rat rod question

can i get a 40 ford truck low enough to build a rat rod. it seems to me most of the rats i see are either a model a or model t.Ive been trying to learn about front ends but it is still confusing to me. this is all new to me and i am just trying to learn.
thanks

 

Well, ya got some red wheels. You're on your way, kid.

 

I've got an idea. why don't you fuck up a perfectly good truck by putting the cab where the bed should be, the motor where the cab should be and then where the motor was build a super ugly trailer hitch looking suicide pech so your 4" un dropped axle will stick out ten miles in front of your sick rod. also no bed just a keg fer the gas.....Ooooh don't forget to put iron cross everything on it as well as a skull or two.Get that bitch long enough to land aircraft on!!

Or possibly the oppisite do something different, open a couple old car mags (not last months OSR), and see how cars(trucks) are really built. The Hot Rod mags from the late 50's early sixties had some good stuff look in the back round push trucks etc. !!

Good start

FLIP

 

The term "rat rod" could get yer ass chewed around here. Truth? Look around, find other cars/trucks you like the look of for yours, and ask questions of the owners.

A reversed eye spring, re-worked front crossmember and a severe dropped axle will get it pretty low. 14" wheels and tires would get it just that much lower. In the rear, you'll probably want to look at parallel leafs either inboard or outboard of the framerails, with a serious "C" to clear the axle.

If you really want to build a rat rod, you'd be better off going to Ol' Skool Rodz's forums. If you want to build a more traditionally styled hot rod pickup that won't be out of vogue in another year or two, hang out here and keep your eyes open.

Oh yeah - airbags are for pussies.

 

Careful with those two words around here newbie...rat rod...them's fightin werds.... The term generally upsets a majority of the people on this board. Please kindly accept this advice for what it is. Now, that truck is a good start. Dropped axle in front with a reverse eye spring will probably get you low enough...in back I'd leave the stock transverse spring in it...just Z the frame.....you could also channel the body.......I'm speaking about some advanced things here....if you are new to this hobby as I see you are new to this board, welcome...you have found an unbelievable wealth of knowledge right here....if you want info on any of the things I've said here, just do a search and you should be able to come up with quite a bit of info....good luck fella...

 

hey thanks for the input. i didnt know that about rat rods. im auctually having a 49 ford built from the ground up. im not doing the work but i really want to learn thats why i took on the other project. i want somthing to drive now and my 49 wont be done for a while. thanks

 

I'd say ol' Skool rods is a good place to look for "Rat Rod" ideas.

 

If you want to build a traditional styled rod, this is the place to be. If you want to build a rat rod, get your ass over to www.ruffrodders.com Your '40 would make a fine traditional style rod. Do a ton of reading here, damn there's about a gazillion pages here, and most all you will need to know is in here.

 

To quote a favorite builder of mine and also a hamber cole foster, start with something you dig and improve opon it don't make it something it's not-- or something along those lines:

Insparation:

 

That's a grouse lookin start there mate,

listen to these guys here, they've got heaps of info and a great eye for detail,
and alot of very kool projects to back em up!

Is that low enough? or too low? (is there such a thing)

Cheers

Outback

 

Cool looking truck, nice and low. Gotta be bagged.

[RANT]
Now why would a guy go to all that trouble and do such a poor job lining up the front of the hood with the grille? Even rat rod dude's is better. I'm gonna say the front fenders are hung way too low in the front. Lining up a '40 front end is hard, but not that hard.
[/RANT]

If you want it on the road quickly, you're better off keeping it as close to stock as possible. Reversed eye spring, dropped axle up front, rearched/reversed eyes out back and drive the thing. It will retain much more value that way, I think.

Here's what it will look like when you're done:

 

You've got a good start on whatever kind or Rod you decide to build.

You do know Ford trucks only run rught with FORD motors don't you????

 

Gotta start checking my spelling.

That's RUN RIGHT!!!

 

isnt everybody over that whole "dont call it a rat rod" geez,,i can see if its a period perfect built in the 1940's style model a roadster or 32,,but man...

..i have actually embraced the word ,,so NOW, regular non traditional rodders actually now what the heck im talking about instead of getting a blank look...

i am so secure in the vehicles thatI build, people can call them WHATEVER they want .. ..and they will!

it was "cute" to protest the "ratrod" term 4 or 5 years ago...but it seems as if everywhere you look its rat rod this and rat rod that....


if the kid wants to build a RAT ROD let him,,its his truck and he can build it anyway he wants....

 

no... there is a HUGE fuckin difference between a death trap rockasilly ratrod and a trad hotrod. take a look at the subtitle of the damn board here! right under "H.A.M.B." is a line that reads "spreading the gospel of traditional hot rods and customs . . ."

it dont say "traditional rat rods" nor does it read, "traditional tuner fart boxes"



rat rods, the sight of them, and the thought of them being on the road makes my ass pucker

 

What really blows is that the guy is right!
It's almost a total waste of time to complain about the term anymore. ANYTHING without a full $$$ STREET ROD buildup seems to be a RAT ROD to anyone who isn't into the hobby and about half of those who are.
I've always corrected people...doesn't seem like it had much of an effect.
It's just too easy a catch phrase for them to latch onto...
For many HOT ROD really is RAT ROD...just like EVERY old car is a Deuce coupe!
All we can do is try to educate I guess...sigh.

