Thinking about a Rig Rod

[Beck]

It seems the popularity of the rat rods is slowing down, but I'm still interested. One of the latest things I have seen in the rats is what some are calling rig rods. These are basically the bigger old trucks that are rodded and still retain the dually rears. As with all the rats some are much better looking than others. Here is one I found online. http://image.rodandcustommagazine.com/f/25349681/0912rc_15_o+back_to_the_beach+rig_rod.jpg
I like the stance but don't care for the pink. I think the bed looks right on this one. The tire/wheel combination looks pretty good.
Now for the questions.
Is the front axle narrowed on this truck?
Did Ford use the buggy spring in the front on the big trucks?
This truck appears to have parallel liefs. It is using a tall stack of liefs so there is virtually no suspension.
The bolt pattern is different on the front and rear of this truck.
Are there later model axles both front and rear that would work better than the old originals? I cut up a GM step van that had a 14 bolt rear. It was narrower than a regular truck. It may have had 19 or 19.5" wheels.
I think these trucks need the tall wheel and tire combination. I think the later model 1 ton 16" wheels are too small.
I do not think split rim wheels are cool. When did the split rims start and stop?
Any other input would be appreciated.
Yes I know I am sick, my wife tells me often.

[sirstude]

Here is another look on the Rat Rod theme that  friend sent to me.  He is a Dirt racer and it was out on one of the boards.

Doug

[GPster]

That cab looks like a "41 to '47 Ford truck cab but to me it may not be a big truck if that is the hood that came with it. The hood looks too short to me. That may not be a big truck frame because the height of the rails doesn't seem high enough. Looks to be like it is juat a regular truck frame that has been turned upside down to make it under-slung and the leaved in the springs packed backwards to suit. But those leaves appear to be wider than 1 3/4" which I think Ford still used. Those years of small Ford trucks had gone away from the traverse leaf spring but they were cross-steer (I think) so the drag link wouldn't have been there. Saying all of that it may be a regular upside-down truck frame with big truck axels. The lug circle of the front wheels appears to be the same as the rear. Maybe they just left out every other lug. Just a different way to look at it. What event were the pictures taken at. Maybe someone here has more pictures. GPster

[Beck]

GPster,
I don't know where the photo was taken. I took it off the net. I don't think it is from the midwest or I would have seen it.

sirstude,
How ironic that you posted these photos. My other thought of building something a little different was to do exactly what you posted. I have located 2 old modified stock car chassis. One is a Tobias the other is an Olson. The Tobias has torsion rear with coil over front suspension. The Olson has torsion all around. Both have the big motor setback. I would have to move the motor forward a little just to install a regular transmission. They are both setup for Burt gearboxes. I was thinking the QC would have to stay and also keep the wide 5 hubs. I think both of those chassis are setup with a left offset. I would have to change the center of the chassis to accommodate 2 people. The center steer would also have to be modified. It might be easier to just remake a frame like in the photo, using pieces from or for an old stock car. The only place I know that may sell parts to scratch build something like this is Speedway. Any help here would be appreciated. Would Tobias still have similar parts for sale?
We race ion dirt here so I was thinking dirt tires. How long would they hold up on the street? Lets see, 50 laps of 1/3 mile uses them up pretty good so I could go maybe 100 miles on a set on the road. Really I have no idea how many miles they would run on the road. I guess the rubber compound would make a difference. Putting a new set on with each fuel fill up could get old.

[GPster]

Good! We'll not be hunting the same parts. I have been dreaming/planing in my mind what I tried to discibe seeing in that "Rig's" build. One of these days someone will be trying to un-load an old truck's "rolling" chassis. I'd just turn it over and re-stack the springs and bolt the axels back on.The older frames are kind of flat on the top and somewhat parallel. The rails could serve as the "scrub line" and the '47 to '55 AD steering boxes are high enough to keep the drag link out of the dirt. Might power it with the 3/4s of a "Mouse" I have laying around. But then maybe I aught to finish something I already started. GPster

[DRD57]

The pink truck is likely a west coast vehicle, I just saw it last weekend in Bakersfield.

The front axle is definitely narrowed.

It's not running complete spring packs, just a few leaves and some short spacers it appears.

[Flipper]

That pink one is pretty neat.  I'd stick narrower tires on the front wheels if it were mine though.

[GPster]

You're the one I thought might have pictures. When I brought the link on line Rod & Custom appeared on the side so I thought the picture might have been taken at some event. I couldn't remember the initials of your handle because I get them confused with that guy in Florida. I was going to say ? 99 ? but that's all I could remember of that. I thought you'd have more pictures of something that interesting. GPster

[enjenjo]

Looks to be a42 to 47 Ford 1 1/2 ton, chassis, front axle, rear axle, cab and hood. The axle may not be narrowed, it was pretty narrow to begin with. As I recall, they had 5 lugs in the front, and rear, so it may be a later rear axle. They had split rimes into the 60s, but you could put modern rims on old centers with no problems.

[unklian]

I was thinking the QC would have to stay

QC most likely has a Spool, not ideal on the street.

[Fat Cat]

Its possible that both axles are late model. Some of the motor home chassis used in the last 10 years have had a 5 lug pattern in the front and a 10 lug in the rear. The 5 lug pattern was the same pattern as the 10 lug rear just with every other stud missing. It allowed them to use the same wheels front and rear with half the lug nuts on the front. I don't know the purpose but it was done for a few years on both Gm and Ford chassis'. On the Ford chassis' they used a straight axle some of which were narrow.

[Beck]

Thanks guys, especially you DRD57 for the great photos.
I looked at a '37 Ford 1 1/2 ton tonight. I think I prefer the 42 to 47 cab lines. The 37 had the buggy spring front, mechanical brakes, 5 lug wheels all around, I don't think it had split rims, the rims were 20" dia. The 37 grill is nicer than the 47. There isn't much you can do with the 47 grill in a rat. The treatment this builder gave the grill is really nice. Thanks Don for letting me see that. Does anyone have the owners name by chance. I see the CA tags.

I see juice brakes on the front so the front axle can't be too new.

Now the next question... Is the hood narrowed in front on the pink truck? To me it looks like the hood, frame and front axle has been narrowed. I see the rear of the hood side is trimmed up a little. Is the front the stock hood just reshaped to form around the custom grill insert?

I like the looks of this one so much I may have to just go buy that '47 I found.... but I don't know if I will be happy with those big wheels and tires. It has to take some extra power to turn those heavy things. That means the fuel economy goes down. I don't know what gear ratios are in the big rear ends. The cost of tires may offset the savings of buying a different suspension. It would take some big hp to do a burn out with those.

[GPster]

I was thinking the QC would have to stay

QC most likely has a Spool, not ideal on the street.

There is a quick change that uses the early Ford floater rear end pieces. There is one pictured under the '32 Ford truck in this months Rod & Custom I've seen one and it appears to use two of the axel housing side that doesn't have the pinion. If you're going to start looking for parts. GPster

[57larry]

don't like the look or understand the whole rat thing

[Fat Cat]

don't like the look or understand the whole rat thing

I'm not surprised.