My first Rat

[NitroJohnny]

This is my first Rat Rod. I have had lots of race cars and street cars, but these things are so much cooler. It isnt road worthy yet but will be soon. I am currently rebuilding the rear end completly. Then it will be some wiring, small misc stuff and new tires then it should be ready to go.

It is a 48 Mercury truck on a 50 F1 frame. Has a 50 Mercury car Dash, Steering column and wheel. All suspension is stock ride height and the body is channeled 10 inches. It was built for show only by the person I bought it from. I was told it won 1st place in the World of Wheels show in 2009.

Currently has a chevy 250 in it. I am debating on a 350 or bigger for it.

 

[lvin4jc]

Whoa, very cool. Please don't ever paint it!

I like the door panels and the wooden bed floor it has, never seen that floor before but it's a great idea.

Are you sure you don't want to put a Ford engine in it? They make engines too ya know...

All in all it's fantastic!

P.S. What's in the bed? Old skool looking tube woofers?

 

[NitroJohnny]

No paint is in her future. And the gas tank is made from propellant cans from veitnam m1 tank. The floor is way up there due to the channeling and stock frame. You sit in it like a race car. Legs pretty much flat on the floor.

 

[Shea Laking]

I think your cab is off of a '51 or '52, due to the wider rear window. The '48-'50 F-1 (and Mercs) had a smaller window opening, didn't go all the way across.

Are those '56 F-100 headlight rings? Man, that looks COOL! I've never seen that style of truck with those on it before and it just totally makes the front end. A small detail, but unique and it fits!

Love the Merc car dashboard, that's another cool detail that works well.

The comic book poster door panels are a little on the kitschy side, but hey, wtf... Still kinda neat.

With something that LOW, the 250 might just work okay in there, it doesn't need to be a rocketship laying on the bumper pans like that! Maybe just some sort of O.D. transmission to help overcome the "truck" low speed rear gears?

Looking forward to seeing your progress as it comes. Thanks for sharing your pics!![P

Oh yeah, welcome to RRR, BTW.

Regards,
Shea

 

[NitroJohnny]

I'll be doing research on the year. It may be a 50. I'll check with the VIN # and see how it comes up. It was sold as a 48 and I am new to the older trucks.
Headlights are off a 56 Ford car, Taillights are off a 39 Ford with Devil lenses.
The door panels may get swapped for something else. I havent thought that far ahead yet.

 

[Snake Farm]

Cool truck for sure ! Lots of neat little details. [cl[cl

 

[NitroJohnny]

We have a winner. LOL

50 model, made in St Louis. I need to get a title so this is good to know.

 

[NitroJohnny]

It also has a 3.73 gear in it. So I will go to a slighlty taller rear tire and be able to hit 70 at 3k rpm. So it may just work. I was worried about the gearing since the replacement gears are 4.55 .. That would suck going 50 on the highway.

 

[skull]

nice truck

if ya put a 350 sbc and 700R4 in it, that works good, lots of power and good fuel milage.

cool truck, l like it[cl

Later

 

[Hey_Pauly]

Cool truck!

 

[lvin4jc]

if ya put a 350 sbc and 700R4 in it, that works good, lots of power and good fuel milage.

cool truck, l like it[cl

Later

Or a 351W and an AOD...

I didn't notice the headlights before, that really dresses up the old monkey face, someone had a good eye to know that would look good.

 

[NitroJohnny]

Thanks. I cant wait to drive it. LOL

 

[drptop70ss]

I agree on the 700r4, I run one with 4:11 gears in my 37 buick, no issues on the highway at all. Very cool truck, I see one in my future.

 

[42chevy]

Very cool truck!

 

[NitroJohnny]

I want to get it on the road and see how it works with what it has in it first. Hopefully it runs fine.

 

[TiredIronGRB]

That's just too cool man. I love theme rods and the horror flick theme is the bomb.

 

[HOT40ROD]

Great trucks. I had a couple of them and there is a lot of room under the hood for what ever motor you want to put it it.

 

[NitroJohnny]

Been working on it. New radiator, dual brake master cylinders which fixed my braking issues, and had a new exhaust pipe installed yesterday. I think it looks pretty cool. Might make a cut on the tip to give it a little shape.

 

[NitroJohnny]

Oh, I also installed a 9" rear which makes it drivable now with no rpm issues.

 

[earthman]

Perfect truck NJ.