SVO RAT build up.

bsn95w · Apr 9, 2011

dont know what happened to the build up section, so, ill post this here.

bought a 1940 ford f1 about a week ago, gonna build a rat rod/ trad rod out of it...

since it doesnt have to look pretty (going for the exact oposite of pretty) i can do pretty much anything, and wont have to worry about the concequenses....

the idea is take my 1988 turbo coupe and use all the running gear on the 40. the truck should be pretty quick, since its going to weight next to nothing.

heres what ive done so far.

had to break the front drums loose, and throw some wheels on it to get it to the shop

got it to its final resting place (until i pull some frankenstein shit and get it back on the road)

here it is with a custom aero nose made in the 50s (all steel) that was on my dads roadster

and here is part of the exhaust, going to come straight off the turbo out the side of the truck... its 1980s kawasaki kx1000 exhaust cut on both ends.

looks like a machine gun

removed the bed

new gas tank, and floor board.

gonna look something like this...

thunderbird:

bonestock3.8DTH · Apr 9, 2011

That should be pretty sick and get good gas milage! maybe.. hah but cool/unique project!

5.0kid · Apr 9, 2011

can't wait to see the project progressing!

JStang98 · Apr 9, 2011

I love rat rods, this better not be one of those build threads that just dies off before we get to see the finished product cause I really want to see this one done.

Mustang Mark · Apr 9, 2011

cant wait to see how it turns out.

Slykin · Apr 10, 2011

Looks like a real good project except for the severe rust. My dad/grandpa/uncle and I have been working on getting all the problems with our 40 Internation pickup ratrod worked out. Thought you might want to see it, just got done turning the front axle around and putting the tie rod back behind it like it's supposed to be. The people that built it mostly up before us thought the suicide front end would be better.. Here's a pic or two.

bsn95w · Apr 10, 2011

thanks everyone.

bonestock3.8DTH said:
That should be pretty sick and get good gas milage! maybe.. hah but cool/unique project!

maybe, the car get poor gas mileage, but its also a heavy pig... its a hot rod though, not at all worried about mpgs.

5.0kid said:
can't wait to see the project progressing!

been working on it a few hours a day. should have the cab off in the nex day or two, once i get it into roller form, ill be putting the cab back on shorten the bed, then do the engine swap, then try my hand at chopping the top. worst part is going to be the frame.

JStang98 said:
I love rat rods, this better not be one of those build threads that just dies off before we get to see the finished product cause I really want to see this one done.

no worries, i always update my build threads when i do stuff... so if this isnt updated, then i havent done anything lol.

Mustang Mark said:
cant wait to see how it turns out.

me neither.

bsn95w · Apr 10, 2011

Slykin said:
Looks like a real good project except for the severe rust. My dad/grandpa/uncle and I have been working on getting all the problems with our 40 Internation pickup ratrod worked out. Thought you might want to see it, just got done turning the front axle around and putting the tie rod back behind it like it's supposed to be. The people that built it mostly up before us thought the suicide front end would be better.. Here's a pic or two.

nice build.

whats a project with out a little rust? also, is that a 38 ford grille? thats what i want on this, mind me asking what you paid? just trying to get a general idea.

Slykin · Apr 10, 2011

bsn95w said:
Slykin said:

Looks like a real good project except for the severe rust. My dad/grandpa/uncle and I have been working on getting all the problems with our 40 Internation pickup ratrod worked out. Thought you might want to see it, just got done turning the front axle around and putting the tie rod back behind it like it's supposed to be. The people that built it mostly up before us thought the suicide front end would be better.. Here's a pic or two.

Click to expand...

nice build.

whats a project with out a little rust? also, is that a 38 ford grille? thats what i want on this, mind me asking what you paid? just trying to get a general idea.

You're good. Yes, that's a 38 Ford grill. As far as the price.. let's just say it was too much haha. It was one of my dad's "spur of the moment" bad decisions. Though, it did help us with building the frame for our next rod which is using a 40Ford cab also. It is fairly reliable too, we ran the whole power tour in 2009 which totalled 3200 miles, never had a problem with it. Are you going to stick with the solid axle front end or go IFS? Because if you go IFS you got a lot of work to make it look decent. Looking forward to see how this goes!

bsn95w · Apr 10, 2011

i bet lol. if i could find one for about 200 bucks, id snag it up. i hate all this one or two year only stuff with these old vehicles, makes shit extremely hard to find, or extremely expencive... haha.

im going to keep the straight axle. couldnt imagine a rat with ifs.... i am how ever going to have to come up with something to lower this. i think im going to make a cross member that rases above the frame to mount the leif springs onto. will probably add wishbones on all four corners to get rid of the long ass control arm things lol. im going to take out a few leifs aswell, and then put these old coil overs on the front to stabilize it just a tad bit more.