I normally don’t get into “rat rods” or even customs of any sort, but this creation was too much for me to ignore. An older couple drove this into a cruise-in and I had to laugh with delight. Knowing that the gentleman driver likely built it for a low four-figure sum made it even more enjoyable. The frame and drivetrain are fairly commonplace items that you may not expect, but I didn’t get a bead on the cab make. Anybody care to hazard a guess involving the component parts of this Frankenbeast?
Walk away and I’ll spare your lives. Just walk away.
The Lord Humungus has shown mercy!
Is that rear wheel steering? That looks like a huge radiator for not so large engine.
To me the cab looks like a Mack B61.
Yeah, that’s definitely a Mack B cab.
No, I think it’s a REO or early GMC. Mack ‘B’ cabs are contoured around the front fenders, that cab has a flat cowl. Need to see more pictures.
I think you’re right. I shouldn’t have said that it’s “definitely” a Mack. The lower-front corner of the door is cut away for the original truck’s fender like the cab of the REO in Paul’s pic here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/CC-138-014-800.jpg
And not squared-off like the Mack here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mack-B61side.jpg
It seems like the doors on GMC trucks of that vintage angled forward toward the bottom,
http://photos.ecarlist.com/N5/91/dF/5R/3b/Bm/Jz/W8/58/Ee/8Q_640.jpg
moreso than the one on this beast.
It’s also missing the ridged trim detail above the door-handle of the Mack.
That’s what I get for jumping to conclusions before having my coffee.
I’m surprised it’s road legal. Not too many trailers could haul that around.
It’s nice having the exhaust exit just in front of the cab too. I don’t think I’d open the vents.
This is what happens when you live in a country without widespread safety or emissions testing and I love it! Yea the exhaust pipe is not in the best place especially if you are rolling coal. Is it really steered by the rear wheels?
I would say a Reo cab
“Gee, an inline 16 seemed like such a good idea on the drawing board.”
Old guys and their old toys. Love it.
Just because you can, does not mean you should. X 2 on the REO cab. Engine looks to be a Cummins but no idea what series at such a distance.
If there is going to be a Cars 3, with a character who is a crazy cousin of Tow Mater, it looks like we have an ideal model for it!
‘ What we have here , is a failure to communicate ‘ .
Nevertheless , I like it , it’s a fun vehicle .
-Nate
Since nobody’s guessed, the chassis is from a Pierce firetruck!
Those chassis aren’t growing on trees! This all reminds me…
A high school classmate of a younger cousin had a much more civilized looking home conversion. His father had a ’77 Ford LTD wagon with a 460 and a very rusted body. They started with that.
The body was removed. On went a cab from a mid-30s Ford pickup with a bed from a somewhat newer Dodge; they matched rather well. Front fenders were sourced from another similar vintage vehicle and running boards were fabricated from a junk refrigerator that was in the yard behind the shed. In turn, they bought every can of red spray paint from the Dollar General Store and painted it. It looked quite good and ran like a leopard whose ass is on fire. A few extra rear tires is all it ever needed.
the chassis is from a Pierce firetruck!
Two pieces of straight channel aren’t all that distinctive?
A lot of fire trucks back in the day had Hall-Scott sixs, but I like the sound of their V-12 when the throttle gets turned up a bit.
While we’re on the subject, how about this one from Monterey 2012?
KJ
It does rather dwarf that F-350, doesn’t it?
SWEET
How can the driver see anything beyond that huge radiator ?
Lovely piece of work, though.
it’s like flying a plane-you don’t need to see low
An aspect of hot rodding I was not aware of…. monster rods with a side “rat”.
Must be fun to parallel park.
I cant really call this a ‘rat rod’ based on the overall style. Its cool, for sure. But it doesn’t have that cartoonish, weird modified look.
This old Dodge is more in the vein of a rat rod. Supposedly it is 6wd too…