International L122 B Binder Rat Build

[jmlcolorado]

Crap takes too dang long when all you have to cut with is a 4" grinder
I need to get a plasma!

 

[GJunktionMike]

How about putting the strut at the bottom. Go from the point back to the cross member. It worked like a charm on my 51 that had the tractor grill.

 

[jmlcolorado]

How about putting the strut at the bottom. Go from the point back to the cross member. It worked like a charm on my 51 that had the tractor grill.

Mike, you might be onto something there!!

Oh........and happy birthday!

 

[jmlcolorado]

Well I got this thing mounted [cl

I ended up plating the full legnth inside with 1/8" plate then I fully boxed in both brackets with more 18" plate. Needless to say each of these brackets weigh about 3 pounds and are SOLID!

I can actually pust the truck back and forth by pushing at the top of the shell. When I stand on it, it flexes a little but i can't complain
I might go ahead and add the center strut at the bottom just for good measure.

Now to cut off these ugly front frame horns and add the last cross bar to tie it all together [cl



Inside, obviously it's all just tacked together for now.

LOOK!!! No jacks or straps holding it up [cl

I really dig the brackets. I think I'll do the same style for the headlights.

 

[jmlcolorado]

And who can resist the initial headlight placement photo [cl

 

[Snake Farm]

And who can resist the initial headlight placement photo [cl

Initial? I think you just might have hit a 'hole in one' man

[P[P[P

 

[jmlcolorado]

Initial? I think you just might have hit a 'hole in one' man

[P[P[P

Oh trust me, there was a lot of staring at other rats to see what they have that looks good. Still gotta make some brackets but I think their in a pretty good place.

 

[rainman]

Would go just a little wider myself!!
Killer look!![P

 

[jmlcolorado]

Would go just a little wider myself!!
Killer look!![P

I was originally thinking 1/2 way between the tires and grill at the same height now. But where their at now was the easiest to tack on a chunk of pipe and balance them on so I could stand back and see.
A little wider, I could have more room to build the mounts I want though. Guess I need to get a couple friends over to hold them in different places to get a better idea.
ALSO, if I can make them look good wider, I can make them steer with the wheels, like I want

 

[sgtpontiac]

Looks great!

It's all good from this angle...... [cl

 

[klink]

Look up why they dont use iron nails on a copper roof =)

This has more to do with the zinc coating than the steel used in the nail. Steel is coated with copper first in the process of chrome plating. I've been using copper filler for a few decades when I repair joints and holes in steel parts.

 

[jmlcolorado]

So now that the grill shell has found its home I decided to work on the front cross member. If I had my way, I wouldn't have one at all and let the end of the grill be the furthest point out, but the steering box dictates the need to minimize frame flex.

I tossed around a bunch of different ideas like making the cross member come to a point, but there are Anouilh points already and I didn't want to over do it. I kinda thought to install it about 6" further back, have it go through the grill shell and when I do the verticle bars on the shell, bend them nicely around the crossmember. But with all the angles, installing the vertical bars just right is going to be hard enough as it is.
The last idea was to roll the 2 1/2" bar so it has a slight curve so as to clear the front of the grill shell but mount on the frame further back. But I don't have a tuning roller and I dont go to my buddy's enough to want to wait. Plus I'm not sure he has dies that big.

SO, straight across it is. It's about 5" further forward then I wanted, but it's not bad I guess. If I get some great idea down the road, I can always re do it.

I wanted to be ale to unbolt the crossmember so I cut the tube to legnth then drilled some 3" plate to weld on the ends.

The layout .

Like I said, I would have preferred to take a lot more of the frame horns off, but it is what it is.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Here it is installed.
I still need to finish the end of the frame with a nice wrap to clean it up, but it's getting late.

I'll replace these small bolts with some grade 8 bolts later.

It all looks out of wack, but it's the camera angle. Not quite centered or level.

I really like how the front end is coming together.

I also put the larger size tires on the front since I'm also setting up the bags. Need the size I'm going to use to setup proper ride height.

I think I'll work on the headlight mounts next. I wouldn't mind spreading the lights a little further apart but the tires come close to contact already at full lock.
I would also like to make the headlights steer with the wheels but I don't have much room to place them so they look right and still function properly.

 

[jmlcolorado]

BTW, now that the front crossmember is in place, the final overall legnth of the truck is exactly 16 feet long
A little longer then some rats, but not quite as long as others.

 

[Tim...Ok]

I think your vision is starting to really come together..Looking really good[cl

 

[jfg455]

Lookin good!

Ever thought of going to a rack up front? kinda like this mustang unit I did on a 70 GMC chassis? Just a thought. It would put your steering shaft inside your frame and clean up the front horn where the box is now.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Lookin good!

Ever thought of going to a rack up front? kinda like this mustang unit I did on a 70 GMC chassis? Just a thought. It would put your steering shaft inside your frame and clean up the front horn where the box is now.

Absolutely Ive looked into it. I really like the idea and almost pulled the trigger on it. Only thing stopping me is the weather
I'd like to see this thing on the streets this summer even though I know there will be a lot of stuff I still want to do to it.

I'm building this truck so the wife can drive it, hence the auto trans. She 5'3" and 100 pounds soaking wet. She's COMPLETLY intimidated by my 03 dodge crew cab long bed with 35's and a 6 speed. Plus she can't even push the clutch in
The manual box will probably only last this summer and next winter I will seriously entertain the rack swap.
The other reason is I wanted to avoid the power steering pump, but the above mention reasoning will prevent that too

 

[RAT IHC]

I got to say that I was a little sceptic of the IFS look at first, but will the grill and the way the front end turned out I applaud you, sir! [cl[cl[cl

Keep up the good work!

-Troy

 

[jmlcolorado]

I got to say that I was a little sceptic of the IFS look at first, but will the grill and the way the front end turned out I applaud you, sir! [cl[cl[cl

Keep up the good work!

-Troy

Thanks!
I know there are a lot out there that are COMPLETLY against the IFS, for good reason. If I had a dime for every fenderles rat with IFS that the guy just took the fenders off and left everything in the factory location!
My goal was to make an IFS look as good as I can.
Honestly, I'm not sure why everyone doesn't move things around to make them look half good. Really isn't that hard. No harder then making the rest of the truck look right.

 

[GJunktionMike]

I'm not sure why everyone doesn't move things around to make them look half good. Really isn't that hard. No harder then making the rest of the truck look right.

On my 51 I ran the twin I-beam and 95% of the time no one realy noticed.