Vehicle Description
The Ford 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, with a focus on unbridled
horsepower, low curb weight, very little comfort and even less
aesthetics. But many of them, such as this bright red roadster, are
just too cleanly finished and detailed to be considered junkyard
dogs anymore. If huge power and easy comfort is what you're looking
for in a T-Bucket, then your search is over.
Finished only 22 miles ago and based on a quality fiberglass body
from Total Performance in CT, the shape is archetypal T-bucket,
with the tall, vertical windshield and stubby pickup truck-like bed
out back. Nobody's really sure how this exact iteration came to be
the standard, since Ford pickups 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 was properly prepped, eliminating any waves
or distortions in the bodywork, and because someone was sweating
the details in the beginning, the fiberglass will be in great shape
for years to come. The paint is vivid red, which is a nice change
from either the primer black that has recently come back into
fashion, or the excessively metallic or pearl hues that
characterized T-buckets of the '60s and '70s. The red finish is
contrasted by the beautifully finished wood in the exposed dash and
rear 'bed', along with all the chrome and polished bits along the
frame and most of the suspension. There's more chrome and polished
bits that add further contrast, including a Model T style radiator
shell, the straight-pipe exhaust, the taillight surrounds and
license plate frame, and King Bee-style headlights that all work
together to give this streetrod a traditionally cool 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
cushy Empress gray cloth upholstery and a full array of AutoMeter
white-face gauges keeping an eye on the small block up front.
Stitched up in traditional pleated fashion, the wrap-around bench
seat and interior panels are nicely done, and this one even
features a neatly-tailored carpet set below that helps insulate the
open-air cabin a bit. 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 classic wooden steering wheel is a
fat wooden-rimmed unit mounted in traditional, nearly horizontal,
T-bucket fashion on the chrome column and it's joined by an 8-ball
topped shifter and set of sporty pedals below. They even put the
pickup bed to work holding the fuel cell while the battery is
hidden under the seat. Nice!
The engine is a beefed-up 383 cubic inch Stroker V8 that's been
built up to the tune of $10k along with the rest of the drivetrain
and accessories. It's got a lot of extra pop thanks to the Liberty
Performance stroker kit atop the 4-bolt main, and it features
long-tube headers for that high-performance sound, along with Dart
aluminum heads, ARP bolts, a Comp roller cam, Lunati lifters,
polished stainless rocker arms, and a billet timing kit just to
name a few highlights. The block is fed and breathes easy through
dual Holley 4-barrel carbs atop a Weiand high-rise intake, and it
sparks to life thanks to a full MSD ignition system and coil. Dress
up gear includes brightly chromed air cleaners and matching
Chevrolet valve covers up top, while below you'll find finned pans
for both the engine and transmission, and those aforementioned
headers are exactly what every T-bucket wears: long-tubes blowing
through massive side pipes. This one is happy to run all day on
pump gas and stays cool thanks to a custom aluminum radiator and
electric water pump. The chassis is nicely finished, with most of
the details out in the open for easy examination, polished up for a
little added pop. The front clip is a custom set-up that includes a
zero-drop straight axle with a 'spring-behind' leaf spring stack,
while out back there's an 8-inch rear end atop a 4-link custom
set-up with adjustable coilovers. In between, you'll find a
quick-shifting TH350 3-speed automatic transmission with a Stage II
shift kit that helps manage the shift points. The only rolling
stock you can put on a T-bucket are skinnies up front (in this case
Michelins) and massive meats out back-in this case, they're
gigantic 31x16.5-15 Mickey Thompsons on shiny Summit aluminum
wheels.
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 and more affordable than most. Call today!