Thread: Low-budget/T-Bucket Pickup

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Originally Posted by NTFDAY

If you put many of today's kids in a straight axle vehicle they'd probably put it in a ditch.

I know a fellow that had a really nice 32 coupe with a traditional straight front axle. He built it with help from his dad who was an experienced old time hot rodder, so it was right.

He ultimately sold the car because he just couldn't get used to the way the straight axle drove. He learned to drive in modern cars and the beam axle was just too different for him. He told me that he never felt confident that he was fully in control of the car.

His dad told me that it was very tight and you could drive it with one hand, but he grew up driving straight axles. The old man said the problem was that his son fought the car with white knuckles instead of relaxing, trusting the steering and suspension and just guiding it where he wanted it to go.

Now, if you want a miserable driving experience, find yourself an old twin I-beam Ford truck. After a few miles of wear, you didn't actually drive them, you kind of herded them between the ditches! Great farm trucks, but terrible on the highway.

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

I know a fellow that had a really nice 32 coupe with a traditional straight front axle. He built it with help from his dad who was an experienced old time hot rodder, so it was right.

He ultimately sold the car because he just couldn't get used to the way the straight axle drove. He learned to drive in modern cars and the beam axle was just too different for him. He told me that he never felt confident that he was fully in control of the car.

His dad told me that it was very tight and you could drive it with one hand, but he grew up driving straight axles. The old man said the problem was that his son fought the car with white knuckles instead of relaxing, trusting the steering and suspension and just guiding it where he wanted it to go

I know what you mean. Years ago the first exit off I-5 past Disneyland heading north, I believe it was Anaheim Blvd, was like a washboard for the first 1/4 mile or so and it was one of the few times I drove my coupe with two hands. It was so bad that if you didn't slow down considerably you could lose control. I would scare the hell out of people by taking it a little faster than I should have. Those were the good old days.

I had a ‘78 and a ‘79 Ford twin I Beam. One day one on the way to work one of the front shocks started leaking badly. I hit a dip in the road and nearly bounced it into the ditch on a clean, dry, paved road. I put a small block Chevy in my ‘79 Ford pick up.

Originally Posted by Driver50x

I put a small block Chevy in my ‘79 Ford pick up.

You are the spawn of the devil!!!!!! What a terrible thing to do to a nice Chevy engine!

I was a at an event in my 46 and a guy came up admiring it. He was really into it until I told him it had a Chevy engine. I told him he could buy it and put any engine in it he wanted. It didn't bother him that much apparently!

LOL!
The best part was I had “Powered by Chevrolet “ lettered on the tailgate. Plenty of people told me that was the best Ford ever, or a terrible thing to do to a Ford.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

I wouldn't drive another straight axle car if you gave it to me.
.

This is not helping my decision to keep my 48 Dodge stock lol

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

This is not helping my decision to keep my 48 Dodge stock lol

Where is your sense of adventure?

Throw caution into the wind, a rebel without a cause! lol

It’s not practical to put the tie rod behind the axle on this car due to the frame and radiator location. So I’m leaving the steering arms pointed forward. I heated the arms up and bent them out about 2 1/2 inches to get the Ackerman in the ballpark.

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I shot some primer on the body and sat it on the frame. The paint will come later.


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In my T-Bucket I really couldn’t find the space to mount a neutral safety switch near the transmission. So I mounted it behind the seat instead, and ran a cable to it. I used a 1960’s Chevy pickup switch, $16 from Amazon. I also used a Schwinn bicycle brake cable from Walmart. The beauty of using an OEM style switch is that the car will start in both park and neutral, when you wire it through the two terminals I am pointing to. You could also use the other two terminals, and wire in backup lights if so desired. I drilled multiple holes in the switch “lever” to adjust the amount of travel. After about 10 minutes of cable adjustments and trying different holes, I got it to work perfectly.


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That thinking outside the box!

It’s starting to look like a Hot Rod!


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Great work and craftiness! It is looking real nice. Are you still under your target goal on the budget? (I can never accomplish that)

Thanks Ryan!

Nah, I’m a little over budget, but not too bad. I’ve splurged a little here and there. I’ll do a budget update soon.

It’s taking a little longer than I’d planned. I’m 2 1/2 years into it now. But I’m happy with how it’s coming out so far, and I’m having fun along the way.

Today I was working on building the pick up box. Maybe I’ll get some pictures of that up tomorrow.