Thread: Yet another clueless new guy

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Hi. Just another guy lookin to get into a hot rod here. I am looking to build a 23 t with no real hot rod background. I have very extensive mechanical knowledge though. I am a service technician at a Harley dealership, certified Honda motorcycle mechanic (had to start somewhere), and ten years of machining experience. Sounds like a resume. My Uncle owns a shop restoring 50's and 60's midgets as well as reproducing them. So I am very familiar with the suspension set ups on the t's. Heres the deal. I want to build my own frame. Basically my own car. I have found few blueprints. Is there free(GOOD) blueprints available anywhere? Or even this, I know the frame rails are supposed to be 90" before they kick up. What diameter are they? 2X4? I guess the best way to put it is this. I have the equipment to build this car and the ambition. I just need you guys with the overwhelming knowledge to help me put the pieces of this puzzle together. I want to do it right so it turns out a good experience. I do not want an era perfect car. I just don't want some hacked together pile. Thanks guys! Great site!!!!

Jason
Wisconsin

I can drive a t here's a pic of my Saturday night cruiser!

Thanks for the links. The pictures are great. If you see any free blueprints though please let me know. I think I have what I need but just want to verify it before I get started.

Thanks again,
Jason

choperules use to have a saterday cruzier like that myself nice ride ya got there what are you running Imca or barrnett

Originally posted by john gemmer
choperules use to have a saterday cruzier like that myself nice ride ya got there what are you running Imca or barrnett

Oh wate no wing gots ta be IMCA

Sorry to post such a weak response, I know I have a set of plans given in a "Hot Rod Yearbook" (N0. 3 ???) but I can't locate it at the moment. In any event other than give patterns for coil-over suspension and dimensions of the frame at various points it only uses checking of front-to-rear diagonal distances and unless you are very careful the result will not be as straight as a commercial jig-built frame which is not expensive for a T. Maybe someone else has that set of plans? Probably the references Tech1 has given are more than sufficient.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

cant help you with the 23t chassis, but could help out on that imca car. built and drove one out here on the east coast for awhile, we called it ARA. AMIRICAN RACING ASSC.

Hey Jason.. Welcome to a great place to hang out...

About your project.
Why reinvent the wheel?
I'd like to make a lazy ass'ed suggestion.
Go to: http://www.tperformance.com/street_rods/t_bucket_kits/
and look at their catalog....
If you were to buy one of their frame kits and tweak it to your liking, then you still have their whole catalog of goodies to put on your project.
Might save you six months and get your ride on the road sooner, so we can all give you the thumb's up when you tool on by...
Jeff
(Besides, Guys love lil' gals in Buckets!)





[QUOTE]Originally posted by choperules
[B]Hi. Just another guy lookin to get into a hot rod here. I am looking to build a 23 t with no real hot rod background. I have very extensive mechanical knowledge though. I am a service technician at a Harley dealership, certified Honda motorcycle mechanic (had to start somewhere), and ten years of machining experience. Sounds like a resume. My Uncle owns a shop restoring 50's and 60's midgets as well as reproducing them. So I am very familiar with the suspension set ups on the t's. Heres the deal. I want to build my own frame. Basically my own car. I have found few blueprints. Is there free(GOOD) blueprints available anywhere? Or even this, I know the frame rails are supposed to be 90" before they kick up. What diameter are they? 2X4? I guess the best way to put it is this. I have the equipment to build this car and the ambition. I just need you guys with the overwhelming knowledge to help me put the pieces of this puzzle together. I want to do it right so it turns out a good experience. I do not want an era perfect car. I just don't want some hacked together pile. Thanks guys! Great site!!!!
Jason
Wisconsin

Thanks for the frame input guys. The link from techinspector1 Has some really good pictures. That was a huge help. I have found a website after hours of searching that has some nice plans. Here is a link.

http://www.alleyed.com/tbucket.html

I have also got a blueprint faxed to me from Speedway. These two prints are quite different. I realize most are not the same. I am just trying to find the best one for my application. I want a 23 with a turtle deck. So I have some things to figure out yet.

