Rat Rod Offroader?

[treegump]

(posted this on ratrodsrule.com - to look for ideas)

I'd like to make a hybrid between a late 40's sedan rat rod and a rock crawler...if I could do it, and when I have the time/money for it. Main reason I like the sedan - is I like the longer body style, and I'm quite used to driving a logner wheel base (driving a 21' truck for ~4-5 years now (that'd be a ext cab, LB truck). And futuristicly - if/when I have kids - I'd like to think I could carry at least 2 in the back.

So - either a late 40's sedan or an early 70's suburban. The sedan is more narrow - which is ideal for the trail, but less ideal for the build and comfort...maybe. The suburban - cause it might offer for space for everything I want to do - but either way - chopping the tops and extending the leg room (I'm 6'3" - need some room).

Ideally - it'd be pretty sweet to find a diesel that is low profile and as mechanical as I can find (get rid of all the wires everywhere - cause I don't want a hood all the time) But since that's not too typical - I might have to go with a straight six or a 350 v8 or a 454....I'm really going to have to shop around - cause I need clearance at the bottom for offroading, but with a chopped top - I'll need to be able to see above/around the engine

I'm thinking as far as bottom end clearance - do what GM did with the humvees - put the transfer case as high as possible (sitting in between the driver/passenger seats) and route the drive shafts down the center of the vehicle. I'll probably have to start off with leaf springs - but honestly they make the vehicle sit too high, so I think 4-link w/ coil springs would be best.

For offroading - 40's front and rear, but for on the road/cruisin - I'm thinking something like 20" tires on the front and 265's or 245's on the rear - try to drop the height with the tires. May have to figure out a modified frame to tuck the axles up - but not sure how/if that's possible - to keep the clean(er) look that you typically see with Rods.

The axles would be a favorable Dana 60's front and rear - both steering. Actuality - if this project ever happened - I'd probably start out with 14 bolt rear drum and D-44 front - with 11" brakes = 16" wheels?? maybe? I don't want to go IFS, but if there are issues with clearance, weight, etc - that might be an option.

Removable exo-cage for the cab and engine bay. If I decided to have a removable hard top - then I'd have to put the cage on the inside.

Again - I've got NO money for projects (yet I still look around for deals). I've been searching for a more fuel efficient vehicle for a daily driver since my commute is 32 miles 1 way, but if I came across something that I could "use as a secondary cheap, just-in-case vehicle" than I might be interested in starting early.

I'd probably start out with an early 70's suburban/truck 4x4 - just so I'd already have the axles/springs/frame/motor/etc.

Soooo am I crazy? Most of my family/friends think so, and I haven't even told them of this new idea, haha

Some guy posted this - which is a very good beginning to what I'm thinking. I'd have to start in phases, so the answers I need are, what body style, frame, and then after that I ought to be able to start with one vehicle and build it up...

 

[BudTX]

I have a buddy with a 1968 Ford Falcon on 35s, and had a friend on college who had a 68 Camaro on 44s. Both were built on full size Blazer frames.

 

[Joi]

Before looking for deals, I'd start looking around for money.....you could easily drop $20k into a project like this without realizing it. It's kind of rough if you have $5k tied up in an unfinished project (due to lack of funds) that you can only sell for $1500 if you're lucky.

After you find money, find a rig that's already built or an unfinished project that somebody has lost interest in. (There are plenty of guys that have built solid rock crawlers only to find that the build was the fun part and that rock crawling isn't all that thrilling.) Adapt a body of your choice to the chassis. There are several fiberglass body and kit car manufacturers that can supply you with what you need to achieve the look you want.

 

[treegump]

Before looking for deals, I'd start looking around for money.....you could easily drop $20k into a project like this without realizing it. It's kind of rough if you have $5k tied up in an unfinished project (due to lack of funds) that you can only sell for $1500 if you're lucky.

After you find money, find a rig that's already built or an unfinished project that somebody has lost interest in. (There are plenty of guys that have built solid rock crawlers only to find that the build was the fun part and that rock crawling isn't all that thrilling.) Adapt a body of your choice to the chassis. There are several fiberglass body and kit car manufacturers that can supply you with what you need to achieve the look you want.

Well - the money part won't be there for quite sometime, so that's why I'll probably have to start with a 1 ton truck of sorts - just so I have everything there.

As far as the fun in building - I've been there, and I'd have to say that 45% of my enjoyment is building it while 35% of driving it and 20% of the fun is breaking it. (Just random #'s that I pulled out of my butt, haha)

 

[Joi]

You see, 65% of the enjoyment is gone when you build a solid rig that won't break.):h

 

[treegump]

You see, 65% of the enjoyment is gone when you build a solid rig that won't break.):h

nonsense - if you ain't breaking anything, you aren't pushing the vehicle hard enough, ):h

anyhow - the best is when you break something and you have someone riding with you. They leave for lunch and come back and you're just finishing the repair. The look is priceless