Thread: My Rat Build

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I have been reading in the forum and have seens pros and cons to building RatRod. Some folks seems to think they are unsafe and I do agree on some builds and some believe them to be as safe as any classic Hot Rod or Customer build and I also agree with that. No matter what the build, first and foremost safety should always be our first concern.

I am building my rat for my grandkids to enjoy when they get old enough to drive which is about 6 years down the road for my oldest. Believe me when I say I want this build to be as safe as possible.

This project didnt start out to be a ratrod but a circle track stadium stock truck to run at our local track. I purchased a 1988 Ford Ranger and stripped it to the frame and started building the race truck. As time went on things started to get really costly really fast.

One day my grandson and I had to make a run to the local parts store and there in the parking lot was a 32 Vicky setting about 2 inches off the ground. LOL...I though my grandson could eat that thing the way he was looking at it.

On the way home he ask if I could build him one. Well the more I thought about it and I thought about how much I was going to have in the race truck a light went off in my head. Why not build the kids something that by the time they learn to drive no other kids around would have a ride like it. So I did a little searching around and located a 46 Dodge cab that had been chopped (butchard). The man was going to send it to the crusher so I offered him the Ranger cab which he said didnt matter to him so we traded.

After bringing the cab home I knew I had bitten off more than I wanted to chew on with this cab. It was butchard to no end and the welds looked like bubble gum. I searched the internet and ran across a ratrod forum. I said what the heck and posted the Dodge cab there for sale or trade. The next day a young man from a town about 30 miles away from me ask if I would be willing to trade the Dodge to a 46 Ford cab. Well yeah!!!

He delivered the Ford and took the Dodge, thank God. So that is the beginning of my first rat rod build.

At the time I had a garage full of woodworking equipment I wasnt or hadnt used in years so I started selling off the equipment to finance the ratrod build.

Started searching around collecting parts here and there and finally in the pass couple of months got to work on the project.

Bought some 2x3x3/16 wall tubing and started building the frame. Found a 230cid six from a 64 Chevelle, a powerglide and a 9inch Ford rearend.

Cut the rusty floor out of the cab and braced and squared it. After doing some research about replacing the top on the cab I ran across a build on another site which pointed me in the direction I am going with this build. The top is coming off and the cab will become a roadster when finished.

Heres a few photos to bring you up to present time.

Any comments are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and I hope you enjoy following along this build as it comes together. Its been fun so far working with my grandson and I think he is having about as much fun as I am.

Larry