No other like it.

[8literbeater]

The best part is, it moved under its own power!

I mean, there's no brakes at all, and there's no throttle linkage, but at idle it will roll around and go in and out of the driveway.

When I got done with these pictures, I backed it into the driveway, and the neighbor that always stands outside came over to talk. While we were standing there, a neighbor from a couple streets away was out for a test drive on his quad.
As he ripped by, his head snapped to see, and his jaw dropped. I thought he was going to crash. He whipped around and came back to look it over. He said wow a lot. He's a cool guy. I kinda figured I'd see him, since the only other time I've talked to him was when he stopped to look at my Chevy when I was doing something under the hood after I moved in a few years back.

Then, this afternoon, my wife called me while I was still at work. She said that somebody stopped and knocked on the door to ask about the rat rod. He told her how cool he thought it was, and said the Chevy truck was pretty bada// too.

I've had it out front while I clean up the area where it was parked. Now I need to get it back in there and get back to work.

 

[8literbeater]

The shadows make it look like the back end is way lower than the front. It's not, but I still might need to raise the back a little to offset that visual effect.

 

[DJ3100]

Trick photography! I thought project was black white and gray, but then I realized that you don't live in a 50's black and white neighborhood with the only yellow vehicle.

The rat is really looking cool and it moved!

You caught me on the way back from Pomona Grand National Roadster Show. We stopped at Marcell's Metal Fabrication on the way. They spent a couple hours showing us their shop and projects - great experience! Really nice guys, rock stars of fabrication.

The offer is still open on the E brakes as soon as we can get together.

 

[earthman]

Yep, it will be a traffic stopper [cl.

 

[8literbeater]

Here's a real quick post about the pedal stops. I decided on chains for a few reasons. I also have the brake lines almost completely done. I'm just waiting on a couple of fittings.
This is a panoramic picture, so it's a little distorted. It's pretty hard to back up enough to get something in a picture, when there's a frame rail in the way.

 

[8literbeater]

I did finish the brakes a while back. I've been in school up until last week, so not much has happened.
I'm back at it though, and something is starting to take shape here.

 

[blacksheep]

Just found this build. Wow, very impressed with the out of the box thinking .

 

[8literbeater]

Soon, I can be done with this darn floor. I've had just about enough.
I still will probably end up chopping another hole in it when I find a brake handle, but that shouldn't be too much trouble.

 

[earthman]

That will be a neat compact shape. Still going to be leather?

 

[8literbeater]

Yep, it's gonna be leather. I went through a handful of different patterns before getting one that's close enough to work. I cut out the pieces, and there's enough left that I can screw up at least once.



That leather isn't cheap. It's shoe sole and shield leather, and measures about .215" thick, and it's rigid. There's no pulling it into position if it isn't cut just right. You either cut it to fit exactly, or re-drill your holes.

Hopefully I'll have it done by tonight. It's great weather for workin on stuff today - cloudy and 95°.

 

[smallfoot]

Go somewhere and get the cheapest rubbing alcohol and buy enough to totally soak your leather pieces in it. Even though armor leather is very stiff and thick, if you soak it, you'll find it's moldable.

 

[8literbeater]

Go somewhere and get the cheapest rubbing alcohol and buy enough to totally soak your leather pieces in it. Even though armor leather is very stiff and thick, if you soak it, you'll find it's moldable.

Excellent info. I'm no leather worker. Does it harden again after it dries?
I picked this stuff so it'd be real stiff, but that makes it real interesting to work with.

 

[smallfoot]

It will get back to its present stae as soon as the alcohol dries. You can do it with water but water will take about 3 or 4 days to completely dry by itself. If you help it along with a heat source it will shrivel. Alcohol will dry rather quickly. Wet it good, put it where you want it and you can move the leather some while its wet. It's the only way to go. In another life, I'm a knife maker and work with leather often.
I'll be doing leather grommet where my steering shaft comes thru the firewall with armor leather. I have some close to 3/8" thick. Stuff is bad!

 

[8literbeater]

Okay, well that's another lesson learned. Alcohol does solve problems.
Thanks Smallfoot.

At first I just wet the part with the sharp bends, then I put some on the whole thing to make it a little easier to line up.







It rides about 1/8" from the transmission, so I guess that's all the foot room I'm gonna get.

A few holes, and some copper rivets, and I'm ready for the next project. [

 

[smallfoot]

That's looking good. After you've finished working it and getting it into place, keep some oil on it to keep the leather pliable. If you want to dress the edges of what you have right there, wet the seams again with alcohol and take a body hammer to the edges. That will make the edge spread on the part you tap with the hammer and it will close up the gaps to the piece next to it....

 

[IronRat]

Get some Neet's Foot Oil it will keep the leash in good condition for years.

 

[8literbeater]

bonded title process

I'm gonna flash back to Friday for a bit. I had an appointment to have my VIN inspected to start the process of getting a bonded title. I'm gonna say up front that it went really well. For anyone in the Phoenix area, the folks over at Desert Title Service have never let me down for an alternate MVD. www.deserttitle.com

I've had nothing but trouble when dealing directly with MVD for pretty much everything. They don't know their own policies and regulations. I usually have to come armed with policy numbers for them to look up in their system.

Desert Title is a different story. The cost is $45 plus mileage to do the required level 1 inspection. (That's if they come to you.) The guy showed up and asked which one I wanted inspected. I pointed it out and showed him the data plate. I had a copy of the 1942 booklet from Chevrolet that shows what all of the numbers mean. He filled out the form as exactly what the VIN number says, 1942, 3/4 ton pickup built in September '42. I pointed out the propane, and he marked it as an alt fuel vehicle. The guy was a 1942 model himself, and was a pleasure to deal with.

I didn't get the 3rd degree about the number being hard to read, or about "pickups have beds" like the MVD always does. He also marked it as "poor" condition. The nerve!



So the next step was to take the inspection form to the office, and start the bond process. They called whoever they call with DOT I guess, and found no record of previous ownership. Go figure. That actually helps a lot. They said the value was something like $4500 "low retail", so the bond was $6450 I think. I gave them some money, and they said they had to do another check on the VIN, and they'll call me in a week or two.
I just might own this thing when they get done.

 

[Snake Farm]

......... He also marked it as "poor" condition. The nerve!

[cl[cl[cl That's funny stuff right there.
Congrats on getting on track with the title.

 

[earthman]

Excellent! Can they issue a vin for a vehicle that dosen't have one?

 

[DJ3100]

Great idea for the tunnel, looks good. I don't know about that armor leather where did you get it?

I have always used acetone to form leather, didn't know alcohol
(actually, I probably forgot) did the same thing. Alcohol would be a lot safer.