Hot Rods The Belly Button Bucket Build Thread

Thanks for posting Tim. It looks really great. Nice work, looking forward to seeing the rest.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

I'm liking this build thread, the whole thing. Good luck with the job search, I'll be watching for updates.
Nice to see you with a build thread rather than just following on the bucket of ugly thread
Larry

 

Thanks for sharing your build with us. As noted above, the chassis work is definitely transferable to any type of vehicle, not just a T-bucket, and I really like your strong looking x-member. Tying it into the trans cross-member where the wishbones connect is good engineering practice and shows that you have a good understanding of where the forces are going.
Looking forward to more posts / updates.
Good luck.

 

Awesome stuff, Tim! Enjoying the way you've...um...classified the posts, too!

Go, man, go!

 

All,
Thank you very much for the positive comments and feedback. It is appreciated and inspiring. I realize now that as I update this thread by editing previous posts, you won't get any notifications. So, I will post a new comment (like this one) indicating which section I've updated / revised. I have brought the front suspension post to present time. I'll try to get a rear suspension post to present time later this afternoon / evening.

 

I think you're doing a really great job, with suspension that will work too! Thanks for posting in such an orderly manner

 

Good plan! I'd recommend deleting those place-holder posts and just keep adding to the end of the thread.

I dig the detailed descriptions and photos, thanks for that.

 

I'm still watching.

Gary

 

Nice work, thanks for posting.

 

Tim,
What a very detailed and executed project ! It shows that with drive, desire, some basic tools and a few friends, your dream can come true. It seems that we have a few mutual friends here locally, our paths will cross one of these days, it will be a pleasure to meet you.

 

Nitrobrother,

I know what you're saying, and I half agree, but nothing annoys me more than trying to find a specific picture on a build thread that's 200 pages long with several thousand posts. I don't think this one will grow to that proportion, but as a preventative measure, I'm going to try to keep the entire build thread at the front and all related comments at the back.

I'm also planning on keeping all part numbers (within reason) associated with the build on this thread (also documented in my receipts, but those are no fun to dig through), so that if something ever happens to either the car, me, or the part itself, someone with half a brain can figure out how to get it back on the road to enjoy.

 

Marty,

I have seen at least one of your track roadsters running around town in the 10 years I've lived here. You and your builds have been a secondary influence to my vision for this car, so I'm looking forward to thanking you in person.

 

Ok, I spent the last couple hours digging through receipts and photos to bring the rear suspension post up to current state. Methinks I probably should have posted some of this a long time ago when the information was still fresh! I'll try to get the steering, brakes, wheels/tires post updated tomorrow sometime (assuming I can find the photos I need to tell the story there). Thanks again to all following along.

 

I did a detailed build thread when I built my 23 modified, so I know how much work goes into doing a thread like you have done here. It takes a lot of time and picture posting to do it as well as you have, but you have provided a good resource for someone who might be thinking of doing something similar.

Car looks great, a lot of work and thought has gone into it.

Don

 

Tim
I didn't really start followng your build till these latest submissions, gotta say, looks like your doing some top notch work.
About the powdercoating; was this all polished afterwards or is that how it looked after they were shot and cured? The guys' work looks amazing, considering that you said he is doing this on the side. Would like to know where (Russ) is located.
I really think the front axle would look better just black (purely my opinion), but I may have to see it with the white web to say for sure.

 

Thanks for posting your build; starting out great and should be interesting to follow.

 

I really like how you have your thread set up. I agree that it's frustrating looking through a long ass thread for a specific pic.

 

Tim, good job on your build thread, so far. I like how you have it set up. I also like the proportions of your T. You can never go wrong with clean and simple. Great job!

 

Great work! I see your a motored bike guy also. I'm on motored biking.com also--in the Boardtrack section.

 

Don,

I followed your T modified thread (and your other threads you've done - your son's T and your RPU), and I greatly appreciate your hard work - both in the build and in the documentation. I learned a lot from your threads, so thank you for posting!

 

Denny,

I replied to you with more specifics via PM, which you already know, but I will reply with generic info here for anyone else curious to know.

From what I understand, Russel laid 3 lbs. of powder on the front suspension pieces I posted pictures of, which is why they look so deep - they actually are! The finish you see is straight out of the gun though - no polishing that I know of. He does an excellent job for sure. I've seen some of his work elsewhere, and I've been impressed every time.

