Editing The FREE T Bucket plans

==Intro== This wiki page was created as a home for the plans that are a result of this thread: [http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/creating-new-t-bucket-frame-plans-need-tons-info-plans-77092.html Creating New T Bucket Plans] My plans will be added as they are finalized, currently i am only working on adding example pictures to this page while i slave away in silence on the plans themselves. ==Planning your build== '''Before you ever START to plan the build of the vehicle, make sure you know EXACTLY what you need to do in order to register your vehicle in your state / county / town. Many people have had to do expensive changes to their street rod because they ignored this step until the vehicle was "ready to drive"''' "Step One: Get catalogs from the Boys in the Business. Even if you plan to do a low $ build with few new parts, having a wide range of catalogs to browse through can help make decisions easier. Step Two: Read the monthly rodding magazines that feature Ts, and browse the web for what others have done. expose yourself to a wide variety of designs Step Three: Go to local car shows and talk to any / all of the T Bucket owners who are there. Most will be happy to give to a ride that will not leave you a jabbering ninny shaking on the pavement when you return. Others will scare the bejesus out of you and that will be the end of this project. The heaviest of these little cars weighs in at about 2200 pounds or so, most are under 2000, some as light as 15-1600. Damn near ANY engine, 4,6,or 8 will make happy speed in that light a platform. Step Four: If you have no building skills, take a welding class at the local community college for starters. You'll have tools and equipment to buy and rent as needed. You'll also need space, and more space, and more space. Although many nice cars are built under carports or in one car garages, it is nice to have a fairly empty 2 car one. You figure out how to tell Mama she'll have to park the Escalade in the drive for about 2 years!! Step Five: Now that you have some basic knowledge under your belt, decide what style T you want to build...... *"classic" 23-25 or 26-27 roadster pickup, *23-25 or 26-27 track car with hood, nose and turtle deck, *23-25 or 26-27 "lakester" bucket with exposed fuel tank on naked framerails in the back, and there are others." Be honest with yourself and build your T Bucket to perform to your satisfaction. The classic high horsepower, low rear end gears, steam roller rear tires and spoked front wheels are great for show's and an instant rush when you step on it, but may not be the ticket if you want to drive more than a few miles in comfort and get good gas mileage. Many builders are opting for four wheel disk brakes, fuel injection, moderate size tires, hydraulic shocks on the front suspension, 4 spd overdrive transmissions, etc. All of these features are a personal preference, and since there's no right or wrong way, build it your way. ==Frame== "Where you have essentially two body groups 23-25 and 26-27, frame designs are all over the map. Many early Buckets were built on modified stock T frames or Model A frames. Others were built on early Chevy rails, or even channel iron frames. The "modern" T is usually sitting on a 2X3 or 2X4 ,.120-.180 wall thickness rectangular box tubing frame with a 2.5-3" tubular front cross member. Some frame makers make their frames one width front to back like a stock T frame, others have a frame that tapers from the rear to the front similar to a Model A frame. And others have other ideas." Excerpts from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod ==="Classic" style=== ==="Sparky"=== ==Front suspension== Front axle choices: Early Ford I-beam axles: 28-31 Model A Passenger Car & Pickup 32-36 Passenger Car & Pickup 37-41 Passenger Car & Pickup 42-48 Passenger Car 42-47 Pickup Early Dodge/Plymouth tubular axles: 33-39 Dodge 33 & 35-39 Plymouth Early Ford Tubular axles: 37-40 V8-60 only Any other factory I-beam axle from Chevy/GMC or Ford Pickups, 60s Ford & Chevy/GMC vans, early Chevy cars 36-40, early Chevy/GMC pickups 36-55. Fabricated axles: Many makers (Speedway Motors, Total Performance, and others) usually sold and described as dropped axle in 4-5-6" drops and made to accommodate 37-48 Ford Passenger Car and 37-47 Ford Pickup spindles, or 61-66 Ford Econoline Van spindles, or 49-54 Chevrolet Passenger Car spindles. NEW Manufactured axles: Super Bell tubular axle Magnum dropped I-beam Super Bell dropped I-beam and others ===Coils & shocks=== "Don't do it!! No matter that Car Craft did this on their project car. Ugly is ugly and almost nothing is uglier that those nasty towers on the front of the frame and coil springs and cups on the axle and shocks running up the middle...YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! No chrome, no paint, nothing can hide this mistake....don't do it! There are too many other options that at least look good." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. === Coil Over's=== "If done right, this is a clean attractive good riding suspension for the front of any roadster. If done wrong....well it can be ugly, it can be nasty looking, and it can be rough riding. Only drawback is expense. Most manufacturers will allow you to return springs if they are too stiff for a softer set....one time." