3k-One Year-30's Ford-Rat Rod Build Thread

[Sniper]

Pretty cool concept, I like the way the shocks are intergrated with the rockershaft. That took some thought. Well done. BTW, the video shows it off quite well. Sniper

[Wolfco]

thanks for the generous comments. It gives me more reason to work on the car!
The plan is to have the frame as the airtank. this will probably be in the area of 3-4 gallons of air at 100psi. I plan to run 4 bags -each on 2 solenoids, I bought a 8 valve manifold on E bay for $130 bucks. I will have 2 guages, each with 2 needles. There will be a rocker switch for each bag, and a toggle switch to flip if i just want to drop the rear end and drag the frame and throw sparks. I plan on having a 1/2" steel pad to drag on, vs grinding through the frame itself. The rocker bellcrank suspension works great, as well as the rear suspension...i am working on the floor now and will keep the pics coming.

Jeff

[Wolfco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alyf-tY_oJ0

This is a video of the airbags in operation, it is a 2nd video done with a better camera.....the airlines are still the small 1/8" so it is a bit slow on the up/down-this will greatly improve with the 3/8" DOT approved airbag lines ...still in chop/cobble/tack weld phase....give me some time, i only have about 6 months into this project.


WCCS (wolf custom chop shop)

[oldrodder43]

Awesome! Great work. She truly is a ground hugger/kisser! Perley

[Wolfco]

Here is the latest update on cost. I am missing a few things but i plan to go part by part on the car and make sure i am documenting everything. I have a folder with all the reciepts so this is pretty much the list right now. This doesnt include the expendable items like welding wire or argon gas, grinding wheels etc.... just the parts.

cost Description
630 $630.00 1930s Box and Cab E Bay
50 $50.00 radiator grill shell E Bay
110 $110.00 350 engine/trans (300-190 for scrap) Craigslist want ad
50 $50.00 2 front tires and wheels Swap meet
100 $100.00 front axle Craigslist want ad
7 $7.00 steering arm-chrome Swap meet
-120.4 $(120.00) Scrap Ford F150-bought for rear end Craigslist want ad
165 $165.00 airbags Ebay
9 $9.00 airhorn ebay
50 $50.00 radiator Craigslist want ad
0 $20.00 brake master cylinder Craigslist want ad
0 brake lines
220 $220.00 Rear -15" cheeter slicks Swap meet
125 $125.00 front brakes Ford F100 drums, hubs Craigslist want ad
20 $20.00 heim joints-front wishbones speedway motors
148 $148.00 Frame steel Winnick Steel
39.99 $39.99 Kinpgin bushing kit speedway motors
100 $100.00 Ford 9" rear end Kirk-friend
39.99 $39.99 bearing kit, F100 to Ford spindle speedway motors
0 seats-Free Polaris RZR buckets
0 driveshaft-from donor ambulance, shorted with new u-joints
30 Victory motorcycle headlights- from work auction
29.01 tail lights-ebay center STOP light from Rail road
12.18 $12.18 Red paint/primer for wheels 2 cans ACE Ace
3 $3.00 tire patch-removed a plug TMS
20 $20.00 2 tie rod ends speedway motors
30 B&M shifter and cable found at Snwomobile swap meet
3.69 brake cable for automatic drum adjust
13.06 nuts and bolts from Ace Hardware
38.49 2 new u joints for rear driveshaft
50.62 Monroe sensa track shocks for front end
227.97 Airbag manifold block with 8 solenoids
34.99 Airbag dual guages (2 gauges) with 4 switches
27.99 Airbag airline 25 ft of 3/8" DOT approved hose
11.9 airbag push fittings, 10 pcs
19.99 Speedway spring shackle kit
5.99 Speedway 5/8" steering heim joint
37.9 Procomp electric fan from E bay includes shipping of 11 bucks
13.49 more nuts and bolts from Ace Hardware
6.51 more nuts and bolts from Ace Hardware
4.99 seal for steering box reversal
2.9 more nuts and bolts from Ace Hardware
40 MAS Racing brake pedal and bracket
40 floor steel from Work. 50 cents per pound
23



2471.25

[stovens]

Doin very well!

