Gearing up for my biggest wagon build yet .....

This is sort of a spinoff pilot series sparked by the "what are your winter plans" thread. Ya know how when your buddy claims to be going on a diet, then the next day you catch him in full cookie monster mode - then as his friend, you're obligated to politely ask him how the weight loss is coming along?

This thread is like that. I come to this section alot to read all of Crovos threads (no matter what they're actually about) so I'm starting this thread for myself to see as a reminder that I need to get my BFA off the computer and back out to the graj mahal and make some more sparks.

The project I'm going to begin as soon as the donors arrive is the culmination of several years of mentally obsessing while waiting for someone else to build one for me to criticize and learn from. Well, I'm tired of waiting. I got a fevah, and the only perscription ..... is more wagon!

I'm not letting you guys peek under my kimono just yet, but I will share that I seriously love what some people call rat rods. problem is though, there's not really much before the 60's that my whole family can comfortably fit in. (and I already have a 60's wagon that moderately obnxious enough that nobody wants to take it anywere regularly) I'm also a fairly well documented wagon kook, and the stars are finally lining up for me to combine those loves (or whatever it's called) and turn a wagon like ours into a traditional hot rod (rat rod) that will fit 6 people reasonably well.

I'm not talking about cutting the springs to lower a wagon, then throw $30 of flat krylon on it. I mean a BUILD that starts with a wagon body and ends looking like the result of a halucination.

Some of the details are known - like that it's gonna run a big inline 6 since I also seriously dig those, and others are undecided - like the paint. I DO know that it will NOT be flat, eggshell, satin, suede, or shiny black. I'm gonna need it to be stand out from the sea of other spray bombed satin black hoopties rolling on woodward. I'm figuring some decent options will present themselves once it gets closer to time. Ultimately I'd like to use this build as a way to start getting my name out there as a player in the full custom fabrication game, so I'd love for the paint to make just as much of a statement as the rest of the fab work - like maybe a deep candy apple red with full on 70's bassboat glitterflake clearcoat job - or airbrush the whole thing to look like it's riveted metal panels, like an old fighter jet. Stupid as it may sound - but I honestly don't even know if it's gonna have flames in the paint.

Ultimately I get that it'll be a multi year endeavor to reach the finish line, but the immediate goal is to get it built and drivable within 6 months. As I said, without a set pattern or formula to copy, there's a sea of unknowns, but here's what I do plan on though - It's gonna be low, long, and wide - and it's gonna be bitchin'. I also know it's gonna be fun to build because there's no WAY I'll be able to do it all by myself, and thrashing with buddies is always a win.

Anyway, this thread can live at the bottom of the page for now, and with any luck - it'll keep me going enough to have this baby rolling to cruises this summer.

cutting, grinding, welding,
J

you gonna stretch it? channel it?? de-roof it?

cool,.
can i help? how about a 5.9 litre 6 cylinder cummins diesel?

Nick

Pics or it didn't happen.




There I said it, carry on.

Acid etch the steel so it's flat black and coarse, and then throw on some clear coat. Now that's a rat rod.

Woot.... I wish I lived closer........

Would love to be part of the...............

"2012 Mystery Build"



Brought to you by:
Prof. J. Haynes, Dr. of Flameoligy



Special appearances by:
..............Pat - formerly Captain of the Ratmaster
..............Nick, Nyck, Knick you all know Nick
..............insert your name here

Coming to pavement near you for the Summer of 2012

sounds like a fun times, wish you were closer! Can't wait to see what up.

Bewb, you really need to explore the garage space....

Can't wait to see what you come up with. Good luck on your build!

here is something to inspire you....
for everyone else ....here is some automotive eye candy!

copperhead orange.

'Nuff said.

Haha I'm not sure yet how it's all going to look when it's done. I THINK it'll be cool. If nothing else, it'll be one of them deals where people will go "well that's , uhhhh, ..... different"

Not to avoid any specifics, but I have a huge list of body mods that I want to use this build as my learning curve. Some I'm pretty set on, and others are TBD based on my time, available help, and overall bravery.

Thanks for the votes of confidence guys - and when the sparks start to fly - yous all are absolutely welcome to help!

i'll bring the plasma cutter, and my favourite 10" gear drive grinder,. hee hee,.........

