Page 8 - Issue 39

The body came from Oregon and was remarkably it all went together. It’s all connected to a ’51 Ford F100
free of rust, needing only a few patch panels. “Looking straight axle. Wheels are ’28 Model A wires up front and
back, I wish I would have left it alone,” says Chad. All of 22” GM transit wheels in the rear. The spiked lugnuts
the original wood framing was removed and replaced are of Chad’s design. He didn’t see anything he liked for
with metal. The entire interior was covered in sheet sale anywhere, so he took 8 inches of 7/8” hex stock and
metal after a date with a bead roller and some dimple made his own. Of course, he also had to make a 10-inch
dies to church things up a bit. It’s also been chopped socket for installation and removal. But rest assured his
3.5 inches. The only wood in the body are the tobacco wheels probably won’t be stolen any time soon.
sticks from the family farm that run over the roof. When Power comes from a 327 Chevy that was pulled
the weather dictates, a faux alligator tonneau snaps from a ’67 Chevelle that his father still owns. It’s been
over them. That same material adorns the phenomenally gone through to the tune of about 400 horsepower by
comfortable seats that are installed in the interior. Chad Chad’s estimation. He originally was going to go with
loved the look of the traditional bomber seats, but they a fl athead motor for the sound and the nostalgia but
are notoriously uncomfortable. Since he actually wanted again, drivability was supposed to be the focus. They do
to drive his car, mom stepped in and whipped up the run well, but if one breaks in the middle of nowhere you
plush beauties you see here. Lucky for Chad that his have almost no shot at fi nding parts for it very quickly.
mom, Ronda is a seamstress by trade and knows just The motor is backed by a T5 5-speed and a 3.73 posi unit
what to do. Moms always do, right? from a K5 Blazer. This combo allows Chad to loaf along
Chad’s a welder by trade so sorting out and building at about 1500 RPM at 70 MPH in fi fth gear. The headers
a new frame out of 2x3 square tubing was no big were built by Chad and a couple of buddies to get the
deal. It kicks up a huge two feet in the back for the exact size and angle that he wanted.
appropriate ride height. He wanted something different Chad’s father, Steve lives less than a mile away
for the suspension up front and decided to go with a and helped out a bunch on the build. Even though his
cantilevered system with air bags. He searched all over father was skeptical at fi rst about his son’s intentions
the internet for something he liked but couldn’t really with the car, he fi nally relented after it was fi nished.
fi nd anything. In his search, he met Josh, who happens Others that helped out include Nick Lawrence, a friend
to be pretty good at designing these setups. Chad of Chad’s who’s into blacksmithing. Nick designed
bugged him and then bugged him some more, and and built the cool steering wheel. Mike Pierce, Jordan
Josh fi nally relented. So one night he showed up with ‘Level 30’, Junior Ferris and Bentley Ferris were also
a box of parts and it was Chad’s job to fi gure out how instrumental in the build.

8 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-NINE

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