Vehicle Description
A lot of folks thought the day of the T-bucket was over, but recent
strong sales (we've sold several in the past few months) suggest
that everything old is new again. This particular 1923 Ford
T-bucket nails the look and the feel, combining the classic
truncated Model T pickup body with a smooth-running Chevy V8
powerplant up front.
If you're doing a T-bucket, you need to go full retro with it. That
means wild paint, plenty of pinstripes, and a top that looks like
it was penned by the Ratfink himself. All the T-buckets are
fiberglass these days, and this is no exception, and it absolutely
nails that modified Model T look. Finish quality is quite nice, and
you really can't tell it's fantastic plastic until you knock your
knuckles on it, and it captures all the detailing that the Model T
offered, from the framed "tailgate" to the outline of a door on
each side of the cab (there are no doors, of course). The bright
yellow paint is perhaps the most striking element of the entire
car, but the accents in basic black, including pinstripes and Ford
script on the tail give it that vintage hot rod look T-buckets are
famous for. 1950 Pontiac taillights, a brass Model T radiator
shell, and King Bee headlights are all traditional pieces of the
formula, but each car still seems to look different from the
others, including this one. It's a driver, but you can tell it's
been loved.
The interior is simple, but you'll probably appreciate the gray
cloth upholstery when you're out for a cruise, because A/C is not
available in a T-bucket. Strictly a 2-seater, the bench is neatly
finished with diamond-tufted upholstery and yellow piping to tie it
all together. The upright steering column that is part of the
T-bucket formula is topped by a wood-rimmed wheel, and bright
white-faced Auto Meter gauges are spread across the dash. That tall
black canvas convertible top is removable, creating the open-air
T-bucket look, and the shrunken "bed" out back houses the gas tank.
There's no radio, no heater, and, well, nothing but engine and the
barest of minimums to operate it, and that's entirely the
point.
The engine is a chromed 350 cubic inch Chevy small block that's as
much as styling element as powerplant. Dominated by an Edelbrock
4-barrel carb and those outrageous headers and side pipes, the look
is instantly identifiable and the sucker runs extremely well. Fully
sorted, it starts easily, idles well, and is happy to trundle
through traffic without overheating thanks to a beefy radiator
stuffed into that cut-down radiator shell. It's backed by a
PowerGlide 2-speed automatic and a 10-bolt rear, which hangs from a
4-link setup. Up front, the traditional dropped axle on hairpins is
one of the coolest features, since you can watch it working from
the driver's seat. There are also front disc brakes grafted onto
the tubular front axle, so it has impressive stopping power. And
while many T-buckets push the limits of tire, this one wears
reasonably-sized 215/70/14 front and 225/70/15 whitewall radials on
custom chrome wire wheels.
Is the T-bucket back? Given how easily they sell, there's clearly a
large group of guys out there who still think they're cool. If
you're one of them, give us a call today!