Geech
Banned
Man I love that truck and the craftsmanship going into it. Please keep posting lots of pics.
Ok, the cat is out of the bag!!!
- Thread starter donsrods
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
donsrods
Well-known member
Thanks guys. Yep, we are finally making some progress on it. For a while it looked like he was going to be my age before he ever got that rear end mounted. 
Now that he is posting pictures it is ok for me to do so also..........I'll keep them coming as we get stuff done.
Don
Now that he is posting pictures it is ok for me to do so also..........I'll keep them coming as we get stuff done.Don
Very cool...
Awesome work Don, some major changes there, but it looks great.
Really like the bracket treatment and rivets.
Looking forward to the updates on this, it should be as good a read as your "T" build thread. '22
Awesome work Don, some major changes there, but it looks great.
Really like the bracket treatment and rivets.
Looking forward to the updates on this, it should be as good a read as your "T" build thread. '22
Blue
Well-known member
You guys have way too much skill
Looking great!!
Looking great!!
Gastrick
One of the Dirty Dozen!
Very nice Don. I can't wait to see it. Does he plan to bring it to Billetproof in March?
donsrods
Well-known member
Thanks everyone. No Bill, he isn't going to make that in time. Too much to do and he is talking about some serious additions, like chromed suspension, shiny paint, a top, etc. Plus, he debates every bracket like it was going on the space shuttle, so he isn't exactly quick.
Rab, if he changes his mind on this one we are going to take up fishing again. Being sort of sloppy personally, it is hard for me to understand someone so driven by perfection. Must get it from his Mom.
Don
Rab, if he changes his mind on this one we are going to take up fishing again. Being sort of sloppy personally, it is hard for me to understand someone so driven by perfection. Must get it from his Mom.
Don
ronnysplymouth
Well-known member
Rab, if he changes his mind on this one we are going to take up fishing again. Being sort of sloppy personally, it is hard for me to understand someone so driven by perfection. Must get it from his Mom.
Don
I'd like to reiterate what everyone else has said about your fine craftsmanship..............That being said if he starts talkin bout hackin it up again
call me cuz I wanna be near the dumpster that he throws all his "junk" he doesn't wanna use.
donsrods
Well-known member
Thanks. Yeah, you and me both.
His Brother and I made out like bandits. I got the entire bed and even the louvered tonneau cover to use on my '39. Don got his rear axle setup, brand new wide whites, and so much other stuff I can't remember it all. The bed on my pickup is loaded with cut up pieces of steel too.One guy on the HAMB asked him what became of his old frame and he told him it became the worlds most expensive engine stand!
I've got a feeling this time is the final one though.
Don
Altered Ego
Active member
I would've been happy with the mor-door sedan!!!!
That is some incredible work! I've got a feeling we'll be seeing you guys work in magazines in the very near future!!!
That is some incredible work! I've got a feeling we'll be seeing you guys work in magazines in the very near future!!!
donsrods
Well-known member
Yeah, House and Gardens just contacted us last week.
Thanks for the nice words.
I liked the fordor too, and even the first roadster pickup would have been fine with me. But I have to admit this current one is a lot better. Last night I left him at two AM and he stayed until about 6 this morning. We built the engine mount/crossmember that tucks under the oil pan and joins both rails together. As soon as he posts some pictures I'll throw some up here.
Don
Thanks for the nice words.
I liked the fordor too, and even the first roadster pickup would have been fine with me. But I have to admit this current one is a lot better. Last night I left him at two AM and he stayed until about 6 this morning. We built the engine mount/crossmember that tucks under the oil pan and joins both rails together. As soon as he posts some pictures I'll throw some up here.
Don
Last edited:
donsrods
Well-known member
We have really made some good progress on Dan's RPU in the last couple of weeks. We had his '40 Ford wheels powdercoated and I took them and had the new Firestones he got from Coker mounted and balanced for him this week.
Then we chopped his grilleshell 4 and 1/2 inches and tackled building a crossmember under the engine to hold the motor mounts. The 455 Olds is no lightweight at 650 lbs, so we decided to put a full crossmember under it to support the weight. We built it from 3 pieces of 3/16 flat steel, welded it all together, and punched it full of holes.
Once all that was done we mocked the car back up with the engine, body, bed and grille shell to see how it would look. It is beginning to look like a car finally. Here are some pictures I took.
Don
Then we chopped his grilleshell 4 and 1/2 inches and tackled building a crossmember under the engine to hold the motor mounts. The 455 Olds is no lightweight at 650 lbs, so we decided to put a full crossmember under it to support the weight. We built it from 3 pieces of 3/16 flat steel, welded it all together, and punched it full of holes.
Once all that was done we mocked the car back up with the engine, body, bed and grille shell to see how it would look. It is beginning to look like a car finally. Here are some pictures I took.
Don
Attachments
sakustoms
Well-known member
Wow Don, that looks unbelievable. You guys sure do some top notch work. I can't wait to see this thing finished.
Eric
Eric
bob w
Still crazy after all these years!
You guy have "upped the ante"! It's going to be hard for any of us ham fisted backyard builders to match the beautiful and creative work you are doing. Gives us something to strive toward though. I learn a lot looking at your builds.
donsrods
Well-known member
Thanks guys, but I am just one of those ham fisted builders too. To me, if a bracket fits and looks half decent, I'm done. Dan is the one who sweats every little detail, which can be good or it can be bad. On one hand the little details he does are pretty creative, but on the other it sure slows down the build.
