My build - something different

[440shorty]

Here is an explanation, and some early photos of my latest build (that was started early this year).


Some time last year, I caught a glimpse of the roof of a passing regular cab pickup truck that slightly resembled an old coupe land speed car with the windshield laid back for aerodynamics. About that time, I bought a parts car for my '78 Cutlass project specifically so I could swap frames, as the '78 frame's rear rails were rotten. Meanwhile, my shop-mate and buddy rustywrench had just started another V8 S-10 project. Not long afterwards, I stumbled upon another rat-rod oriented website, and was exposed to a different sort of hot rodding, one that hearkens back to our roots, before the aftermarket really began to change the face of hot rodding, not just provide us with the means to make horsepower. And the wheels in my head began turning. I noticed that the '32 Ford, as well as most cars from the late 20s and early 30s, is so much different from the cars that were built later in that the axles are located at the extreme ends of the car. Thus, very little (bumpers and part of the fenders) extends beyond the wheels front and rear. So, out came the measuring tape.

Here is what I started with:

And the frame donor:

440shorty

 

[440shorty]

Continued...

What we now refer to as The Three Window Coupe is my '78 Cutlass frame bobbed at the rear (and soon to be up front) with an '83 S-10 cab mounted as far back as possible on the frame - believe it or not, the perimeter frame fits snugly just inside the rocker panels of the S-10 cab!

Cab on frame:

The goal is to have a car that will handle great, run well at the drag strip, and even get decent fuel mileage while looking like no other car out there yet be built in the spirit of 50s hot rodding. And in the spirit of "rat rodding," I am building on a limited budget with an eye to performance and function.

Here is a close-up of the truck:

Here in Maryland, I will be able to register this creation as an '83 S-10 with Street Rod tags. It will be exempt from emissions and safety inspections. So, what do you all think?

440shorty

 

[Bonehead]

I think you have hit upon the basic ideas of hot rodding from forever. Making something cool, that no one else has that does what you want it to do. Good job.

 

[hotrodron]

I agree Bonehead. How far back will you put the engine?

 

[sakustoms]

Great concept. Can't wait to see where this goes.

Eric

 

[rustywrench]

wow i didnt know you had a pic of that s-10 before we stripped it to the bone. heres where the bed and disc brake rear from that truck ended up.

 

[rustywrench]

shorty's idea inspired me to also build an s-10 along the same lines. not sure how mine will end up but this is where it is now. shorty's idea sure seemed good enough for me to try it as well. do you have any pics with the motor mocked up to show how far back it is? p.s. we call mine the 5 window coupe. its sitting on an el camino chassis which has a 10 inch longer wheelbase.

 

[BruceR&C]

Can't wait to see where both of these go. A blast from the past so to speak.

 

[440shorty]

How we swapped bodies

Here's a few pics of us swapping the cab. From left to right:

The cab is up on jackstands ready to come off the old S10 frame in the first pic.

The cab is on the forklift, beside its old frame. Now to roll out the old, and roll in the new frame. The Cutlass frame has not yet been bobbed.

We love the forklift! In the fourth pic, the body is positioned on jackstands over the new frame. We ended up having to cut out the front body mount locations on the cab, as they hit the frame. After that, the last photo shows the cab on the frame.

440shorty

 

[440shorty]

Engine location

From the outset, the engine choice has been Oldsmobile. Initially, it was to be a small block Olds, but so far, out of three "running" or "was running when pulled" engines turned out to be either water damaged, worn out, or broken, I was considering a few other options.

Also, the donor S10 was a stick, so I wanted to put a 5 speed in it. I was able to get a small shaft Camaro T5 5-speed. So, the 403 Olds V8 (also broken - knocks) that came in the '78 Cutlass was mated with a 68 442 Bellhousing and the Camaro T5 and mocked up in the chassis. I decided to put the driveline in the stock location relative to the cab so that the shifter would line up with the hole in the floorpan that the previous owner made to work with the Camaro T5 he had in the truck. Rustywrench fabbed a crossmember, and here it is.

First pic is of us positioning the driveline; Next is a view showing the engine in place, last is the engine supported by its new crossmember. The amount of setback is evident in the front pulley.

440shorty

 

[project40]

Wow. I can't wait to see how this turns out So if the engine sits that far back from the stock crossmember what are you going to use for a front end and fenders? Or what are you going to change?

 

[shizzy]

dig it! should be a cool little go cart with the cab and engine setback like that. if you can find one I would look for a pre 76 Olds 350. MUCH better engine, heads are better and the main webs are solid not windowed.

 

[luckyfasteddie]

out of the box

You guys are taking out of the box to the next level.Keep it up. Are you going to the east coast indoor nationals on Sat.LFE

 

[440shorty]

answers to questions

LFE - I won't be at the indoor show Sat - I have to work.

shizzy - I'll post more about the engine shortly.

project40 - From the outset, the idea I had was to build an open wheeled car - no fenders, no hood, no bumpers.

More to come soon!

440shorty

 

[sakustoms]

Here's another version of an S10 rat rod.

no frame yet and I'm not sure if they ever did anymore work to it or not.

 

[shizzy]

wow!

 

[440shorty]

What about the bed?

I first envisioned this build with some sort of homemade sloping deck, like an old roadster. I knew that I needed something to cover the gas tank and battery, which both were going behind the cab. But another friend of mine suggested cutting down an S10 bed, so that's what I ended up doing.

The First Pic shows the stock short bed, the second shows the front and rear after cutting out the wheelhouse section. I decided to go fenderless, so narrowing the bed was next. The third pic shows cutting the middle panel out of the front half, and the last two show the remaining ends welded together. The idea was to make a really short and narrow bed that just fits over the frame rails.

 

[440shorty]

more on the bed

The next step was deciding just how short the bed would be. I didn't want any overhang, but was also limited by the length of the frame rails where the shocks bolt up. So, after mockup, the rear half was cut so that the overall length of the bed, as measured from the top, is 29" - the taillights will stick out a little farther.

The first three show the left rear section, the last two the right side before and after cutting.

There was some overlapping of the parts on the bed floor, but not on the sides.

 

[440shorty]

more bed pics

Here's the bed, as first completed, and test fit on the frame:

As can be seen in the two middle pictures, the body lines are way off, there is too much gap between the cab and bed, and the bed sits too high. Also, I either forgot that the bed sides curve inward toward the bottom, or measured wrong, because the frame is too wide for the quarterpanels, so the seam does not line up properly towards the bottom.

But the rear view is promising!

So, there is a lot more to do to the bed to get it right. Plus, I still have to cut down a tailgate and make it function.

Comments? Suggestions?

440shorty

 

[rustywrench]

man i do like how the bed looks. keep the pics coming.