A new project - 1923 T-bucket Hotrod

[Dave]

Where does one begin. I have started this thread as an area to diarise my progress in the latest challenge to build a 1923 T-bucket hotrod.

We have set the wheels in motion and have decided to build a rod. Pilot and myself will be building two T-buckets alongside each other and will post notes and pics as we progress. Hopefully Pilot will start another thread with his point of view along the way. Neither of us have built a hotrod before so we have a steep learning curve ahead of us.

The project is underway with an order placed with Ian Cameron of Designed Chassis to fabricate the bodies, dash, pickup beds and floor out of fibreglass. Turnaround time will be about 8 weeks from now, so if all goes well, by June we will have two empty body shells on site.

Next step is joining a Club to get some support and information.

Dave

[pilot]

Well where do I start? Oh Yeah for the record it is all Daves fault.Three years ago I was on the Gold Coast walking up the street into a newsagency and purchased Australian Street Rodding an obviously Australian Magazine that I thought would be a great start to check out Aussie suppliers of things in Rodding.Yes another dream of things to do when the time arrived.A bit of history here, back around Christmas 1987 I received a large envelope inside which was a set of plans for a single seat helicopter, these plans to a newby looked rather good and all I had to do was to folow them and I would have my own helicopter,now needing a little guidance, I asked a fellow aviator would he help me in machining up any parts needed for the task,well it took him all of about ten seconds to answer,we might as well build two of them together.Well over the next 4 years we worked away together two nights a week building and generally having a great time. My friend gained his helicopter licence and I soloed in a Robinson R22. he went on to build a Safari helicopter and sold his helicopter which was the first single seat helicopter registered under the experimental category in australia and mine went to New Zealand after I hovered it.Family things interrupted my helicopter flight training but I went on to get a private pilots licence fixed wing and I also had an ultralight certificate.Back to the hotrod thing.I find out that Dave has an altered t bucket race car, his little brother is an inspector of hotrods,another friend of mine has built his own hotrod and being of like mind recalls that old proverb "great minds think alike" or is it "fools seldom differ".Roll on 2008 and this great minds think alike theme,we somehow got to the subject of hotrods and before you know it a feeling of "I have been here before"' comes over me , and we have decided to build 2 t buckets,one each but helping each other out by building them in the same shed at the same time.This will be a steep learning curve, eventhough I have rebuilt motorcycles and cars even built my own house,this is just that bit further out there,just like the helicopter years. I look at this as a great opportunity to learn and gain satisfaction and more importantly to have an excuse to purchase tools and such that I would not have had a need to do before.So with a deep breath I dive into this next adventure,I have ordered the bodywork needed and have started to put together a shopping list and wishlist of parts needed.Can you say extreme concentration of all things catalogue related, Repco, Supercheap,Autobarn,Hotrod Books and now with the advent of the web, Ebay and websites. I think I have typing to much and need to take a breath.

[pilot]

Well almost a month has gone by and I think an update is in order. So here it goes.The front suspension has been ordered and nearly ready for delivery, the bodies are still about a month away from being ready for delivery, parts that have started to accumulate on the shelves are, powerglide gearbox,gearbox overhaul kit,trans shifter,handbrake lever, trans cooler,headlights, horn,gauges,front hubs,front disc calipers,disc pads, disc brake diff,power steering box,tail shafts,throttle lever,headlight switch and now tools,jack stands,grease gun,5inch angle grinder and accessories,welder,gloves. Note to self, put up more shelving,and get on the phone to find out how the chassis steel order is progressing.dave went to the tyre shop today to investigate tyre sizes and such to aid with the cad design of the chassis ,suspension travel ,mounting of the motor etc.

[pilot]

Yes it is update time again. So on with the report, yes the front end suspension parts have arrived and i am impressed. The chassis steel is yet to arrive and the body guy has not started on the bodies (can you say Pist) Tools and goodies are arriving weekly and it is just like christmas when the delivery guy/gal turns up. Wheel sizes tyre patterns are almost decided upon.A diff from an ef ford wagon has offered to do the duty in the rear.Brake components have arrived and I am waiting on a set of 4000 dba discs for the rear seems no one has fitted these to a wagon before and the are on the list to be made specially , should turn up in June.Power steering is looking at being fitted.Dave is madly organising engine parts while I am going with a crate motor ,he has parts left over from previous projects whilst I do not and just want a motor that runs nicely without rebuilding an old unit.TTFN.

[pilot]

Update time again, the wheel tyre combination has been decided I am going with steel rims chrome trim rims and hubcaps white wall tyres and big little sizes.The body has arrived and looks great ,block hugger headers in stainless steel polished more tools,power steering box and pump,we mocked up the front suspension and worked out the stance of the chassis with the rear being 2 inches higher than the front to give it the look and with the tyres it will look great.almost forgot the rear shocks look great as well, We are waiting for some brackets to be laser cut for the front spring mounts and then some progress will happen in regards to the chassis, Oh and the radiator from aussie desert coolers has been ordered going with street and strip alloy radiator with a thermo fan. Finally the colour combination looks to be a dark chocolate with a cream contrast, red pinstriping, cream wheels white walls and chrome trim the chassis looks to be basic black.

[pilot]

Update Update Update. Yep it is that time again. The AGM of Townsville Rodders and Custom Car Club Inc. was held last night and being a gent of upstanding and high moral fibre,they let me join the club.Now for the paper work to follow that will allow us to start construction.I can see it now the birth of a monster, a petrol snorting beast that will travel the highways bringing joy to all. I have written this to see if anybody is reading this stuff and invite others to post their projects, to share their passion.TTFN.Ross

[pilot]

Obviously nobody reads my posts or maybe they are scared to post and show themselves.
Yes it has been a couple of months since I updated this page, and nobody has taken the challenge to post their projects.
Well the incubator is running warm as we speak and a hatchling is forming.