No, Project “Low T” has nothing to do with increasing a middle age male’s hormone levels. What Matt Werksman and the crew at Fox Valley Hot Rods are creating is a mind-blowing Low T Bucket with distinctively unique traditional hot rod touches that will put it in a category all its own.
Get ready to enjoy our regular updates over the next few months as Fox Valley Hot Rods works to complete Project Low T for its introduction at the 2016 Detroit AutoRama.
Low T Bucket With Traditional Style
Matt Werksman of Fox Valley Hot Rods has been a lifelong fan of T-Buckets. It’s hard not to be when your father is legendary rod builder, early-Ford engine guru, and co-founder of the National Street Rod Association Cotton Werksman.
But Matt’s hot rod building skills go beyond good genetics. He’s been honing them since his early teens and has been building flatheads and Arduns for over 30 years now. His shop in Barrington, Illinois builds and works on projects ranging from a belly tanker with rare Simca hemi-headed V8-60 power to a restored ’29 Lincoln and a full-tilt Caddy engine for a high end show car.
For some time now, Matt has wanted to build a low T Bucket or Lakes T of his own design and started out by constructing a frame with a really high rear kick and a number of other very unique features.
Like his Dad, Matt prefers the “California Modified” style of T with the fuel tank behind the bucket rather than a pickup bed or turtle deck.
Where it gets really interesting is that Matt plans to unveil the completed T roadster at the 64th Annual Detroit AutoRama, February 26-28, 2016 and contend in the “Best Rod” category.
Of course, a low slung T motivated by a 6-71 huffed Ardun engine is going to attract some attention. The fact that Matt is also a vintage carburetion expert plays into his choice of an awesome octet of Stromberg 97’s feeding it.
Keep in mind that these are photos of the mock-up, but the plan is to go with a traditional I-beam front axle, split radius rods and, of course, vintage knee-action shocks.
The traditional suspension theme continues to the rear with an early Ford axle, split wishbones and more lever action shock absorbers. All enhanced by a custom twin Jerrycan fuel tank.
And you really have to love the magical wishbone attachment through the body. A look that Dad, Cotton, blew minds with back in the 60s.
However, after a quick look at the mock-up Matt Werksman decided that the radius rods just didn’t have the look he wanted. They’re now being replaced by a newly designed radius rod like nothing ever seen before on a hot rod. Stay tuned to see that come to life.
This is T-Bucket creativity and hot rod nostalgia at its best. So, be sure to check back soon because we’ll have another update on this awesome Low T Bucket build that will reveal some of the cool interior detail and further progress. To be sure you don’t miss the next installment Subscribe to TBucketPlans.com RSS Feed
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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