Page 68 - Issue 30

Knowing what direction he wanted to go, bryan tracked
down a ’35 chevy 2-door sedan through his buddy curt
wilson of sturgeon Lake garage. it was a perfect fit for this
build and bryan quickly snatched it up. the plan is to pull the
rotted wood out and get some 1” steel in there, situate the
body, (which is in decent shape) and get ‘er chopped. we’ll be
going with the high-boy un-channeled style, which will show
off the cool frame-work provided by throttlestompers.
as we dip into this build we will be updating every step
in the magazine over the next couple issues. we’ll reveal the
finished product at back to the Fifties in st paul, minnesota
this June, and from there it will be one hell of a journey. we’ve Bryan used this
got this tour rat slated to work overtime – hitting over 30 Throttlestomper
frame as inspiration
events including some long hauls across the country. the
for the build.
most challenging trek will be in november when we drive the
car from minnesota down to Las Vegas for the sema show. A fresh sbc 350
weather up this way in november could be anything, including crate engine
from Gandrud
freezing cold temps and snow – but somehow that makes the
Performance
journey that much more appealing to us. no trailers, no bs, just
a good old fashioned road trip to the coolest industry trade
show in the country. if nothing else, it’s going to be one hell of
an adventure – and one we will capture on video in its entirety,
win lose or draw.
every tour rat we’ve built has been durable and has logged
a lot of miles. tough miles too… through heat, cold, mountains,
deserts, and whatever elements we’ve faced. this one will follow
suit and will conquer everything in its path. (that’s a promise)
we’re very excited to get this project underway and to share
the build with everyone – stay tuned for more progress!
— Steve
We’ve chosen to go with the high-boy, un-channeled style as seen here.
68 Rat Rod Magazine issue thirty
The brands and names behind the project
as always, sponsorships and help from our friends is vital to our build. we love to work with a variety of people,
companies, and products – especially when we can get behind each of them and endorse the quality and craftsmanship.
you’ll see more of each contributor as we document the build, but for now we want to introduce you to some of
the names behind this project and what to expect from them throughout the build. (this list may change and evolve
over the course of the build, but for now – let us introduce the lineup)
dagel’s auto Fab – it’s no secret that head builder Rocket Wheels – bryan has been a huge fan of rocket
bryan dagel has worked high-buck restoration, paint, since our first build, and he’s run them on every car
and fabrication his whole life. he brings that attention since. this is the old school look we want, and the
to detail to this build as the project lead, intent to quality product we need.
deliver the same high-quality craftsmanship that he Coker tire – what else would we run? bigs and littles
from the best in the business… you can’t beat a fresh
has become known for.
set of coker white walls.
gandrud Performance Parts – our friends over in
green bay, wisconsin are providing the power RdM ironworks – 2013 build-off participant bobby
plant in the form of a sbc 350. why a sbc? we’re meadows is one hell of a builder, and we’re thrilled
to have him on board. not only is he flat out brilliant,
building a touring car first and foremost… it has to
this guy can fabricate things most people can’t even
be durable, easy to fix on the road with plenty of
available parts, and it has to be economical. the sbc dream up. (yep, we think he’s that good)
e-Stopp – you’ve seen e-stopp’s push-button e brake
hits the spot.
throttlestompers – if you want to see some seriously on Vegas rat rods as part of steve darnell’s arsenal…
and if it’s cool enough for steve, you better believe we
badass hot rods, check out the work of Jason want it too!
cummins. you’ve seen his cars in this magazine, and
dillon Radiators – simply the best radiators around, for
we’ve seen enough of his work to be very excited
the best price around. is that possible? oh yes. we’ve
about using one of his killer custom frames.
Harrison transmission – one thing we don’t have time run dillon radiators through every extreme climate
for on the road are transmission problems. if you’re you can think of and they have never let us down. we
wouldn’t even look at any other product, period.
looking to pound some miles, don’t cut corners here. iron ace Seats – we’ve used other seats before, but
we won’t, and are trusting our friends at harrison to nothing has compared to iron ace. these are well-
provide the perfect tranny for this operation – a 700r4
built, comfortable, and cool as hell. tried them once
that will work harmoniously with our 350 to provide
Bryan has a plan for these sweet Rocket’s. – will never look back. they rock!
many miles of efficient driving. Lizard Skin – we tried Lizard skin coating and
Hudlow axle – steve’s known for doing things right, documented it in the last issue, and found it to work
and he even took the time while we were on last – and work well. sometimes the little things can make
year’s tour to help one of our participants with a all the difference, and when hauling ass across the
bum driveshaft. needless to say, we knew who to call desert reducing heat and rattle is a big deal. this stuff
when it came to the driveshaft and rear-end for this is worth its weight in gold.
build project. Roach Pinstriping – For that signature old-school touch,
French Lake auto Parts – the guys at French Lake we’ll turn to the extremely talented monte roach to
have helped us with everything from our builds to lay the striping.
our everyday fleet. when it comes to the odds and
ends, body pieces, and hard to find components along with these product and service resources, you’ll
– they’ll have or it or they’ll find it for us… they also see participation from some very talented builders
have truly been vital part of everything we’ve built as we document the progress. Look for the next update
and will undoubtedly be an important part of this in issue #31!
project as well. interested in getting your company involved with
Sturgeon Lake garage – these guys are another go-to this build? shoot us an email at info@ratrodmagazine.
source for a variety of things, and have been a part of com. we’re always looking for ways to get more people,
every rat rod magazine build to date. products, and brands in the mix.
ratrodmagazine.com Rat Rod Magazine 69