OOB Rod

[demonhunterfan]

Well bros, been havin' a pretty rough time lately, and really needed to spend some time relaxing at the bench. Seeing a lot of spareparts rods and got the idea to do one myself. Considered my stasheroonie and figured I'd build up one of my truck chassis's more or less stock and see what happens next

Grabbed the chassis and related parts outa my 53 Ford truck that has the trailer with it. Couldn't find the front axle-- think it's on a 37 Chevy project so kept looking and found a front axle and springs outa a 55 Chevy pu. Gathered a bunch of other parts from a 49 Ford and some kind of li'l Michelins for up front, some Goodlyear slix for out back and baby moons all around......



Gonna use the stock flattie from the 53 also, but got the Chevy front axle mounted with some minor mods to the Chevy front springs. Aint even worried about stance yet-- just gonna get the frame powered & up on wheels & tires and go from there.

Later and God bless

[demonhunterfan]

Resting my sore back, I stayed at the bench and got this here chassis up on them baby moons.....

....still needs tierod ends & connector, etc, but good enuff for now.

Started setting some bodies on....

Kinda liking this here tub, but with a li'l pickup bed way back there

But then I remembered this here 37PD (tried to ignore the blue )

and maybe with a hoody???

Regarbless, whatever body winds up on it, it's gonna wind 'down' on it, sitting mucho lower on the frame, channeled, I believe it's called.

Later and God bless

[demonhunterfan]

Nice relaxing morning session at the bench yesterday.......

Had decided to look into the idea of the tub with a pu bed, so removed a bit of plastic to set the tubby body down on the frame and then a bit off a 34 pu bed I got awhile back in a trade.

Set the body & shortened bed on & glad I did ! Me liking what me seeing!

Trying desperately to avoid much, if any, scratchbuilding, but looks like I'm gonna hafta do a bit for a tailgate

Also trying to keep it a bit believable, what with that high riding truck frame and the lower sitting body-- don't allow for much sitting 'down' in the interior. Grabbed a couple seats outa a woody also got in the trade & set 'em on the frame. (4 on the floor? ;D ;D)



Hmm.... might be turnin' into a 'beer wagon' We shall see.......

Later and God bless

[Fletch]

This is an interesting blend of parts and pieces John. As for not scratch building any thing for the project. I don't think it's possible for you to build a model without doing some scratch building.

[demonhunterfan]

Yeah Dave, I just keep struggling, seems to be my way ;D Try as I might I just can't keep from scratchin' ;D ;D ;D In this case, I'm trying to stay within the realms of 'kitbashing'

Was inspired to put a tractor grille on this here rod, but in trying to avoid the scratchin', which would involve countless hours surfing in GoogooGoogley land, then drawing up scale drawings, etc and then making said grille....... I just was drawn back to the idea of this here rod-- kinda like we had this here 53 Ford truck frame takin' up space in the garage. The body long gone somewheres, but the rear fenders were found-- Ay Carumba!

Welded them puppies together (sorry PETA) and we got us a place to start with for the grille

Just trying to figure which end should be up, etc....

;D ;D ;D

Ok, that's more like it!

Now to get the torch out & cut some holes in what's left of them fenders. Gonna try & find some big buckets to weld on either side of 'em for them nightime drives

Later and God bless

[demonhunterfan]

;D ;D ;D Well......so much for the 'no scratchbuildin'. While leafin' thru some boxes lookin' for headllight buckets & other parts fer this here rod, I saw the louvered hood side panels off'n the 32 Switcheroonie and thought they might make an interesting tailgate. The two of 'em together were too bigly and while thinking things thru I realized I'd hafta make a frame fer 'em, etc, etc. So's I grabbed me some styrene and scratched a working tailgate fer the bed.





Still undecided about the louvered hood side panels on it, and also some sorta set up for to keep it closed

Later and God bless

[84vanagon]

WOW, John, what a cool idea for the grille!!!!

I like where this is going!!?? ;D

[demonhunterfan]

Thanks Don! Just cleanin' out the garage and them fenders weren't doin' nothing but taking up space ;D

Started 'torching' them air slots with a triangluar file so's I could start a center line for the 'cut'

Followed that up with a flat file which was just the right size

Came out pretty goodly if I say so myself

Mocked the grille up with the stock 53 rad, and it's just too 'rad'-- too big, so.......

......went out back & took the rad outa that old 39 Ford what's rusting away-- it fits mucho better. Also popped the headlight buckets off'n my 37 Chebby what got kinda wrecked some time ago -- not sure exactly whereabouts them buckets're gonna be hangin', but we'll figure it out

Lookin' more & more like a farm buildem up.... ;D

Later and God bless

[opa1]

Wow John, Now that's my typr of building a roadster. Can't wait to see the finished product...


INHS-ED

[sigmaman]

Love that grille.

[demonhunterfan]

Thanks guys. I'm really enjoyin' this here build, but really lookin' forward to getting back to somethin' bigger.

Been assembling the flattie bit by bit so's I could start mocking up the radiator. Looks to me that the stock rad for the 53 Ford pu gets glued into the front clip, and since I aint usin' the truck body, I gots to fab up some kinda support for it on the bare frame. Started with a length of angle.....

Added another hunk of bigger angle for to support the grille...

...and while that was setting up, got them buckets stuck on a pipe.....

...added a piece of angle to back of the grille shell so it could be bolted up to the rad supports and welded the bucket pipe to the shell too.

Added a couple braces and set the grille/headlight unit in place.

I'm liking it! Can't wait to go cruisin'!!!

Later and God bless

[84vanagon]

Love the front end, John!

It's so Art Deco!

[demonhunterfan]

Art Deco? Cool! Doin' some Art Deco paintings fer a show comin' up at the Art Center-- mebbe postem up here laters. Well, enuff of dat off topic crap ......

Welded them engine side panels off'n the 32 Switchers on to the tailgate.

Not very functional but cool lookin' (No way I'm gonna open 'em up :

Decided to use the interior, but had to whack it a bit to get it down to the same level as the body, so out came the floor.

Tub & tub both sittin' nicely on de frame Now to find a front seat

Took the front bencher outa my 37 Chebby, did a little modifryin'
and it fits.

I be thinkin' a satin blue color, and probably fab up a sheet metal lookin' 'hood'-- just a topper, with a single stack or air cleaner stickin thru

Havin' fun with this, but sure am lookin' forward to gettin' back to the bigger stuff

Later and God bless

[84vanagon]

Love the tailgate!

Please do show us some of your "canvas art".

I still have your Wailin' Guitarist saved to my pics!

Don.

[demonhunterfan]

Please do show us some of your "canvas art".

I still have your Wailin' Guitarist saved to my pics!

Don.

Will do Don-- glad my guitarist is still 'wailin' somewheres

Spending a little more times at the bench with this here tubby twuck ;D-- like Gramps says over on MCM, it's gettin' kinda funky lookin'

Wasn't planning on doing much to the flattie, but got a cool disturberator by Parts by Parks with red wires, so in sizing things up I saw that the boots wouldn't fit over the molded in plugs so I drilled 'em out.

Started by cutting a center hole with a brandy new #11 Exacto blade......

.....followed up with a really small drill in my new pin vise.

Set the flattie aside for a spell and worked on fabbin' up some kinda hood. Found this here in the parts box, think it's off'n a 49 Merc

Started cuttin' and fittin', and cuttin' and fittin', and.......

.......I'm thinkin' this here's gonna be pretty close to the final funky look Probably gonna run a couple braces from the firewall to the rad supports to hold up/mount the hood to. Hopin' to squirts some paint soon.

Later and God bless