After seeing their ad in Street Rodder magazine, back in October we did a post about Baron and Tucker Hot Rods and their T-Bucket kits. That post has gotten quite a bit of interest from visitors here. At the time, I was unfamiliar with this new name in the world of T-Bucket kit building and decided that when the opportunity presented itself I would try to learn more. So, I recently had a brief meeting with Baron and Tucker proprietor, Keith Erbe, who started out some 20 years ago as a fiberglass mould maker by trade and who, not surprisingly, worked at Total Performance for a short time many years ago. According to Keith, he’s been building hot rods and T-Buckets for about 15 years, formerly under the Top Notch Hot Rods name. The Baron and Tucker name was derived from the fact that Keith’s red hair has brought about the nickname Baron, as in Red Baron, and he’s always been a particularly big fan of the Tucker automobile.
Baron and Tucker offers an Introductory T-Bucket kit, which is made up of a 100″ wheelbase 2″x3″ 0.125″ wall jig-welded steel chassis, with all suspension, brake and steering brackets already attached as well as a fiberglass ’23 T body with firewall, dash and 14″ pickup bed molded in. From that $995 offering, they offer a Stage III version which also includes front and rear axles, springs, shocks, radius rods, drag link, motor and transmission mounts, rear watts linkage and front panhard bar. The Stage IV kit is a “deluxe roller” and additionally includes steering column, third member, master cylinder, front spindles, steering arms, brakes, seat riser, windshield and more, all assembled as a full roller.
The photos you see in this post are of the new Baron and Tucker “Big Boy” kit that features a proprietary body so that a driver over six feet tall sits “in” and not “on” the car (for more on this phenomenon, see our T-Bucket Trip Ups: Vol. 3). This new kit features a 120″ wheelbase and the body is stretched 3″ longer at the cowl, 7″ has been added to the length of the body at the door area, and the body height has had 6″ added.
Keith noted the longer wheelbase makes the Big Boy easier to drive, along with the front panhard bar which Keith is a strong believer in for a stable ride. The two-piece door is fiberglass and steel reinforced and this model also features a unique split windshield.
As a special accommodation for TBucketPlans.com visitors, you can download the Baron and Tucker literature for free. Therefore, you’ll save the $5 you might have spent sending for the literature from the ad. (Hmmm, if you save $5 on that, then it’s almost like you can get Chester’s “How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000” for only $9.99. You win both ways!)
Simply enter your name and email address to download the Baron and Tucker Hot Rods T-Bucket Kits Brochure for FREE.
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TBucketPlans.com originated in 2005 as a personal blog extolling the virtues of T-Buckets. In 2009 I blogged about Chester Greenhalgh, the "how to" genius who wrote the legendary, out-of-print “How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000”. That led to a friendship with Chester and our partnership in marketing the updated eBook version of his T-Bucket building bible. The T-Bucket fire burns stronger and stronger.
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- Y-Block Ford T-Bucket: Ted Kramer’s Snoopy Inspires Me - February 11, 2023
I am so glad to see a little competition in this industry
Unfortunately, Kevin, this post was originally done back in 2011 and Baron and Tucker closed its doors not too long after. But if you look around at some of our other posts you’ll see new T-Bucket builders pop up all the time. Thanks for your comment.
Keith, I still have one of your original Top Knotch T’s. The car is 20 year’s old now and still runs like a new project. I always tell people where I got the car and it’s good to know that you are still around. You build a great product.
Tim Green
North Bellmore, N.Y.
Looks like a sweet kit. I’m looking for some street rod parts to finish my project and heard Speedway Motors is a good resource. Hopefully, I can get my car looking as good as yours!