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Racthet RIde

RatchetRob

RatchetRob

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Ratchet Ride is the name my wife came up with and I kind of like it. Keeping her happy is job one during this build so the name of the ride is set. The build is a Youngster frame with Chevy small block and TH 350 with a S-10 rear. Just started with frame rails and stopped with width until I got body. Undecided on widening the frame from the plans until I did a mock up to see what if any clearance issues I would have. Since I have never build a car like this before I didn't want to stray to far from the plans but I also do not want any clearance issues with the narrow frame in the Youngster plans. Below is the first update of this build. Will be posting pictures as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone on this site for taking the time to post and share knowledge!
 
Just a note the car I found while searching for the style I wanted to go for was Nick Conti's Low Budget Build. Love that look of simple and clean lines. Sure wish I could find out more info on where he got or if he made the hood. To each their own but I like this car a lot hence the use of it in the my avatar.
 
Well back from MN with the body and without seeing other companies bodies I am happy with it. doesn't seem twisted or flimsy. They even delivered body to the hotel for me after hours! Also bought the grill shell from them as well even after reading Jimbo's post about it being a pain to find a radiator to fit. The thought was it may match the body coming from the same company and adding some extra height to fit common radiators didn't seem too big of a deal. Hoping to nail down the width and weld in cross members today and do a generic mock up of everything. I am taking plenty of pictures and will post them as soon as I can.
 
Headed up to Paynesville, MN to pick up the body and on the way back thru Rochester, MN saw a Five Guys Burgers! Well of course we had to stop! On a funny note you should have seen the looks we received carrying the body into our hotel room! It was pouring down rain and we realized the body set down into the trailer to much to use straps. So we stashed the body inside room until morning so we could run down to the local hardware store and pick up some D rings. When is the last time you carried a body out of a hotel room? lol

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Here is my donor vehicle. It is a 83 S-10 a local guy drag raced. I got it cheap and decided to use parts instead of pursuing a drag truck.

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Well today I mocked up the frame and figured out the width I want to go with. Next step is to call RPM tomorrow and talk to him about motor mounts and the front cross member tubing.

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RatchetRob said:
Headed up to Paynesville, MN to pick up the body and on the way back thru Rochester, MN saw a Five Guys Burgers! Well of course we had to stop! On a funny note you should have seen the looks we received carrying the body into our hotel room! It was pouring down rain and we realized the body set down into the trailer to much to use straps. So we stashed the body inside room until morning so we could run down to the local hardware store and pick up some D rings. When is the last time you carried a body out of a hotel room? lol

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The first T I built we got the body from a guy in Knoxville, TN We came back and spend the weekend in Pigeon Forge TN. We got weird looks from a lot of people and most thought it was a X mas sleigh. We [ me and wife] put it in our motel room on the other bed LOL So I know about the strange looks when toting it out of motel room. But hey makes good memories and stories for later in life. LOL I also have used two of the bodies from Paynesvile, MN The one I'm building now is the two door body. I like the bodies. I wanna try one of RPMs longer bodys next. Enjoy the build Keep it Simple and safe.
 
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Well I got my first ride in a sweet T Bucket yesterday! Now I am hook line and sinker into this project. lol It was very nice to see what I am building and the end result. Learned a lot of great valuable information and got some very good pointers and pitfalls to avoid. Now back to reality and the realization I have a very long way to go. But seeing t he end result makes me want to take my time to do this right and safely. Not sure if he wants to be mentioned by name but he is a member on this forum. So happy I found this site and look forward to meeting more of you!
 
Just read my last post again and wanted to make sure I said this correctly. The T Bucket I saw and rode in was built right and safely. That makes me want to take my time to achieve the same results.
 
Finally got some work done. At first I was not going to taper the frame rails but decided I did in fact like that look so I did that. The plans call for 7" kick up and after mocking it all up I did not like the stance. So I added 4 more inches to the kick ups and also widened the frame at the rear 2 inches along with adding 3" to total length. Yes it adds more work to taper frame rails but I like the look. Got main frame rails welded and cross members tacked in and frame level and square. Then ran out of welding wire and with the snow falling didn't want to chance a trip to town. Plan to finish welding cross members in tomorrow after work and then onto getting rear diff ready to bolt in. Slow but progress none the less!IMAG0832.jpg IMAG0845.jpg
 

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RatchetRob said:
Finally got some work done. At first I was not going to taper the frame rails but decided I did in fact like that look so I did that. The plans call for 7" kick up and after mocking it all up I did not like the stance. So I added 4 more inches to the kick ups and also widened the frame at the rear 2 inches along with adding 3" to total length. Yes it adds more work to taper frame rails but I like the look. Got main frame rails welded and cross members tacked in and frame level and square. Then ran out of welding wire and with the snow falling didn't want to chance a trip to town. Plan to finish welding cross members in tomorrow after work and then onto getting rear diff ready to bolt in. Slow but progress none the less!View attachment 9136 View attachment 9137
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Looking good!! Stay COOL!!! LOL
 
Carolina Man said:
Any new updates? I am liking this build.
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Progress is slow due to weather and family issues but I did get a few things done today. Wife is away for 6 days with our daughter at the Mayo clinic in Ronchester, MN trying to get a diagnosis for her condition. Seems to get sick every couple weeks and I do not have anymore paid time off so I stayed here to work. So out of boredom I got back in the garage. I usually work on it at my workplace as I have a 60 x 50 heated fully equipped shop as seen in earlier pictures. But decided to bring her home so I could do a lot more of that "mocking up". lol Sometimes is seems foolish but I know from my racing days building bodies for Late Models and Open Wheel cars that stopping and taking a step back really helps!
 
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