Got my kids T bucket fired up the other night.

[donsrods]

Still hustling trying to make Daytona for Thanksgiving.  Made a major leap by firing the engine up finally.  It's a 30 over 302 that he was building for a drag car, so it's pretty radical for the street..........just what he wanted.    

It fired right up and sounds super strong.....70 lbs of oil pressure.  We later on jacked up the rear end and shifted through the gears, and the rear wheels turn, so I guess some brakes and steering and he can drive it.  The body is supposed to come back from the paint shop maybe tomorrow.

Thought maybe some of you might like to see the video of it fired up.

Don

[CQQL33]

I built and drove around in a T-Bucket for about 12 years.   I just could not part with it until some one offered me a price I could not refuse.    I suggest you put some wider wheels and tires on the back of that little beast or you will never be able to step down on the gas pedal....   Those little beasts realy move QUICKLY...........     It looks great as is, all you need is a seat (?).............

[river1]

sounds good!!

man that's going to be a NICE  little car );b(  );b(

how did jr burn his noggin???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwA5rI5kUGk

:)S(  :)S(  :)S(

later jim

[Dave]

I Like..
Dave

[donsrods]

Thanks guys.  Don burned his forehead when he bent down to look for any leaks.  There is still some skin stuck to the header!     It's healing well, just a little token he had to pay to the car building Gods.  Every car extracts a little blood and skin,  it was just his turn to make his sacrifice.  

Yeah, traction is going to be non-existant, but he likes the traditional T look, like Grabowskis.  He has a pretty loose convertor, and will have to soft pedal it for sure.  Can't wait til I see him take his first spin.

Don

[GPster]

Can't wait til I see him take his first spin.Don

This statement can be taken both ways. Linda just got the sound hooked up to our new computor and that motor certainly sounds better than "Redneck Girls". Just one general question. On a new (just built) motor what about cam/lifter "break-in"? Some people make videos about the first noise of throttle blips and some people go to the length of building "break-in" stands with specifics of running an engine above 2,000 RPM continuous for it's first 15 minutes? Just gathering opinions. GPster

[donsrods]

It's a roller cam, roller rocker engine so no normal break in as you would have with a flat tappet cam.  That is the main reason people bring the rpms up to 2000 or so and leave it run for half an hour, to let the cam and lifters wear in to one another.  With a roller cam you don't need to do that.

We did prelube it with an electric drill though, so that it started with pumped lifters and oil throughout.  My 350 in my T is also a roller cam engine so I did the same routine and then just started it.

Don

[bucketmouth]

Sounded alright and looks good too.   I've had my bucket for awhile and still like driving it more than my roadster and sedan. Something about sitting on top of those wheels and open engine bay.
I can relate to the burn marks from the headers. Hot chrome pipes burn like hell. I've got scars up and down both of my arms. A couple of my passengers have momentos of their ride on the backs of their legs. Not nice at all.

[donsrods]

Yep, they get hot for sure.  I've always worried that when I park it somewhere some little kid might walk up and touch them because they are shiny.  Never happened that I know of, but it sure would burn them, especially if you just shut it off.

BTW, if anyone is ever thinking of buying Patriot headers from Speedway, DON"T DO IT.  They are crap.  I have Sanderson limefires on both of my T's,and Dan has Sanderson J-sters on his '29 and they are perfect in all respects.  They fit perfectly, no mod's needed.  But for some unknown reason Don went to Speedway and bought these for his T bucket, and we had fits getting them installed.  Even the bolt holes where you bolt them to the head were way off.

We spent 2 hours with a die grinder wallowing out the holes to get the bolts to go in......some are 3/8 of an inch off center.  Finally got them on there, but even the prettiness of the welds is not there like Sandersons.

Don says somewhere down the road he will replace them .  I called Speedway just to give them a heads up, and they said they have been working with Patriot (Pertronix) on these issues.

Just thought I would pass this along.

Don

[Leon]

I like the tires.  Same as we had on our T, and the big advantage is if you do nail the throttle it won't turn the car like the huge rear tires will.  I'd rather light them up than do a quick left turn from too much traction on the right rear tire.
Got to see the pictures with the body on!

[donsrods]

Thanks Leon.  Supposedly they painted the body today, so either tomorrow or Wednesday we can pick it up.  If they got my black body as straight as they did, the blue should be even better.  We can't wait either.

Don

[river1]

BTW, if anyone is ever thinking of buying Patriot headers from Speedway, DON"T DO IT.  They are crap.  I have Sanderson limefires on both of my T's,and Dan has Sanderson J-sters on his '29 and they are perfect in all respects.  They fit perfectly, no mod's needed.  But for some unknown reason Don went to Speedway and bought these for his T bucket, and we had fits getting them installed.  Even the bolt holes where you bolt them to the head were way off.

We spent 2 hours with a die grinder wallowing out the holes to get the bolts to go in......some are 3/8 of an inch off center.  Finally got them on there, but even the prettiness of the welds is not there like Sandersons.

Don says somewhere down the road he will replace them .  I called Speedway just to give them a heads up, and they said they have been working with Patriot (Pertronix) on these issues.

Just thought I would pass this along.

Don

i've had some issues with sanderson headers. i emailed them and they gave me a phone number and a name to ask for. well the name was NEVER in. once i decided that he was never going to be IN i changed my tactic. i called the same number and told my issues to the lady who answered the phone rather then ask for the name. she took note of the issues and told me to send them back. she even sent a return tag to UPS so they could pick them up at NO charge to me. a day or two later a replacement set of headers arrived. the new headers have no issues. i'm HAPPY and will use sanderson again.

later jim

[donsrods]

Sounds like you found a way around the roadblock!     I guess all companies have problems, it's how they respond that matters.

I'm having second thoughts about Jackson Racing Transmissions in Hendersonville, NC.  We have bought 3 transmissions from them, two turbo 350's and one C6.  So far none have hit the street, so I have no road experience yet.  However, the shift shaft seal on my turbo 350 started to drip, and I called and sent them an email.  Luke responded via email and told me to take a screwdriver and pop it out as they dry up from sitting with no fluid in them, then I could put in a new one.

I don't know.  I've only had it since the spring, and I wonder how "Built" this tranny really is.  I'll know in about a week when I drive the car.  I also borrowed a special tool to install it, rather than try to pry that little thing out.

Don

[Leon]

It seems odd to me that a seal should dry up so quick, when I rebuild a tranny I use a trans assy lube to coat the seals so they aren't dry.  So even not putting fluid in it shouldn't mean the seal is dry unless that's the way they build it.

[donsrods]

Seems odd to me too.  Just makes me wonder about the rest of the transmissions what they didn't do there.  

Don