'23 steel T-bucket, original?

Choppachris, I'm not trying to say don't do it. Just in the 50 years I've been in to hot rods and car projects I've seen many of these type of builds end up just as your picture looks. If your really up to it ,go for it.
Good luck and happy cruising. ............Jack

 

I see the problem! If you unbolt the body and leave all the chassis shit there the opinions here would be different. Tommy Ivo and Norm Grabowski built their T's with the exact same front body half and fabed everything else. That radiator shell isn't Ford but might look good on a track roadster of old dirt car. Looking forward to your build updates.

 

The radiator and shell look like an industrial unit like a portable welder/generator unit.

 

For christs sake. Some of you are so damn stupid!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
If it looks like too much work think of it this way. The guys buying a T body and a 40 Ford front end. <o></o>
HE DOES NOT HAVE TO BUILD IT EXACTLY LIKE IT SITS THERE!<o></o>
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If he turned up with just the body and front end you slobbering idiots would all be patting him on the back telling him what a great first project he has.<o></o>
I bet you couldn't&#8217;t build a model kit unless you did it exactly as the plans tell you either.<o></o>

 

As a car, it isn't too well thought out. In parts, not too shabby. I think it would be great to start on because it is simple. Needs work but the concept is an easy one. Minimal tech, minimal wiring, already has a drivetrain, etc.

 

Right on the money. Like they say about eating an Elephant. "Once you take the first bite. Don't stop till its gone" Just get after it . Here's ashot of my 14yo son getting after his 23. Hes not to worried about how hard it will be. He just wants to build it

 

OOPS messed that up. Here we go again!

 

Man, if everybody thought like this, we would all be driving PT Cruisers with white walls!

 

lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A T bucket style frame or chassis can be had cheap, if you look. Could make a nice project.

 

Hope you bought it! great place to start. Alot of people don't know that some of the first and in my opinion, best looking T buckets were touring front halfs. Ivo's car and Grabowski's "kookie kar" are the ones I refer to. A good starting place to learn about how that type of car is constructed is issue # 36 of rodders journal. They covered Von Franco's clones of both versions of Grabowski's car. I happen to have that issue spread out this morning to that article. Another reasource that anybody needs if they are contemplating building a T bucket , is a collection of Car Craft magazine from Nov. 1964 - July 1965. Thats the best series of articles ever written about building one of these cars. It will definitely show you not only how to build a frame for that car, but how to use alot of the parts that came with it correctly. that front suspension comes to mind first. I know that sounds like a tough find, but I see them on E-Bay frequently, and definitely worth what you would pay for them. Oh, and the car that they built looked tits!!

 

I think its a great start you could go many ways with it. Just plan it all out before you start.

 

Some people just don't have the ability to concieve what you can do with a particular pile of parts, just like some people see a car with the paint burned off to surface rust and see junk - I've found I could paint same said car with a roller and Rustoleum and the same people suddenly think it's in great shape. The SAME car.

Now I guess if you don't have that ability or knowledge to concieve just what a particular car can become, that's not your fault, it's just another form of handicap I suppose - it just never ceases to amaze me how many people with this problem try to call themselves car guys.

And it amazes me even more when I spell out just what's wrong with a vehicle to these people and they write back and say it's beyond their skills - and I sit here having to wonder then if they can even manage to build a die-cast model kit from Wal-mart, then.


But it works out I guess, I wouldn't have half the crap I do if more people realized it has value to it.


Like I said before a T like that should be a pretty easy build-up once you get the right pile of parts together - you just have to not be afraid to ask how to do something if you're not sure, instead of cobbing crap together that's potentially unsafe.

 

T-Buckets are great first hot rod builds. I think you will have a blast with it. Give the steering wheel back to the crips though, haha.

 

Well, once again Doc saved me from blasting the smart mouths that always show up when someone gives the "look what I found" thing.

The body is a lot more than I started with in the early 70's.

From reading your post on what you have done in the past with cars, trucks and Bikes and the fact that you grew up in a body shop I don't see this as a over the top project for you.

Like a couple of others about I see that you may want to use are the body, front axle and the grill shell plus what ever else turns out better than it looks.

A T Bucket tube frame is easy to build and not at all expensive. Probably under 150 Bucks total at todays metal prices. I'd once again suggest bopping over to the lumber yard and buying an arm load of 2x4's and mocking up a frame the way you want it although you might use the old frame for planning if it isn't totally junk.

Keep us posted, this looks like a fun one.

 

Thats some funny stuff man!!!!! I needed that! back to the car tho.
AWESOME find IMHO. Exactly what i would look for in a hot rod. Enjoy!
-GothY-

 

I was going to type the exact same thing..........but it reads better in Australian.

 

Probably looks a little strange because the body isn't attached, and is moved back, just sitting over the rear crossmember. The 40 front end may, or may not, save you money buying pieces, and who knows what, if anything, on the rest of the chassis is going to be usable. Odds are, the only thing you're going to be able to save is the bucket, and it's going to require a lot of work to make decent (don't they all). Guess it all boils down to what you can buy it for.

 

i have this same body, did they come like this stock?

 

Threads like this crack me up when people say it's too much. Just like Cali people complain about RUST. I'm in the salt belt, I know rust.

 

The guys got a pile o parts, vision, experiance and desire and never once mentioned the "R" word. What could go wrong?

I hope you keep us updated with your progress.

I'd sell the auto trans and go for a stick, but that's just my opinion. Cause a hot rod should have 3 pedals.
My T is a 90 inch wheelbase, axle under the radiator. Great handling and driving car.

Frank

 

Actually you don't have the same body. Your's is a '26-'27 touring front half.
Devil's in the details.

 

LOL.. Thats so true..

 

You need to save the steering wheel as garage wall art. So when It's a bad ass car some day, you can show them how gay it used to be haha

 

I say go for it...you will probably wind up with some junk that you discard, but a real steel body is worth it...my advice: be patient, plan ahead, think traditional, and you could come up with a winner.

 

I decided not to get the car after all. It did spark my interest enough however to start really digging around and I've found a few candidates that would have to be shipped from various places in the southwest. I really want something with a roof, and am becoming partial to the '28-'30 Ford Tudor. There seems to be plenty to choose from with or without frames, so I plan on still building a frame, but starting with a better body. Thanks to everyone for thier insight and advice, you haven't seen the last of me though...in the famous words of the Gov. of California " I'll be bachk"