We thought a brief review of the new Speedway Motors T-Bucket Assembly Manual was in order because not only is it of interest to prospective T-Bucket builders but we’ve also noticed that there is some confusion regarding the publication.
Just so there isn’t any confusion, it is not the same thing as the old Total Performance 1923 T-Bucket Assembly Manual. That misconception has persisted, despite Speedway being quite clear in their description of the manual: This all-new manual shows you how to assemble one of our T-bucket or ’27 T kits. It’s full of photos and step-by-step instructions to clearly illustrate the construction process. If you’re considering a T-bucket purchase, you can purchase this manual first to see what it takes to build it yourself. The manual’s price is fully refundable with the purchase of a ’23 or ’27 T kit.
To be more specific, the Assembly Manual guides one through how to assemble the various components that are part of one of the four Speedway chassis kits: the ’23 Basic T, the ’23 Nostalgia T, the Deluxe ’23 and the Deluxe ’27. It does not cover the new Speedway Tribute T-Bucket kit, which we have covered in an earlier post and which uses a different frame, steering and suspension elements.
Here’s the Table of Contents:
– Introduction
– Before You Begin: Guidelines and Necessary Supplies
1. Front Suspension: Hairpin and Four Bar
2. Rear Suspension: Rear Axle Information, Coil Spring, Traditional Coilover and Triangulated Coilover
3. Squaring the Chassis
4. Front Spindles
5. Steering
6. Brakes: Front, Rear, Master Cylinder and Brake Lines
7. Add-Ons and Options
The overall Assembly Manual is 92 pages in a convenient looseleaf binder and, like all Speedway printed materials, is very professionally done with many color photographs illustrating how its done.
The first 57 pages of the Manual cover assembly, while the Add-Ons and Options section is a collection of 35 catalog pages of parts that one might consider using when building a T-Bucket. In essence, the Assembly Manual guides you through the chassis assembly, using the components provided by Speedway in the chassis kits, up to the stage where you should have a “roller”. (Of course, this is an ideal spot for us to put in a plug for Chester Greenhalgh’s “How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000”, which will serve as a very nice complement because it shows you how to do everything else to actually get your T-Bucket completed and running).
The Speedway T-Bucket Assembly Manual isn’t intended to be a blueprint showing how to build a T-Bucket from scratch and we mention that because, knowing human nature, people are eager to jump to their own conclusions unless they know otherwise. Overall, the new Speedway Motors T-Bucket Assembly Manual is the documentation you would expect to receive when you purchase a T-Bucket chassis kit from them and it is very well done. And, if you’re thinking about buying a Speedway T-Bucket chassis kit anyway, the cost of the manual will be refunded when you buy your chassis kit.
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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