Page 42 - Issue 46

a most unlikely candidate – a
Detroit Diesel crane. A pair of ‘59
Caddy taillights greet anybody
foolish enough to try and sneak
up on him. A vintage school bus
stoplight that actually reads
‘HALT’ was frenched into the
rear, as well. Michael Parks at
STL Pinstriping created all of the
striking lettering and graphics
throughout the vehicle.
Details abound in Jim’s
ride, like the drive-in speakers
that aren’t just there for show.
They were disassembled and
refurbished with high-end
components. The guys at The
Car Audio Shop along with
Bob at Custom Auto and
Electric created a monster
sound system unlike any other
we’ve heard before in any rat
rod. It’s a Bluetooth-enabled
system that usually provides
the entertainment wherever Jim
and his crew goes. Usually it’s
the noise from the engine that
turns peoples’ heads, but not
with Jim’s ride. What looks like
a pair of shifters are actually a
shifter and a hand throttle. Jim’s
excavating equipment employs
hand throttles so why not in his
rat rod? That’s what the huge
wrench in the console is for.
With precious little room in the
footwell it’s more of a comfort
thing. The copper in the interior
is complemented by the frame,
which was painted copper, then
black, and then sanded through
in places to replicate, “a new
animal coming out of an old skin”,
per Jim.

42 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE FORTY-SIX

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