Vehicle Description
The T-bucket is one of the most enduring and endearing styles in
all of hot rodding. The idea has always been that the T-bucket was
built from scavenged parts, but many of them, such as this bright
red roadster, are just too beautifully finished and detailed to be
considered junkyard dogs anymore.
Finished just a few years ago and based on a modern fiberglass
body, the shape is archetypal T-bucket, with the tall, vertical
windshield and stubby deck lid out back. Nobody's really sure how
that came to be, since Ford roadsters never looked like this, but
today it's the accepted style of the T-bucket and it just looks
right. Every inch of this one has been nicely prepped, eliminating
any waves or distortions in the bodywork, and it's a lot nicer than
you'd expect from the bare-bones T. The paint is a handsome
burgundy metallic, which is a nice change from either the primer
black that has recently come back into fashion, or the excessively
metallic hues that characterized T-buckets of the '60s and '70s. In
fact, just about everything on the car was bathed in that beautiful
paint, including the radiator shell, engine, and most of the rear
suspension. There are plenty of chrome bits to add some contrast,
including the tall windshield with support stanchions, and King
Bee-style headlights give it a traditional look.
In their back-to-basics style, many T-buckets had bare interiors
with nothing more than a blanket for upholstery and if you were
lucky, maybe an oil pressure gauge. Not so here, where there's
attractive gray velour upholstery and a full array of gauges
keeping an eye on the small block up front. Stitched up in
traditional pleated fashion, the seats and side panels are nicely
done and this one even features a custom-tailored carpet set that
makes it feel civilized. The doors, of course, are simply for show,
because no true T-bucket driver does anything other than hop over
the sides and hit the road. The dashboard is nicely turned out with
a complete array of white-faced gauges and the steering wheel is a
quick-release unit that makes it easy to get in. Just the basics,
right?
The engine is a 406 cubic inch Chevy V8 built by Terry Walters
Performance. Aluminum heads from Kenny Duttweiler were ported and
polished and there's an Edelbrock Victor intake and 4-barrel carb
on top. All told, it makes an estimated 600 horsepower, enough to
make this T every bit as fast as it looks. Dress up gear includes
the trick throttle-actuated air cleaner and billet valve covers,
and the headers are exactly what every T-bucket wears: long tubes
blowing through massive chrome side pipes. The chassis is nicely
finished, with most of the details out in the open for easy
examination. The front clip is traditional hairpins and a tube
axle, while out back there's a narrowed 9-inch riding on a
transverse leaf spring and ladder bars. In between, you'll find a
quick-shifting TH350 3-speed automatic transmission that's the only
sane choice in a car like this. You'll note that there are disc
brakes up front and the stance comes from big-n-little chrome
steelies with 215/75/15 front and 295/50/15 rear blackwall
radials.
Remarkably, it seems that T-buckets are as popular today as they
ever were, and their combination of outrageous looks and potent
performance makes them a real party to drive, with this one being
nicer than most. Call today!