66 Satellite as a rat rod?

[GTXKen]

I have a 66 satellite that I have been thinking about turning into a rat rod for a while now. I know its a little new and not a tradtional rat rod but its what I have to work with. The body is fairly solid and complete but the floors and trans cross member are shot. I have a 56 ford straight axel I could use if I wanted and either a big block or small block. I really don't have a plan other than I don.t want to do any paint. Any and all thoughts and ideas are welcome.

Ken

 

[rockb1]

Use the big block & straifht axle.
GASSER!!!! [ddev

 

[46 ford truck]

use it

Go to photoshop and try this... Put some torque thrust wheels with skinny pinstripe white ealls and clear coat.... Oh yeh a 318 will do the job plus they r plentiful and just drive it til the wheels fall off...........Maybe a bright red interior and ur set.......Ok lets go over this again.....318,torque thrust,pinnies,red interior and drive............................haha good luck welcom too by the way

 

[rainman]

One word GASSER!!!

 

[donsrods]

Ya know, it's your car and if you want to turn it into a blender, that would be your business. But if I can offer some advice. That car should remain a muscle car, there are so few of these Mopars left and especially a hardtop, like yours. You wouldn't need to spend a ton of money on it, just clean up the body, repair the floors, and put a nice big block Mopar in there. Some 60's era mags, like torque thrusts or Cragars, and you would be good to go. I see by your other thread that you understand the importance of preserving as many of these as we can.

I just think certain cars need to stay true to their heritage. You could even sell this one to someone who would put it back and then maybe use the money to buy an older car, that would truly fit the rat rod image. This one would never be a true rat rod. JMO.

Don

 

[GTXKen]

Go to photoshop and try this... Put some torque thrust wheels with skinny pinstripe white ealls and clear coat.... Oh yeh a 318 will do the job plus they r plentiful and just drive it til the wheels fall off...........Maybe a bright red interior and ur set.......Ok lets go over this again.....318,torque thrust,pinnies,red interior and drive............................haha good luck welcom too by the way

I couldn't photoshop to save my life...

Clear coat? Really

 

[Pookie Bros]

Ya know, it's your car and if you want to turn it into a blender, that would be your business. But if I can offer some advice. That car should remain a muscle car, there are so few of these Mopars left and especially a hardtop, like yours. You wouldn't need to spend a ton of money on it, just clean up the body, repair the floors, and put a nice big block Mopar in there. Some 60's era mags, like torque thrusts or Cragars, and you would be good to go. I see by your other thread that you understand the importance of preserving as many of these as we can.

I just think certain cars need to stay true to their heritage. You could even sell this one to someone who would put it back and then maybe use the money to buy an older car, that would truly fit the rat rod image. This one would never be a true rat rod. JMO.

Don

Are you sure you're not a Pookie? [S

I agree 150% with the above.

 

[39chev]

I would build it like a muscle car if it was mine but do a flat black paint job.

 

[GTXKen]

Ya know, it's your car and if you want to turn it into a blender, that would be your business. But if I can offer some advice. That car should remain a muscle car, there are so few of these Mopars left and especially a hardtop, like yours. You wouldn't need to spend a ton of money on it, just clean up the body, repair the floors, and put a nice big block Mopar in there. Some 60's era mags, like torque thrusts or Cragars, and you would be good to go. I see by your other thread that you understand the importance of preserving as many of these as we can.

I just think certain cars need to stay true to their heritage. You could even sell this one to someone who would put it back and then maybe use the money to buy an older car, that would truly fit the rat rod image. This one would never be a true rat rod. JMO.

