Hot Rods Damn, what are the odds? '31 FORD CAB SMASHED

Up here they changed the laws regarding securing loads when a local guy was decapitated because of a chunk of metal that flew off someones truck. If I remember correctly the poor guy's wife was sitting right next to him when it happened.

 

About 15 years ago I bought a '32 pickup cab and was hauling it 60 miles home in my brother's El Camino. We thought it was plenty heavy, and didn't strap it down. About 20 miles from home we rounded a corner into a clearing, and a gust of wind picked it up out of the bed. Threw it like a toy.

We drug it out of the ditch it had tumbled into, but it was bent everywhere. A parallelogram. Maybe someday it will lend some small chunks to patch another cab.

We ALWAYS tie EVERYTHING down now.

 

wow. that is harsh.

 

That sucks! Having met your bro and seen the cab last week makes it even worse. vic

 

Oh man! I wanted to cry when you told me the story. The pictures are even worse than I pictured. Ouch!

 

well lesson learned. Glad everyone is ok. that really sucks, it was looking good.

 

Good news though, my brother just text me that he cut the roof off and is looking to see if he can tweak this fucker back into shape enough to make an RPU. Things are looking better already because if he's in good enough spirit to work on it then everything else can be replaced or fixed. I appreciate all the kind word as I know he does to. I'll keep you updated and we'll see if this thing can make a comeback.

 

That sucks, I feel for you guys

 

rpu' s are cooler anyways !


shitty but ive heard of it happening before, so i always over strap everything. thank god it didnt hurt anybody the way alot of these new cars are built it could of been bad. i know my old ladies civic probably would of exploded if it hit that cab on the highway.

 

thats fucked up.. look at it like this maybe that body was cursed..

 

I used to haul scrap metal for pocket $$ years ago and would pick up partial bodies from body shops. I had a hood get away once, luckily no one ran it over or hit it. Amazing what a little gust of wind will do once it gets under a panel. Yours probably just tipped enough and by a freak change it was gone.

Bob

 

Just got this from my brother. He's cut the lid off and had been tweaking this thing back into shape or at least somewhat square. I think it might be cooler now then before!!!

Four bar is coming off and being replaced with split wishbones with a 4" drop axle upfront and 45 fin Buick drum brakes.

 

Holy Chit! That's awesome!!!

 

That's great!
Besides, from looking at the aftermath picture, it's obvious that the only strong part of that cab was your brother's work. I can't say for sure, but it sure looks like all his work stayed together rather well.
Good luck to him!

 

Guess you never worked in a sheetmetal shop. Have seen guys lose tons of stuff over the years. Duct work, even angle iron can fly away at speed. Knew a shop that built a 24" round 16 gage boiler stack in twenty foot sections, tied them to their rack, and when they got to the job, one was gone. They retraced their route, looking in all the gullies, etc. and never found it . Certainly a little easier to take than losing a nice hotrod body. Good thing nobody got hurt, but bet it never happens again!

 

Heres another. I think the bottom tweaked a bit and the floor might be smashed a bit but this thing is far from done. My brother has some good dudes for friends, some of them who do not have a Hot Rod themself or ever built one but are there every chance they get to work on the truck because they know it's important to my brother. Like the dude sitting in the truck in this pic. We call him Eager Beaver because he is alway down to help even if my brother is not in the mood. He'll just get his ass to work whether my brother wants to or not. Good people for sure....

 

Yup. I work as a designer so I guess I'll have to learn things the hard way.

 

What a comeback! It may have a better profile now than before the accident. Hope it works out.

 

Looks like it's coming along nicely in spite of the problems.

 

GREAT save!!!!

 

man that really sucks , the cab came out really nice considering what was used to start from , always tie your stuff down just think how heavy an airplane is and with a correct angle and lift of air under the wings it gets off the ground the roof acted like a wing or sail , hard bitter lesson to learn ,

 

p/s forgot to ad great job making it into an RPU

 

Go Mikey, GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I fuckin' love it as an RPU. Keep the fire going my brother. You'll be driving it in no time.

Love it!



BloodyKnuckles

 

Can't keep a good man down!

 

I like it better too! Now BK can just hop in and out, no more Bo Duke'n it through the window

See you at the roundup BK...it'll be ON!

 

Once last pic of the new found RPU parts just mocked up or leaning to give you a feel of where it's going...



I am really liking the sounds of this thing more and more. I am very grateful that it's being saved and that my brother is in good spirits and back in the saddle again.

Just imagine....

Flat White paint
Black Lake Headers
Sleeved holes though out the frame
Oxblood interior with some seats that have cool history to them
'40 Ford steering wheel in black
Chopped roadster windshield (perhaps a '26-27 stantion set)
Oxblood colored or black 327 with 3 94's up top
Maybe a reddish stained bed out back
'50 poncho or '37 Ford tail lights
Single push bar out back in the center painted black

Who knows?

 

Does he have a 40 steering wheel? I'll donate one if he does not.

 

Oh it's on! On I said! On bitches!!!



BloodyKnuckles

 

He does not. I was dreaming up a parts list and I know that's his favorite steering wheel. That would be incredibly cool dude but you don't have to do that.

I have a copy of Mr. T The Man With The Gold by Mr. T that I could trade you. Pretty sure it's first edition. Just kidding.

 

I always strap things in the back of my truck, even before it became a state law here in Washington; unsecured loads.

I always strapped them in to make them less attractive to someone thinking about stealing them.