Hi all, Im new here so just wanted to say hi and thanks for letting me in your club. I have been gathering up some old parts over the last 20 odd yrs,but it seems i am in need of help getting a rolling chassis together. I have been welding and doing body metal work since the 70s. And turning wrenches for about as long,but I have a way to go with I beams and suspensions. I have a 39-48 IH truckcab from a dumptruck, a 70 chev truck frame with no frt susp. a 73 ford truck frame complete, or s10 with some parts missing. I want to get the truck low as possible, so am i on the wrong trailor what. I saw some cars that the owners called rat rods, at Beech Bend dragstrip in Ky. last fathers day. I aint sure how they got their rides so low, but I do want to keep safety in mind. thanks in advance for your helpful knowledge,i am kinda slow but I like fast cars.
Hi Ham i am in central Mo. near ft leonard wood. I dont have a dig. camera as I am kinda getting started using a pc. The cab was made in 2 parts with the top part overlapping the back of the cab at the beltline, which makes me think it is a 39 or so year. The bottom of the door is curved up in the front. And the doors are really narrow, and the wipers are over the windshield.
Welcome to the garage! Search in the Tech Articles for the posts by SoWhat on using the s-10 frame, that seems to get em low with factory parts.
[ QUOTE ] i am in central Mo. near ft leonard wood [/ QUOTE ] Welcome, I spent 6 months at Ft. Lost-In-The-Woods back in the early 90s.
Welcome! You are a stranger no more,good to have you aboard. The truck cab rod sounds neat. sseya, sparky
rk, welcome missourian. it's been a long time since any show-me's signed on. opinions, i always seem to have one. some may be better or worse than others. i'm thinking the full sized pickup frames will be out of proportion for the truck you're talkin' about. as best i remember an IH is about the same size as a ford or chevy and that far back they weren't very wide. at least when compared to the late model truck frames you're suggesting. a couple of questions first: are you gonna run the fenders/running boards? the IH grill? hood? if you're gonna use all that stuff then i'd use the s-10 and scrounge up the s-10 parts you're missing. if you're gonna only use the cab and run fenderless and possibly hoodless then i'd suggest cutting the s-10 in half; use the back half and fab a new front half of a frame using rectangular tubing, model a crossmember, cross spring, dropped axle, etc. my two cents worth. prolly not worth that, eh? whatever you decide, howsabout takin' some pix and show us how it turns out?
Welcome to the hamb. Here is a friend's 41 cornbinder on a 118 inch S-10 chassis. He didn't shorten the frame and is running the stock V-6 and drivetrain including the column and guages. The box is made up from 16 guage. I think it would have looked better if shortened about 4-6 inches, but with the running boards on it looks good. He has it on the road now and has less than $3000 in it. Pat
Welcome. Many of those "Rat Rods" (a term that many of us dislike...but not all) get there stance from stepped frames. I deleted my schematic of a step, otherwise I'd show you. I'm sure someone here has one.
Welcome. I had a cherry pie '48 'binder (paid $200 for it)that I drove from Kansas to Oregon, then used as my daily driver for 5 years. It worked so good, I never did a thing to it! But I always thought about doing the S-10 thing, but never did. If you decide to go this route, would you mind if I look over your shoulder? Don't jangle when it's time to panic!
thanks for all responses guys. sorry i took so long getting back. i dont have the fenders as it was a dump truck cab but i did get the grill shell which is really tall andbulky. i really like the idea of the s 10 frame but it looks like the steering box would stand out a lot on the front. and i dont plan on having any fenders. i will probly use a shortend step box. and i want it really low. the 41 looks a lot like my cab but mine has the front of the door bottom curved up. also i do have a 32 or so truck grill i can use. as for pics. i dont have a dig cam yet, is there one that is affordable so i dont have to eat up too much of my rod budget. or another way to do it . thanks RoadKat
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