Fooled Around with the T-bucket today. Pulled the engine, tried the Tunnel Ram, and..

Some of you may remember the story about my T-bucket to my suprise having a vintage 67 Z28 302 engine in it and finding the original car it belongs in. The thread about it on the Camaro site can be found at this link.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=178858

Anyways, since the engine has to be pulled and sent back to its original engine bay in California I took it for one last cruise and then went to work yanking it out using my favorite tree just outside my garage. There is one large branch that is at least 14" in diameter that runs right aross the back of my garage about 12" off the ground. How perfect is that? It's also nice and shady meaning I'm the actual shade tree mechanic! lol

It sure is easy pulling an engine from a T-bucket. Nothing in the way, everything in easy reach. After I pulled the intake off I threw the tunnel ram on just to see what it would look like. It is going on the replacment engine that I will be putting back in next week. Lots of you guys made comments about all of the 80's junk like braided hoses, anodized bits, trans cooler, HEI dizzy, etc etc etc. All of that is gone for good.

I didn't want to damaged the brass radiator so I pulled it off to get it out of the way. While it was off I put the original radiator from my Steel T-bucket project on it just for kicks.

I posted some better pics of the unusual frame on this car. I've never seen another one like it so any thoughts on it would be appreciated.

 

nice

 

Any actual "engine swinging from the tree limb" picts? Goes a long way towards hot rodder credibility I'm told!

 

Here ya go!!

 

Hehehe....I don't know what the part number of your special engine hoist is but I bet it starts with tree....

 

Nice James! I love that T-bucket!!! Did you get the replacement engine yet?

 

No, still shopping for a bargain.

 

I read the story, pretty cool

 

a nailhead buick would be a cool mill for it

 

Looks better with the painted radiator. Strange frame for sure.

 

quoted for emphasis

 

What a great story.

If there were a "car guy of the year" trophy...you'd be the leading contender to win it.

 

A nailhead would be really cool, but I've already got everything for the SBC. Starter, waterpump, flywheel, T-converter, TH350, Hurst engine mount, Tunnel ram with linkage, pulleys, chrome 1 wire alternator, Chrome valve covers & timing cover, etc etc etc. I just can't afford to change brands on this car.

The steel 26 roadster build I already started will be much more traditional. This was just supposed to be something to bomb around in during the other build.

 

WOW! What a great story. Kudos to you for doing something like that for a fellow enthusiast! Especially that you did it without greed. You, sir, are a credit to our hobby.

 

Does that frame have chrome stickers on it? Classy. Better find an engine quick. If you're like me-you'll start tinkering, cleaning, etc. Next think you know it will be all blown apart and you will still have nothing to drive. ha.

 

That's an interesting frame and may be a one off. I'd just find a decent 350 and stick it in it and be wheeling down the road but most of the guys would hold out for a 283 or 327.

And there is no way that I would swap to a different engine just to please some hater who thinks that everyone needs to put a 5000.00 engine in place of where a small block was perfectly comfortable. It's a T bucket after all.

 

I have lots of respect for ya sending the DZ engine back to the original car. Tunnel rams are cool, I love mine even though a guy once told me they are just "mental masturbation" !

 

Looks good with that tunnel ram on it. What wheels are you changing to? Later Josh.

 

JAMES...brother is that your rod, or doe's it belong to some other person. shit 1 person even questions your tree pulling creditibality. I will never understand why anybody would give a BIG rats ass what other people think...POP.

 

Yeah I picked up a little while back just to have something to tool around in while my traditional build is still sitting in a million pieces. I'm looking for a cheap small block to throw in it now. Wheels? Whatever comes along that are reasonable and look good.

I let most people's opinions in onme ear and out the other and only hold on to the things they say that I can use. lol

 

Any updates???

 

I was just staring at the pic of the motor that was a swingin' from the tree... Something about the motor looks a little out of place... I could be wrong though... I thought all the early Z/28 302's had a hp Corvette 327 harmonic balancer which messured 8 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick.. Plus I see's a flex plate in back of the motor instead of a flywheel... What's up with that???

 

They used a smaller balancer on the front to fit the Hurst engine cradle. My T-bucket is an automatic TH350 so it has a flex plate. The Z28 guy got his engine last week and could not be happier.

 

Ok.

 

Looking good!!!

 

Your a good man James ...........

 

LOL! If you're serious about this "shade tree" work you might want to get some business cards printed up.

 

what a great car & story. i loved this thing from the first pic i saw of it. i find it real easy to look past the details that "don't belong on the car" & see how much character it really has.
good luck with it!

 

Any updates on this my man?