[_juice_]

thats awesome man! great to see a fellow ebayer/craigslister/junkyarder ! anything i need, those are the first 3 places i go! keep up the good work, cant wait to see it finished

[DougWertz]

Very nice build. The piston airbag top hats are nice along with the con-rod mounts!

[Wolfco]

I needed to move the lower radiator fitting ...current location would run the hose into the airbag....
I used a propane torch to remove the fitting, and then hammered it to fit the radiator so the gaps are small ...(like solder sweating copper pipe)..I cleaned it REALLY good and used plenty of flux....then soldered the fitting into the MIDDLE of the radiator. it worked great. I just found an old radiator in a friends scrap pile that i cut a piece of brass for a patch for the old location.

The lower hose will now run directly between the airbags and into the water pump.

Jeff

[Wolfco]

Instead of the typical Beer keg fuel tank, i am probably going to use this old Camper water heater tank. If i split the tank and widen it by around 20-24+ it will look pretty cool. I used a jigsaw and sawzall to cut the outer shell, then a handsaw to cut the inner 3" aluminum tubing....I love using wood tools on aluminum!!

I will post the progress later, but i think these parts will make nice tank ends. I can cut/roll/weld the center section to make this about a 12 gallon tank.

[Wolfco]

I used 1x1" square tubing for the floor support and structure. 16 ga sheet metal for the floor surface. The typical Rat Rodder likes to see/feel/and smell the tranny. (i dont get it?!) ....i am going to make a tunnel also to cover the transmission. The tunnel will be removeable (bolt in!!) so it will please the rat rodder or hot rodder at time of sale (if i ever sell it)..

The sheet metal was welded onto the 1" square frame. I made cardboard template first, then transferred onto the sheetmetal. This is like doing a linoleum floor and works GREAT. cardboard is easier to cut and prototype , then transfer to steel.

The center sheetmetal that is under the seats is welded UNDERNEATH the frame work to give an additional 1" of headroom for the driver and seat. REmember-this was a 5" CHOP.

[Wolfco]

There was NO firewall when i bought this cab....probably a good thing! I made a firewall to follow the curvature of the existing body. I held the firewall up to the body and traced from the inside, the plasma cut the firewall to be flush..not a lap weld..this fit nice and looks great.
I then welded a small section of tunnel and made clearance for the tranny dipstick. The tunnel sits close to the tranny and gives me the most room possible in the cab, there isnt much room for your feet so i wanted to maximize the foot area in the cab. It will be plenty of room for gas/brake pedals.

[Wolfco]

Some more pics of the firewall fabrication, welding, grinding .....it turned out nice. I made a small notch for the tranny dipstick tube. Notice the tunnel, it will not be welded in, it will be bolted and removeable for service and if i want to run without it.

[Wolfco]

I used .125 thick steel straps bent into a "U" shape for the driveshaft protection. Then wrapped 18 ga steel over the straps. Notice the car is dropped to the ground and i have a 1" spacer to keep a proper distance /clearance rom the driveshaft to the body. The driveshaft was made from the old camper donor vehicle, i chopped the ends off and rewelded them back on. The 2nd to last pic is me and my youngest daughter....i think she wants to go for a spin!

[Wolfco]

Instead of the steering column from the donor camper/ambulance vehicle..i am using the steering column from a POlaris RZR , which is like a dune buggy. I pd scrap price of .50 cents per pound for this stuff....basically it is a mini tilt steering column and my old VIntage steering wheel fit right on the splines! I have owned that cool steering wheel since high school...(25 yrs ago) ...i thought i had lost it, then my brother brings it to my house one day last year!! He had saved it for me! thanks Keith!! ...

I bolted the tilt pivot under the dash, cut the shaft to lenght and made a spacer sleeve to weld the shaft back together...i will wait until the cab is final mounted to get the shaft welded together, i might lift the cab about 1/2" with rubber mounts, so the steering shaft will need to be a bit longer...