round up. 89 days, 850 miles. HIT IT!!!

we built a car in 89 days, rolled it out of the garage, and ran south to the round up 850 miles away. it was an amazing thing and i think the story needs to be told.

over the summer last year i decided i wanted to build a truck from the ground up and do the build more traditional than worry about the truck being traditional. by that i mean using leftover parts, hitting salvage yards, trying new ideas, and doing it yourself with your boys, not paying someone to build your project while you stand around and watch. i found a 49 ford cab in the fall and we drug it home and it set in the driveway with the 2 sticks of 2X3 tubing to be used for a frame and that was as far as it got. in early january me, my buddy ian , and a case of cheap beer decided we were going to drive this pile of parts 850 miles to the round up and a trailer was out of the question. we had 89 days to go until we had to be cracking open our first lone star on congress street so, we got busy.

with 4 screw drivers, a few sockets, and a claw hammer we got started. we built a bench, saw horses, and got a few tools to get working on a frame. before long we had a good start on the frame and more and more people were stopping by with beer to watch the story unfold. it was the coldest part of the year and we were going through kerosene about as fast as beer but we were only working on it 2 nights a week and still moving right along. as everyone saw it coming together we started having people stop by with parts donations for the truck too. it didn't take long before the garage was the only place to be after work and the alley was always full of cars. by the time we got ready to put the motor and trany on the frame, we had 20 inches of snow on the ground and had no way to get our borrowed engine hoist and new trany up to the garage in a truck so ian and i each grabbed an end and drug the hoist through the snow and we got it done.

even when we had the truck on the ground with the cab setting on the rails, we still had our doubters. it was fun to be working on stuff while listening to people talk about how we were crazy and there was no way it would be done. i think that was what kept driving us. by this time we were getting down to a month left and the build was in full swing. ian had parts being machined during the day at work and our parts scrounger gary was finding stuff from all over the place at swap meets. we would work at night until we had hit all the snags to keep us from going on and i would get what we needed to fix those problems the next day so we could keep going. before we knew it, it was the weekend before the trip and we had a HUGE list of things that had to be done and we had yet to hear it run but help was on it's way!!
a huge roar was heard to the east, all the women and children hid, and the ratz from ames rolled into town. no beer was safe, no cheese burgers would live, and the truck would be on the road before they left. with everyone working on at least 2 things at once, we attacked the list with full force and late sunday night, sitting on a lawn chair, i drove it 4 blocks to the gas station! life was great and we still had 2 nights to do stupid little stuff like bolt down the cab, build a box, wire it, put a floor in it, get a seat, put on head lights, and fix all the leaks. ya know, the little stuff. after an all nighter tuesday night and a few hours of work wednesday morning, it was time to hit the road to austin. the build was done, and all we had left to do was drive 850 miles to texas in a truck that had 1 mile on it and never seen second gear. we were in hog, or hood rat, heaven.

we hit the road and made it about 10 miles before it broke. we lost a pin on a brake shoe and the master cyl. decided it did not want to be a part of the trip. after a run to the parts store and a few creative ideas, we were back on the road but now it was dark, we had one brake, and our caravan was 2 hours ahead of us. we made it to salina kansas, got a room, and hit the sack. when we woke up, it was raining. we changed the master cyl., filled it up with gas, and were back on the road. we drove the rest of the day in pouring rain with no side windows, 1/2 a floor, no wipers, and a roof that is tacked together. by the time we got to ardmore oklahoma, it was time to get some sleep. we had some beer, and hit the sack. the next day we would make it to austin with minimal problems from a front wheel bearing.

when we finally made it to congress street, all of our omaha crew was standing on picnic tables and cheering us on. we had done it! 89 days and 850 miles, most of them in the rain, but were drinking beer on congress street sitting on the front tires of , what 90 days ago, was a cab and 2 sticks of 2X3 steel. the rest of the round up was a great time and before we knew it, it was time to make the trip home. we cranked it up sunday morning and headed for dallas to see some folks for lunch.

after a rough trip around dallas, ian was going to put a turn or two on the coil overs before we left and noticed we had some big problems. the rear end had come loose and the right side had moved back almost twisting the eyes off the bottom of the shocks. we were dead in the water until we had that fixed. it was late sunday afternoon in dallas with no place open and no welder. malcolm got on the horn and got some hamb helpline numbers and before you could say "why is there a rainbow sticker in my back window" hugh and vee were there to help out. big tony came over and the next thing we knew we were flying across dallas in uncle john's model a roadster on our way to big ken's garage. they let us use the welder, gave us beer, and stuck around until we had it fixed and were on the road. that after that, my opinion of the hamb changed. it's nice to see people come together to help for no other reason than knowing they may need it too some day. the torques car club is top notch in my book, that's why i will be "big otis" on the hamb now.
uncle john stuck with ian and me for the rest of the trip home and it went smooth.

we got back to omaha around 5 monday afternoon, right on time. the trip was over. we did it. we built a truck from the ground up in 89 days and put almost 2000 miles on it before it was a week old. it sets about 4 inches off the ground and has open zoomies. we scraped the ground 2 times on the way to austin and never got pulled over. i want to say thanks to everybody who helped with making this happen. john and mikey at mark hydraulics in omaha, jeff patchin (highboy 32), malcolm (malcolm), and jeff karls(trapped in bumpkinville) from the road burners, gary anderson (hotrod roadster), jess from ames, brian, jeff and the rest of the garage crew, and my hood ratz uncle john staab, snapper, and dave (farmfresh). most of all, my boy and hood rat brother, ian (powhtrash) weeks who was there for the entire build and trip. this thing would still be a pile of parts if it was not for you bro.

my truck may not be "period correct" but you can pay someone to build a car like that from a catalog, have fed ex drop it off at your door, and trailer it to texas if you would like. i wanted to live the tradition of building a car with my boys and driving it to texas and back from omaha. you can't buy that kind of tradition at speedway. i never would have had this story to tell or met the people i did if i had jumped in my mini van and went to the round up. it would have been smooth and dry but i have yet to see a hot rodder that was either of those 2 things after an 850 trip in the spring!!!!
-otis



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Cool story

 

Amazing story. That's stuff you will remember the rest of your life. Thanks for sharing, the round up is just plain awesome. So, what ya doing for the next one?

