Page 53 - Issue 34

At 19 feet, 8 inches from the front of the can see that it’s not real, and is merely a cover
frame to the back of the wheelie bars, it’s for the carburetor. Fashioned from an Arctic
certainly one of the larger vehicles we’ve Cat snowmobile muffl er, it’s topped with a
seen. It makes sense, since the running gear scoop that was part of the winner’s spoils
and suspension were all donated by the same from last year’s victory. A Harley 2” belt and
1972 Dodge motorhome. So the engine, trans, accompanying pulley complete the illusion.
wheels, rearend and front suspension all spent So, the radiator is in the back of the cab?
their prior lives anonymously shuttling families Underneath the cab? Neither. It resides in its
back and forth across the country. And now relatively stock position between the front of
it’s an automotive rock star. The frame is the cab’s sheetmetal and the fi rewall in front
scratchbuilt from 2x4 tubing, and has been of the passenger compartment. Fuel tanks
drilled out and sleeved with copper. Air ride are repurposed B-17 air tanks, which were
gets Resurgence down on the ground. originally used to supply oxygen to the fl ight
It’s diffi cult to pick a single focal point crew during high-altitude missions. And that
on Gary’s car, but you can’t deny that the handle outside the driver’s door, it’s a hand
cab, especially it’s placement, is an
attention-getter. First off, it’s a 1935
attention-getter. First off, it’s a 1935 ttention-getter. First off, it’s a 1935
a
Autocar. Autocar is a long-defunct
Autocar. Autocar is a long-defunct
manufacturer of trucks, and this
manufacturer of trucks, and this
particular model last served its
particular model last served its
previous owners as a water truck.
previous owners as a water truck.
Gary had spied this particular cab
Gary had spied this particular cab
while he was still building
while he was still building
‘Resurrected Rust’, the
panel truck he won with
last year. The second
he saw it, he knew that
when he built it, the cab
would be in the back. This
would be in the back. This
orientation makes the car look a lot like
orienta
orientation makes the car look a lot like tion makes the car look a lot like
an old front-engine rail dragster. throttle, just in case it gets too boring to use
an old front-engine rail dragster.
As mentioned above, the entire your foot. And as long as we are looking at the
drivetrain was lifted intact from that cab, let’s step inside. Ingress is a little tough,
drivetrain was lifted intact from that
motorhome and installed basically but once inside, it’s amazing how comfortable
motorhome and installed basically
untouched, save for a few tweaks and the seats are, since they are simply ’35 Chevy
untouched, save for a few tweaks and
bits in the name of drivability. The wild truck fenders, bolted upside-down. Straight
bits in the name of drivability. The wild
headers are defi nitely not stock, and span ahead is a steering wheel fashioned from
headers are defi nitely not stock, and span
a good fi ve feet across. Both surrounding part of an old Singer sewing machine, and
a good fi ve feet across. Both surrounding
and supporting the transmission is an old highlighted with copper and wood inlays.
and supporting the transmission is an old
water valve that was polished and put into The steering arm travels and amazing 11 feet,
water valve that was polished and put into
service as a transmission mount. At fi rst 4 inches from end to end. Fresh air can be
service as a transmission mount. At fi rst
glance, it appears as though the engine is introduced at any time as Gary created custom
glance, it appears as though the engine is
blown, however upon closer inspection, one hinged frames for the front windows.
blown, however upon closer inspection, one

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