My 49' Ford Rat Rod build...
- Thread starter Ford49Rat
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rods Rule:
My buddy Ratso built this bed. He had the sides made by a local metal shop, then added the extensions to the bottoms to make it as deep as he wanted. You could do the same thing.
That's really cool! I will probably do something like that as well. Thanks for sharing!
Neverdone
He's not done yet...
I made mine just by bending some sheet metal. Then tacked on a piece of tube across the top.
animal
Well-known member
Basically, that's what we did....bent the sheet with a brake. He didn't want the tube, so left it as is. I think he paid the guy $20 to brake both sides...less than the cost of tube.
New update! As of today, we FINALLY got the steering figured out!!!
We went to Motorama last weekend and picked up this steering knuckle
at the swap meet and it worked perfect for what we needed. Now nothing
is binding and it turns as smooth as can be.
Next up is hooking up a shifter to the 350 turbo. My father in law brought
home this long socket tool I have pictured. Would it be safe to make a
bracket on the transmission and hook it up as a gear shifter? It has threads
at the top where I could put a shift knob of my choice as well. I want it
to be safe and not easily kick into another gear or neutral or something
else. Would it be safe to make a bracket off the trans and make this as a
shifter?
Let me know what you guys think and give me ideas!!!
I have pictured the finished product of my steering and then a picture of
the shifter I want to make.
We went to Motorama last weekend and picked up this steering knuckle
at the swap meet and it worked perfect for what we needed. Now nothing
is binding and it turns as smooth as can be.
Next up is hooking up a shifter to the 350 turbo. My father in law brought
home this long socket tool I have pictured. Would it be safe to make a
bracket on the transmission and hook it up as a gear shifter? It has threads
at the top where I could put a shift knob of my choice as well. I want it
to be safe and not easily kick into another gear or neutral or something
else. Would it be safe to make a bracket off the trans and make this as a
shifter?
Let me know what you guys think and give me ideas!!!
I have pictured the finished product of my steering and then a picture of
the shifter I want to make.
Attachments
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
Hi 49, That will make a nice shift lever. How well do you like working with levers and fulcrum points? I have made quite a few gear shift assemblies in my life and I love it. I have just finished one on a '36 Ford on a Ranger running gear.
The only slight worry that I can see is the torque wrench is heavy and will have some momentum to move going over washboards or rough railway tracks. The top end will flop around a bit. The solution could be to weld a bead on the passenger side of the handle or on the drivers side below the pivot and grind the bead so it's fairly sharp. Now make a little metal guide with notches ground into it, so the pointy bead on the stick will fall into a notch when you're in park, reverse, neutral or drive. Now weld this guide onto the framework that holds your gearshift pivot. A spring will have to be installed to pull the gearshift towards the passenger side of the truck. Now the gearshift will be locked into which ever gear you chose, and you just have to pull the stick towards you a wee bit and select the next gear.
The gearshift on an automatic that's on the column will have this same safety system.
This is going to be nice. Keep on tinkering.
The only slight worry that I can see is the torque wrench is heavy and will have some momentum to move going over washboards or rough railway tracks. The top end will flop around a bit. The solution could be to weld a bead on the passenger side of the handle or on the drivers side below the pivot and grind the bead so it's fairly sharp. Now make a little metal guide with notches ground into it, so the pointy bead on the stick will fall into a notch when you're in park, reverse, neutral or drive. Now weld this guide onto the framework that holds your gearshift pivot. A spring will have to be installed to pull the gearshift towards the passenger side of the truck. Now the gearshift will be locked into which ever gear you chose, and you just have to pull the stick towards you a wee bit and select the next gear.
The gearshift on an automatic that's on the column will have this same safety system.
This is going to be nice.
Keep on tinkering.
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
christcrusader13
Zip-Tie Mechanic
I love it when you find the part you need that works just right!!!!
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
Hi 49, Follow the brake lines farther than you can see in the picture. I think you have one line going to the back and one line going to each front wheel. If that is the case, then you will need a junction block to join the front ones and then go into the master cylinder. I'll go out and look at my setup as it is also a Ranger master cylinder.
Thanks MercuryMac.
What is a junction block? You're saying it just combines the 2 lines that
go to the front and then goes into a single inlet in the master cylinder?
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
Yes, just a junction block and here's a picture of mine. It's just below where the master cylinder should be, [I put mine under the floor].
I didn't put a proportioning valve in mine because I assume the Ranger master cylinder is made to compensate the two different brake systems already.
I didn't put a proportioning valve in mine because I assume the Ranger master cylinder is made to compensate the two different brake systems already.
Attachments
Thanks! The guy I got the brake booster/master cylinder from also has this that is on the rear end of the ranger. Would it work to hook the brake line up to?
Attachments
05snopro440
Well-known member
My truck is on an S-10 frame but I used the S-10 booster. Why didn't you use the S-10 booster on yours? I don't see the reasoning in using parts from two different systems... [S
There should be a junction block on your S-10 frame that combines the 2 front lines, then you only have 2 lines coming to the booster. What year is your S-10 frame? If it had ABS there was some extra plumbing, that may be part of the reason yours is like that. Maybe go to a junkyard and pilfer the junction off an S-10?
Did you trace the lines back and see where they're coming from?
There should be a junction block on your S-10 frame that combines the 2 front lines, then you only have 2 lines coming to the booster. What year is your S-10 frame? If it had ABS there was some extra plumbing, that may be part of the reason yours is like that. Maybe go to a junkyard and pilfer the junction off an S-10?
Did you trace the lines back and see where they're coming from?
When I bought the frame, it was only the frame. It did not come with a booster.
I'll have to look and see if there is a junction block on the frame...and I will
trace the lines to see where they go to. I went to the junkyard yesterday
and looked at the S-10's and the guys that worked there were saying that I
needed a proportional valve in order for the brakes to work correctly and so I
will not have to pump them to stop. In my last comment, what is that thing
that has the 3 holes on it that the lines screw into? Would it not work for
what I need?
Also, (this may be a dumb question), is there any way to relocate a brake booster and master cylinder? It clutters up the front of the firewall and
doesn't make the engine area look "clean and cool."
I know it has to hook to the brake pedal but wasn't sure if there was a way
to get it out of the way somewhere else.
doesn't make the engine area look "clean and cool."
I know it has to hook to the brake pedal but wasn't sure if there was a way
to get it out of the way somewhere else.
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
I think that junction block will work, 49. You will have to see whether all your fittings screw into the junction holes or not, though.
If you have ABS, the plumbing will be more complicated than I've had to do with.
My whole undercarriage is Ranger so the little changes that I made were easy. My brake pedal feels right when applying the brakes, [maybe not as assisted as I would like], but I did not put in a proportioning valve or a residual check valve. There are little springs between the rear wheel cylinder pistons to hold them apart, so the fluid doesn't all flow back into the lines and master cylinder.
If you have ABS, the plumbing will be more complicated than I've had to do with.
My whole undercarriage is Ranger so the little changes that I made were easy. My brake pedal feels right when applying the brakes, [maybe not as assisted as I would like], but I did not put in a proportioning valve or a residual check valve. There are little springs between the rear wheel cylinder pistons to hold them apart, so the fluid doesn't all flow back into the lines and master cylinder.
Thanks for all your help. The junction block I have pictured is on a the same
ranger truck that I got my brake booster and master cylinder from...so hopefully
it will be the same size screw fitting.
How do I find out if I have ABS? If I do, can it be bypassed, or would I really benefit from having
it?
