1946 Chevy Bobber Truck Chop Build

[BlueJeep]

Looking good! Stop back over anytime and we can finish up that keg.

 

[Ruff Shod]

Rear Links

Truck is allsome!

Didnt see if you ever went back and addressed your links. Johnny Joints on one end would help with movement and flex. Especially where you welded the threaded end on. I was worried about the thickness of the tab material you used on them if you are runnin any amount of horsepower. Not knockin...just an observation. We ran a 4 link in am IMCA Mod and those rear ends take some serious abuse.

I hope my rod turns out to look as sweet as yours.

 

[401ton]

Truck is allsome!

Didnt see if you ever went back and addressed your links. Johnny Joints on one end would help with movement and flex. Especially where you welded the threaded end on. I was worried about the thickness of the tab material you used on them if you are runnin any amount of horsepower. Not knockin...just an observation. We ran a 4 link in am IMCA Mod and those rear ends take some serious abuse.

I hope my rod turns out to look as sweet as yours.

Thanks for the comments.

I went with a panhard bar and urethane bushings and adjusted everything and it seems to cycle pretty good right now with all the bolts tightened up.
I've used Johnny Joints in the past on my Rock Crawler Jeep and they work great. I was just trying to use what I had lying around this time is why I went with the bushings and I'm trying to finish it enough to drive it a few times before I change what I got.
I did use 3/16" steel for all my axle/frame brackets and I don't have the ultimate HP right now so I was thinking that would be enough. Do they use thicker on high HP cars?

 

[401ton]

Looking good! Stop back over anytime and we can finish up that keg.

I have to head to Kansas today for my nieces graduation. Not sure how Sunday looks yet, but I'll give you a hollar when I get a chance.

I did work on the floor some more and got the patch on the driver side. Now kinda seeing my options on brake and throttle pedal etc. Gonna be a little tight.

 

[401ton]

It has been right at one year since my last post, but I have gotten my Rat on the road just recently. Yay!

I had some help from my buddies Chris and Greg finishing it up so I could take it to the Vintage Torque-Fest in Dubuque, IA a couple weeks ago.
Good thing too, because I didn't finish enough to take my first test ride until the night before we went.

Getting it running was easy. I had the distributor pointed at #1 and had it positioned so I could adjust a little as needed. A crank or two of the engine and it was up and running.

We did load it on a trailer to make the trip, so no long term ride yet.
Short term ride was something like riding in a buck board wagon on a rocky dirt road after it rained and dryed out with a lot of ruts and holes at too fast of speed.
Every little crack in the road came as a BIG BANG followed by BIG RATTLES.
The back of the cab was loose. The doors rattled. The windows rattled inside the doors. The old vent under the dash vibrated. etc.
The front end rode HARSH. The spring that came with the drop axle was a square cut trailer spring and too stiff. It sure seemed alot better in the garage a year ago when I practiced bouncing on it...
The rear air ride was adjusted as good as possible, but the other issues need to be dealt with. Last weekend I took a leaf out of the front and it was MUCH BETTER.
A faster ride down the Interstate was a better ride, until the shake and shimmy started there too. Seemed like the tires were bouncing left to right...great...
I ordered up new gas shocks and a steering stabilizer to help with those issues.
Last night I started on cab rattles and will continue on the doors and windows soon.

Here are a few updated pics:

I used Lexan for now on both the windshield and back window.

My new hood scoop didn't fit so I bought a couple Obrien Truckers air cleaners. I didn't know 460's were so wide, but they have a 10" carb spacing which is too much for the adjustable scoop.

Vintage Torque Fest

Busted!

 

[401ton]

I have been driving it around some more and it needs some tuning.
It starts right up, but occasionally back pops through the carb.
I still have to set correct timing curve and then double check carb setting again, but I will get there.
Here's a few more pics from Sam's club while out getting groceries:

 

[05snopro440]

That looks good! Yours is probably the first fenderless truck of this cab style I like.

Were you actually getting hassled or is this a staged pic?

 

[401ton]

That looks good! Yours is probably the first fenderless truck of this cab style I like.

Were you actually getting hassled or is this a staged pic?


Thanks!

We did stage the pic. He was just standing there messing with his phone so we couldn't resist.

 

[Old Iron]

But, officer

 

[vintageT]

Looks like quite the nice ride! One question though, how is your keg mounted? I have a keg that I am planning on using, but haven't looked into how to mount it yet..

 

[billy]

I have a I beam set up ,been driving it for 4 years have driven it over 399 miles round trip , If the ride from a straight axle could be made better by changing the set up IFS would never have been invented . When some one asks me "how does it ride " i say " like a 32 Ford " . I learned to drive on a 31 Ford , believe me the quality of the ride was not one of their strong points .

yeah
i call mine a four wheeled hard tail.
250 miles is the farthest i have driven it.
and i had to get out and walk around 3 or 4 times.

 

[401ton]

Looks like quite the nice ride! One question though, how is your keg mounted? I have a keg that I am planning on using, but haven't looked into how to mount it yet..

My buddy tig welded a couple of 1" x 1/8" mild steel curved plates I made to the bottom of the tank and I mig welded the vertical floor mounting brackets to the plates. You probably could weld directly to the tank, but I chose this route.
You can mig or tig weld to stainless with either carbon or stainless steel wire too. He tig welded my fittings, so I went that way.
Otherwise I would have just practiced on a piece of scrap stainless first with some stainless mig wire I bought off ebay.
Then I painted it so it didn't rust on the mild steel plates.

I had a full strap idea in my head, but the tank has a taper along with the curve that was going to make it more challenging.

 

[401ton]

yeah
i call mine a four wheeled hard tail.
250 miles is the farthest i have driven it.
and i had to get out and walk around 3 or 4 times.

My ride got alot better after removing the center leaf spring so now I need to focus on the shimmy/bounce up front and rattles in the doors.
I'll comment on it again after/if it improves.

I do like my seats. What seats are you running?

 

[49ratrodbinder]

Love the look of your truck its kinda the look I'm going for with my rat binder
. You Gina be at goodguys this year I'd love to check it out in person seeings how mine is gonna be a while with number 2 premie baby on the way...

 

[401ton]

Love the look of your truck its kinda the look I'm going for with my rat binder
. You Gina be at goodguys this year I'd love to check it out in person seeings how mine is gonna be a while with number 2 premie baby on the way...

I hope to be there. Kinda up in the air on whether Fri. or Sat. yet tho. Give a hollar if you see me driving by.

 

[CORPO]

your truck turned out great ... i think the per portions and wheel base look great

 

[401ton]

your truck turned out great ... i think the per portions and wheel base look great

Thanks!

I kinda thinking I need a visor, but haven't decided on that yet.
Maybe I'll make a short one and see.

 

[JBailey]

Very nice looking truck. I'm building one very similar using a '42 Chevy cab. If you go to goodguys maybe I'll see ya there. Do you hit any of the local cruise in's?

 

[401ton]

Very nice looking truck. I'm building one very similar using a '42 Chevy cab. If you go to goodguys maybe I'll see ya there. Do you hit any of the local cruise in's?

I've hit a few lately. Concrete Cruisers show last weekend, Bennigans and I was thinking about going to Nick's this Fri.. I'll go to next Gathering at the Grounds if it works out.

 

[05snopro440]

Thanks!

I kinda thinking I need a visor, but haven't decided on that yet.
Maybe I'll make a short one and see.

I vote no visor, but it's your truck I would paint the outside edge of the windshield (that's what I did on mine), it will change the look entirely.