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Projects T Bucket Headlights - Let's Talk Options

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by CoronetRTguy, Oct 15, 2013.

  1. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    Hey everyone, I have nailed down my time frame and era of what I want to build in a T Bucket. My era has always been the late 50s - 60s. I have been looking at headlights and what I see on T's all the time.

    I keep thinking I want something that flows and is in a tear drop shape. Then I look at the T Bucket that has burned my brain and lit a fire under me to build a Bucket and that is Gene Chan's T Bucket.

    So tell me some options of headlight buckets and if you have pics of them please share. If they are on a T that would be great to see too.

    Also does anyone know what kind of motorcycle headlights Gene used on his bucket? Or what motorcycle headlights I could use?

    Just in case you have not seen my thread on Gene's Bucket here is a pic of his car.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    those head lights look dinky, too small, and the stalks dont look good
     
  3. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    What other suggestions would you have? I'm open to all options. I like them on this bucket but I also like to have something more tear drop.
     
  4. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    The 28-29 is a nice tear drop shape
    35-6 is a longer, bullet shape
     

  5. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    I have been looking on ebay at options and I do like the late 30s stuff I see.

    Anyone reproduce those years of headlights?
     
  6. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    they are too easily found, so no need for reproductions
     
  7. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    The ones I keep finding that I like are always missing parts. I will keep looking but like to still hear more options as I keep building this in my head and someday soon it will be being built in my garage.
     
  8. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    Snyders and Macs have all the missing parts
     
  9. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    Hey thanks I will check them out.
     
  10. Mine are mounted directly on top of the shock mount and even though the car is a bitch to drive at night due to the headlights being to low, they are staying where they are. Another idea that I will post is a T that was build by metal man Mike Roberts who made these tear drop type buckets that look really cool.
     

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  11. King bees are the only choice for a late '50s early '60s T bucket. They were stylish then and they are stylish now.
     
  12. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Good 'ol cheapie Dietz lights that can be had through Speedway or any other number of outlets as "dune buggy" headlights.
     
  13. steel rebel
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 3,604

    steel rebel
    Member Emeritus

    Weather you go with small or larger light buckets please mount them in a nice place. Pretty much in line with the grill and not too low or high. In the '50s and 60s you could buy chrome aftermarket motorcycle lights not sure if you still can. Early Harley would look nice but cost many $s. Small King Bee's are still made. I haven't looked but I'm sure Speedway has a good selection of T bucket type headlights and brackets. Mine and Kookie Kars are larger '30s Ford truck buckets. Don't put any too big on or you run into the dreaded R.R. look.

    Gary
     

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  14. bgaro
    Joined: Sep 3, 2010
    Posts: 1,189

    bgaro
    Member

    aluminum stantions are a must.
     
  15. I used the alum stantions and Dietz lights on my "T' built back in 1961...
     
  16. Garry Carter
    Joined: Mar 11, 2002
    Posts: 575

    Garry Carter
    Member

    It would be hard to go wrong -- IMHO -- with aluminum stanchions and `28-`29 commercial buckets. They're painted w/stainless trim ring rather than all stainless which came on passenger vehicles. I even think some original T headlight buckets with seal beams would look good -- and they can typically be found really cheap. Here's what the Model A lights looked like on my little modified ... and what the T buckets looked like on my C-Cab. Both were mounted, however, on stanchions made from Model A headlight bars.
     

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  17. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I don't know if they are a must but that is about the only thing I got right on my T bucket in the Mid 70's.
    The Deitz style lights and the finned aluminum stands that were on most T buckets then.
    [​IMG]

    And the obsolete in 1973 5.00 swap meet Megaphone headers that all of my friends laughed at.
     
  18. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    Thanks everyone keep the info coming. I think I just need to proportion it all out to make it look right to the eye.

    I'm not sure a tear drop is what I want on a bucket or not or if it will not look right I just have this image in my mind but not sure I can pull it off.
     
  19. von Dyck
    Joined: Apr 12, 2007
    Posts: 678

    von Dyck
    Member

    I had a set of King Bees cherried out to put on my T, but wasn't totally in love with them! Arrows (So-Cal markets them, quite pricey) showed up at a swap meet for $5 each and after some finessing they are on my T and lookin good. See picture #2 in Steel Rebel #13. (thanks Gary)
    I like the actual sealed beam to have a convex bulge - not a flat front surface. And yes, placement is of paramount importance.

    The large diameter, flat lens T headlights look good mounted low on certain renditions of T Buckets.
     
  20. steel rebel
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 3,604

    steel rebel
    Member Emeritus

    You know Coronet, von Dyck had a good thought and his headlights are perfect. If you can get away, you need to spend some time at swaps or even junk stores. Sounds like your not going to get started on your T too soon You can save some big bucks buying used. Shit I bought a set of King Bees on Tornado brackets at a garage sale a while back. Wish now I hadn't sold them.
     
  21. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

    In my opinion this issue is sensitive. We have a tendency today to go for perfect flow and proportion and talk smack about the odd. A lot of cool T's from the era you mentioned had wacky stuff. Take a look at the Gene Chan Bucket. Tall ass tiny little wacky headlights. They're BITCHIN! Now go look at some Weesner T's. Tall pedestals, little lights... weird stuff. It rules.
     
  22. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    Yeah it's going to be awhile but I'm doing like you and many have told me to do, read, build in my head and then build it the way I want it.

    I wish we had some good swap meets in the area, maybe this is something I can look to do and find a venue to put this on at.
     
  23. wingman9
    Joined: Dec 30, 2009
    Posts: 804

    wingman9
    Member
    from left coast

    Attached Files:

  24. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

    Gene's T is so far my #1 T bucket. I also think those small lights are bitchen on his bucket and he really has the whole thing nailed down from the stance, look and parts I think it all flows. I love everyone's T's but Gene's is the one that has been burned in my head and making my brain scream "Build it" so I'm listening to that voice in my head and building a T.

    I will have to look up Weesner and see his T's.

    The idea that I'm kind of working on is if a guy built a bucket in the 50s and sold it and a kid in the 60s started changing small things not a lot but it will have a few era's spanned in those time.
     
  25. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member

  26. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    A couple of Weez's drawings...
     

    Attached Files:

    EVL401 likes this.
  27. CoronetRTguy
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 826

    CoronetRTguy
    Member


    Thanks louvers! Very cool drawings and I like them all.
     
  28. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    http://www.jpcycles.com/product/3100342
    7" or larger on a T bucket is a modern thing, you dont see them much at all on sixties period T bucket photos. This is one of those deals where you gotta decide if you are gonna go with something "period- correct" or something that modern HAMB guys are gonna approve of. If you go for the "period-correct" look, modern guys are gonna rag on you left right and center. There just aint no middle ground here.
     
  29. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    If he's worried about what people think, maybe he needs to find another hobby. RT, find what was used in the era you like and pick from that.
     
  30. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Funny, Chip and I were just talking about planning off-board. You are absolutely, 100% on the right track. Check the sixties era t-bucket photos on the forum, Chip, Gary and I have posted a shit-load of them. If you are unsure as to what year any of them are, dont hesitate to ask. Set a time frame, and go after it. And plan EVERYTHING ahead. By the time you start building, you should have a detailed picture in your head of where you are going, and a pretty good idea of where you are going to source your parts, and what they will cost.
     

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