Rich's Street/Rat F100 Build Thread

[BodyDroppedNikes]

i would suggest not running your rear bags on the outside of the frame if thats what you plan on doing. you will be limited in wheel width choices. you dont want your wheels to rub on the bags or bag plates. i did this and i had to use spacers on my rear wheels and shave the fender lips down some the wheel didnt rub the fender lips. good luck on getting the Air Zenith sponsorship, did you ever get a rendering done? if not, i can point ya to a few people that do it.

 

[hondafreak513]

those on the outside are in the front!!!!!

 

[jdmLife]

sick ford bro

 

[UNDR8D]

i would suggest not running your rear bags on the outside of the frame if thats what you plan on doing. you will be limited in wheel width choices. you dont want your wheels to rub on the bags or bag plates. i did this and i had to use spacers on my rear wheels and shave the fender lips down some the wheel didnt rub the fender lips. good luck on getting the Air Zenith sponsorship, did you ever get a rendering done? if not, i can point ya to a few people that do it.

Ya you need to get your eyes checked homes lol

If your bags rubbed outside the frame in the back then they were just mounted too close to the wheels. On a truck like the Ranger with such a narrow frame, the outside is a good place for them. Sucidedoors sells kits for and recommends bags outside the frame on Rangers.

In other news I finished the frame. Pics coming soon. It is DRASTICALLY different from the original or even the picture displayed above.

 

[UNDR8D]

OK time for some candy.

Just so you know I have logged 130 hours on the frame alone...just so you know...seriously

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Ch-ching...

 

[hondafreak513]

Thats a beautiful frame....

 

[UNDR8D]

Thanks guy

I also got a keg to use for my gas tank so look for a write up on that soon...

 

[hondafreak513]

awsome yeah my friend used a keg on his suzuki samari 4x4

 

[Ethan]

in to watch and point...

 

[TurboMirage]

looks pro nice work.

 

[CAFROG]

Sorry I didn't read it all but the frame.....did you media blast it or get surface rust off by hand?

 

[UNDR8D]

By hand with a wire brush wheel on a grinder. Didn't take that long actually. The plating filling and smoothing was by far the most time consuming...

 

[CAFROG]

Keep up the good work

My dad has built hot rods since I was a kid. He's put Mustang II front clips on all of them. I have been there where you measure.....measure and measure to tack and measure and measure! Thats how I learned to MIG weld. (but I learned the "redneck way" on a stick welder first and foremost!) Cool part is you can locate the front wheel in a nice centered spot. I do not know about your 57 but early 50 Fords lay way towards the back of the fender. Doesn't look good when its low.

Are you gonna throw the cab on so you can test fit with a fender or you got the spot for the front suspension already?

And I like your front end better than the early 50's (like that copper one above)

 

[UNDR8D]

Keep up the good work

My dad has built hot rods since I was a kid. He's put Mustang II front clips on all of them. I have been there where you measure.....measure and measure to tack and measure and measure! Thats how I learned to MIG weld. (but I learned the "redneck way" on a stick welder first and foremost!) Cool part is you can locate the front wheel in a nice centered spot. I do not know about your 57 but early 50 Fords lay way towards the back of the fender. Doesn't look good when its low.

Are you gonna throw the cab on so you can test fit with a fender or you got the spot for the front suspension already?

And I like your front end better than the early 50's (like that copper one above)

I did everything by tape. I know the wheelbase figure and I had a reference point in the middle of the frame, so I knew my measurement backwards to the centerline of the rear axle then, I knew my measurement forward to the centerline of the front axles/beams. Pretty simple really.

Since it is basically a new frame, I have some flexibility for placement of the body and drivetrain. This set up will actually move the drivetrain back and up a little.
The motor sat soooo low in the original frame and obviously had to be moved up significantly to allow the truck to lay all the way. I know it will affect the ride dynamics but I haven't put any math to it yet. I know the IC of my rear links will take up some of the slack for the shift of weight but I'm not entirely sure how much. Until you drive it it is all just supposition anyway.

 

[CAFROG]

My dad made his own IC on a 38 Chevy Coupe Pro Street with 18.5" wide tires in the back. Sadly, he was never totally happy with the ride. But it had more to do with those tires and how they affected the geometry's slight imperfections (at least thats what he chalked it up to be). I thought it drove really nice but I think he was trying to make it cruise and feel as if those big ass tires weren't there. No more big tires for my dad lol. He ended up selling it for $32,000 and always makes money in the end! He's got a 37 Ford Roadster thats all air bagged on a tube chassis frame and Currie Rear End. No drivetrain but its ready for a LT1 and its auto transmission. Its a fiberglass body by wild rodz with all the windows and removable hard top. Suicide doors. It was going to be his first "Trailer Queen" but he saw the bottom line ($65-75K) and couldn't see doing that. He can't stand to build it and not really drive it. Sadly, its the only way to win the big shows and that was his direction at the time. Now, he don't wanna finish it and wants to get rid of it (For Sale on Goodguys site right now!). We're gonna do a muscle car instead (which I am excited about). Maybe even a 62 Chevy Bel Air Bubble Top......mmmmmm. He also has a 53 Chevy Pickup Hot Rod thats really nice and made to drive. But he tore it apart to re-do the steering column and dash (back to stock). He is actually procrastinating and focusing on the shop he is gonna build. I ain't mad....nice dry spot to work on my car.....I like it!

Like I stated earlier....nice build. Keep it up and I'll keep checking in!

 

[UNDR8D]

My dad made his own IC on a 38 Chevy Coupe Pro Street with 18.5" wide tires in the back

We must be talking about a different IC lol. I was referring to Instant Center, the imaginary point created forward of the rear axle by the angle of your locating devices. The placement of the center effects weight dynamics under acceleration and braking.

Think of it like a triangle...For example a drag car would have short links with steep angles to keep the IC toward the rear for traction.

A trophy truck will have longer links to cast the IC toward the front of the truck to make it steering biased.

 

[CAFROG]

I see what you are saying. I was thinking of the frame rails you made in the rear lol. We also made adjustable links attached to the Rear End in attempt to keep the rear end still. He had coil overs and the adj links. My dad tubed and decided where he was putting the 9" rear end but cannot remember how he made his final location....I think it was based on the previous location of the original rear end.

 

[UNDR8D]

I would imagine so.

 

[lostsoulzprophet]

that will be sick when its done. doing good so far. keep up the work.

 

[UNDR8D]

I started writing a book to explain what I accomplished today but then the lappy died so I decided I'd just post the pics instead and let them speak for themselves:

As much as the holes are both aesthetically pleasing and a good source of weight savings, the outermost holes will serve as cut-outs for my exhaust.

Check out my ultra bad-ass keg gas tank!