Starting to look at doing a project. On a lower budget and I've always loved the 1923 t buckets. One problem, I am 6ft 3. Anyone know where to get a stretched fiberglass body?
Spirit Industries is proud to announce the 23 XL T. This new 23 t bucket body has been extended 5 to fit the big guys. The body was lengthened in the cowl, door and the back so the body is still in proportion to the 23 t we have all come to know and love.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> http://www.spiritcars.com/<o></o>
Contact RPM here on the HAMB. Ron's an all around great guy and can tell you everything you need to to know and more. T buckets are his specialty. His web site. www.eztbucket.com BTW, I'm not affiliated in any way, just a very satisfied customer. Oops, forgot to mention. He has the stretched body. http://shop.eztbucket.com/Stretch-Body-2002.htm
There used to be two or three out there that were stretched just for the reason you want one. I don't know if the outfits that made them are still around though. Snooping around I found a forum backed by Spirit that has photos showing the difference between the standard and stretched Bucket bodies. http://forums.bucketheadbash.com/showthread.php?t=2222 A bit spendy compared to most T bucket bodies but it looks like they give you a lot for those extra bucks so you don't have to do it yourself. I remember seeing a couple of T bucket bodies in the 70's that were dirt cheap even then but the car builder had to build the whole inside of the body to reinforce it and had to build his own floor out of plywood. It wasn't that expensive but often took as much time as building the rest of the car.
I bought one last year from Street rod Fab. in Sorrento Fl. It is stretched a couple of inches at the cowel,and 3" behind the door opening,so the proportions are not too far off. Dave is a great guy to deal with.
I'm 6'3" or 4" depending who measured or maybe I'm shrinking! Anyway my T is from Class Glass and Performance in MD. Stretched 2" in the cowl and 6" in the rest of the body. Class Glass and Performance: http://www.classglassperformance.com/23 T.html Bill
I built a Standard Buckett for a guy who is every bit of 6'3". prob even taller. He drives it just fine. Let me know if you have any questions about the specifics on the car
Here is a pic of my friend's T roadster that was widened 5" and lengthened 8" and the porportions are still good.It also sits on a 118" wheelbase which also helps the look.The body I believe was made in florida but i'm not sure by whom. I can find out easily enough. BTW the way the car was set up your head still rode below the top of the windshield.I went for a ride in it and can vouch for that.It also had a little over 900hp not figuring in the 200hp NOS setup so it was a bit quick.
I'm 6' 4" and fitted in my '23 (avatar) just fine. Could drive for 2 hours solid before needing a stretch.
There are some nice bigger bodys now with the added size,so why not get one . But some just like A standard size 23 bucket likie i do,it can work but you do need to mock up a few times,start with your seat,most don't and end up wrong and hard to drive. so you can get seat low and don't have thick seat back ether/this is best done with a fairly hard foam,spot your pedals were your feet really are so they feel good and after all your seat an pedal mock up is good add steering wheel at spot and angle that also feels good=this gives you were and how to place your column/and steering box
just as a reference i measured my '25 steel tub (front of a touring). the cowl is only 7" deep, overall length is 50 1/2", and 44" at its widest.
Why doesn't some SMART fiberglass manufacturer make a 23 T body that is stretched, and proportionally made taller also? Like 7" longer and 4" taller. The problem with the small dimensions of the 23T body is the short length AND the low sides of the body. To keep an object in proportion, if you increase the length, the height has to be increased "in proportion" also. If you can sit down in a car, behind the windshield and out of the wind, it will be more comfortable to drive long distances. When building a "T" modified, if the body is longer, and proportionally taller, but left stock width, it will look like it has been narrowed.....which is cool. Model T hot rods are a blast, and should be more popular than they are. If they were more comfortable, they would be as popular as they are affordable. I would like to see more hot rod T's, and less 59 Chevy 4 doors!
First off, I'm 6'3" and fit in mine fine. In fact, I have a little write up about seating in a T Bucket and a stock Model T in my album. Read it and check out the pics. I regularly spend over 200 miles in my T Bucket on a good weekend. I stop once for gas and something to drink. Second, if you plan your seating right, a tall person will fit. If you have a fat gut, nothing will help. That's one of the main problems. Fat guys trying to fit in small cars has never been pretty or comfortable. If you're fat, it won't matter what early car you build. Chances are you won't fit well. Third, if you stretch it, widen it and make it taller, it's not a T Bucket anymore. It's more like a '26 - '27 and that's probably what you should build. The reason they are called "T Buckets" is because when you sit in it, it looks like you're sitting in a bucket. Change the size, lose the charm. Me in my T Bucket. Notice where my knees are. Seating in a stock Model T. Notice where the drivers knees are. So, if your knees show a little, that's the norm. Fourth, don't blame the game, blame the player. Lose the gut, plan your seating and carry on.
