Many involved in the kit and replicar world probably know what it was like growing up as a teenager in the early '60s. So many influential cars were being built that would leave them breathless every time they went to a car show, opened a magazine, or stopped by the local hobby shop to pick up the latest in plastic to build.
For a young Carl Libucha of Easthampton, Massachusetts, those cars being built by Starbird, Barris, Roth, and the Alexander Brothers merely served to fuel his desires to become involved with his own personal project. Trying to settle on a particular style of car wasn't a difficult decision, as Carl had already developed a particular passion for T-buckets, thanks to those built by Norm Grabowski and Tommy Ivo.
An avid reader of Hot Rod magazine, Carl was struck by the T-buckets that were featured on two particular covers: March 1961 (Martin Holman's '15 jet-black T) and June 1962 (Rolland "Buzz" Pitzen's Olds-urged '23)
In 1966, while visiting AA Speed Equipment in Northampton, Massachusetts, Carl decided to order a T kit from the well-known manufacturer Kellison for the tidy sum of $110. Having done a bit of research on the kit's construction and requirements for the build, Carl waited patiently for his dream to be delivered.
With the support of his parents, he was able to utilize the basement of their home as a makeshift laboratory as he began to gather up parts. In the mid-'60s, car-parts catalogs were still evolving, so searching out as many parts as he could at local salvage yards and speed shops was the way to go. Selecting a Ford Model A chassis, and using simple handtools (a Montgomery Ward 180-amp welder, a single-horsepower compressor, etc.), Carl began work on the chassis as he narrowed, shortened, Z'd, and partially boxed it.
A decision was made to incorporate front and rear suicide suspension, requiring Carl to custom-fab the perches. A new frontend (stock '42-48 Ford axle and brakes, split wishbones, and chrome shocks), with steering handled by a '35 Plymouth box, was added, along with a '57 Chevy rear filled with 4:56 gears. A '42-48 Ford rear spring (with leaves removed), aftermarket radius rods by PSI Industries, and chrome shocks were used to smooth out the bumps.
The main focal point of any T is its engine, and Carl decided on a '59 Chevrolet 283 V-8, having it bored .060 and increasing its displacement to 292 ci. A '55 Corvette solid lifter cam was added, along with a Mallory dual-point distributor; the car is presently running an Offenhauser intake topped with six Holley 94 series carbs, but Carl has had numerous intake combinations ranging from Tri-power all the way up to an eight-deuce intake! The engine was then linked to a '56 Chevrolet three-speed triple-pedal setup using a rare vertical H-style shifter to work the gears.
Carl said registration laws were so strict back when the car was being built that he actually had to design and build a one-piece fiberglass hood for the car (including top and sides) and shield the outer exhaust headers. During the late '70s, he wound up fabricating a mounting system for the chrome sidepipes that were made to look functional while actually running under the car.
Deciding not to run the rear pickup deck that was provided, Carl opted for an exposed 15-gallon fuel tank that he fashioned from a home heating expansion tank. To be able to utilize the 1956 Chevrolet V-8 radiator he already had, Carl designed a custom grille shell that gave the front end a look all its own, as did the choice of Corvette Elkart Green paint.
With J.C. Whitney's parts catalog offering so many parts to young kit builders, it was easy for Carl to utilize them for one-stop shopping as he purchased fenders (to appease state laws) and rolls of black Naugahyde to cover the interior of the car. Carl also installed a homemade wood dash, filled with Stewart Warner gauges, with a Sun tach mounted to the steering column.
With the final assembly being completed in his parent's garage, you can only imagine Carl's delight as he opened the doors for the first time to roll out his pride and joy. The fact that he still owns the T today and put more than 35,000 miles on it over the decades further proves this car is the real deal!