Vehicle Description
Ford T-buckets are all about wretched excess, and this recently
completed 1923 roadster pulls no punches. With stout small block
power, a competent suspension, and a cool bronze-on-black color
combination, it's over-the-top in a very measured yet exciting way.
This is the T-bucket to own if you're seeking the spotlight.
Visibility is the T-bucket's claim to fame, and with that in mind
this vintage 'bucket got a nice Bronze Metallic paint job that
lives up to the standards set by similar machines from the '70s.
You'd almost have to be legally blind to miss this hotrod banging
down the thoroughfare, even at night thanks to the bright wheels
and exposed SBC engine. There's not a lot of surface area, but the
fiberglass body that exists on this minimalist T-Bucket was nicely
prepped and finished a recent 10,687 miles ago. And because of the
low miles logged, it's still looking good, with a nice driver-grade
presentation that shows only minor imperfections. But you can't
argue with the T's one-of-a-kind curb appeal, and a weekend spent
buffing and waxing this rod would easily kick it back up a notch.
The overall look suggests that just because it was originally
designed to be inexpensive doesn't mean you have to build it on the
cheap, as every square inch was built with aesthetic and function
in mind. All of the visible bodywork has been painted, upholstered,
or polished, including the gas tank housing back, which was
aerodynamically sculpted to flow with the overall design. An
upright windshield was installed up front, and we love that it's
not one of these overtly tall units that feels like it could fall
over at higher speeds, and other old-school ingredients like King
Bee-style headlights, bright chrome side mirrors, and blue-dot
taillights were incorporated into the build as well. The frame,
grille, and even the exhaust system was all coated with thick black
paint - the perfect complement to the Bronze finish. This T just
looks mean!
In their typical 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 a set of custom vinyl bucket seats adorned with
alligator-skin inserts, and a full array of AutoMeter black-faced
gauges keeping an eye on the small block up front. Beautifully
stitched and presented to a level much higher that you'd expect in
a T, the low-back buckets anchor a surprisingly high-end interior
that also features black vinyl that lines the interior panels and a
slick patterned carpet that lines the floors. Despite the open-air
set-up, the cab actually feels well-insulated, and a set of
heavy-duty floor mats help preserve that awesome carpet. 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 3-spoke steering wheel is a fat-rimmed unit
mounted in traditional, nearly horizontal, T-bucket fashion, and
it's joined by an 8-ball topped automatic shifter jutting out from
the floor and a 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 305 cubic inch SBC V8 that was rebuilt 10,687 miles
ago and is running strong. It's got plenty of pop and pulls this
lightweight T-Bucket with ease, and with those long-tube headers
leading into the barely baffled side pipes, the soundtrack is
amazing. The block is fed and breathes easy through a big Edelbrock
4-barrel carburetor atop a matching Edelbrock Performer high-rise
intake, and it sparks to life thanks to a full HEI ignition system.
Dress up gear includes a sinister-looking black finned air cleaner
and matching valve covers up top, a blacked-out engine block and
components, and contrasting bright red spark plug wires that add a
little flash. This one is happy to run all day on pump gas and
stays cool thanks to a Griffin aluminum radiator and electric fans.
The chassis is nicely finished, with most of the details out in the
open for easy examination, blacked-out with fresh paint 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 a 10-bolt posi-traction 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 that can
easily handle all that power and manages crisp shift points. The
only rolling stock you can put on a T-bucket are skinnies up front
(165/R16) and massive meats out back-in this case, they're gigantic
31x12.5-15 Hoosiers on shiny Cragar S/S chrome wheels.
There's nothing more radical than the T-bucket, and this one shows
a lot of care and thought in the build, and is a fast, fun little
car as a result. Call today!