Maine sucks

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BlueBlood

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
5
Hey everyone. New member from Maine. Yeah, this place sucks when rodding is one of your favorite hobbies. You don't get near enough time to ride around in them. Guess that leaves plenty of garage time, though!

Anyway...My name is Joey. I've been wrenching since I was a kid, but for the most part I've always put stuff where it belongs. (Rebuilding trucks, cars, etc. with drop-in and bolt-on parts). Some of my favorite projects include a '77 F150, '66 Mustang 2+2 Fastback, '84 Ranger with a 2.3 turbo out of a Thunderbird, '64 Rambler American with a Ford 302/C4 swap, etc.

I've joined this site because I've had a project kind of fall into my lap. I work in the woods (I run a Timbco 425 processor) killing trees, and we're working on a 1,000 acre farm right now. While cutting, I saw an old truck about 100 feet off the woodline in the woods surrounded by what had to be trees that were at least 30-40 years old. I had to cut right by it, so I checked the truck out when I got close. Turns out to be an International R-180. I'm not entirely sure on the year (I think it's between '53 and '55), but I talked to the owner of the farm and he said "I've got enough junk to take care of, you can have it." So I promptly got into another piece of logging equipment and carried the truck out of the woods, strapped to the bucket. Now it's waiting for me to go trailer it home. It's only the cab and nose (front end, engine and trans are there, too. Frame was cut behind the cab.), but my boss gave me a pickup bed from truck someone converted into a trailer (cut the frame in front of the bed and welded a hitch on). He says it's 40's or 50's, but he's not entirely sure.

I'm new to the rat rod world, but not to wrenching...so I'm here to learn the ropes and get this truck built. Hoping to find loads of information and get some pictures up during the build. (It's actually for my 12 year old son. Gonna build it up and let him drive it when he gets his license.)

I only took a few pictures of the truck. Here's a couple I took while carrying it out of the woods with the forwarder.
 

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Body is in amazing shape for having been on the ground for this many years. The farme was actually frozen about 6 inches in. Had to dig it out. The rockers have some rot, but other than that it's great. Fenders are toast, but we aren't using them. Cab corners...I wish they made them all like this truck. haha
 
Yup, Maine sucks alright ...

Welcome! Looks like a good start! Cool story too...

I spent 6 months in Maine (Gorham). It was nice for a couple days in September, otherwise too muggy or too cold and not much in between!

Neat story on the truck save, and good on ya! I have a similar cab waiting to go on a chassis, and you are right! Solid as a rock. :D
 
Welcome from Southern Ontario....with somewhat similar weather to you, I don't mind the garage time, I just get tired of trying to heat the shop!!

Great find and story on the truck, and what a fantastic father/son project!

Good luck on the build.
 
Thanks everyone. I'm sure I'll be around with questions/pictures.

Garage time isn't too bad. Here's my other toy that I can actually use while working on others.
 

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Blue ,
I used to jump on the panhead and ride to Maine from Maryland every summer and eat lobster off the dock for 2 bucks a pound [ dating myself ??]
With all those precut frames your work is half done !!!
Welcome and keep us informed and nothing is boring here ......
Oldog
 
Funny thing about lobster; I eat maybe one every couple years...and I've lived within the same ten mile radius here in Maine my entire life. I much prefer scallops. haha You can drive down the road all the time and see trucks selling lobsters 5 for $20. (5 lobsters, not pounds.)

Precut frames? Did I miss something? I really want to build my own, but was thinking of (shame on me) using a Crown Vic...only because it's for my son to drive day 1 of getting his license. Haven't quite figured out what I want to do yet. Leaning 80% toward building my own, though.
 
Funny thing about lobster; I eat maybe one every couple years...and I've lived within the same ten mile radius here in Maine my entire life. I much prefer scallops. haha You can drive down the road all the time and see trucks selling lobsters 5 for $20. (5 lobsters, not pounds.)

Precut frames? Did I miss something?


Of course Blue I am from Maryland so it is Blue Crab not lobster I miss in Michigan ....
 
Ahh, I thought you meant pre-cut frames for the build process, not the demo. haha Checked out the bed today...it's beyond help, so I'll be doing something different. We're actually going to pick the truck up and trailer it home tomorrow afternoon.

Never had blue crab. I like the Alaskan King Crab, though!
 
I like the after hours shot of you hauling it out of the woods.... I right next to you in NH. We have 2 seasons, winter and the 4th of July. Welcome![cl
 
Papers

Go check with the farmer and see if he has anything that could be used as a title before you get done with the job.

May save some work down the road.
 

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