 

thats badace!
i remember seeing that P/U and thinking how awesome it was...i love the straight "raw" shit.
good job!

 

thanks man! she is "raw" no doubt. next we are doing a 60 ford truck for ian and then we are doing an a sedan. thanks for checkin' out our story. it was a blast and i know we will never forget it fo sho!!!

 

Now THAT'S an intro!!!! hahaha!!!
Havin' fun is what it's ALL about! Ya did good.....

 

[A big South O salute to you guys,thats what its all about man.You gotta love trucks pieced together from parts, of course i'm biased a little. Later Rob

 

Cool story of success!!!
Skot

 

Otis, killer 'Intro' and great story. Glad y'all made it back home in one piece (so to speak).
That's what it's all about. Kinda like the ole-scooter days. Lookin' forward to seein' you guys at MoKan, come August.

 

BAD ASS !!! This is the car I wanted to see more of on all the other Round up picture threads. Could you post mor pictures of the ass end ? What car did you use for it ?

 

Quite an adventure Big Otis, I am proud to have been a small part in the build by scroungin parts for ya. You guys are living the dream, TRUE HOTRODDERS. I salute you both. I still can't begin to describe the feeling I had when we were all drinking at Doc's on South Congress and you and Eon came roaring up the street. In some small stupid way I'm going to miss the freezing ass cold nites in your garage stumbling over beer cans as this truck came together. Well Done !!! See Ya in traffic. Gary

 

Great story man..... Oh, wait, I already knew it!

What a great time. It was great to see you guys driving up Congress when you got into Austin on Friday.

There are some awesome people here on the HAMB that helped Otis out on the trip.

Malcolm

 

Way to go Otis! I know it's only been a week but don't forget to change the oil after Easter dinner. I'm sure it'll be due by then.

 

thanks boys! it was a cool trip for sure. ALL OF IT. the box is 60 pontiac fins flipped and switched sides. don't worry gary, we will be building stuff out there all the time and you are always welcome at the ratz nest. thanks for helping us out with rounding up parts.
thanks again for the help BigKen. you guys are top notch. good stuff brewin' in your garage too!
hey bumpkinville, don't look like i'm going to have to change the oil in the 283 this weekend. i'm 0 for 2 on small block chevys. we left # 6 somewhere in austin and it blew oil so bad on the way home the inside of the cab looks like my couch after you spend the night. i'm thinkin' about going back to my mopar roots. me and the bowtie don't seem to get along too well. well have to see.

 

great friggin story man!!!!!
good stuff!

 

Dibs to be next in line on the 'ol Two-Eighty-Free!

 

Well, I'm glad you got to experience what Hot Rodding is all about.
Its a great feeling to accomplish what you did. Keep it up.
See ya around

 

hey otis that baby turned out great, looks like you been holding out on the real pictures over here

seventhirteen over at rab.com

 

Hmmmmm...curious here...So, what's that guy in blue doing in one of your pics...with that B & W parked behind your truk...selling you tickets to the policemen's ball...???

R-

 

To paraphrase Princess Leia: "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!"

Nice story and keep at it!

Tucker

 

Bitchin' job boys!

And, take it from somone who knows. You don't have to go back to Omaha,...there is more than enough room for you Cornhuskers here in Texas.

 

otis my man ? cool truck, and story , saw it drive in and liked the bed !

 

wow, me too. b/c i guess i've never knew what it was before or something.

ya studedude, that was a good time there. ian and i were rolling up congress and pulled up next to that cat in a big block 73 plymouth. it was an old hwy patrol car. he pulled us over and we stopped traffic up so we could get some pics of that. it looked cool. the guy in the picture by the truck is ian. he makes a real convincing cop too huu!

 

SALUTE! A big SOT turds of the month to use guys,Your my new heroes.

 

thanks dick! i have always wanted to be a turd of the month. i'll give you a shout at the shop 2mrow. we are taking you stinky south o boys with us next year. i want to see a guy drive a hood to texas!!

 

I love the story. You tell it well. Sorry I wasnt more help, I was having my own adventures during the build and the trip. You guys made it home before I did.

I couldnt be happier for big otis.

 

Josh you are my hero, I had a blast working on it. Jess is buying an old car because of that weekend. He can't stop talking about it. I wish I could have been there for the trip, but I did not want to get my dress dirty. Also If I went I would not have been able to buy two more cars for us to work on. I will hopefully drive the 54 to omaha this spring. "Weld my shit hoe"

DAVE
Hoodratz

 

Big O..........Nice work by you, and all the guys who helped out. Great pics, and the accompanying story is well told. I envy you. You had an adventure of a lifetime, and memories you'll never forget. Hope to meet you someday...............Woody

 

10/10 boys! How about some pics of the rear?

 

Cool story. Show us some more pics of the truck.