Technical Searching for reading material

New guy here, and while I'm fairly experienced with messing with cars I've never built anything from the ground up and have a reading material question. I'm in the early stages of a traditional (mid-60s) T-bucket build and I'm looking for books (even DVDs) on basic chassis building. I've got info on frontend geometry (scrub, bumpsteer, etc) but I know there's things I don't know that I don't know and a few questions I will need to know later if not right now. I bought a few books by Tex Smith and T. Thacker and met with a bit of disapointment so if anyone can suggest in-print stuff or even used books I can look for on ebay, etc... that would be really cool. I'd be happy to give better info if it helps.

I do have a frame with a front and rear crossmember and radius rod brackets; body, engine, trans, and rear end.

 

The Tardel books are a good start.

If you havent already watch Matt on Irontrap Garage. His videos are nicely paced and show putting together chassis amongst other topics. Unlike many he is engaging and straight forward.

 

hey pete, thanks for the heads up. is tardel the author?

and i'm a long time subscriber to matt's channel. he's a pretty down to earth guy and has been helpful when i've pestered him in fb messenger.

edit: a quick search on the internets answered my question about tardel.

 

a follow up to pete's advice: i'd seen vern tardel's book 'how to build a traditional ford hot rod' and in having no perspective other than (amazon) customer feedback i didn't buy it. not that i thought it was junk but i had to whittle down my choices. anyone have an opinion on the book?

i realze some stuff may not be super helpful to me as i'm building vietnam war-era car rather than a korean war-era car but if the book is more in depth than the thacker and smith books i'll spring for it.

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2644172-street-rodder-s-handbook

 

I've not read the aother book you mentioned but bought the Tardel book and found it useful. Its got a good basic coverage of the what is needed. Think I read it all in one night with a glass of wine and go back and revisit it often.

There is another book by him that's harder to find if you are starting with a complete or near complete Model A.

 

Car Craft magazine November of '64 - May of '65.
Another from '67 was also published together in one of the Hot Rod yearbooks.

 

Google Von Franko and watch the video of Norm driving his car. Then come back here and find the long post on restoring the Kookie Car in Brizio's shop. Study the part showing the bare chassis. That will be the best input you can find. It isn't Rocket Science, just some ways are better than others.

 

Have you looked at T-Bucket Hot Rod Build - TBucketPlans.com Chester is the guy who did and still sells the how to build a T bucket for 3000 years ago but that book is to me just for entertainment value as the instructions are beyond crude in today's rod building world. You just flat don't cut the tubing for your frame with a torch and then grind it to fit anymore.

The California custom roadsters instructions are worth the money though. California Custom Roadsters T-Bucket Chassis Plans, CCR T-Bucket Plans (tbucketplans.com) It even comes with full size patterns for specific parts that you may need to cut out.

The main thing with a T bucket or any other traditional rod or custom is don't use visible parts that very obviously were designed and made much later than the time frame you are shooting for. Simple things like my old wrinkle finish Weiand valve covers that I had on the T that I built from the Car Craft magazine instructions in the mid 70's but wouldn't fly on a mid 60's build. They didn't start selling them until around 1974 but were probably the same valve covers they had sold since the late 60's with wrinkle paint on them.

 

So-Cal Speed Shop’s “How to build a hot rod chassis”
Gerry Burger’s “How to build a period-correct hot rod” (one of my favorites)

John

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-bucket-of-ugly-a-de-uglifying-thread.824491/

 

You may need to advance your plans a bit further to gain the information you seek.
Mid sixties t buckets were often fiberglass and lots of nontraditional components.
It appears you have already perused a good bit of materials. You are in the
correct location to get advice and guidance from very knowledgeable builders
and enthusiasts here on the Hamb. Wiring, proper welds, correct steering
geometry and other related systems are basic on most any hot rod. The
traditional part brings in another aspect in the melding of component
choices while still achieving a safe and enjoyable vehicle. It is no small feat
to produce a properly functioning vehicle that fits the the
traditional vibe. I personally feel it shows determination as well as fine
skills in making the total package complete and visually appealing.
Well worth the considerable effort. I also have an extensive collection
of books that are of much use for reference and information.
Carry on Sir.

 

I have a small library of books on building early hot rods, none exactly what you describe.
I reference bits from several in my builds.
Have you checked the build thread index here?
It's pinned near the top of the stack of threads on the main forum, the build threads are listed chronologicaly by year of vehicle so the Ts will be near the top.