 

Well....Here's one way.

 

What you got there is the makins of a real hot rod !!!!!

 

Love that '40! Me? There isn't a traditional rod in existence that I'd trade my truck for, but I'd be tempted if you wanted to let that one go!

My two-cents; A Caddy-Flattie would be bitchin'. There was one on eBay a while back, went for a song. In your line of work, I'd be looking for one. If not a Flat Caddy, a Rocket would do. Renew the chassis, don't Z anything. That buggy-spring setup is the premier 'traditional' setup. In the day, lowering was simply putting 15s on and dropping the front axle, maybe splitting the wishbone. Do all of the chassis stuff before the body goes back on, then everything will fit. When you put the body back on, chop & channel it for the look you want. After you get the look, have a radiator built to fit the existing situation. No matter who says it, AC is great, unless you are building strictly for show, but then (of course) it wouldn'nt even need to run! LOL.

For a great ride? 15" radials. Change over for Rod show? Maybe big-patterns, (18" 36-39), or (16" 39-41 truck). Or, get the big-pattern hubs and centers and have the rims of your choice welded on.

Whatever you do, in the grand scheme of the real world; Call it a 1940 pickup truck, that'll always be in style. If you got it titled like that, keep it that way. If it looks mostly like original, but has a nice low ride and drives without lurching all over the freeway but don't drag ass when getting out of the parking lot, I'd personally like that. But, if you want it to drag on the ground, I can apperciate that too. When I was a kid I adored that style; now I know better and say what's the point, real low don't look any better than the other; the channel rake is more important. You can get 2" clearance where the overall look is shit, and 4" clearance that balances out, looks lower than it actually is.

The Majority? Whatever you do; People that (want it to be) a hot rod will appreciate it. People that (want it to be) a rat rod will appreciate it. People that (want it to be) a street rod will appreciate it. Accepted by a particular group or no, most of the people that look at it will love it. Those that don't,('cause it's your truck, and they're jealous), they can go fuck themselves.

 

killeradvise,even better advise from cadillackid an gowjobs about(rat rods) minus the air bag remark.it my lay true for open wheel cars,in my opinion (unless your scared) its the only way(air bags) to achive the kool ass look of laying flat on the ground.
better said being scared is for pussy's.

happy new year.........alex

 

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! Here's how to build your Rat Rod...put that body on an air-bagged S10 chassis and sell the good chassis to someone who wants a HOT ROD!!!

Everybody wins!

 

Funny... Ryan's hot rod has airbags...

Airbags aren't for pussies... airbags are for people with common sense...

 

So funny so true!!

 

i second that motion
alex

 

Riding any lower than a pack of lucky strikes tends to look "broken" to me. IMHO, "Laying frame" is for lowriders and minitrucks, and even then, I like to see a single Fenner pump and a couple of firetruck batteries rather than an air compressor in the trunk.

My brother doesn't agree with me either. His '62 Bel Air wagon is rolling on billet-centered 15" wheels and narrow whites right now, but is due for airbags and 18" billets soon. I gotta admit, with a hot small block, two-chamber racing Flowmasters on a 2.5" exhaust system and an 18" woofer where the old rear-facing seat used to fold into the floor in the back, his ride does sound badass, though. Don't pay any attention to me if you want - I dress as a pirate several weekend a year.

 

I guess I am what I eat

seriously though....where do you get that idea?

 

do you mean "low enough" quality build to be a rat rod? har har...just kidding man. anyways, the new rod and custom ( think that was it) has a great writeup about george poteets gold PU, really really worth checking that thing out. its a 100% trad job done really nice, and will ride low and safely with some modern ammenities.

 

I guess they're fine on a custom. Real hot rods don't have 'em, but street rods do. A hot rod is supposed to be badass - parents should hold onto their children when one rolls by. If the owner is stupid/nuts enough to build it low enough to scrape, it ought to throw sparks and need constant welding on the chassis to repair the stress cracks and bent rails all the time. If the owner wants to drive it, it ought to be high enough that only the most diabolical driveways/gutters cause any part of it to kiss the asphalt/cement.

Customs and street rods are built for looks - airbags are a ride/handling compromise, and nobody ought to apologize for driving a street rod or being a pussy. We can't all be GERM (tm).

 

I've got a 40 and i'm going to make a roadster with no bed, custom tube frame and custom 39' ford westegard windshield. heres what i'm doing to get around the front end option. 35' ford grill with handmade hood and sides. i also am going to channel and possibly section the truck to make it look right, since the doors will look really big with no roof.

 

I thought I told you I will buy it off you and make a nice hot rod pick up. Please dont ruin that thing and hack it all to hell.