Ratty 46 Ford Cpe. redo......

[ratty 46]

Although my 46 is not a "rat rod" per say........it's a bit ratty: patina paint for sitting in the sun in Ks. for last umteen years. Couple bullet holes in the windows & some dry rotted tyres....

Although a dropped axle & superslide spring had been added prior to my recent ownership.....I've evaluated the car as a whole and have ordered parts that will upgrade the car, in some ways, to at least the 80's.

So......I'm pushing forward and have ordered parts........

Chassis Works front A-arm set up
Chassis Works R & P steering
Chassis Works poly 4 link set up
Koni dbl. adjustible rear coil over shocks
Chassis Works adjustible front coil over shocks

I had previously bought a S10 early T5 trans to run behind the flatty BUT...
with the Chassis Works front end swap.......they actually make a custom front cross member for my particular car. They also make the A-arms to my request along with the rack. I intend on cutting the track witdh by 3" overall.

I'll be running stock ford steel wheels - 16X4.5 along with 7.00x16 rear tyres & 6.50x16 front tyres.

The front frame rail will sit 5" off the ground. The rear 5.5".

I'll post some pix tomorrow as I've not uploaded to my computer yet.

Ratty 46

 

[Gastrick]

Sounds like a plan ratty 46. Standing by for photos.

 

[Cutman]

Dude... you said pics tomorrow... umm, it's tomorrow

I would like to see your project... will check back later. Sounds cool.

 

[ratty 46]

As ya'll might remember I bought this car out of Ks. It's a rust free patina'd out extremely solid 46.

This is what I started with:

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1303.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1305.jpg

Here's the start...Exhaust cut off/out & original gas tank removed. Today will hold new ideas & problems.

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1304.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1306.jpg

more to come........ later.

I have decided that I'm going to 86 the complete 46 driveline. I've had a SBC with trickflo almn. heads & all the trimens that did not get sold with my 66 chev II pro street car so......... they've got to go someplace!!!

Ratty 46

 

[YoungBlood]

Good looking score. I know how you feel, you want to do one thing totally radical, but then suddenly you're sticking a Chevy motor in. Its how it works I guess.

 

[ratty 46]

How bout a little progress today.......

Hood, radiator & fan removal. Now I can see what needs to be done for the removal of the factory cross member. It will be replaced with a custum made unit from CHASSIS WORKS. My friends at SHEPPARD RACE CARS are assisting me with the front & rear suspension install.
I've added a few pix of the first Caddy XLR8 Outlaw 10.5 drag car that they are working on for a customer in Mo. My car will be of the same calibur build wise!!

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1308.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1313.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1310.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1309.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1322.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1315.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1318.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1316.jpg

More to come....

Ratty 46

 

[ratty 46]

Well.......late Sat. afternoon progress.....

Front end removed after a LONG TIME installed on coupe:

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1323.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1324.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1326.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/Picture1327.jpg

Tomorrow engine & trans will be removed......I'll post more pix.

Ratty 46

 

[ratty 46]

Well......more Sunday progress.......Engine & trans removed. Now comes the hard parts.....removing factory rivits from the chassis to make room for the new cross member.

I forgot the camera so pix next Sat. when I do some addt'l work.

When I removed the front end I found two almost identical rot holes, about the size of a small fist at the bottom of the cowl on each side. I'll be cutting that decayed metal out & replacing it with some new healthy material.

Pix to follow.

I'm pretty stoked about the how far along I am in such a short time. Now if Chassis Works will get my parts to me I can really dig in & play!

Ratty 46

 

[donsrods]

Hey, be careful, you're scratching my parts up there!! Looking really good Paul, I'm amazed how clean that entire car is. Your floorpans and everything are super solid, what a great way to start a project.

How did you find the car in Kansas, Ebay??

Don

 

[Gastrick]

The sheetmetal sure is clen on that one ratty 46. I've installed a MII crossmember in one of those before. It wasn't too bad at all. Save those front brakes, the traditional guys need them. Especially the front hubs. They should be the ones that mount on the outside of the drum. If so, those are the hubs needed for a Buick finned drum conversion.

That Cad is baaaaaaaaaad!

 

[ratty 46]

Car was actually scored thru HAMB contact from Ks. I probably paid a bit more than I wanted but figured that in the long run it'd be overall cheaper. I'd seen sooooo many projects on the HAMB start off with such worn out bodies & how much time was invested to bring them back to life (skill too) and wasn't willing to set that much time aside for that type construction.

That IS original ford paint. It even looks that way on the underside of the car too. I was always tought that the better your project started out as the easier & usually better it would turn out in the end - bar cheap ass short cuts people like to take. As you can see I'm not going the cheapie route.

As for those "desired" brake parts....that's now "donsrods" problem/issue. He scored the complete driveline from this car. CHEAP!

