A T-Bucket is a hot rod based on a 1915 to 1927 Ford Model T Roadster body.
Open Checkbook Built:
* Blown *
1915 Ford T-Bucket!
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The T-Buckets' heyday was in the 1950s and 1960s, when original Ford Model T bodies were still to be found easily and didn't cost much.
To this day, a T-Bucket is a crowd pleaser and traffic stopper -- if done right. Building a good 'un is no cheap venture. Costs escalate when genuine brass components and/or a supercharger are used.
The T-Bucket prominently featured here ticks all of the boxes. We would identify the brass components to 1915, and the body shell itself to 1923. It is currently registered in the State of California and comes with a clean California title identifying it as a "1929 Ford."
The heart of a T-Bucket is its engine, and this one is a feast for the eyes and a treat for the ears and the soul alike.
The low compression Chevrolet Small Block inhales fuel through two Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetors, forced by a Dyer's 6-71 supercharger, coupled to a beefed up GM TH400 automatic transmission.
Every component on this engine is high end polished aluminum or chromed steel. The engine starts on the button and runs perfectly, without issues of any kind to note.
It's also tight like a drum, with zero fluid leaks.
Engine details:
The brass radiator costs $1,520, the winged Motometer on top of it $680. The Dyer's blower sells for $5,150.. All in, this is probably a $16K engine powerplant.
The T-Bucket's body is mounted to a custom-made tube frame chassis. The front axle is a solid, chromed steel unit with disk brakes; the rear is a shortened Chevrolet 12-bolt with chromed QA1 coil-over shock units, made in Lakeville, Minnesota, the good 'ole US of A.
Wheels and tires:
Front whees are Rocket Racing Wheels; rears are 12-inch wide Weld-style deep dish. Date codes for the Mickey Thompson Sportsman tires are 4018 for the fronts and 1620 for the 15-inch wide rears. All 4 tires are like brand new.
The paint is flawless throughout. I can't recall having found a single chip or mark anywhere. This car can grace the front page of a calendar, so perfect is it.
Exterior details:
Unlike many T-Buckets that have a straight-up steering column, this one features a conventional, angled steering column, increasing driver comfort a great deal.
T For 2's passenger space is even more generous.
Interior details:
Tachometer and steering wheel are from Moon.
Main gauges are vintage Steward Warner originals. Engine monitoring vaccum and fuel pressure gauge are silly expensive brass units, the latter one with engine-turned facia.
Bench seat features tuck'n'roll diamond pattern.
Undercarriage details:
Filling up for the test drive . . .
You may wonder what it's like to drive a blown T-Bucket.
Pump the gas pedal once or twice and turn the key. The engine will start instantly and run smoothly right from the get-go. You can cruise calmly around town as long as you keep your right foot under control.
But if you step on the loud pedal, the car will wake up and become a beast. If you overdo it, the front will lift and you'll be holding on for dear life!
Frankly, this is not a daily driver, nor is it a race car. It's a traffic-stopping show car that you can enjoy driving on weekends. It will turn heads wherever it shows, and it will get you more thumbs-ups than you'd ever thought possible.
They don't make cars like this anymore. The cost involved for quality components and expert labor has become prohibitive. We don't think you could duplicate this T-Bucket for less than $60K today.
Opportunity knocks; are you ready to answer?
Here's a 7-minute video of the car
Addendum:
We sold this blown T-Bucket in September of 2022 to Sheldon, a customer from San Ansalmo, California. He's one of the most eclectic and nicest people I've ever met, owns The Collector's Museum, a very unusual car museum in Northern California that features more than 80 vehicles, some of them over a century old.
Sheldon picked up the T-Bucket with his vintage car hauler and noticed the similar paint jobs on both vehicles. The next day we found out that the artist who painted the flames onto the T-Bucket was the same artist who painted the flames onto his car hauler.
A perfect match!
Thank you for looking . . .
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