Nick

Don't let Mike P. show up with his hack saw......

Satin blue denim pearl with lime green metalflake... somethings.

Your welcome.

And just so you know, I get a whole extra week vacation starting this year! And that bird'll need some shakedown miles this spring...

toomanytoyz wrote:

Satin blue denim pearl with lime green metalflake... somethings.

Your welcome.

And just so you know, I get a whole extra week vacation starting this year! And that bird'll need some shakedown miles this spring...

Be careful Bewbs, make sure he does not bring a toilet seat or worse yet a "FOR SALE" sign!!!

Like he doesn't have his own signs...

However your wagon ends up,it will be one of a kind.Now go forth and impress us John.
Jim

Giddy up John.

Need a sawzall?

Mike

Bewber wrote:

...like that it's gonna run a big inline 6 since I also seriously dig those

Me too... and with the torque curve on there you gotta go with a manual. Thinkin' 4-speed with not-so-steep gearing...

Need a straight 6?

4.9L from an E350...

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/pts/2764948190.html

And if you want help; I'm about an hour away...retired...with some time on my hands.
JoeT

A "Transformer" wagon would be original!
Jim

Awesome Joe. I'm always down for a thrash.

Actually, as of right now - I'm all set for the motor. Also, I'm not going to have a manual trans in this one. I already have a 4 speed wagon for "that". I want to be able to get stuck in traffic and not have the clutch fade out on me - and I'd also like to make it not hate the highway - so I'm thinkin an automatic with overdrive.

something like one of these?

Our wagons are too beautiful to look good ratted out!
Jim

I have an idea....but ya may lose the bastard seat.....

I know where we can get a 200-4R for $50 (or less!)

i know you said you are set with the engine but a 4.0 out of a jeep would be cool....doesn't get more american spirit than that!

if your gonna stay with an automatic...at least put a tall chrome floor shifter in it!

is hot and heavy gonna be the unfortunate victim here?

I had a 258 Jeep 6 in (on?) my T bucket for a while. Big cam, Demon 2bbl on a Clifford intake and a stainless header. Torque isn't the word...Brutal is more like it. And pretty affordable. Damn it, john, we can make this work!

How about an old OHC Pontiac. Get the one with the factory cam and the 4 barrel. One of the best engines ever!!!

Bill

Haha, Nick is pretty close.

I'm not against jeep motors, but the donor vehicle comes with an 80,000 mile straight 6 already in it - and I have a 2004r on my garage floor that's waiting for power.

And don't hate on me for "ruining" a "beautiful" wagon. The shell I'm using has two choices - to be cut up into little pieces and scrapped - or to come here and receive a second chance at life.

Excellent!
When will the sparks begin to fly?

Hopefully within a couple weeks. I just need a day off to go and get the shell.

Cool Christmas gift to yourself !!

Can't wait to see what you got. Clear out the garage yet? lt1 in the pickup?

Heck no! The 283 is installed though. Just need a saturday of figuring out pulleys, brackets, and electricals and we're dangerous with that one.

Bewber wrote:

Heck no! The 283 is installed though. Just need a saturday of figuring out pulleys, brackets, and electricals and we're dangerous with that one.

Ha ha ha, was seeing how long it'd take to get a bite on that one I recalled the Biscayne's 283 sitting there

Haha! I helped put that 283 there! Let's get it goin and do burnouts. I'm 'burntout' workin on my '50. Gimme somethin else to work on.

OK, it's been two weeks.
When do we learn the donor vehicle's identity?

Oh sorry. I was kind of holding off until I was able to go in person to verify that the intended donor would be a ideal as I thought - as far as condition and measurements. I was able to do so a couple days ago - and so far it's a go.

The chassis donor is a 1981 crew cab, long bed, 1 ton truck. It's currently living out in a field, but everything I need on it appears to be real solid since it was never street driven. It was a company truck at the limestone quarry in Rogers City, MI - so it's never seen salt - and the layer of limestone seems to have done a good job preserving the frame, etc.

Also - after a little noodling on it - there's a slight change in powerplant plans for these projects of mine. The inliner will be going into the 51 truck and the 283 is going to power the wagon project.

The inline 6 actually gets the 51 closer to driveable since - in theory - it's a "drop in" without having to finger out a front accessory setup inside the confines of an engine bay.

