Thunder1
Well-known member
I admire your determination to just jump in and get it done. It looks great from where I sit.
Keep the pics coming.
Thunder
Keep the pics coming.
Thunder
First timer - 49 Ford Truck
- Thread starter kzoldman
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
After much thinking and pondering I cut up a bunch of good steel today (2x3x3/16). With everything laid out and with the radiator centered over the front wheels I will have a 126" wheelbase, about the same as a short bed extra cab Ranger. It's a little long because I am using leafs in the back and want my tire centered when I mount the bed. Already had new leafs, rear end, cal-tracs, etc. for a 63 Fairlane. The Mustang 2 cross member was also built for the Fairlane. The Fairlane had about a 5 degree slant in the front frame so I had to build that into this one. It was made to go under the engine but I like the radiator centered over the tires look. Basically I measured the bottom of the Fairlane and built to that but dropped it 3" in the center. In the picture the yard stick will be the front of the cab and the rear cross member will be just behind the cab. After it's all together I will have a couple of more cross members. I'm new at this so I'm doing more thinking than working 
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chipper
Well-known member
Your build is looking great keep the pics rollin'[P
Gastrick
One of the Dirty Dozen!
More thinking = fewer mistakes in most cases. Good work.
Rear part, Not much to look at but it's square and it's level. Had to use 2x3x3/16 because of the Mustang ll cross member I already had. Burnt it in deep with the stick. Not pretty but it will not break. Plan to add some plates over the welds. Hope to finish the front part tomorrow. [ [
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ANNAMEL
Well-known member
Its about time you got some work done. Frame looks great. Your cab also came out killer. If ya want load up the frame and come out and i'll weld er up for ya. Glad to see things are gettin better for ya.
Thanks a lot Annamel, the back part is completely welded. I should get the front done today. Using the stick is not too bad, just dirty. Takes a lot of, thinking, leveling, squaring, shimming trying to do it off a not so level concrete floor.
I feel good about it so far though. Maybe all four wheels will touch the ground at the same time 
Well, like Annamel has said, it has been a hot Georgia summer this year. Not much has been happening with the rat rod. Had a few cool mornings here lately though so it's back on again. For the most part the frame is all welded up. Got to add some fish plates and cross members. Front suspension is welded in. Could bolt on the coil overs and arms and make a roller out of it. I decided to put everything on the rear end and square it off first before tacking it in place. Just can't find my U-bolt nuts. Set the engine and transmission in so I can mock up some cross members. I am stick welding everything (7018's) so I like being able to roll the frame over and over to weld flat. I'm not too good at welding vertical. [ Frame is sitting about 2" above ride height to clear the engine hoist. I have the transmission pan just a little above the bottom of the rail for clearance. Cab fire wall will be just behind engine and back of cab will stop at green tape on rail in front of Z.
For the most part the frame is all welded up. Got to add some fish plates and cross members. Front suspension is welded in. Could bolt on the coil overs and arms and make a roller out of it. I decided to put everything on the rear end and square it off first before tacking it in place. Just can't find my U-bolt nuts. Set the engine and transmission in so I can mock up some cross members. I am stick welding everything (7018's) so I like being able to roll the frame over and over to weld flat. I'm not too good at welding vertical. [ Frame is sitting about 2" above ride height to clear the engine hoist. I have the transmission pan just a little above the bottom of the rail for clearance. Cab fire wall will be just behind engine and back of cab will stop at green tape on rail in front of Z.Attachments
Ok, not much of an update but a lot of thought and welding went into it and everybody likes pics Engine and trans mount built and tacked in place. Trans 3 degrees down. Still got to beef up that front Z some and also plan to beef up the trans. crossmember a little more. Everything 1/4 or 3/16 so far.
Engine and trans mount built and tacked in place. Trans 3 degrees down. Still got to beef up that front Z some and also plan to beef up the trans. crossmember a little more. Everything 1/4 or 3/16 so far.Attachments
This is true Sam. Did not think the trans. would be that high. Once I put the oil pan 1/2" above the frame scrape line and the trans. 3 degrees down I ended up turning the cross member over to work out. Going to have to do some creative thinking to make it stronger and still not interfere with the floor above and exhaust below. Oh well, live and learn. When I build my next one I will know how to do it
I bridged my 6" span with a couple 1/8" - 1x1's welded on the top flat portion of the 1/4" 2x3. Did that make sense? Basically, I cut out the lower 1-3/4" of the 2" side of a 2x3. Then I flattened my 2-1/2" exhaust pipe down to 1-3/4" tall to fit through. Kind of a gorilla way of approaching it, but it'll work for now. It still has about the same flow as a 2-1/4" pipe - which was the smallest I was willing to go.
If you need to have a flatter exhaust pipe, think about welding in a section of 2x4 or to get you past. Or possibly 1-1/2x5. (Figuring a 2-1/2" pipe) Keep in mind, you need to keep the same sectional area in order to avoid reducing flow.
If you need to have a flatter exhaust pipe, think about welding in a section of 2x4 or to get you past. Or possibly 1-1/2x5. (Figuring a 2-1/2" pipe) Keep in mind, you need to keep the same sectional area in order to avoid reducing flow.
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Looks good KZ. Just looking at it from here it seem like a longer piece of rect tubing would cure the crossmember weakness but you probably have it like it is for clearance.
Ok, built a new trans. cross member to shorten the span on the 1/4 plate. Needed to have room for 2.5 exhaust and fuel and brake lines. Not an easy task considering the room I have to work with. Everything is 1/4 or 3/16 plate and just tacked in place so the stick welds are not finished, plan to go back over them. Also plan to box in the bottom 45 degree angle part of the cross member but think I will wait until I run the exhaust.... just in case. I build school buses for a living......scary ain't it (actually, I just run the tool repair maintenance part of it so your kids are safe LOL ),
(actually, I just run the tool repair maintenance part of it so your kids are safe LOL ),Attachments
Well it has been a very very busy year due to my job since before last Christmas. In this day and time though I am not complaining. Mostly just been doing some lurking on RRR. LOL The rest of my mustang ll stuff should be in this week with the coil overs. That will allow me to get correct ride height in the front. Decide to go with the 2” drop spindles. Depending on how things go I may change the rear to a four link…not sure, we will see. The project is still on go, should see some pics soon though, [cl LOL
