51 chevy rat truck

[evildave]

Guess its about time i started a build thread here, got some fair size plans for the truck and its all getting close to coming together.
I bought it back in nov 2011 running a 3 speed TH350 and a 305ci (150bhp!)small black chevy. Quite a few bits n pieces were a little rushed by the previous owner so i've been re wiring, adding gauges, fitted a gps speedo, rebuilt the tilt column, fitted some bear claw door latches.

Currently in the process of replacing the 65 year old axle with a more modern (1990) jag IRS. this has a LSD and a 3.54:1 ratio so should help with cruising speeds and launching.

Probuild american have almost finished building my zz4 350ci motor. This should give me around 340bhp on a holley 600cfm carb, but i can go to a 780cfm carb and edelbrock intake later and should see 400bhp with the cam thats been selected for the build.
While we are fitting the engine i'm also swapping out the TH350 to a 700r4 4 speed box. This has a final drive of 0.7:1 rather than 1:1 so again will help when cruising, it also has an electric lockup for the torque converter so will prevent any slip and reduce heat build up with the transmission fluid. The 700r4 has a ridiculous 1:3.06 first gear so i should be burning out quite a few rear tyres.

Hoping to get it back on the road next week to test the axle set up then a couple of weeks later its engine & box swap.

Anyhow heres a few pics........

[john B]

Cool I love rat rods etc......350 engine is definatley the way to go such a tuneable engine with so many parts available....

[Fast Eddy]

Great vehicle Dave. If the rest of us left our motors with exposed metal panels like yours, they wil be a pile of red dust in a few weeks lol.

Eddy

[pjs65]

Rat is the way to roll ,no need to polish
Interested to see how the Jag rear end turns out and if it gives more grip than the old live one . 150 hp from 5 litres how can they get so little from so much , but that ZZ4 is a much better motor . Pete

[Daniel]

This is so drool worthy. The old man would love to see this.

[evildave]

Still progressing this week with the rear end swap, decided to box the rails to give it more strength and prevent too much twisting. Still not heard if engine is finished, i hope it is soon!!

[Stuart]

You know my feelings about this Dave, it's wonderful, simply wonderful.

Look forward to the updates

[Daniel]

Mega low on the priority list but will there be any white walls on this beast?

[evildave]

Mega low on the priority list but will there be any white walls on this beast?

I did think about it but probably not in the foreseeable future, i may need to go for wider rears if i have traction issues so possibly then but i'd imagine 285/55/15 (just a approx size) will not come as whitewalls.


Anyway little update, both rails are now boxed and waiting to set the jag irs up.
- See more at: http://s528.photobucket.com/user/dave-e ... ojyhC.dpuf
- See more at: http://s528.photobucket.com/user/dave-e ... 9DWNb.dpuf

[evildave]

IRS cage all welded in, exhausts re-routed, chassis painted. Just brakes & prop shaft then re fit the head, gonna do a prop guard as well 'just in case'