1/8 Scale T-Bucket

[Oldmopars]

So I am working on the Lindbergh 1/8 scale Big Red Rod. I have gotten onto this kit recently as they can be had cheap and provide lots of options to build some cool Hot Rods in a large scale.

I know that Amazon is not always a great place to get kits, however there is a guy that has had these for $57 Prime free shipping. So after tax it is still only $65 per kit shipped. With he size of the kit, most retailers want close to that just for the shipping. As of right now I have 3 of these kits.

This first one is going to be a mostly box stock build. However I will not be using any of the soft vinyl interior or top parts. I have made new floor panels out of diamond plate sheet and filled in where the seat goes. I will be making new seats. I have also added some details, ribs to the inside of the bucket to make it look like it is a fiberglass kit bucket.

I added some detail to the generator and the starter, in the kit they are the same part and have no details. 
 

The next one I may start soon also. It will have a Z’d frame, channeled bucket, 32 Ford grill shell and a small block Chevy from the 78 Corvette kit. 
I have some tires on order for at least 2 of the kits. I will do my best not to use the bad kit tires. The second kit will also get a pick-up bed and maybe the body from the Monogram Big T. 
I am keeping my eyes on EBay to get some other parts, Jaguar Bucket seats and rear axle, other wheels, maybe Hot Canary grill and wheels. I would like to also find a 85 Corvette or IROC TPI engine. The turbo Trans Am engine looks fun too. 
Anyway, with 3 kits and a collection of parts I should be able to make 3 very different T-Buckets.

 

[Sam I Am]

Glad to see you getting started on it. 

[Oldmopars]

I got more done on T #1 and started T#2. 
The kit seats that co e with the kit are junk. I wanted some bomber seats. I got some flashing and made some aluminum seats. I padded them with some thin foam. Painted the floor boards to look like aluminum. 
On #2 I started the channeling and front suspension drop. I dropped the front suspension 3. scale inches. I channeled the body the height of the frame so the frame is not seen under the body. 
This is the SBC I plan to install in #2. It is from a 78/82 Corvette. I’m thinking a new intake, maybe Hilborn injection or a big Holley. 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Oldmopars

[Sam I Am]

You're on a roll!  Keep it up,it all looks great.

[Oldmopars]

I got a little more done on these 2 kits. Mostly working on #2 as the weather is no good for painting and that is where I am at with #1. 

I wanted this to be low, really low. I redid the front spring hanger so that it hold the spring from the bottom, not the top. This gained at least 2 more inches of drop. 

I have been working on a Quick Change rear end. I have the center section finished, just some minor sanding to complete. 

I channeled the body a little bit more, but only a little. 

I scratched my head a lot on what to do in the rear. I thought about going underslung, but I just didn't have the parts to do it right. So, I Z'd the frame. I did a scale 12in Z. 

Even with 12in Z the car still have a little rack to the front, perfect. 

For the front axle, I will be dropping the trailing pivots down and putting them in the frame. Right now the Caster angle is wrong, that will fix it to have proper caster angle. 

I also scrapped the stock firewall in favor of a smooth one. 

It's coming along

[cobraman]

Looking good !

[Ace-Garageguy]

10 minutes ago, cobraman said:

Looking good !

Mo debinately.

The first one has much better proportions than I remember, kinda Roth-esque (but I haven't looked in the boxes for years), and the second one looks mean. Nice work.

The QC conversion looks good too...though in a small bump, the housing would be hitting the spring...which is why an A or T spring is often used with a quick-change.

Just one other small engineering suggestion...if this were a real car, you'd want to bring that front suicide spring perch all the way up and over the spring pack. That way the U-bolts wouldn't be entirely responsible for supporting the weight of the vehicle...which can be multiplied several times in "bump". Rather, they'd just be there to keep the spring located to the underside of the perch (of course, you might already be planning this, and what we see might only be for mockup purposes...).  

[Oldmopars]

21 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Mo debinately.

The first one has much better proportions than I remember, kinda Roth-esque (but I haven't looked in the boxes for years), and the second one looks mean. Nice work.

The QC conversion looks good too...though in a small bump, the housing would be hitting the spring...which is why an A or T spring is often used with a quick-change.

Just one other small engineering suggestion...if this were a real car, you'd want to bring that front suicide spring perch all the way up and over the spring pack. That way the U-bolts wouldn't be entirely responsible for supporting the weight of the vehicle...which can be multiplied several times in "bump". Rather, they'd just be there to keep the spring located to the underside of the perch (of course, you might already be planning this, and what we see might only be for mockup purposes...).  

You are 100% correct on the front spring perch. I know that from an engineering perspective it is not the best way to go.  However with this being a super light car, I have seen it done this way. Again, I know if it was a race car, it would be totally wrong, but for a Rat Rod styled Bucket, it will due. I see some crazy stuff on Rat Rods and custom cars that really should never be done, but for a show car if it looks cool, it gets done. Many underslung Rods have the axle above the springs and the U bolts hold them down, same setup.

In the rear I may flip the spring brackets to give a it more travel, but I plan on some questionable engineering back there too. 
I plan to swap the radius arms to go from the frame to the center of the diff. This will give a bit of a triangle setup. But because this would not allow the rear to track correctly I plan to add a panhard rod to keep the rear centered.  
 

However, I have never seen a T-Bucket that looked like it was safe enough to use even half of the power most have between the frame rails. Most of them look like they would fold up or twist into a pretzel if they ever really stomped on the throttle. 
Add to that the really bad handling you would get from having bicycle tires up front and big wide Mickey Thompson’s out back. 
T-Buckets are for shows and parades, not really for serious driving. 

[Oldmopars]

I have been working on both kits, but I have #1 nearing the finish line. I have it mostly painted and about 1/2 assembled. As I said the interior is junk in the kit, so along with the seats, I added the Diamond plate floor and fire wall. I also added the license plate door panels. I found an image on-line and then scaled it to be the correct size in 1/8th scale. I wanted to add a bit of color and drama t the interior and it gives a little Rat Rod flair. 

The body color is my wives choice. It's OK, but I don't think I would pick it again. In the pictures below it is mostly mocked up, I still have a bit to go. I will be raising the seats, as they are just too low right now. I may cut down the shifter and put a ball on the end, not the kit skull. Steering wheel still needs paint.

I like to think this car is owned by a kid in the 50-60's that had a decent job and could afford to spend a little on paint and custom parts, but it was still a daily driver, not a show car. 

[Deuces ll]

??

[alan barton]

I have promised myself I am not starting my 1/8th scale kits, about eight or so, until I lose a lot more of my eyesight and 1/25th scale will be out of the question.  When I see work like this it makes me question that plan.  You have really improved the Lindberg T to well beyond examples I have seen before.  Looking forward to seeing the low one done.

Cheers

Alan

[Oldmopars]

I keep plugging away at the 2nd T Bucket build, but so far it is mostly just playing with various parts I have acquired to see what combination I like the best. 

I will post pictures soon or create a new thread for that car. 

[FLHCAHZ]

LOOKIN' GOOD!

[avidinha]

Nice job! I built one a few years back with a lot of similar modifications. I'm looming forward to seeing yours done.