​Lady Luck T-Bucket

Based on a Total Performance Inc. (TPI) T-bucket kit, “Lady Luck I” was built in 1993 by Mickey Lauria, owner and founder of TPI.  The lavender-hued roadster’s powerplant was a hot-rodded Ford flathead V-8, which was replaced in 1995 with a supercharged Chrysler Hemi built by “Big Al” Lombardo of Connecticut-based Big Al’s Toy Box.

 Iowan Bob Daniels later purchased the car (minus the hemi engine) and had Barry Lobeck’s Hot Rod Shop install the roadster’s current 1957 DeSoto Fireflite hemi-head 341-c.i. V-8, with six 2-barrel Holley 94 carburetors on a Weiand Drag Star log manifold.  Transmission is a GM Turbo 350 automatic.
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“Lady Luck I” was shown around the country during the 1990s, often alongside another lavender-painted 1923 T-bucket named “Lady Luck II”, built for hot rod and custom car photo-journalist Chuck Vranas by Total Performance in 1994, and powered by a 460-c.i. big-block Chevy V-8.​

​Bob and Susan Daniels donated the car to the Museum of American Speed in June 2014.  Among the magazine cover shots and/or articles featuring “Lady Luck I” are:

• StreetRodder – Oct 1995
• Kit Car Illustrated – Oct 1995
• Rod Action – Jun 1997
• Goodguys – Jul 2007 (picture feature)