New guy in Minnesota

[briancustoms]

Howdy folks! Well, I've been into Rods from an early age, my dad started me off taking me to Back to the Fifties back when I could barley walk. I haven't had the resources to build any early iron yet, but I've had a bit of practice:

Here's my minitruck:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d65/briancustoms/DSCN3674.jpg

It's a '90 S-10, fully bagged and "old school rodded".

And here's a beautiful VW that I had the pleasure to help build, it belongs to my ex-roommate in Virginia Beach:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d65/briancustoms/l_6896052abf5f2773ad76f5e4abf0f0a0.jpg

So are there any other Minnesota folk on here? I'm looking for people to hang with to help feed my addiction of working on cars.

[Wicked Tin]

Welcome to the hamb! I live in Wis, but close to the border near Stillwater. Let me know if I can help you with anything. Again, welcome.

[briancustoms]

Thank you.

I guess for a little more introduction, a "vision" popped into my head about a week ago. I've gotten into the rat rod "style" that has become "trendy" over the last couple years. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems that whenever I get an idea to build something, it then becomes a trend. Back when I first started on my S-10 about 4 years ago, you hardly ever saw flat paint in the mini-truck scene, so I painted it flat black with the steelies and added the scallops in red. BOOM! Trucks like that started popping up everywhere! Well, now I want to build an actual rat rod. I'm thinking something along the lines of a '30 model A sedan, chopped and very low.

Something like this:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d65/briancustoms/ShowTell-Brads30FordRatRod-003cropp.jpg

But the twist I thought about to possibly save costs, and make some of the harder tasks (harder for me) a little easier, would be to find a rotted S-10 for parts. You know the kind, rusty as all get out, beat up body, bashed in bed sides, etc., but the type that say "runs like a top" in the classifieds. On top of that, I want a 2.5 4-cyl version, makes the gas cheaper too. After working on mine for 4 years and pulling the motor more than a couple times for tranny work, I know them pretty well, and they really don't come much easier to work on. I figure I could make the whole drivetrain work under a sedan body with little modification. I can easily have a 2-link with coils built up under it in an afternoon, simple tube frame, shorten the driveshaft if need be, mount the motor between some tubes, find a neat grille shell, and source some nice wagon wheels. The only place I would need to do some searching and studying would be the front suspension. The S-10s suspension is ugly and just wouldn't look right out in the open, so I'd have to source some type of I-beam setup with a leaf or small coil-overs etc.
So, any help along those lines would be awesome, such as sourcing a body, or ideas/parts for front suspension.

[Dyce]

I have a 1992 s-10 shortbox with a 2.5 and a 5 speed. It get's around 20mpg. It's not impressive to me. I've gotten 20 with a 305 carb and a 200r4 overdrive.
Jeff

[briancustoms]

I have a 1992 s-10 shortbox with a 2.5 and a 5 speed. It get's around 20mpg. It's not impressive to me. I've gotten 20 with a 305 carb and a 200r4 overdrive.
Jeff

Mine somehow got a consistent 30mpg when I drove her from Virginia Beach to Minnesota when I moved. But my main reason for the 2.5 is because they are pretty damn indestructable, and if parts do go bad, they are never more than $30 it seems. :D That, and I know jack about motors and if I can pick up a 2.5 for $500 or so bolted to a complete S-10, then I get all those other parts I would need.

[ZZ-IRON]

Welcome to Hamb on this frosty below zero day, just up the road from you

[Stevie D]

Welcome i'm just east of you.Nice truck.we all gotta start somewhere right

[briancustoms]

Welcome to Hamb on this frosty below zero day, just up the road from you

I'm up in Fargo today for a work function. Woke up and turned the hotel tv on to see that it's -20 with a windchill of -35!

[sho1off]

welcome Im just north of you

[Pinstriper40]

I'm from the Fargo/Moorhead area- your'e right- it's friggin' cold. If you're ever up here again pm me first. You can get a free shop tour for only 5 bucks.

[towaholic]

Just north of you also. Iam currently building a A sedan that i plan on selling. so if your intrestead send me message.
Lance