The 283 makes sense in the wagon build since - despite the accessory problem - it gives me a symmetrical exhaust to work with - and more closely matches the original exhaust plan I have in my head.

As far as getting these heaps hauled home so I can start to measure/chop/combine/scrap/etc .... I can dolly the wagon home, but the current owner needs to feel up to the task of helping load it up, which may be a couple more weeks. The truck is much to big to dolly, so it'll have to be trailered. That dude has a trailer I can borrow, but our schedules have to mesh for it to happen.

I'm chomping at the bit to get going on this mess.

not my fault I'm not up to helping you move the shell out of here

Oh I know bud. I didn't mean for it to seem like an assignment of blame, or anything that'd make you feel badly about feeling badly. Believe me, I'm more antsy for you to feel recovered and live pain free than I am to get the shell.

Just to add some positive reinforcement here... I like to add that John's '51 pickup has been safely ensconced in his garage for many years.

Hey Bewber,
Hope you didn't think I was being pushy...I was just curious about the project car.
I'm looking forward to helping when you need it...
JoeT

Heck naw bud. We're GOOD and I'm looking forward to getting the help.

update?

Bewber left here about an hour ago with what is left of Derek's old wagon, I'll let him tell about the day we had in his own words when he is ready

How are you feeling Pat?Easy to forget we dont heal up like we did as kids or young men!
Jim

I know healing is going to take it's sweet time, the brain seems to heal faster.... Dealing with non co-operative insurance adjusters is enough for me to deal with right now, they have a habit of forgetting who the victim is at times..... and they need to sharpen their pencils and come back to the table with something reasonable

Oh boy. Sounds like John had quite a time in Canada. I can't wait to make some obsolete crap work on this. Gonna be challenging but its gonna be cool!

John just called and he made through customs without issues and the wagon is now imported into the USA and he has another 60 miles to home.

I was worried about that.....

Oh man, what a day. I left home at about 8:30 am and just got home at 10pm.

To get the wagon rolling, the rear end had to be reinstalled. Normally this isn't a big deal, but all 4 control arms had been sawzalled through to remove it in the first place. Again, normally not a big deal - but with Pat not being 100%, I was mostly working by myself, and the rear of the body wasn't parked on blacktop. It was parked on lava rocks.

Anyway, with a couple floor jacks, a grinder, a welder, and about 3 hours of fighting - I won and it was IN there and rolling. All that was left then was to then maneuver the heap - without any form of steering - that was half on rocks by rolling it ahead 3 feet, then swinging the REAR sideways 45 degrees, then snaking the whole thing through and S curve to miss the porch, the garage, and the house.

With a floor jack, some automotive roller skates, and an hour more of fighting - we won. It was all lined up and ready to come-along onto the dolly.

Unluckily, we learned the hard way that the wheels and tires on the car were too wide for the dolly, and it was now 5:30pm. Luckily, Pat made a few calls and his buddy with an Astro van had JUST swapped wheels and tires TODAY, and was only 10 minutes away. By 6:30 pm we were back with wheels and tires that were the perfect width. By a few ticks after 7pm, they were installed, the heap was ratcheted down and the magnetic tow lights were on.

Then the battery in the truck was dead, which is the second time in a row I couldn't leave Pat's due to a dead battery. By 7:30 I was FINALLY able to roll.

So then came re-entry into the US. I pulled over to the import inspection area and was met by two officers with flashlights who told me to go wait inside and immediately started joking about my gutted hunk of a wagon by saying, "Holy crap, somebody already did our job for us!"

So then I went inside and as I was trying to convince the porder patrol agent that - yes, really - the reason I didn't have a bill of sale was that I had traded it for a case of Cherry Coke - the guys from outside walked in and chimed in, "Trust us, if that dude traded a case of coke for that car - he got screwed on the deal."

About 45 minutes later, they'd completed their shift change and my paperwork, and I was on my way.

By 10:30 I'd completed the mission and had FINALLY sucessfully hauled home the start of my project, complete with borrowed wheels, butt welded control arms, and the hood held in place with duct tape.

And a HUGE thanks again to Pat for all the help he gave today and wearing himself out shoving that heap all over the driveway with me and helping to locate tools, lug nuts, pry bars, and dinner.