I want to drive this everywhere & not that it couldn't be done with the original stuff, I had some left over parts from the sale of my 66 chev II pro street car (engine, trans, guages, fuel system, etc.) and I couldn't see them wasting away in the garage.....

Plus.....as everyone knows...... I can go to the quick trip for SBC parts anyplace in the country (places the wife & kid want to go). I also want to bring safety up to at least the 80's. The 4 wheel disc brakes, 4 corner coil over, R & P steering, seat belts & such will help.

Honestly.....I want to be able to get in it every day as a "real" daily driver.

Vintage air is even planned in the future.

Time will tell.

The only thing really ratty about the car was the DESIRED patina paint which is actually FINISHED/DONE.

Ratty 46

 

[donsrods]

You are so right Paul about starting off with a good car like yours.........it saves soooooooooo much time and work to get it done. Kind of like the thing of "you can pay me now or pay me later." You might spend more up front but those replacement panels and parts don't come cheap.

BTW, I have some plans for your unwanted parts. Going to build a little 27 modified like the one in this picture, at least that is the plan right now. I have always loved this car and have saved this 1959 magazine all these years just so I could duplicate it someday. Those '46 parts will be right at home in it.

Don

 

[ratty 46]

I didn't figure they would go to waste....that'll be a flash back ride.

My 46 grew out of the fact that I couldn't afford my dream machine - a 1940 cpe.. They have grown out of my financial sight!

But I always had a soft spot for Fat Jack Robinson's 1946 that he built back in the mid 80's. Sooooo when I spied this gem....I figured I better jump on it or I'd miss the boat. I'd recently sold my 62 ford unibody truck for a healthy sum so $$ was not an issue. Getting the right "start" was. I got detailed pix of the car & presto - my new project.

I had bid (egay) on this car but had to bail after $9500.00. I think it went for 11,500. a bit rich for my blood. But I kept a mental note of the "design".

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x11/paco1008/rusty46.jpg

I think I've got a winner.....

Ratty 46

 

[donsrods]

Yep, this stuff is getting out of sight pricewise for us regular guys. Even simple cars are bringing big bucks any more. You did good though, your's is very clean.

BTW, I was studying the pictures you posted and it was driving me nuts trying to figure out what brake setup they used on the front of your '46. I had never seen one like it, then I realized the wheel cylinders were on the bottom! Turns out they are just 46 brakes, but they installed the backing plates upside down! Wonder why they did that?

Had me scratching my head for a while.

Don

 

[ratty 46]

No telln' Don on the brakes.....but they have new rubber lines & shoes (not installed). Make me a deal on the wheels & you can roll everything away.....I recently saw them going for 45.00 ea. on egay.....you can have them for 1/2 with the tires....
I also have a set of REDS Headers 9New/Unused) if you have interest.

Ratty 46

 

[donsrods]

Let me see how my finances are when it comes time for me to come up and pick up the parts. I should be ok to do that, but it all depends on how fast my income tax check comes.

Don

 

[ratty 46]

Well ......... with parts ordered & a specific spot (in the shop) for the 46 not yet availible I've turned my efforts to one of the things I've wanted to do since before I got the car..... redo the stock dash. Don't get me wrong.... I dig a stock 46 dash but ANYONE can do that!!! So with jingle in my pocket & ebay at my finger tips I was off to the races....... SOLD!! Found 1 very clean stock dash in great shape....less guages. The dash did include some worn out stock plastic & chrome. As much as I like the waterfall style dash I really didn't care for the tiny stock guages.
I've got a complete guage set (AutoMeter) left over from my 66 chev II pro street car sale that will be put to use.
I got the dash in today & proceded to hammer & dollie a few rough spots along with welding up as many of the small holes as possible. I'll be cutting up some small pieces of metal to finish the holes along with rolling some material where the stock speedo & clock ounce resided.
It should look very tasteful & be very functionable when done. Probably not to HAMB standards but.......I'll enjoy it & it'll be easy to read.
I've also got a line on a T4, 67mm Garrett turbo, waste gate & intercooler that may end up on the sbc. We shall see.

If I get anymore done this weekend I'll post up.

Ratty 46

 

[ratty 46]

My intent with the dash is to cut the center out where the old radio & waterfall ounce was.

Here are some addt'l pix of the car sans engine/trans.

Now just waiting on hard parts.

Ratty 46

 

[donsrods]

You're really making progress Paul. Your frame and all is very solid. Your $ is on the way, and I started building my car hitch today, should finish it up tomorrow or so. Still no rush on my part, take your time getting the stuff pulled.

Bet you are getting excited seeing all this progress on your car.

Don

 

[chopper tom]

''Sorry to butt in'' ,but don do you have better pics of the T that you posted up top ? and can you post them on a separate thead?
Or any other pics of racked T's?

Thats a very nice 46 ya got there ratty!!