As far as the off-white in the web, I know it's a very contrasting finish, but I've seen it done on here in hot turkey's 1932 3W thread and in vintage photos elsewhere. I think that's the look I'm after. You can be the first to say, "I told you so!" if it turns out like garbage though. LOL.

 

Butch,

I shouldn't take much credit for those bikes. One of them is my brother's - a 1955 Schwinn 26" cruiser, and the other is mine - a 1949 Schwinn 26" cruiser. They both have the el cheap-o ebay 49cc 4 stroke motorized bicycle engine kits. I deviated from the supplied kit by making mine belt drive, more like a Whizzer, later finding out I could have bought the shiv/pulley from Whizzer instead of machining/fabricating mine like I did. LOL. Here's a couple shots of the bike after I got it done:











The bike was SEVERELY lacking in the braking department, especially out in the rain, which is all the time in Portland. I added front and rear clamp style brakes with fancy pads, which did nothing more than clutter up the look of the bike. I eventually pulled it apart and sold off the motor kit, but I still have the bike. Even though this is a bit OT, the COLOR of the bike is a hint of what's to come on the bucket......

 

Ok, I was able to bring the BRAKES posting up to current state. I will try to get an update covering the emergency brake, steering, and wheels/tires (if all that fits) into another post later this afternoon/evening. Thanks again to all those following along.

 

Very nice work!

 

I got the post covering EMERGENCY BRAKE, WHEELS/TIRES, and STEERING up to date with present time. Thanks for checking in!

 

Kick ass build thread dude. Very informative

 

I really like how and what you build.

And the way you choose to do the steering is so nice! And it gets around the one thing I dislike on 8 of 10 bucket builds. Steering angle! I hate the look of a string "mast" that comes up thru the floor! You made it simple and sleek! And that ain't as simple as it sounds.

I'm very much interested in the wheel/tire choise! Can we have a side shot with them from a distance?
I'm not being a d1ck here, but the combo of bucket, WW tire and wire wheels is a little strange to me.
But if the era, channel, rake on frame and color choise falls in the same "line", you my friend could have a nice looking rod on your hand.
But I needs a good eye and a firm hand to pull it off.

And remember on Bodywork, placement, wheel/tire and color it's very important to use the BELCOM method for finding the true values and perfect look!

But so fare i can only say: thumbs up and keep at it, lad!

 

Volvobrynk,

Thanks for your comments and skepticism. Skepticism needs to be present, and I don't view it as you being a dick. I do know what I'm doing with the era, WW tires, and wire wheels does not follow the unwritten rules. I know it was not done back then, and I figure wheels and tires can be changed easy enough if I decide I don't like them - but for now I like them haha.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of the car with the current amount of channel, the current wheel and tire combo, the current lack of Moon tanks, etc. I pulled it all apart to get the engine on a stand to break in the camshaft and seat the rings. I also decided around this time to switch my transmission to a manual, so I pulled the body off (and put it in storage) so that I would have some room to work on the chassis. Once I get those details ironed out, I will need to do a final mock up to make sure my rear suspension does not have any issues before I pull it apart for powder-coating. I will FOR SURE take lots of pictures with the car in final mock up stages because I want to know what it's going to look like, too!

I'm not familiar with the BELCOM method. You'll have to fill me in or give me a link so I can read up. Thanks again for following along. I appreciate your comments and support.

 

There was a nice bucket on the "Bucket of ugly"-thread, and I liked it. There is a gap in time in the late 40s and early 50s where it was possible to see an V8 and wire wheels on a bucket or RPU.
But to pull it off as an semi era perfect Bucket, it need to have close to no rake, not to much channel and no rake on the channel.
I little rubber take would give it all that it needs.

BELCOM is a way of ending a day in the chop.
It requires a cold BEer, a LawnChair and Old Music.

And you pull it out in your driveway, or if you have a big shop, you put the era correct music on and walk around an view it from all sides and angles.
Some time from a knee, sometime from standing or in the lawnchair.
You see if things flow, if anything looks out of whack/place/line/style or just plain wrong.

And it really makes it a good finish in the shop, and you can sweap the floor, then if it rolls and end the day on style looking at you pride and joy in the last sun light of you "work" day, or day of pleasure.

I must confess that I got a thing about deep dish steering wheels and three pedal rods, and that is the only thing I would do different if I was in your shoes! So it makes me so happy to see that you are going 3 pedals

You rock!

 

I would dare to state that this rod could pull off a pair of black wires, ww and even look period or era correct.