T-Bucket

A vintage hot rod car with a blue body, yellow flame decals, a black canopy, and wide rear tires parked on a street with trees and bushes in the background.

T-bucket introduction

Style.  More than any other word, that describes what a T-bucket is all about,  This class of car represents what a “hot rod” is all about.  Using some components from the Ford Model T along with a more modern and powerful powertrain, these cars are unique, and designed to be anything but subtile.  Drive this one anywhere and a conversation will be started.  It simply cannot be ignored,

T-bucket specifics

Many of the parts on this car come from a “brass era” Model T.  The lights (front and rear), steering wheel and radiator shell come from a 1918 Model T which is what the title shows.  The rest is more modern.  A modified 327 Chevy Small Block V8 with many upgrades provides the power to the THM 400 automatic transmission.  The differential is a custom Ford 9 inch.  Custom suspension and disk brakes are found at all 4 corners.  American racing wheels and Micky Thompson tires in a staggered configuration hold  you to the road.  The fiberglass body with custom paint and custom styled iconic top garner admiring stares from onlookers.  The chrome header/exhaust system completes the look of this T-bucket.

  • Block: 327 ci 1968 2 bolt main

  • Carburetor: Edelbrock #1805 Thunder A VS Performance Performer series

  • Transmission: Chevrolet, Turo Hydramatic 400

  • Ignition: HEFI

  • Differential:    9 inch Ford

  • Radiator:  Handcrafted Livingston Super V by BrassWorks

  • Fuel tank: Stainless steel, custom fabricated about 9 gallons in the rear

  • Under carriage is chrome plated or powder coated

A red vintage car and a black and yellow dune buggy inside a garage.

T-bucket story

This car was the dream of Mike Mitchell the original builder. A proud 101 Airborne Veteran & Green Beret spending much of his service behind enemy lines in Vietnam.

A few features Mike sought out to show a solid link between it and the early automotive game changing “Brass-Age” Model T Ford.

When questioned concerning the difficulty of finding  rare items, (such as head and running lamps), he nodded with a slight smile and said:

“Well yeah…the devil is in the details……AND the T-Bucket is all about creating interesting art with automobile parts normally of limited interest, or hidden from view”

Memorial card for Michael Patrick Mitchell featuring his name, birth and death dates, and a photo of him wearing a hat with an American flag and military insignia.
Close-up of the interior of a vintage or classic car, showing a brown leather bench seat, a wooden steering wheel, and a lever next to the seat.

Closer Look

Underneath of a vehicle showing wiring and mechanical components.
A sign on a vehicle window that says, "The Rat Fink Says 'Don't Touch'" along with a graphic of Rat Fink and a sticker for SaCal Paint Works.
A vintage open-top car with a blue canopy, brown leather interior, and wooden steering wheel inside a cluttered garage with various tools, sports equipment, and framed photographs and artwork on the walls.
Close-up view of a motorcycle front wheel, showcasing the black tire, silver rim, and front suspension fork, with a blurred background of a garage or building interior.
Close-up of a motorcycle front wheel showing the tire, chrome rim, and front fork suspension.
Interior of a vintage car showing a wooden steering wheel, glass windshield, and dashboard with gauges. There is a brass horn on the driver's side and part of a tire visible through the windshield.
Close-up view of the interior of a vintage car dashboard with wood paneling, featuring multiple gauges, a wooden steering wheel, and a decorative bird figure attached to the steering column.
Close-up of a high-performance car engine with polished metal components, blue hoses, and a large air intake.
Close-up view of a blue distributor cap with spark plug wires connected, inside a vehicle engine compartment with various metal and rubber components and hoses.
Close-up of a vintage motorcycle wheel and suspension, showing the tire, spokes, and metal components including the fork and brake assembly.
Close-up of a vintage motorcycle wheel showing the hub, tire, and suspension components, with chrome and black metal parts.
Dashboard of a vintage car with wooden panel and four analog gauges showing speed, oil pressure, water temperature, and fuel level.
Close-up of a car engine with a belt and metallic components.
A close-up of a vintage wooden dashboard with two round gauges. The larger gauge shows a speedometer reading approximately 40 MPH, and the smaller gauge displays a voltmeter with a needle near 12 volts.
Interior of a vintage car with brown carpeting, a black pedal, a small footrest, and a red fire extinguisher.
Close-up of a car engine showing metal components, hoses, and a blue distributor cap.
Close-up of a vintage car engine with various metal parts, wires, hoses, and a shiny chrome surface.
A garage filled with vintage cars, including a cream-colored car with headlights and chrome details in the foreground, a blue three-wheeled vehicle with flames in the middle, and a burgundy classic car with white wall tires parked behind them. The garage walls are decorated with posters, pictures, tools, and a large model car hanging from the ceiling.
Close-up of a vintage chrome espresso machine with a triangular logo reading "Stove Pipe" and numbered markings. The machine has a reflective surface with some scratches and tarnish, and it is situated in a workshop or kitchen setting.
Close-up of a vintage motorcycle with a black and yellow flame paint job, chrome details, and a yellowish light on the front handlebar.
Underneath view of the chassis and engine components of a car, showing mechanical and electronic parts, with a concrete garage floor and a red vehicle in the background.
Close-up of a mechanical and suspension system under a vehicle, showing metal rods, bolts, and a black gearbox component labeled 'Fiat'.
Inside the driver's side footwell of a car, showing gas and brake pedals, smaller pedal, a black rubber mat on the brown carpeted floor, and a red fire extinguisher with colorful label on the right side.
Close-up view of a vintage car engine with chrome and metal components, including a blue ignition coil, spark plug wires, and metallic valve covers.
Close-up of a car's carburetor with various linkages and springs, mounted on a metallic engine part, with a red background.
T-Bucket in Drive
Close-up of a vintage car radiator with the Ford logo, headlights on either side, and vehicle framework visible in an indoor space.

T-Bucket sold since May 2024

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Digital collage of vintage Ford T-Bucket hot rod car listings with sale prices and auction dates from May 2024, including images of various T-Bucket models, some with custom paint jobs, and one with flame decals, all from online auction pages.
List of car show awards from 2008 to 2015, with two photos of trophy cars and colorful trophies. The first photo shows a race car with flames, parked outdoors. The second photo displays a vintage Ford with trophies on a shelf. Yellow text boxes mention a person named Mike, who entered the first car in 2018 and accumulated trophies over 17 years, with 22 competitions.