Thread: Low-budget/T-Bucket Pickup

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I have been itching to do another T for a long time. If I ever get caught up on projects I may just have to do one. I'd like to see a side view of that windshield you posted. It looks pretty sleek to me.

here's a link to a windshield build on this site, not a t bucket but it will maybe give you some idea's. How to build a Duvall style roadster windshield. After looking at what you have and what the link is about, they really aren't even relevant to each other.

Here is the link to the windshield mounts Ryan. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.


Project $ 3 K Is Underway

I was at another car show today and thought of you and your bucket when I seen this. Here's some pics for you.

Nice, that's a clean looking car. I've been gone working to much to mess with mine lately, but I have some days off toward the end of the month, I'm itching to get back at it.

To build my transmission cross member, I used a length of 1 1/2" by 3/16" square tubing.To get the right bend in it, I cut it part way through (three sides). I then used some metal scraps laying around to cover the gaps and then welded it back together. I then used a piece of roughly 2" square metal and welded it to the cross member with a hole drilled in it. I am using this in conjunction with the stock rubber transmission mount. I then welded four pieces of 2 inch long 1 1/2" angle iron to the bottom of the frame rails. I am using two 3/8" by 2 1/2 inch bolts, mounted in double shear, to bolt in the cross member.

Nice progress!

Thanks Ryan.

I finished making the frame brackets for the motor mounts out of a piece of leftover 2" by 3" frame tubing.

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I got most of my hurricane mess cleaned up, now back to the hot rod!

I ordered a medium arch rear spring from Speedway Motors. I had intended to mount the transverse spring above the rear end, but this spring is too tall for that to work. So I'm changing the plan a bit, and am going to mount the spring in front of the rear end. I built a new crossmember out of my leftover 2x3 frame tubing and some 1 1/2" angle iron. I drilled a hole exactly in the center of it to locate the spring, and made a couple of retainer brackets for underneath the spring.

The rear end came out of my donor car, the 79 Malibu. I still need to finish cutting off the factory brackets to clean it up.


Tune in next week for further updates!


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Nice work and adapting to changes!

Yep, what Ryan said.. can't wait for the next update..

Thanks guys!

I finished cutting the factory brackets off the rear end, and sanded much of of the rust off it. I am going to coat it with some "Phosphoric Prep and Etch" from Home Depot, to prevent further rusting. I then assembled the spring shackles and pivots so I could get a measurement of where I will need to mount the spring mounting brackets on the rear end. 1 (640x480).jpg2 (640x480).jpg3 (640x480).jpg4 (640x480).jpg

I made a couple of spring mount brackets out of some 3/8" thick steel. The diameter of a paint can cap just happened to be exactly the same as my rear end tubes. I make these brackets taller than they need to be, I have plenty of "adjustment" room on them. Down the road I will be able to drill new holes in these brackets as needed to adjust the ride height of the car up or down. Later on I will probably cut them shorter, and round off the corners to make them look better.


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To install the brackets on the rear end, I first set the pinion pointing straight up level. I used a level on the brackets the same way. I measured the bracket locations carefully, in order to get the distance between them correct, and I also measured out to each brake drum, to get the brackets centered on the rear end. After triple checking everything, I welded them on. After tacking them on, I set the rear end up at about a 45 degree angle in order to get better quality welds with my DC arc welder. 6 (640x480).jpg7 (640x480).jpg8 (640x480).jpg9 (640x480).jpg