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ===Transverse Leaf Spring (Buggy spring)=== "Based on the 28-34 Ford suspension, this is the old classic if there is any such thing. Most important thing is to make sure your spring is mounted under tension as the original Ford design requires. The spring must be spread to mount the shackles to the perches. Be sure if you are using a 28-31 or 32-34 front spring to have the perches at the proper width and have the correct shackles for the spring you have, 32-34 springs have a larger spring eye than 28-31 As do. The original springs are 10-12 leaf units. Unless you are running a big block or early heavy engine you'll be best served if you experiment with the number of leaves in the front spring. Keep the main leaf and number 2, removing the odd number springs(3.5.7.9 etc)to reach your best number. YES, it is a pain in the neck to remove, dismantle, remove leaves, reassemble and reinstall the spring, but it works. Try starting with a six leaf spring, main,2,4,6,8,10 to begin with. That could save you a few steps. What you are looking for when finished is a front end which deflects when you put your foot on the spring perch and push down. NOT, a situation where you have to stand on the perch and jump up and down to get movement. Always use tubular shocks, old name airplane shocks, not friction shocks, IF you really plan on driving your car." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ===1/4 elliptical=== [[Image:http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14331]] [[Image:http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14332]] ===4 link / Hair pins=== ==Rear Suspension == ===Coil Springs & shocks=== "A popular set up in the glory days of the T bucket (60-70s). Even easier to do these days since there are so many small cars with coil springs over their struts. Go to your local auto parts store, get the new Moog coil spring catalog and check out the specifications listed in the charts in the back. Check the styles(you'll want the old style flat on each end sets), sizes (height, diameter and wire size) and spring rates (you should be looking at something the the 145-165 pound range). No more scrounging the junkyards for Corvairs to snag springs from. These setups are easy and cheap to fabricate and can be mounted outboard of the frame or inboard depending on your choice. Tubular shocks can be mounted up through the springs (easiest and hidden) or outside. Don't get crazy and start cutting coils off the springs until you have the car nearly built so you can see how much they compress with full weight of body, fuel, battery, and YOU in place. You may think the car is riding too high but in truth it may not be. New springs are usually under $100 the pair." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. === Coil Over's=== "Again, an attractive and simple setup to install. Experimentation with spring rates may be required. Cost is most prohibitive feature of this choice. This IS the most popular modern T suspension setup for the rear suspension." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ===Transverse Leaf Spring (Buggy spring)=== "Based on the early Ford suspension, this is the "classic" bucket suspension. T springs (the most desirable being the very early taper-leaf units) and Model A springs (the most desirable being the roadster springs) are often called "high arch" springs, you know why. Again, to have the best buggy setup the spring should be mounted under tension as the original Ford design. The rear perches whether mounted on top, to the front, or to the rear of the rear axle should be 49.5" apart for a Model A spring and 48.5" apart for a Model T spring. As with the front springs you'll probably end up with a 5-7 leaf spring rather than the 10-14 leaf assembly you start with." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ===1/4 elliptical=== ===4 link / Hair pins=== ==Axle Centering devices== ===Panhard Bar=== ===Watts Link=== ==Engine / transmission Xmembers== ==Steering assembly== "The two things any car has to do for safety and survival are STEER and STOP!!" Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ==Bracing and mounting the Body== "For cleanest and simplest body mounting, weld your mounting tabs inside the frame rails at the side part of the cowl, a simple straight 1X2" inch full cross member at the back edge of the "door" edge bead, and the last about halfway from the "door" bead to the back of the bucket. If you have chosen to not have the framerails sticking inside the cabin with you at the back, weld a tab to the top of the kickup and form it to meet the back walland install a bolt on each side to stabilize the back wall on these tab mounts. Your 3/4-1" marine plywood floor should rest directly on the frame rails on a layer of body to frame webbing or similar material to eliminate any squeaks from movement. Use minimum 3/8 bolts/nuts and large thick flat washers along with lock washers to secure your body down to the frame. After your first 50-100 miles of riding, check