For him the fun is in cutting and welding stuff, for me, I want to actually DRIVE the car someday. So when we are at the shop and he starts to sit and stare at something I know it is going to be a while before he makes up his mind, so I go off and clean the shop or something else until he is ready to commit to a final plan.
One thing for sure, we could never do this for anybody else and make any money at it. There are two solid days of work in that simple front crossmember, so if you do the math, even if you were charging $ 20 an hour X probably 20 hours in it = $ 400. You could never bill anyone $ 400 for that crossmember. Jimmy Shine summed it up on his TV show when he said to Littleman "In business you have to decide if a part is going to be a 10 or a 2. If it doesn't show, make it a 2."
While that seems on the surface like they are doing shoddy work by not making every part a 10, he is actually very correct. People would not pay what it costs to make every part a 10. Maybe people like Coddington and Foose have customers who would pay that kind of money, but those are few and far between.
Dan would never make it in a commercial shop because every part to him has to be a 10, and when he isn't happy with something, out comes the sawzall and he starts all over again. I guess if you are doing it for yourself that is ok though.
Don
For him the fun is in cutting and welding stuff, for me, I want to actually DRIVE the car someday.
So when we are at the shop and he starts to sit and stare at something I know it is going to be a while before he makes up his mind, so I go off and clean the shop or something else until he is ready to commit to a final plan.One thing for sure, we could never do this for anybody else and make any money at it. There are two solid days of work in that simple front crossmember, so if you do the math, even if you were charging $ 20 an hour X probably 20 hours in it = $ 400. You could never bill anyone $ 400 for that crossmember. Jimmy Shine summed it up on his TV show when he said to Littleman "In business you have to decide if a part is going to be a 10 or a 2. If it doesn't show, make it a 2."
While that seems on the surface like they are doing shoddy work by not making every part a 10, he is actually very correct. People would not pay what it costs to make every part a 10. Maybe people like Coddington and Foose have customers who would pay that kind of money, but those are few and far between.
Dan would never make it in a commercial shop because every part to him has to be a 10, and when he isn't happy with something, out comes the sawzall and he starts all over again. I guess if you are doing it for yourself that is ok though.
Don
Gastrick
One of the Dirty Dozen!
Don, the car looks outstanding, like rolling art. Makes me want to throw my junk in the scrap bin and start over.
I'm diggin the wheel/tire combo
I'm diggin the wheel/tire combo
Don, the car looks outstanding, like rolling art. Makes me want to throw my junk in the scrap bin and start over.
I'm diggin the wheel/tire combo
Hey, your in luck Gastrick... I just emptied my scrap bin,so feel free to throw it in there.
Don, the work you guys do there is top notch. I love the attention to detail!
But what I am most impressed with is the way you keep your shop so clean while you get all that work done! I can clean mine and it seems like a half day later I'm standing in 2" of grinder dust
gassersgarage
The California Kid
A friend of mine owns Hot Rods and Hobbies. This guy is a real stickler for details. His cars look as good on top as on the bottom. Maybe its being in California or SoCal, but I've seen bills for his cars from $250K - $500K and people were paying it
I think you son definitely has the talent to put some big named builders to shame.
donsrods
Well-known member
Thanks guys. I am getting better about keeping it clean, Dan accuses me of behaving like him now, I sweep up about 3 or 4 times during the night. Grinding dust is the worst, so I try to get it up before it tracks everywhere.
You are right about Californians being more apt to spend money on their cars. When I lived there I saw why all the cars I saw in magazines from California were so trick........the people who live there just don't mind spending big bucks on these things. Even their daily drivers tend to be high end cars in many cases. The average income there is also a little higher than most places, so that helps too.
While I'm posting I'll bring you all up to date on where Dan is on his rod. He has the rear crossmembers all cut and slipped into the frame holes, but not welded in yet. He decided after punching a couple of lightning holes in the crossmember and sleeving it with tubing that it was gonna take him weeks just to do the 21 holes, so he abandoned that idea. I think they look fine as it is. He also got his panhard bar made and mocked up, so the rear is pretty well done as far as fabrication goes. Now it just needs welded up.
He is also forming 32 Ford style front frame horns to weld onto the front stubs of the frame. He is going to make a spreader bar and have that chromed when he is done.
Here are some pictures of the rear crossmembers........I'll have some of the horns when we get further along.
Don
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools013.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools014.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools015.jpg
Grinding dust is the worst, so I try to get it up before it tracks everywhere.You are right about Californians being more apt to spend money on their cars. When I lived there I saw why all the cars I saw in magazines from California were so trick........the people who live there just don't mind spending big bucks on these things. Even their daily drivers tend to be high end cars in many cases. The average income there is also a little higher than most places, so that helps too.
While I'm posting I'll bring you all up to date on where Dan is on his rod. He has the rear crossmembers all cut and slipped into the frame holes, but not welded in yet. He decided after punching a couple of lightning holes in the crossmember and sleeving it with tubing that it was gonna take him weeks just to do the 21 holes, so he abandoned that idea. I think they look fine as it is. He also got his panhard bar made and mocked up, so the rear is pretty well done as far as fabrication goes. Now it just needs welded up.
He is also forming 32 Ford style front frame horns to weld onto the front stubs of the frame. He is going to make a spreader bar and have that chromed when he is done.
Here are some pictures of the rear crossmembers........I'll have some of the horns when we get further along.
Don
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools013.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools014.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x4/donsrods/tools015.jpg
