Thread: Can I Do It In 98 Days?????????

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

'48 Buick??


Don

Bingo. Unless there's another one that looks just like it.

Well, for a guy who didn't know what an Oliver tractor was you got that pretty quick!!

When I was a kid my Parents owned a '48 Roadmaster convertible. (until a trailer truck smashed into it one rainy night and totalled it ) So that hood ornament was pretty familiar to me.

Don

I know I haven't had anything to post about our projects for the last week or so, but we have been working hard. We've been concentrating our efforts on getting Don's T bucket put together. He and I have been working every night until late trying to have things ready for Dan to weld up Saturday on his day off. As it turned out, Dan redid some of the things we thought we had finished, like the steering box/brake pedal/brake master cylinder mount that Total Performance supplied. It just didn't fit right, so we cut it up and modified it.

The main problem is that the TP car is set up normally for a 350/350 combo, and Don is running a 306 Ford with C4 tranny. So the trans crossmember wants to occupy the same spot as the master cylinder. We built some special brackets to move the master cylinder to the rear of the crossmember, and while we were at it we shortened the bracket that holds the steering box and brake pedal. It now fits great, but took a lot of time to engineer and build.

We worked from noon today til 3:30 AM, but really got a ton of work done. The gas tank, floor, and Walker radiator and Deuce grille shell are mounted, and the car is now sitting up on all fours. Don has new deeper wheels for the rear and narrow ones for the front, which we are going to paint before we mount the new tires. Tomorrow Don and I are going to start wooding the body, which should be a cinch as Total Performance doesn't get real fancy in how it is done, compared to what I did to my T. If we don't do it their way the interior kit he bought probably won't fit.

Here are some pictures of what we got done today.


Don

Neither of us felt like doing much today after the 15 hours we put in yesterday, so we just played around a little. Took measurements so he can order his chrome tie rod and drag link from Speedway, and mounted the windshield. I donated a couple of 682 J Guide lights I had in my stash because he didn't want to run small lights, and these are pretty long and fill up the front well.

Whenever we have had a newby rodder come on and ask about doing that first car build, one of the things I have always suggested is doing a T bucket, for a couple of reasons. They are relatively uncomplicated to build, they make a fun driver with lots of performance due to their light weight, and you get a lot of bang for your buck. You can make them as simple or elaborate as you want and can afford, and the chances of you actually getting them on the road are pretty fair.

I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, but I have to say this particular build has been as much fun as I have ever had doing a car. Things just go together pretty easily and quickly. We probably have two weeks work in this one if we totalled up the actual hours, and already it is looking like a car.

Here are some pictures of the mockup Don and I did today.......nothing serious, but it is starting to show the direction the car will take. Those are my loaner wheels and tires on it, his will be blue like the rest of the car, and run hubcaps and trim rings. Maybe tomorrow I'll start the body wooding.

Don

Don,
Very cool! He must be jazzed seeing the progress.
Ken

Don where you involved in that trans hump ?? I thought you guys where going to finish the metal body Dan was doing . Wow a whole new t going together . Now thats a chore for three months . Well hammer at it well at least tap a bit .