all fasteners for tightness. There you are, simple, secure, and solid. A well made 23-25 T roadster body will not need any wooden bracing in the bucket itself unless you plan on having an opening door on the passenger side. It is important to reinforce the upper rail around the cabin. DO this before you have the floor installed as it is easier if the body is upside down. Measure your body and see how symmetrical it is. This can be done with a nice piece of 1/2" rebar formed to fit closely under the rail from the dashboard around the perimeter of the body and back to the dashboard. It is easier to do this in 2 pieces and then weld them together. Once you have a good fit mix a nice of your favorite filler and lay down a bed of it to nestle the rebar(derusted,epoxy-primed and painted of course) in. Once the filler has set up, go ahead and make up some more and completely enclose the bar in a cocoon of filler all the way around. Now the upper rail of your body is solid and it is time to install the floor and fit the body to the frame. You'll want a nice 5/8-3/4" piece of plywood cut to fit the firewall of your roadster on the inside. This gives you a nice solid mounting surface for your electrics (fuse box, relays, etc.) and accelerator pedal. You may want to run a stringer of wood just inside the lower rocker panel where the body drops over the frame as a stiffener." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ==Hinge Fabrication== ==Latch Installation== ==Seating== ====Using original / repop Seat parts==== "For crying out loud, don't make up any form of foam block seat cushion or anything like it. The only thing that gives you a good, if not great, seat is a NEW Model T seat cushion spring assembly. These are made by 2 companies, Car-Line Mfg. in Beaumont TX and Snyder's Antique Auto Parts in New Springfield OH. You can buy them from many suppliers of Model T parts but these are the 2 manufacturers. Mount the spring assembly to a 5/8-3/4" plywood base with 3-5 3" holes cut into the board. The upholstery design is up to you. The holes allow displaced air from your weight on the seat to escape without blowing up the upholstery, get it? Determine the height of your seat riser board at the front of the cushion by mocking up the cushion assembly in the body. You'll want about a 4-6" board for the proper slope of the seat from front to back. You may put a short block or two under the back as well if it fits your purpose. You might consider buying a stock T seat back rest spring too. This will give you a nice surface for your back to rest on. Don't forget to add a lumbar roll to the lower part of any upholstery you use, or have a nice upholstery matching lumbar pillow made for your driving comfort. The coil spring seat assembly in your car and a working suspension on your car will give you as close to that "Cadillac" ride as you can get with a short wheelbase light car like the T and make those long trips to rod runs not only enjoyable but desirable. Your wife or girlfriend will appreciate that comfort too, and there are rewards for that consideration, know-what-i-mean-Vern? Oh yeah, about seat inserts, those fiberglass inner wall and seat and floor moulded pieces that drop in and "save you time and money". DON'T DO IT! Unless you are the guy whose butt was used to determine the size and shape of that piece, it will be a mistake. These are usually moulded with a division between the seat depressions. This is because they need those ribs for structural strength, but YOU don't need 'em because space in a bucket is at a premium." Excerpt from soon-to-be-released bucket book by Pasadenahotrod. ====Modifying other seats to fit==== ==Pedal Assemblies== One of the most overlooked aspects of building a T Bucket is seating position and location of controls. Many a T Bucket builder has spent many years and many dollars building their dream machine only to have it sit in the garage because it is too uncomfortable to drive. Try not to limit yourself because you just happen to have a certain steering box or seat. These cars have a pretty small cockpit and there's not much room for controls. If your going to have a traditional style bucket with the steering column though the floor, be very careful that you have plenty of room for your knees and you'll be able to operate the gas and brake pedals. The best way is to mock up everything and make sure your final setup will work for you, especially if you are taller than 5'-8 or so. One trick is to locate the gas pedal over the transmission hump. This allows you to stretch out your right leg a bit and be more comfortable. ==Shifter Assemblies== Most T Buckets have automatic transmissions for a reason, there is not a lot of room for the clutch and shifter assemblies. It can be done, but you will have to make special provisions for it. Generally, a cable operated shifter is preferred with an automatic as it's easier to locate. ==Parts Companies== *www.TPerformance.com *Spirit Motors (Mountain Home AR) *Speedway Motors (Lincoln, NE) *Total Performance (Wallingford CT) *Car-Line Mfg. (Beaumont TX) *Snyder's Antique Auto Parts (New Springfield OH) * * * * * *

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