Idea for a build. E150 to Rat Rod???

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lvin4jc

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
206
Location
Rapid City, SoDak
She's a beauty isn't she?

So I ended up with a 1982 E150 in good running shape for almost nothing. I have absolutely no use for this behemoth but in staring at it I couldn't help but notice how far forward that front axle is.

That got me thinking about the look that a stretched axle pickup has, which I like a lot. Has anyone pulled the body off of one of these and stuck an old truck cab and bed on there with a grill way out front?


From this:
20180710_165757.jpg


To something like this:
ratrod.jpg
 
You can do as much as you want but in the end I think it will look like you used the frame from an E150. If you don't care, that's great. But it just wouldn't look right IMO.
 
What do you think would be the issue? Height, length?

You would most likely need to move the engine rearward (maybe not), but modern frames and suspension just don't look good fenderless. An aftermarket tubular front suspension or a straight axle look great, but trying to use anything else just doesn't look good.

It's much better for the finished product if you use something that will look pretty. Again, maybe you don't care about that?

Modern vehicle control arms and frame rails are not good looking when you try to make them fenderless. The odd guy tries and succeeds, but most look pretty bad to me.
 
You would most likely need to move the engine rearward (maybe not), but modern frames and suspension just don't look good fenderless. An aftermarket tubular front suspension or a straight axle look great, but trying to use anything else just doesn't look good.

It's much better for the finished product if you use something that will look pretty. Again, maybe you don't care about that?

Modern vehicle control arms and frame rails are not good looking when you try to make them fenderless. The odd guy tries and succeeds, but most look pretty bad to me.

Yeah I guess your definition of modern is what would make the difference. This girl still has twin beams like my '69 F100.

Who knows, it could be fugly under all that sheet metal, I dunno.
 
It's fugly. Twin I is not pretty mostly because of the huge spring towers. The frame itself probably isn't bad - I'd bet it's very similar to what's under your truck.
 
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, a thousand times NO,

that twin I beam FS is THE UGLIEST SUSPENSION DESIGN EVAR!!!!!!!!

IT ONLY LOOKS LIKE IT IS FAR FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE SHORT HOOD.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

I beg you pick something else, please, please, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I may be making this up in my head... but didnt one of ZZ rodders many awesome creations have a twin I beam front????
 

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