Time frame '66/'67, Open letter Cobra valve covers, dual small-neck AFB's on the dealer 2x4 Cobra intake (An Edelbrock F-28 would be about half the price and a perfect substitute), re-pop Stellings & Hellings from Tony Branda, Cobra T pan, and white headers. Couple that with a t-10, smooth-back 9", ET Vintage V's and 10x16 pie-crusts, and its 1966 all over again. Even a SBF can be cool, if you keep it period.
I wanna know he cooled that darn thing....a 331 punched out to 414 cubes!!!....I did not see a fan in any of the variations.The rad is a 1/2 pinter. This car grabbed me a young fella.Real cool history and a very cool thread.
my dad and gene were best friends until gene passed on superbowl sunday 1992. my dad can probably tell folks more about the car than anybody else. my dad and gene use to race that car at the airport when you could do fun stuff like that. i see genes brother vince all the time at my dads shop or with my aunt since they are dating. if vince cant answer questions about the car, im sure my dad can since he worked on the car with gene. i may have to get them both registered to this forum so they can talk to anybody that has questions about gene or the car. if i can help let me know
I didn't notice that about the fan wonder if it is just not seen in the pictures. It is one that grabbed me and said loud and clear in my head THATS WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD KEVIN!
Jamesob thanks for posting man and yeah ask questions, get them both on the board and we all can talk to them. This Bucket has a lot of fans and a lot of people who fell in love with the car. This is the Bucket that really won me over to build one. Yes you have too!!! I have never seen the wealth of info on any other car site like the HAMB has.
you guys got it. ill talk to my dad this weekend and get him signed up. as for vince i might see him this weekend at my dads place since they are building a 23 c-cab delivery together.
Thanks and that sounds awesome! Also would love to see pics and hear about the C can build. That would be an awesome thread too. Can't wait to hear more about Gene, Vince and your dad. There could be a book written about this one car and the people behind it! I have my first novel slatted to come out in September and Gene Chans T would be a fun read. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
if my dad get signed up and is able to type a conversation on here he will have a ton of stories. heres a just a quick one about gene. 1967 gene purchased a brand new 68 corvette roadster and took it to my dads house. gene told my dad that he wanted to shorten the back of it by about 12" and make the whole front end flip up and recess the headlights using a single headlight. after telling my dad what he wanted to do, my dad went and got the saw and they started whacking on this brand new vette. this car still had dealer plates on it! this car is currently in vinces hands and to this day looks bad ass.
Oh wow that is awesome and crazy at the same time! I would love to see that. Vettes are not that long to begin with. I really do need to give Vince a call. He sounds like a great guy talk with. We can't wait to hear the stories Jamesob!
Thank you Chip! I will try not to drool on it but there is no guarantee. Do you and do any of you guys know what rear lights were used on the Chan bucket and how did they reses into the turtle deck?
I will have too check that out and also see if they are being reproduced or how hard to find. I like Gene has them on the sides not sure how much shows from behind but I will need good lights on the rear. I know one thing building this Bucket the state police will be very pickey on what I do and how I do it. I know I need to have the car inspected a few times through the build. I like that he painted the front headlights. I'm not a fan of chrome.
'59 Caddy taillights are amoung the most common reproduced parts out there. Speedway and everybody else has them. Heck, you local Circle K might have them too!
Thats good to know. I would have thought Caddy parts might be kind of hard or expensive to buy. I have been thinking early Harly front lights. I really kind of like them and I know its a feature on Chans car.
ok, talked to my dad this weekend and told him to sign up. it may take a few days because he is not real computer savvy. he told me he would have vince send me pics of the 68 vette so you guys could see and enjoy it.
Sound good Jamesob can't wait to see more of their cars and hear about their stories. This bucket has me hooked and I would love to have one just like it. Can't wait to talk with your dad and hear all of his stories and his stories with Gene and Vince.
Hi all, I've been following this thread, and think that it's great that it keeps Gene's memory alive! Gene was a Hot Rodder that liked fast cars and bikes, I remember he offered to give me a ride to pick up my car at a tire shop on the back of a crotch rocket he just finished. I think in those days they called them "Cafe Racers" (this was in the early 80's with no helmet laws! I was afraid to know how fast we were going on Hwy 198) I never asked Gene for a ride again! Gene loved Corvettes and was a master fiberglass man. He machined his own parts, and loved Candy Paint, my cousin Ruben pinstriped several cars for him over the year's. Gene was a personal friend with Larry Watson, and had several cars painted by Watson, and rubbed out by Watson's sidekick "Pork Chop"! Vince has a great story about his brother Victor dropping a hamburger on Gene's T-bucket when they were picking up the freshly painted body at Watson's, thats how the white pinstiping ended up on the car! Watson got out a brush and covered up the blemish and was really pissed of at Gene's brother Victor. The C'cab Vince is working on is really cool project, and I am working on a Cartoon for the panel side that shows the Chan Brother's Market, with Gene, Vince, and Victor. They grew up in the family Grocery Store "Chans Market" that was started by their Parents. Best of luck, and thanks for keeping Gene's memory alive "He was a great Guy"!
Sanford&Son Gene's car not only captured me from the get go on how I want my T to look but now this thread and hearing about the man and his family and friends makes me not only want to learn about his T but about him and everyone tied to him. I really would love to hear the stories on the T and on his other cars and any memories that anyone wants to share. The Chan's sound like a great group of car people that loved to have fun. I look forward to many more stories, pictures, talking to all those that knew him and whatever else this thread turns up. I write a lot of fiction and I wish I could write about Gene's T and the cars his brother and all their friends built along with the background stories from the people to the cars and to the streets. When I feel like I'm not going to ever get a build going I just look at Gene's T and it motivates me to build one and to keep planning it out. You guys here at the HAMB also motivate me and keep me going.
that bike your talking about was probably his turbo honda that he had in the 80"s. was it red white and blue?
I really love this thread!!! I love hearing about the T Bucket and other cars and motor cycles that they owned and what they did to them. What is really cool is how many people know Gene and Vince and are posting. I can't wait until your dad is able to get on and Vince too and start sharing some memories. I would love to build a Bucket like Gene's and honor his memory with it. He does sound like quite the guy and Vince too.
The Jalopy Journal