 

Chester's book is great if you can find it reasonably. You could also go to the NTBA (National T Bucket Assn.) website for more info/ building ideas. Have Fun, Carp.

 

My advice is to search on line for pictures of T buckets that are similar to what you want to build. There are various "styles" within the T bucket genre. Go to as many shows as you can and take a camera with you as well as a notepad and a tape measure. When you see things you like, take a few pictures........especially of the details. Write down not only what tire sizes were used, but how far the car sits from the ground at each end. Gather as much information as you can.

Once you know what you want your car to look like, buy the tires and wheels you plan to use. Make your rearend to the correct width to mount the tires.
Moch up your front end with the spring attached and sit it the correct distance from the rear tires.

Now you are ready to build your frame perimeter and its attachment points. Tack the perimeter together. Tack the body mounts in place. Now lower your engine and trans in place and see how they fit. Tack those mounts.

Now check the radiator mounting.

Many people start with a frame and try to make everything fit. They often don't know how the car will sit till its done. Since you are building from scratch, if you know how you want it (dimensions), Then if you start with the wheels, you can make everything go where you want it instead of just where it happens to fit. Start with the wheels and work backwards.............

A note about doing it this way: As you change the stance (angle) of the vehicle, you alter the steering geometry. By starting with your wheels sitting properly and building your car to fit that, you should avoid any surprise later on.

 

You're saying mid 60's build. That kind of leaves you a lot of options. Early T rods we called a T Bucket. They looked like this and were built from a combination of discarded factory parts and some one off hand built touches, very little mail order.

Then enter Bill and John Keefer and the Fad T became a Kit Car you could mail order in any form from blue prints to follow, up to turn key and drive home. Big big change from a couple High School guys trying to out do each other. Most Fad T's also made a visual change in a big way. The frames were a good bit longer and took on a Pinocchio look and most ran wire front wheels. I never really cared for the Fad T versions. Going mid 60's you probably shouldn't mix the two styles together.
I can't seem to find what I call a good photo of a Fad T to post.

 

X38's mention of the old articles from 1964-1965 is a good one. At one time I found a copy obviously from Petersen of a spotlite type book of the entire series at a second hand store but like a dummy, didn't buy it.

 

This is the yearbook with the full Car Craft series as noted earlier.

 

There was that one, but I thought you meant the one in Car Craft from '64 to '65 by Ray Sizemore. That one had more traditional early Ford to SBC drivetrain. I think someone put it here on the HAMB at one time but the information had a copyright so it disappeared.

 

been collecting scads of car craft from that era. good advice!

 

thanks for the tip. i forgot about chips thread.

 

i have all those i think. john's website is a bloody treasure!

and i 100% agree with you on parts timeline. i had bought some ansen covers because they were a fair price and looked good. but i knew they were late 60s at best but more early 70s. got a set of old cal custom (made in cali not japan or the other place) and i feel a lot better about it.

that said my car likely will not be perfectly period due to financial and practical issues. as close as i can get it and everything is fixable.

 

i want! i have a bunch of car crafts from early 60s to late but may have a couple of missing issues. that publication loved the bucket more than most it seems. that is a 'hot rod' book but the car with the (corvair) coil springs was in car craft. thanks for the tip.

 

hey folks thanks all for your input. i'm reading them all and will have to take notes.

 

man i really appreciate what you said. your first point really struck a chord as the thought recently crossed my mind and i need to remind my self i'll find the answers in due course. foul ups will happen, money misspent, lessons learned.

 

Whilst not a book etc The Mad Fabricators have an excellent series going building a cool little car you may find useful

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr_qWzTxOmB4Y4TXV5oVjkanKmho8IifB

 

the first t i recall seeing (besides lily's birthday present to herman) was in a hand me down '64 hot rod magazine featuring, first picture, and it still gets to me. the other pix are cars inspiring my project.

 

California Custom Roadster has a plan set ,it is a well thought out proven chassis , I think you can download it now, have no idea what they cost now. . very straight forward .

 

Yes, this one is from Car Craft in 1967 (too new?), reprinted in the Hot Rod Yearbook. Dick Scritchfield wrote up this one.

(I reworded my earlier post to make it clearer.)

 

Some might think this is a later build, but it was built in Eugene in the early to mid 60's. I used to see it cruising the "Gut" when I was in High School. Dick moved to LA and was seen cruising the hot rod and club scene.