Page 74 - Issue 39

evin Harwood’s ’32 Chevy 1 ⁄2 ton
1
pickup cuts a different profi le than

most rat rod pickups. She sits up
Dhigh in the back. The stake bed
and diamond plate fl oor say, “I got work
to do – I ain’t just pretty!” Dual aluminum

fuel tanks help to evoke the appearance a
Tom Daniels creation that was left to bake
under the Nevada sun for the better part
of 40 years.

This truck almost wasn’t built. It was originally
purchased in Parhump, Nevada by his friend Steve
Ramsdell as a father/son project. However, he and his son
came across two other cars that they wanted to build
fi rst, and the ’32 was relegated to yard art duty. Devin maybe not quite stock… there’s that vintage Weiand
was looking for a project and nagged Steve about the tunnel ram intake topped with a Holley 750 double
truck until he fi nally gave in and sold it to him. He then pumper. A couple of matching Weiand valve covers
embarked on a mission for the next eighteen months in complete the vintage look. It’s backed by a Turbo 400
which he saved up as much money and as many parts as trans that’s been beefed up to handle some future engine
he could get his hands on. Finally, he recruited Steve and upgrades. A Ford nine-inch rear was chosen to complete
his son, Steve Jr. to begin the task of transmogrifying the the drivetrain for its unbeatable combo of price and
’32 from yard art to car show participant in time for the durability.
RatCity Rukkus. Another deviation from the rat rod norm is the use of
The initial plans called for the typical Model A/Model the stock frame and leaf springs. Up front is a Speedway
T-style bed, but once they started building, Devin decided kit with a 4-inch drop axle, hairpins, and GM-style disc
to do something different. In order to set his build apart brakes. The tires were all swap meet fi nds and were
from other rat rod trucks, He grabbed a large fl atbed from originally used on front loaders. They were chosen for
a ‘40’s Ford truck and added the stakes and diamond their industrial look.
plate, along with a ton of reinforcements to the stock As wild as the truck looks, it’s pretty darned original.
frame, because he was going to use this truck for more The cab has been chopped four inches and the wood
than cruising. Two toolboxes were built into the bed, one framing has been replaced with steel, but the fenders and
fore and one aft. These boxes also hold such niceties as even the running boards are original to the truck. The
the battery and an airhose. An air compressor and tank grille shell is a near-mint original from a ’34 Chevy. Better
were also installed to not only keep the tires infl ated, but yet, the grille ornament was a piece of NOS stock that had
also to run the triad of swap meet air horns. “They’re not never seen duty on another vehicle before his.
train horns, but they’re pretty loud,” says Devin. So what do the masses think of Devin’s truck? “I either
Motivation comes from a bone stock 454 Chevy get a thumbs up, or they don’t make eye contact, because
liberated from the guts of a moribund motorhome. Well, they think I’m going to eat them.”

74 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-NINE

72x75 Silver State.indd 74 8/11/16 8:03 AM