Tbones `Model` T Bucket

[tbone]

No no no its not the one in the picture  , thats for reference only, so i know what one looks like.
Let me tell you straight away that this will not be quick, think Mr M`s pop & trike build times all rolled into one, money & time are limited, so i`ll be doing what i can when i can.
Right then, i`ve never built a car before, can`t be that hard though, can it?
Bodywork isn`t my strong point (all together....... you haven`t got a strong point), but i`ll worry about that later, chassis fabrication isn`t my strong point, but i`ll worry about that later, spraying isn`t.......well you get the general idea  

[terry t]

Hi tbone.that's going to be some project.good luck with it plenty of questions and photos. will you finish the trike and any outher bits before you start

[tbone]

Hi Terry, i do keep sorta pushing the trike to one side don`t i, i`m lothe to finish it cos i`ve got no room and shall probably have to sell it,  but yep, i`ll still be tinkering with that too. The trailer is almost done, just the floor, wiring and a coat of paint needed, the whetstone is now assembled and i have started painting the frame, so thats nearly there, i have picked up another stationary engine but not looked at that yet.....where does the time go  .
I had intended chopping my Honda, but as there are already a couple of hardtail projects being posted i`ll leave that for now and see what happens with this instead.

[voodoo]

Ive built and helped build a few T Buckets over the years ranging from a 1600 crossflow to a Daimler V8...if you need a hand at anytime give me a shout....Voodoo....

[Manky Monkey]

Woo hoo! Another lamb to the slaughter another hotrodder is born!
Welcome to our world of spiralling debt & the headlong gallop into inevitable madness fun & frollicks.
I'd suggest you have a word with MadRon, the fibreglassing Monkey. He was a well known face in the 70s/80s Midlands custom scene & built many a rod. Last time Taz & I visited, he had a T bucket body sat in his back garden & the moulds to make more.
Do you have any ideas on the sort of style/components you want to use?

[tbone]

Cheers Voodoo, I`ll bear that in mind  .
Andy, funnily enough Madron had crossed my mind too, maybe not for this first one but as you have confirmed what i suspected, the future could be looking easier  .
As for style/components, I`m hoping to try and stay as close as i can to the traditional builds and will be reviewing Brocks `Black Pig Two` posts so i can steal the steering set up, gonna stay within my means, mechanical and financial, and so i`m not looking at a huge V8 with lots of chrome things attached, but i`ll do my best 

[tbone]

Here we go then, the backbone of any vehicle is the chassis, so this seems as good a place to start as any.
T Bucket chassis aren`t particuly complicated, just 4 rails joined together, sort of.....they do include a kick up at the rear though.
First things first,make sure one end of the rail is square, then measure the rail to the correct length and mark across it, next, mark the angle for the kick up, some guys do this at 22.5 deg, others at 60, Im going with 60.

[tbone]

Need to cut the rail now, so its into the vice to hold it and a spirit level makes sure its sitting true. This is important if you stand any chance of cutting that angle properly.

[tbone]

I used a cutting disc mounted on the angle grinder, but a hacksaw would have done just as well. You only need to make sure you cut the angle squarely as possible.

[tbone]

Now i can use the offcut from the end of the long rail and using my same 60deg, i cut the kick up rail.

[tbone]

this sits on the end of the long rail......like this, and forms the kick up at the rear.

[tbone]

And the final piece to the rail sits on the end of the kick up rail. this back part is where the rear bed is mounted and as i havent made a firm decision on the length of the bed yet, i havent cut the end to length either.

[tbone]

Clean up all the swarf from the cuts and the rails should sit nice and neat together.

[tbone]

Now they can be clamped in position on a nice FLAT surface, its important the rail is straight and runs true, so make sure its all flat before you weld.
Its also important to have some gas when you come to weld, so i`m now off to get some 

[tbone]

Hopefully when i weld it up, it should be something like this.....oh wait that is mine, thats ok then
Having done 1 i need to do a second one, identical to the first, so i`ll let you know when that happens.