According to Zack Rogers, he was “searching the internet for T-Bucket frame plans, and stumbled across the Youngster Free T-Bucket Frame Plans. After reading through them and seeing how complete the frame plans were, I immediately printed a set out. As I showed the plans to my Dad I could almost see his face light up a bit.”
This all started because Zack had a plan of his own: to build a T-Bucket with his father. As Zack relates it, “my dad, Rodney (Pops) Rogers, has always wanted a T-Bucket. I couldn’t tell you the times we would see a bucket at a car show and I would hear him talk about how much fun it would be to build one. Like most men his age (50) he grew up souping up Fairlanes, Bel Airs, and other hot rods and muscle cars. But as it often does, life got in the way of working on and building cars.”
“My Dad is a second generation concrete finisher, and owns his own business, so I grew up learning to work hard and to work with my hands. I am thankful that I received my love of automobiles from my Dad, and I am currently an ASE certified refinishing tech. I have been building and working on mini-trucks for the last 6 years or so, doing frame work, suspension, and paint work. Some people may not agree, but I see those trucks as the hot rods of this generation.”
But back to the Zack and Pops T-Bucket project. Zack said, “I finally talked him into building one, and when we got to looking into parts, I saw how simple the frame looked to build. That’s when I started searching the Internet and found the Youngster Free T-Bucket Frame Plans. Being a pretty good welder and fabricator, I took on the frame construction.”
“So we went and picked up the materal for the frame for less than $70 and I got busy building the frame, and he got busy finding some parts.”
Here are the basic specs for the Zack and Pops T-Bucket chassis build: 101″ wheelbase, using 11 gauge 2″x3″ side rails with a taper to 2″ in the front, 2″ OD tube for the front crossmember, and they will be going with coil overs out back with a 8.8 Ford rearend.
“I already had a 8.8 Ford rearend, and Pops picked up a 350 engine to build for $100.”
“Right now we are waiting for some suspension parts to finish all the weling on the frame, and then its on to the body.”
With his experience as an ASE certified refinishing tech, Zack related that “I have some pretty cool things I want to do with the paint and body, so it will be a little different that any T-Bucket I have seen.”
Of course, the frame is just the beginning of any T-Bucket build. When you get that done, you’re ready for Chester Greenhalgh’s classic “How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000”. That’s the sure-fire tool that will save you lots of time, save you big bucks and save you endless frustration in completing a successful T-Bucket build.
You can learn more about Zack and his activities at his Zack Rogers Designs Facebook Page. We look forward to bringing you updates on this father and son collaboration and wish Zack and Rodney Rogers much success and many pleasant hours together in their T-Bucket build.
By the way, if you’ve built or are building a T-Bucket using the Youngster frame plans or Chester’s eBook, drop an email to info@tbucketplans.com with some pictures and details on how you got where you are and we’ll be happy to consider publishing a story about it.
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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Great info my son and I are going to do a t bucket build here in South Africa and this i a huge help thanks guys