1st build, 1933 olds rat

[deerchooper]

humble opinion, the front axle really begs to be left where it came on this build. Sticking it out in front would make it way to long. Other than that, I love what you have planned.

yea. what im thinking is i will tuck the front axle under the radiator and let the grill shell hang out.

i love the body of my oldsmobile, but its proving to be quite hard to let me slam it to the ground with a i beam front axle and nothing long enough to make the rear hang out.

 

[jfg455]

look at the page 2 of this build. You are going to need to cut out and raise (maybe tub iun more) your rear wheel well in the back. This guy has some great shot of how he did it. just scroll down to about 1/2 way down the page.
http://www.ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14752&page=2

 

[deerchooper]

thanks for the link.

i did check that out.

 

[jfg455]

can you get this stance out of it and still be happy with the tire-window-rockers-ground equation? I know it is a different body but I think it sits right. Oh, he uses air ride as well

 

[deerchooper]

jfg.

i measured a 32 pontiac today and it was 59" at the fattest point of the body @ the rear wheels. where as mine is 63". if i were at 59" i think i wouldnt be working on this problem. i think i can roll the body sides and rear of the doors in a inch total. but would that be enough.

i got ahold of a tire place down the road from me. we will see what kind of back spacing i can get for the rims i want to run. the current axle i have in there now is 65". which is about 1.5 " hanging out which= how much clearance i want to have for the tire to body. if i can get the 69" e-150 axle that would put me in the ball park of a 2" back space on a rim. i think that would be hard to find. i really would want to run wheel spacers but would really help on this job.

 

[deerchooper]

can you get this stance out of it and still be happy with the tire-window-rockers-ground equation? I know it is a different body but I think it sits right. Oh, he uses air ride as well

im going to have to go out and pull my mock up tire away from the body and measure from the ground to the top of the wheel well and see what i can get in there. the tires i planned on running would be 31" tall in the back. the frame is 4" off the ground now. we will see

 

[BatCave]

The other option is to lengthen your axle tubes, and have new axles made up.

 

[deerchooper]

as it sits now. i have 28" to the top of the wheel well. if i just kick up the car some and put in some coils and scrap the air bags it would come together. tuck the wheels in a little and on to the road we go (well a couple of months from now)

 

[deerchooper]

ok. i bit the bullet and desided to jack the car up. i bought my 28" tall tires (i measured them without a rim and there 26.5" tall) and ordered my rear rims, i cant go back now. i didnt buy any front tires/ rims yet because i dont know what bolt patteren i will end up with.

so i leveled the car, centered the rear axle side to side and in the wheel well opening. bolted on a set of junk rims and tires that are 29" tall. the frame under the body near the kick up is about 7.5" to 8.5" off the ground.

ive been sick all week, on vacation and didnt get anything done. i hate these weeks. tomorrow im going to hit the body framing and floor hard and see if i can get something done.

 

[deerchooper]

last nights progress. i cut some 1/4" plate for the b pillars that will be the back bone of the pillars, i will install the oem piece later down the road.

since i got these in i was able to get the floor bar in and also do the a pillar as well. the body is now supporting its self and holding its door fitment. i also put my broken office chair in the car and took it for a ride this morning. lol.

i just figured out where my time goes as im working on it. i spend more time thinking how i want it done. i cut 1 piece 4 times this morning trying to make it look right, i was still unhappy with the way it looked like and came up with an alternative route. i also figured out the placement of the gas tank, battery and master cylinder. ya got to think ahead on these things, lol.

any how here are some not to much actuall progress but tons of mental progress, lol.

 

[deerchooper]

more

 

[deerchooper]

last couple

 

[deerchooper]

if ya look in the back ground you will see the mt sr tires i have for the rear.

i also got the rear end tacked in place with some bar. i told my wife you should come see my big wheel barrel. i lifted the front and pushed it back and forth for her. she said just think of the mulch you can get in that, lol.

 

[Motorhead]

she said just think of the mulch you can get in that, lol.

LOL

Looking good! What kind of rims are you running in the back?

 

[deerchooper]

well, i ordered a set but i dont think they will work on the front. so i dont want to let the cat out of the bag yet.

 

[deerchooper]

well im getting somewhere now. i went to my mommy's house and picked up a small block chevy to do a mock up, the 396 was sitting to far back, lol.

anyhow i got the motor hanging and marked the firewall, made a template and laid out the lines on the firewall. i got the motor back in and grabbed the 4 speed to see what it looked like as a whole. i like it and it looks like something now. i put a couple clamps on the floor bar that goes to the a piller and cut it. it moved a little so i have to work the doors a little again.

but here are some pics, i can almost feel the brease running threw my thinning hair, lol.

 

[ratdog]

thats looking good, nice build.

 

[deerchooper]

well i got some stuff for it the last couple of days. i picked up a complete 1942 merc front end, suspension. today on the way home from work i picked up a complete disk brake conversion kit and a king pin kit. ill work those in later after its mounted because i dont have any rims for the new rotors.

since the 42 merc's radius rods are mounted farther out than the 30's fords i went ahead and made me some room and notched the radius rods so they will lay with the frame.

as it sits now it has a 122" wheel base. the grill shell will go over the axle with the radiator sitting behind the axle. im just trying to figure out how to hide the spring or bags or ?????.

im waiting for my bushings to come in so i can make my motor mounts, i have ladder bars coming for the rear, still waiting for my rear rims and i will most likely order my front rims now since i know the stud spacing i ended up with.

but heres the pics of today.

 

[deerchooper]

 

[Oldrodder43]

NICE

Just found this build! WOW! What a car, and lucky for IT that you found it. Most people would have let it stay sitting. You are doing a remarkable job on it. Sounds like you are an engineer with all that figuring and such. AND, like has been said, incredible welding. Perley