Projects 34 drag truck build

I guess it's time to start a build thread for my current project. I bought this cab from HAMBer Kirk Hannning in October. Plans include some drag strip time but mostly street use. I'm shooting for mid sixties type build. I'll not much of a writer so I'll the pics tell the story.





Here's the cab and doors I bought from Kirk. Nice and solid Kansas sheet metal. The doors weren't as solid as the cab but very workable. They needed quite a bit of work around the hinge areas and inner bottoms.



The first thing I did was get everything media blasted. Someone has started to channel the cab all ready. It was a very nice job so I just used what was there. Because the cab had no subrails I built the frame rails under the cab first to have something soild to build the cab off of.



Next up was to brace and mount the doors. I built temprary bracing to hold the doors solid and rebuilt the hinge areas on both doors.



Passenger side inner was rotted and some bad repairs done earlier that I had to cut out and redo.



Passenger side inner patch panel made. I used Howells pacthes for the very bottom.



Passenger side door inner done. I also installed bear claw latches.



New skins on both doors.



I rebuilt the bottom of the B-pillars and made body mounts. There are no subrails because the truck will have a full cage and I wanted to be able to remove the sheet metal. The floor will be built on top of the frame rails.



Now I set the motor and trans in relative postion. I wanted to see how much room I had in the cab before I chopped it.(not much)



No more phonebooth six inches shorter.



Front frame rails next spring behind front end with 38 bones.


Motor plates



Rear frame rails competion engineering 4-link. I have since changed to a stock 9 inch housing with a back brace. I wasn't too sure on the winters housing holding up to drag strip lauches.





Lastly a mock up pic to give a idea on the look and stance.

Mat

 

Wow that thing is looking good. It just looks mean sitting there.

 

cool truck,interested to see the roll cage....
Not alot of room in those cabs..
Sure does look mean !
maybe change your name to
"busybeaverweldinggindingcooldragtruckbuildingmofo" just a thought...

 

That looks tougher than a two dollar steak.

 

Nice proportions. How many hours in it do you already have at this point?

 

Real cool. Looks like its going to be a mean mother.

 

I hope you have a crane to get off of the table!! LOL

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Vaphead I'm also interested in the cage, things will be getting very tight in there. I'm not building the cage I have a local chassis builder doing it for me. He said we'll get it as close to the cab as possible. I know I won't be making cross county trips with this truck I'm looking for 2-3 hour trips max. I have no idea how many hours I have in the truck. That depends if your asking me or the wife. I estimate about 20 hours a week she says a lot more.
Mat

 

Looks way cool, man. Can't wait to see it come together!

 

Extremely Cool truck!!!!

 

Looks great... mean as hell.

 

Lookin' good! Fantastic door alignment.

 

looks good, gota love those porportions

 

Killer truck man. Every day I see more and more great trucks comming out of the HAMB and get more inspired to work on mine! Thanks for the pics and the kick in the pants to work on mine.

 

Very nice. I like it.

 

looks bitchin

 

Very nice.

Put a stick in it You'll be glad you did.

 

Thanks fleetside must be those door opening measurements you gave me.

 

I was going to go 4-speed at first. A couple of reasons I didn't. It's going to be pretty tight squeezing 3 pedals in a channelled p/u. Secondly the down the road plan is for a blown 582 BBC and I don't think a stick would hold up.BTW I love your coupe D.W. it's good to see Hot Rods at the drag strip. Here's a pic of the someday motor. I have everything just needs to be assembled. Parts include a Bowtie block, dart heads, huge solid roller,and 8-71 BDS supercharger.

 

This truck will be the coolest! Nice work.

 

Gadzooks! That mill is fucking massive isn't it?! I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun, stick or auto haha! Like they say, "If yer gonna go, GO BIG"!
Please keep us posted & keep up the nice work. This one should be fun to watch come together & fun to watch go down the strip!

 

I've had this motor since 2001. After building a house a going through a divorce, hopefully I can finally put it in something. I plan on having the truck on the road next year not finished but driving. So either it will have a stock 396 that my old man has laying around or the 582 with a single four barrell. We'll see how everything works out I just what something to drive.

 

Either way, she looks to be a handfull to say the least! Give it hell.

 

Will do!

 

Over the top. I love it!

 

Thanks Shakey ,I don't know if you remember but I bought my rear wheels from you.

 

From the picture they look like 15x11 Fentons?

 

That thing is sick man, keep it going

 

Yes they are. Here's a better pic.

 

damn...