My 40 Dodge Truck Build - Maybe a 41 LOL

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Looking good! Love those rear meats.

Thanks! I was going to go one size larger but geeeze they woulda been too big. I don't have to widen my rims with these and I think I won't have to narrow my rear end either. Going to get them mounted tomorrow so I can use them for the bed spacing mock-up.
 
As long as the bottom of the pan is 2" above the bottom of the lowest frame rail, it's good.
Or 2" above the bottom of the front axle, whichever you want.
With the engine at a 3 degree down in the back, this puts the tranny pan around an 1" above the bottom of the frame rail/front axle.
Either one as long as the oil filter clears the top of the frame rail.
The lower you mount the engine/tranny the smaller the tranny tunnel also the further forward you place the engine the more foot room you get.
If you're going to run a mechanical fan the center of the water pump need to be close to the center of the radiator. If you're going to run an electric fan, then this doesn't enter into the equation.

Thanks for all that info OI....your the best! I'm plenty above the front axle. Being that my engine rails angle up and my cab rails are low my tranny pan is way above and well protected. Oil filter is fine. I was checking radiator dims and my fan will be center. This is all working out. Looks like my next concern after I weld all my x-members in will be my motor mount stands off the engine rails. I don't want to be in the way of my headers. I'm thinking about ordering a set of over the frame headers so I have them for that mock up. Picture below. Thanks again Old Iron!
 

Attachments

  • DSCF5323.jpg
    DSCF5323.jpg
    63.6 KB · Views: 13
  • DSCF5324.jpg
    DSCF5324.jpg
    70.9 KB · Views: 13
  • DSCF5325.jpg
    DSCF5325.jpg
    91.3 KB · Views: 16
So when I cut my plywood tire height "wheels" I went with 28's for the rear and 26's for the fronts for a 2" difference. I ended up going with 29" rear tires due to availability. I was going to up size the fronts to 27" to maintain the 2" but no dice on 27's. They are sold out with a expected delivery date of mid Jan. I found the same tire in 26's on ebay so went with it. I hope the 3" of drop in tire size isn't going to be a problem.

I mounted the rear tires on the wheels and they look sweet. Mounted them on the rear end to check back spacing and I'm gona end up with 2.5" between the backside of the tires and the outside wall of the bed. I was hoping for a tighter fit. I might end up making the bed a little wider..... I hate to have the rear end narrowed for such a small amount. I can't find anyone around here that will do it.

UPS Santa brought some more goodies today. Coil Overs from Speedway. 15.3 for my mounting needs and 200# springs.

Last item on my brain tonight is headers....I don't want to weld in the motor mounts to find that they are in the way of the headers. The only headers I can find are the ones on the Hot Head site and I think they are pretty boring. I'd like more curves. I'm thinking about maybe building a set but I have so many other things to do..... Has anyone seen those icengineworks header blocks for building headers? Cool stuff but expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBmjU83kaow

Hope you guys are doing well!
 
It looks like you are having more fun than you can keep track of. [cl :D

I don't think anyone will notice the difference in a one inch drop and one and a half inch drop back to front. It shouldn't affect clearances either.

Interesting advertisement for header building tools. Kinda' cool tool. I didn't check the price, but I expect I will not add it to my tool collection. I buy old used headers for less than the price of new flanges, and cut them up. At least that is my plan.
 
Skip....Yes I am having fun for sure! And Torchie I finally feel like I'm making progress! Thanks!

Skip.... I like that buying old headers idea...that could work for me. Good thinking. That kit is big money 1500 for the full kit. Too much for building 1 set but probally a real time saver if you were building headers on a regular basis.
 
When I was working the bike rally's, there was a company showing these blocks at Daytona Bike Week around 5 years ago.
Looked like a cool tool to me.
The tire size difference will look awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I agree on the header blocks...very exacting but expensive. I'd spend 500 but not 1500. I'm not liking the headers that are available....the hot heads headers are boring looking. I'm thinking about building something where the 4 tubes follow similar to my attachment.
 

Attachments

  • image (3).jpg
    image (3).jpg
    91.6 KB · Views: 20
Today's work....Picked up the bed parts from the blaster. Cut the bed walls down from 79" to 56". 4.5 inches from each end and the rest out of the center. Before & After. Rear wheels will be dead centered as shown.

Ordered some stake posts online.... they are for a ford but should work well 37.00 each DCM wanted 85.00.

Some pictures of course.....
 

Attachments

  • DSCF5346.jpg
    DSCF5346.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 23
  • DSCF5347.jpg
    DSCF5347.jpg
    90.9 KB · Views: 21
  • DSCF5353.jpg
    DSCF5353.jpg
    108.8 KB · Views: 24
  • DSCF5354.jpg
    DSCF5354.jpg
    87.2 KB · Views: 26
  • DSCF5357.jpg
    DSCF5357.jpg
    89.5 KB · Views: 21
Last edited:
Thanks Old Iron!

I like that.... imagineering! I'm no stranger to shortening a bed....built this for my show truck a couple years ago.
 

Attachments

  • untitled.jpg
    untitled.jpg
    29 KB · Views: 17
  • HR 2017.jpg
    HR 2017.jpg
    97.4 KB · Views: 18

Latest posts

Back
Top