When guys like Norm Gabrowski and Andy Brizio kicked off the "Fad T" craze back in the '60s and '70s, the little fiberglass buckets with giant rear meats and oversized motors seemed to be the ultimate statement of street rod overkill. They were cheap to buy, easy to build, looked cool, and hauled butt (in straight lines, anyway). As the decades rolled past and fiberglass companies started to introduce other body styles, the T-bucket began to lose popularity, and for a while only a dedicated few kept the Model T candle burning bright. That tide has begun to turn, however, and I am now seeing more and more interesting interpretations of Henry Ford's original classic.
Perhaps my soggy noggin has been influenced by the fact that I'm building my own iteration of the venerable lakes modified, or maybe the current nostalgia craze is influencing builders to try to get back to their original hot rod roots. Whatever the case, it's pretty hard to beat a simple little T in terms of bang-for-your-buck fun. Steel bodies are still around and can be far less expensive than a gennie Deuce or Model A body, and just about every major fiberglass body manufacturer around offers its own take on a budget T body, ranging from original T-buckets to swoopy, turtledeck-equipped showpieces.
Since this column is dedicated to providing you readers with a different take on how to do things, I snagged a few images from different shows I've attended over the past few months to illustrate some innovative takes on the original Ford roadster. One is fiberglass with a high-tech twist, one is strictly old school and built on a serious budget, and one is a handmade creation that tested the builder's ingenuity to the max. Which is the coolest? That all depends on your personal taste, but I wouldn't mind having any of them!