Don

I was kind of thinking it would never be a true rat rod but I'm not sure I can pull off a restoration on this without spending some big money. Let me give you some more detail. Outer body is pretty solid like I said but for a resto you would need patch panels on the quarters and to completely strip the DS fender and door, they look like someone started with chemical stripper and never finished. The trunk lid has a couple good dents but I have an extra. Hood has rust and holes from 67 style hood scoops but I have another hood that’s perfect. The chrome for the tops of the panels and doors are all gone, rocker trim is there but needs work, grill is fair, tail panel and tail light bezels are poor. Bumpers need to be straightened and chromed. Trim work alone is an easy 5K, I know, a buddy of mine is doing a 66 like this one. Inside the floor panels are gone, I mean gone. Trunk floor is solid except for where it meets the wheel well (I have the back half of a sedan) the inside corner where the inner fender meets the fire wall needs major repair. The front frame rails need patches and the transmission cross member is rotted through where it should meet the rocker (I have one of these too). The front seats and console are gone, needs a headliner and door panels, radio is gone and so are the heater controls. It boils down to being too much work for me. Id sell it if anything was selling, I've tried and I'll try again before I likely get to this. I figure the car, back half, hood, cross member, couple extra doors, and extra trunk lid should be worth 1600 - 1800? But nobody is buying.

So if I could start on it today I'd probably patch the floors with scrap, weld in the trans cross member, weld up the frame, cut out the inner fenders. Drop in a big block with a tunnel ram and with fender well headers and glass packs dumping at the sides, bolt in the two oldest buckets I could find, pull the back seat and head liner. Use the front 6 inches of the hood (with hood ornament) to cover the top of the grill, leave the slots up front and mount 15x10 steel wheels (white and rusty) out back. No bodywork and no new paint. Oh, someone had used beer tops for the knobs on the dash, I dig those.

ken

 

[Pookie Bros]

I would keep the exterior the same with that patina. I would repair the floors and other areas that needed attention. Then I would build up a sweet 440 or even a 383 and get the car running.

I would make it like it was a street beater/racer from the 60's. You'd be suprised at the inquiries that come when people see something like that on the road-driving. Put for sale signs in the windows then.

 

[GTXKen]

I do have a good 71 440 HP block, heads and crank I could use, I picked them up for $200 a year or so back. The machine work and the rest of the parts could be some coin yet, I'd need rods, pistons, a tunnel ram and carbs besids all the little BS. I really need to attend more swap meets

 

[dmw56]

Street beater/sleeper/ or gasser!!!

 

[Pookie Bros]

I do have a good 71 440 HP block, heads and crank I could use, I picked them up for $200 a year or so back. The machine work and the rest of the parts could be some coin yet, I'd need rods, pistons, a tunnel ram and carbs besids all the little BS. I really need to attend more swap meets

Well if you are looking for some goodies, we are practically tripping over them. We are Mopar Pookies, well check that, I am a Mopar Pookie. Now POOKIE on the other hand, he has a Camaro. yes it's true, it's true.....

How many cores in that 70-HP block ? ?

 

[clamor]

I think more what Don might have been getting at was to get it running & driving, maybe make it a driving project. You know, long term resto-mod.

I know when I get working on my next build I'll have to be more careful & keep it driveable for what I want it for the whole time so I can keep interest in it and not be at a point where it requires a bunch of money to be 'useable.'

I got in that pit with my Jeep, I had more suspension & tire than axle & pretty much kept it garaged for the last 5+ years I owned it.

(sorry if I misunderstood what you meant, Don)
-Chaz

 

[hflhfl]

I would keep the exterior the same with that patina. I would repair the floors and other areas that needed attention. Then I would build up a sweet 440 or even a 383 and get the car running.

I would make it like it was a street beater/racer from the 60's. You'd be suprised at the inquiries that come when people see something like that on the road-driving. Put for sale signs in the windows then.

I agree with the aboue this thing should be a muscle car ! If it were mine I would sell it and use that straight axle for another project ! Jmo it s yours to do what ever you. Want to though

 

[PA41]

I'm agreein with tha Pookie Bros Too. He hit it right on the head.

Some cars are just a force of nature, and it would be un-natural to fight the way it's headed. Just get all Zen with it--go with the flow and it'll take you where it wants to be. Get that way, and it'll almost build its self. Sometimes parts will just show up for it at your house--like they were ment to be in your car. Talk the car up that way, and often people will start bringing pieces to it..


Sweet car.. Don't fight it.

Go with tha flow.

PA41

 

[rockb1]

One word GASSER!!!

Thats what i said!! lol