As far as the modified goes it is in fact an IMCA car. It has a detachable wing for events allowing wings such as open nights or non IMCA tracks. It is legal for Wissota and UMP also. Maybe Midwest Modifieds too. Its a lot of fun to drive. I need something street legal now like a T!

Jason

Good luck on your project! I hope it really comes out real well.
I have given considerable thought to a T-Bucket. I made one back in '82. I am kinda stuck in the '80's and back then with big hair heavy metal, and big blocks, I stuffed a blown, bored, 460 with a C-6 into a T-bucket. Named it Brain Damage. It lived up to its name.
If it were me today, I would go with a metal CJ2-A Jeep body, small block, 9" rear, Th350. My reasons for the Jeep body, sometimes it rains, gets cold, and I like to be able to lock things up.
My vision would be the body, neked from the firewall up to the grill. A full roll cage, fold down windshield. The body comes with fender well in the rear. In most states, I have to run fenders, so blended flairs would do the trick.
Kinda of non-sequetor to your pursuit of a T-bucket frame schedule but I am hoping someone might have a schedule for a Jeep to finish my project.
I got my plans for the T-bucket from popular mechanics. In the back, someone was offering drawings/schematics for a frame. It was really basic, and strong. I used .025 4135 chromemoly for the frame. They are pretty basic and can be made real strong. The 460 twisted the frame with mild running and I learned a lot from it. I had to angle the body and engine to make it fit and had to add 11' to overall length. It was really too light to be roadable.
It was live and learn.
Good luck. Indeed. I hope you have great success. They are fun to drive.

I spent about 5 hours today trying to find the book "how to build a t bucket roadster on a budget" with no success. No major book stores carry it or warehouse it. So I am assuming it is out of print. I looked on the internet at a few places claiming to have most out of print books and they do not have it either. From the reviews I have read people seem to think the book was not very good due to safety issues. If anyone has this book and would be interested in selling it I would still like to purchase the book. Let me know.

Jason

Hey
Welcome! I'm glad to see someone else from wisconsin! I'm from manitowoc, and Im really not looking forward to winter! Its sounds like you know quite a lot about building already, I'm sure the car will turn out awesome
What is the name of your uncles shop, and does he ever go to car shows?..the only shows i've been to close to you is the one south of milwaukee at the golden Mcdonalds!
anyways, good luck with your build!

Tyler
www.clubstreetscene.com

Tyler, my uncles shop is Davis Racing Equipment. He has raced midgets for almost 30 years. He has just finished a vintage midget that will be setting a new land speed record for that class on the salt flats. He does a lot of really neat stuff in his shop. He has just got all the tubing to build a chassis for a jet dragster for a customer. He has never put anything in a show as far as I can remember. You must have been at the solid gold mcdonalds in greenfield just off of 894. That is a great place to go on Wednesday night. About ten minutes past that they have one on saturday nights at a place called georgie porgies. It has a pretty good turn out. If you are looking for a really really nice show to attend the racine zoo has an annual car show. Very nice. I even put my race car in the show. Its just a whole lot of fun. It would be well worth the drive. Oh and wisconsin is great!?! Its 11º out. Thats good isn't it? BUURRR. Good thing for garage heaters hey?

Jason

jason-
havent heard of that shop!...but it sounds really awesome, it sounds like you and your uncle are very tallented!..yes i was at the solid gold mccdonalds..but i havent been there for the weekly show they have! and it is a great show,,,i really enjoy going there! Do you know when the show is at that zoo? Im leaving in june for school, but even if it is after that I could probably get our car club to go down there! Oh, and about this weather, damn its cold!! I think it was below zero today,,,not to mention the first snow of the year that generously gave us 4 inches of white shit,,,lol! I think the garage needs a lot more insulation though!..the heat seems to go right through the walls!, or maybe its just that cold!
tyler

My uncles shop is small. He started it in his garage at night. It is not his primary job. The funny part is his main job is equipment service. Fork lift stuff. That is also his own business. So he pretty much works non stop. Solid Gold McDonalds is sweet. For a local weekly car show it is huge. The Racine Zoo car show is in August. Not sure the of the date at this point. I think your club would really enjoy it.

Jason