Nailed it!!! I've preached the same thing on tons of threads for years now. Plan your seating and a stock proportioned bucket will fit anybody well. I'm sorry, but a stretched and screwed with bucket body stands out like sore thumb from far, far away. It just does. Problem being, if you stretch the body all over, EVERYTHING else looks much smaller, ei. wheels, tires, engines...
Everyone has their own idea of the kind of hot rod they would like to build and drive. If you want to drive down the highway at 80 mph and have your knees in your chest and look OVER the windshield, do it. Personally I think it looks stupid, and I would never think of driving such a vehicle, and my wife would never ride in one. Model T cars were not designed to drive down the highway at 80 mph, my hot rods are built so they feel safe at 80 mph. Anyone who preaches how I should build a hot rod based on their concepts, rubs me the wrong way. If you do not like the concept of an enlarged body, just stay the fuck out of the thread about stretched T buckets. If you attend many events, you have probably noticed, the muscle car is taking over. Today, V8 Fords are barely comfortable enough, A's are worse, and T's have become out of the question.
My knees aren't in my chest. In fact, I've NEVER seen a T Bucket driver with his knees in his chest. For one, the steering wheel would be in the way. So, shitcan the exaggerations, if this is going to be a serious discussion. Looking over the windshield? Oh, you mean like most of the roadsters I see. Okay..... No ones preaching what you should build and I could care less if you, your wife or anyone else likes or dislikes my concept of what a safe, fun hotrod should be. Unlike some members here, who won't turn a wrench without HAMB approval, I didn't build my T for the HAMB. I built it for me. I like traditional rides, even though mine isn't one. Because it wasn't intended to be. But when I see a topic loaded with a little bullshit, I like to toss out a clean, accurate point of view. Since this IS a forum site, that's allowed. Which means, I won't stay the fuck out. Model T cars weren't meant to be driven at 80 mph? Personally, THAT sounded stupid. And what the hell do muscle cars have to do with what was being discussed? So, have a nice one... boner.
Only when your defense is made by not understanding line of sight. But, no arguments here. Fear or lack of knowledge keeps the herd thin.
I'm with fred on this , I'm 6'-1" & my knees are below the top of the body , my wife stretches her legs all the way & still just barely touches the firewall , both our heads are below the windshield , we regularly ride 150 + miles in an afternoon & sometimes it's at 80 down the interstate & it's a regular stock sized '23 T. dave
None of the "T" buckets I have built have resulted in cars where you peer over the windshield and have you knees in your chest. Course, I don't build "T" buckets with 8" tall seat risers either. The last one I built for me had my 6'1" frame down even with just the lower half of a '23-'25 windshield. I submit that the guys who are convinced that they can't drive a "T" bucket are those that have driven a typical poorly planned "kit type" car of the seventies and not some thing they designed around themselves and their own use. The personal weight issue is yet another reason, but I can't tell you how to do anything about that. I'm sorry, but after looking at these cars for the 48 years I have been on this planet, I can honestly say that I have never seen a stretched bucket that DIDN'T look goofy. I have and would recomend to anybody to take the time to figure out proper comfortable seating in a standard body before going that route. Not entirely sure about your neck of the woods, but see hot rods and street rods every day of the week 'round these parts. Certainly more than muscle cars. I don't see any sort oftrend away from early stuff at all.
This is a waste of time and effort to be arguing over guys... If you figure you need a bit more length to be comfortable you most likely do...mentally anyway. I have to say though, Fitzees bucket was lengthened about 8-10" thru the cowl with glass race buckets mounted directly to the floor...and you STILL sat in it with your knees up in the usual T bucket pose because it was simply the most comfortable position! I think it would be a good idea to TRY a regular bucket on for size before jumping to conclusions though, as you might be pleasantly surprised by how well you actually fit without a stretch. Ultimately though...modifying a T body or even building a bucket style body from bits and pieces into a somewhat different size example doesn't set off alarm bells for me at all...as long as proportion and good looks are part of the planning process. Build, drive, enjoy!
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