It is 15 degrees here in KC and it may have froze my brain, but here is my question.... Has anyone ever lengthened the cab/body of a classic t-bucket to fit a 6-4" person/gorilla? Most t's fit little guys....and it is like driving motorcycle while sitting on a bar stool. Just throwing the random thought against the wall...an old friend of my dad's might have his t-bucket-sans motor-sitting in storage. I was thinking if it was possible to move the tank to the front and stretch the body as far back as possible...till the rear suspension gets in the way. Lay the seats/ass on the floor and leave enough padding on the back to remain semi comfortable for a 30 minute drive. Figured this would be the place to send out the feeler! Well, off to fix my brakes on my 56...almost done.
Total performance would do it as a special order, they are now out of business but, the company that used to make the bodies are still in business and its Called Atlantic Coast custom in Rhode Island. Look 'em up. The other option for you would be to use a T Touring body. They can really be cool.
Good call to the touring body (that was my thought as soon as I saw the title). Lengthening would throw the proportions waaaay off... a touring would provide enough room considering the the front seatback be move rearward. Then the back of the body could be used for the gas tank, battery, etc.
Class Glass & Performance in Cumberland, MD makes a stretched T roadster that has 2" extra at the cowl and 6" behind the door. Perfect for long legs, and it keeps the proportions of the T.
I streched the chassis on one. then i glassed two bodies together to make a tub. You can cut the body than put in a filler piece if you dont want a touring (tub).
I would want to keep the proportions looking correct for sure....just been googling a little and found one t that had what looked like a tudor that was cut into a roadster...proportions were way off! Will investigate the touring body...that looks like the solution. Thanks!
Steel body? Glass Body? or ?? There have been a lot of stretched T buckets in the past just for the same exact reason you mentioned. Usually they get stretched just behind where the doors are or would be but I've always wondered if it wouldn't look better to stretch them in the door area and make the doors look longer. You would have to post photos of the car it's self for the guys with a good eye for design to make suggestions on how to do what.
All things are possible with a sawzall and a good welder or if glass, sawzall and more fiberglass. Life is short and nothing is sacred so cut one up and have fun. Build what YOU like and enjoy the time spent creating.
That's the difficult part. Once the image and proportion of the stock bucket is burned onto your brain, nothing else looks quite right. I'm 6'2" and used a stock dimension body for my build after looking at the stretched ones. Yeah, it was a decision based on appearance rather than function, but sometimes that's the first priority. I'll apply the standard HAMB mantra: It's yours, build it like you like! Bob
Fitzee a big guy so he lengthened his in the cowl to look almost like a 27 and raised the rear. You sit right down in it! As T buckets go its extremely roomy and comfortable.
Lots of guys have done this. As far as a ready to go body, CCR has the longest but it's not a traditional looking body (no door reveals). If you're ~really~ wanting some room...
It's not all that uncommon. Seems like big guys are drawn to T-Buckets in some perverse way. Probably inspired by a Roth monster drawing. Here's a link to some nice pics showing how one TBucketeer did it. http://s551.photobucket.com/albums/ii457/akitagandy/T-Bucket%20stuff/?start=40
Depending how you set it up can make a huge difference to the amount of room inside, you may not need to stretch it for it to be comfortable. Things like pedal placement, trans tunnel with a flat rather than rounded top, angled steering column, upholstry with thin padding and a low profile e.t.c. Im over 6 foot 2 inches and gorrila-like and mine is relatively comfortable. I run an auto so less pedals means more room too. Without carefully considering a few things I would never have fit into it!
Same here. I'm 6'3" and made it work. A lot of trial and error, but it can be done. Also, you have to remember that they call 'em "buckets" for a reason.
My modified was made from the front half of a 27 Touring with custom sail panels (the panels behind the doors) added so that they could be made to suit my leg length.
As you can see you can do this a number of ways. Just need to figure out what look you are after and go from there.Blackjack you have a build pics.Nice car.
Thanks, not progressing as quick as I'd like - some Government contracts, 4 house flips in 3 years and a new baby have seen to that but it has now restarted and I'm aiming to drive it to the Circuit de Ramparts in Angouleme, France in September. Here's the 347 Pontiac motor
Here's one a friend of mine built:body is widened 6" and lengthened 8" and sits on a 118" wheelbase.Proportions are good and there is a ton of room in it for two people.Goes like stink too(925hp on the dyno w/o the nitrous);all aluminum 572 inch Merlin
I know in mine I lost about 5 1/2 inches of leg room just by the seat choice. The back of the seat is more angled than the body and then add the thickness of the back cusion you quickly see how easy 5 1/2 inches can be lost. The back of the body is at such an angle you could get away with just using a seat bottom and still be pretty comfortable. Here's a shot of my seats
check out a t bucket that has the fglass insert in it for seats - you pad the insert w/ thin upholstered pads & it sits good - low & back - i have a friend that's 6'1" & 260 lbs. - he has an insert in his bucket - it looks good, sits good - he likes it better that his '32 3 window
Zipper does his 2" stretch in the doors. You can use cowl steering in the engine bay with a banger along with floor mount pedals for more leg room.
3 important things are to not use a seat back. just make the body smooth & puy a padded piece of upolstory over the back . keep the seat riser as low as possible & mount the corvair steering box outside the body on the top of the frame( CCR style). Those are the 3 things that make my T uncomfortable.I'm changing the seat this winter , after 52000 miles it has taken its toll on my knees!!lol jimV
I had an A cowl & unknown touring rear. I started with a T door, but later found a messed-up A touring door. I had to shorten it height wise to get it to clear the radius rods. I would definately want an opening longer than the T door, made sure the filler I put between the cowl & backend would allow me to sit with padding under & behind with the driveshaft tunnel. My legs are straight when they are flat on the floor behind the pedals. Once those criteria are met makes it sensible & very comfortable, it is what it is apearance wise IMO. Windshield is a bit short when raining, I plan on top & side windwings this year to increase the comfort level, I they might look cool
Here are a few links of some stretched body manufacturers. They all do it a little different so you should be able to find one you like. These guys add 5" behind the door. http://www.knscustoms.com/index.html http://www.corbinrods.com/1923_t_bucket.html These guys have 8" stretch. http://www.classglassperformance.com/23 T.html Here is one that looks like a short tub with no box. http://www.mhstreetrods.com/tbucket.htm Here is a picture of my total performance t. I am 6' and it is snug. The biggest problem is leg room so 5-8 inches would be real nice. I had to modify my brake pedal and move it back about 6" and that made it alot more comfortable. Another thing you can do is mount the body on top of the frame. This allows the body to be higher (if you keep the seat height the same) and it makes you sit more "in" the car vs poking out the top.
The Jalopy Journal
